Thursday, March 01, 2012

No one's dead yet

We're ALL alive.

 So, sure, I'm still in known territory with the seedlings. I've started seeds indoors before just fine and these guys are starting just fine.

Granted, I've never started SO MANY seeds indoors - just fine or otherwise - but this isn't really the part of the process I'm worried about.

Not worried. Yet.

Though, in a small showing of personal success, I have shuffled this flat of seedlings in and out of the house, so that they could spend the day basking in the unseasonably warm until two days ago spring sunshine, without any disasters and that's a good sign.

If you're in the business of looking for signs, which recently I have been.

"Brandywine Black" That's a sign. Of some kind anyway.

Lots of existential wonderings going on around here, my friends, but we'll stick to seedlings for now.

And, thanks to the advice from Cynthia at Love Apple Farms and the reinforcement from y'all - I've constructed a rig that has caused a near perfect germination rate so far.

Perfect if your tomato seedlings want to catch up on Gordon Parks. Which, why wouldn't they?
Fan is on. Warming mat is warming tiny seed buns. Grow light is LIKE RIGHT ON TOP OF THE SEEDLINGS atop a very technologically advanced stack of books. It's good times.

Plus, because I'm me and because I'm a TRACK EVERYTHING dork, I made a germination tracker.

It's just a new tab on the original Garden Tracker, but I figured it all belonged together. And I also figured that my little orange notebook stuffed into the drawer with my garden notebook and beekeeping notebook wasn't adequate for the likes of my anal retentiveness.

It'll do. For now.

 Take my word for it - I need more spreadsheets. It fills my soul with absurd pointless joy.

And in other I NEED DIS news, I'll be adding to the madness this weekend as I set up another grow op on the bar for my pepper and cucumber seedlings. And I think you know that I'm going to buy another 48 cell flat, so I'm sure I'll sow more than just peppers and cucumbers.

Also, at least one bed of fava beans are coming down this weekend to make way for the first outdoor sown crop of peas.

OK, and *maybe* I'll start some lettuce out there, too. And maybe build one of these. For the lettuce, you know.

It's March 1 and I'm calling the garden a GO. Bubba has left the scene in order to save himself.

Coward.

9 comments:

  1. I started some stuff in side that was supposed to be direct sowed. Feel kind of dumb but it's fun watching them grow ;)

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    1. I'm usually a Direct Sow Everything kinda gal, but this year most stuff is starting indoors. I imagine that I'm going to be pretty annoyed with myself in about 6 weeks when everything has to be transplanted into 4" pots and suddenly my kitchen is filled with plants.

      Then we can feel dumb together ;-)

      Delete
  2. You're so funny. When I read this line - "but this isn't really the part of the process I'm worried about" my response back to you was "what? are you worried about being caught?" Maybe it's too much crime tv, but grow lights just make me thing you're planting more than peas and tomatoes!

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    Replies
    1. I'm sure that's what my neighbors are thinking.

      Delete
  3. We're cancelling our garden this year, so I'll be here watching with envy as yours grows and grows and grows . . .

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    Replies
    1. I'll endeavor to grow and grow and grow, but I must ask - WHY is it cancelled?

      Delete
  4. So does this mean you'll be skipping the Madness that is the Spring Garden Market @ Emma Prusch Park? (O' say it isn't so!!!).

    I, too, have started seeds in my bathroom windowsill (like I do every year - to "feed the snails" whenever I get around to transplanting them outside!). I'm not taking any chances and will be donning my 49-er Linebacker Protective Gear and heading out to the Spring Garden Market, later this month!

    Orrrr... if you happen to have "excesses" that you'd like to offload.......... (:::big grin:::) I *know* your yard can't POSSIBLY be big enough for all the stuff you're sprouting!!!

    (I'd be open to a "swap" even!)

    Hey: Are you gonna try Jelly Melons again??? (I might!)

    Lastly: When do you begin your annual Test-and-Amend Ritual? I'm eagerly looking forward to those posts, since I had such PHENOMENAL luck last year!

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    Replies
    1. Eh, I bet I still go to the Spring Garden Market. I mean, I do so love being run down by old women with hand carts after all. Maybe we will bump into each other again!

      Though, regardless, I will have *excesses* and you are MORE than welcome to swing by when they're ready and take your pick. I only have room for 4 tomato plants (unless I start ripping out landscaping, which...) so there will be close to 50 tomatoes that need a good home.

      No jelly melons. Just...no.

      Testing and amending began this weekend on one bed (so I could plant the peas and lettuce), so I'll be sure to bore everyone to tears with the recounting on the blog shortly.

      Delete
  5. Ummm... Err... Define "Old women with hand carts?" I'm mid-to late-40's and I *will* be bringing a garden cart. Please - Dear Lord - tell me I don't "qualify" (YET, anyway!!!)

    (Hey - at least I don't use children-in-strollers as a lethal weapon!)

    ReplyDelete

[2013 update: You can't comment as an anonymous person anymore. Too many douchebags were leaving bullshit SPAM comments and my inbox was getting flooded, but if you're here to comment in a real way like a real person, go to it.]

Look at you commenting, that's fun.

So, here's the thing with commenting, unless you have an email address associated with your own profile, your comment will still post, but I won't have an email address with which to reply to you personally.

Sucks, right?

Anyway, to remedy this, I usually come back to my posts and post replies in the comment field with you.

But, if you ever want to email me directly to talk about pumpkins or shoes or what it's like to spend a good part of your day Swiffering - shoot me an email to finnyknitsATgmailDOTcom.

Cheers.