"...a garden is like life:

something is always doing well, something is struggling, something is being born anew, and something is dying."

Edith Reed

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Seeds!

If any of you live near a Menard's their Burpee seeds (including the Organic ones) are 40% plus you get 11% of your total purchase back in an in-store credit. They also have some seeds for 10 cents....I stocked up on Alyssum because it is so good to grow under, around and near many plants. More about companion planting another day. Wanted to share another great idea for an inexpensive seed starting shelf set-up from the Organic Gardening website:
I'm making one of these to increase my seed-starting area, without taking up alot of floor space. I am going to experiment with using the heat cables vs. using some heating mats and also plan to line the shelves with reflective bubble insulation
Which Menard's also has cheaper than what I had already ordered online...it pays to shop around, but sometimes I get impatient. When we get ours set up, I'll post pictures. Meanwhile check out the seed-starting information at Organic Gardening They also have good articles on Seed Starting Simplified Starting Seeds Indoors Transplanting Starting from Seeds Blend Your Own Seed-Starting Mix

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Happy Valentine's Day!

Well it's the middle of February and things are really starting up in the seed starting department! If you are going to start any of the following by seed, now is the time to do it:
Vincas
Impatiens
Petunias

I start my snapdragons now, although technically you have another week
You will need to put your coneflower seeds in the frig for 4 weeks before planting
So plant some flower seeds today, dream of spring and have some chocolate! The best way to treat a gloomy-looking February day!

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Happy Groundhog Day!

Well he saw his shadow and we are supposed to have 6 more weeks of winter....and if it's a winter like we've already had it'll be fine. Started broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, buttercrunch lettuce, spinach and parsley in my aerogarden.
When the seedlings are 3-4 inches high, I will transplant into little newspaper pots that I make with another hand tool called the Potter Factory.
I like the way this pot maker works better than the little wooden one you've probably seen advertised. It give you more options on sizes and allows you to pour the soil into the pot much easier! Check it out at When I am transplanting seedlings from the aerogarden (which is a hydroponic system) into the paper pots, I fill them with seed starting mix. Coming out of the water, they need a soiless mix to begin in.