Tis the time of the year when the seeds can start being planted and the seedlings have sprouted. This year we are upping our quantities and we are moving them to a small low-tunnel greenhouse in the garden. In previous years the limiting factor 3for our seedlings has been the lack of light inside the house, yet it has been too cold to move them outside without being able to utilize a greenhouse. Because of this we ended up planting our seeds much later than we are supposed to, meaning they did not reach maturity at the correct time. When it comes to farming, timing is a huge part of being successful. By this coming weekend we will be transplanting the seedling from the small planters into larger containers and moving them to the small greenhouses. The plants being moved are low temperature tolerant plants, like lettuce, spinach, bok choy, and kale (to name a few of what we have planted). Once we can be sure the greenhouses are working we can start moving the tomatoes and peppers out as well.
The soil mixture I use for my seed starter is a special mix of starter soil, a mycorrhizal inoculant, and worm castings. I mix them all together and fill the seed trays with them, plant my seeds, and then add a small layer on top. Then water daily until they grow. My favorite thing about planting season is the smell of the seed starter mixture. It smells like my grandmother’s garage, she was a gardener who grew the most beautiful flower gardens I have ever seen. The smell always brings me back to my childhood. Seed starting is one of my favorite times of the year. It reminds me that spring is coming, and soon the garden will be full of lush green plants. For now, I’ll sit by my pellet stove and watch the tomatoes grow.
