seedy establishment

[alenxa_classic]

I have this thing about growing plants from seed. Maybe it's some holdover remnant of the fascination of watching the classic lima bean sprout in the Solo cup, maybe it's because my real interest in growing edible plants started with a $5 gift-shop plastic bag of potting soil with an artsy-looking packet of lemon basil seeds stapled on. Whatever the reason, I prefer to start at the very beginning with my plants whenever possible. The last time I did it was in 2002, which may have been the year my cherry tomato sprouts got fried almost as soon as I put them outside. (Ouch.) In 2003, I knew I would be in Hawaii just when I'd need to do a lot of repotting, and last year I was anticipating taking a honeymoon at about the same time, so I didn't even try.

This year, I intend to make up for lost time. I am now in possession of a 72-well seed-starting tray and a bunch of peat pots, and I'm putting it all to good use. It's been a week since I started a boatload of seeds, and the basil, lemon basil, thyme, and dill are showing sprouts already. So are all the varieties of tomatoes: grape, mini yellow pear, Green Zebra, and all three colors of cherry tomatoes. I'm going to be spending a fortune on pots if they all stay healthy, especially if all the plants that survived the winter keep growing as happily as they're currently doing. (I have the strawberry, two yellow plum tomatoes, a mini cherry tomato, both Japanese eggplant, and the rosemary left. Mint, oregano, Better Boy and one yellow plum bit it, and I'm going to triage one or both of the eggplant as they have yet to produce anything worth eating. Speak up if you want to adopt one.) Should everything I've planted actually grow, I'll also have cilantro/coriander, chives, lavender, and mint; and I bought a Brandywine tomato and an oregano already growing in temp pots because they were there and I wanted them. It feels slightly like cheating, but considering I wanted a Brandywine last year and got the Better Boy by accident, it feels more like it was on hold. Also I don't do well growing oregano from seed; last time I tried they all collapsed and withered overnight.

So there's a tray of seeds and seedlings, and two plastic saucers with peat pots (for the dill, which doesn't transplant well so I'm using buryable pots), sitting in the path of the sunlight through the sliding glass door. It's not great lighting, but with the weird weather, I don't want to move them outside for fear they'll get fried, frozen, or flooded out. I move them away from the window at night and put them back in the morning, and when it's rained I've gone so far as to put them on the kitchen table and leave the overhead light on so they don't get light-deprived. Sometimes I feel like I'm being overattentive....is it weird to sit and stare at a tray of seedlings with a goofy smile on your face, worrying about whether they're getting enough nutrients?

Comments

[zehntaur.livejournal.com]

...is it weird to sit and stare at a tray of seedlings with a goofy smile on your face, worrying about whether they're getting enough nutrients?

No. I admire how green your thumb is and enjoying growing plants is nothing to be concerned about. Delicate seedlings need all the attention they can get, so they grow up to be healthy, productive members of the plant kingdom. Unfortunately, I don’t think I’m a good candidate for the Eggplant Adoption Program™ …

[sekl.livejournal.com]

I don't know. Maybe you could handle one of those charity sponsor adoption programs. "For only $.19 a day you can sponsor a needy eggplant. Give it nutrients and soil..."

[zehntaur.livejournal.com]

Ack! No! Do you realize how many acres of forest would be razed to make the paper those notices are printed on? It would undermine the whole purpose of the program! No offense, alenxa, but eggplants aren’t that needy.

Unless the Eggplant Adoption Program™ limited itself to email notices, and accepted PayPal^® … hmmm ….