Trial and Error
Yesterday we were hit with a winter storm. The snow came down in large beautiful flakes and the wind was frigid. Roads were riddled with wrecked vehicles that had slid off due to the sheets of ice covering them. Needless to say our plans were canceled and the day was then deemed a stay in day. Having had canceled plans we were in search of something to keep us busy indoors on this glistening white day. Just then the mailman drove up. As I gathered the mail my eyes widened with joyous thoughts, for what did I see... Three of the four packages of vegetable seeds I had been patiently waiting for had finally made it in, and just in time too! Excited to see (even though I ordered them and already knew what was in them) I sat at the table and opened the packages as if I were a kid again on Christmas morning. Gardening brings me so much joy and fulfillment I can't even explain exactly how it makes me feel. I get so excited for new seeds and growth on plants, it's like taking a kid into a candy store.
Now that these seeds had come to the rescue on this cold winter day the gears in my head began to turn as to what I could do to keep myself busy. I walked into the den and began to look out of the three large windows that cover the back wall when I noticed a line of deer crossing through our back yard. It was so majestic to see them all walking slowly one by one in unison through the snow covered woods. I stood there drinking my coffee, pondering what I could and would do with all of these seeds this spring. Then, it hit me, I needed to get some more seeds started for my spring crops. The early crops need to be planted indoors usually six to eight weeks before planting outside two to four weeks before the last frost. In other words eight to ten weeks before the last frost date. Here that date is in April so now is the time to get them started.
Like I mentioned the gears were turning so I sat down and pulled out my collection of seeds gleaming with happiness and wonder and began to separate them into categories. Cucumbers with cucumbers tomatoes with tomatoes and oh the things I can grow. I then decided (when I was able to pull myself away from all the possibilities of spring and summer thoughts) to pull out my cold hearty crops and see what I wanted to plant and how many of each thing. As I decided which seeds were worthy enough to be started now I engineered another amazing plan in my head. I had decided to not only start what I needed but to experiment with the way to start them. I had some saved up toilet paper rolls, an old biodegradable egg carton, twelve egg shells, and some store bought Jiffy starter pods.
My plan was to start some different things in each of these different starter options and watch to see which ones work more efficiently if any. I proceeded to plan what seeds would be planted into which starter and how many of each seed we needed to feed the family off of those plants. I chose to put radishes into all twelve of the egg shells because, you could just grow one radish but what good would that do you if you want to cook a meal? Then I decided twelve wasn't enough radishes to make a good side dish for my family of five so, I proceeded to plant twenty-four more, only those seeds went into the Jiffy starter pods. Now for the next crop I chose onions, I decided twelve onions would be a decent start so I planted twelve seeds into the egg carton. I then planted celery, lettuce, cabbage, spinach, peas and garlic chives into the starter pods as well as a few of each into the toilet paper rolls. I also decided that I would plant some cinnamon basil into the cutest little planter I received from Aunly Brand to keep in my window sill. I now have at least one of each type of seed in a toilet paper roll and some in a second starter. I will continue to watch these and observe which ones grow well or faster or seem stronger and report back every few days to a week.
Follow me here and on Instagram for daily pictures and updates on these plants and many more activities on the homestead and tell me in the comments which starters you think will work the best or which starters you like to use! Thanks for reading and catch ya next time.
~Good Time Holler~
Now that these seeds had come to the rescue on this cold winter day the gears in my head began to turn as to what I could do to keep myself busy. I walked into the den and began to look out of the three large windows that cover the back wall when I noticed a line of deer crossing through our back yard. It was so majestic to see them all walking slowly one by one in unison through the snow covered woods. I stood there drinking my coffee, pondering what I could and would do with all of these seeds this spring. Then, it hit me, I needed to get some more seeds started for my spring crops. The early crops need to be planted indoors usually six to eight weeks before planting outside two to four weeks before the last frost. In other words eight to ten weeks before the last frost date. Here that date is in April so now is the time to get them started.
Like I mentioned the gears were turning so I sat down and pulled out my collection of seeds gleaming with happiness and wonder and began to separate them into categories. Cucumbers with cucumbers tomatoes with tomatoes and oh the things I can grow. I then decided (when I was able to pull myself away from all the possibilities of spring and summer thoughts) to pull out my cold hearty crops and see what I wanted to plant and how many of each thing. As I decided which seeds were worthy enough to be started now I engineered another amazing plan in my head. I had decided to not only start what I needed but to experiment with the way to start them. I had some saved up toilet paper rolls, an old biodegradable egg carton, twelve egg shells, and some store bought Jiffy starter pods.
My plan was to start some different things in each of these different starter options and watch to see which ones work more efficiently if any. I proceeded to plan what seeds would be planted into which starter and how many of each seed we needed to feed the family off of those plants. I chose to put radishes into all twelve of the egg shells because, you could just grow one radish but what good would that do you if you want to cook a meal? Then I decided twelve wasn't enough radishes to make a good side dish for my family of five so, I proceeded to plant twenty-four more, only those seeds went into the Jiffy starter pods. Now for the next crop I chose onions, I decided twelve onions would be a decent start so I planted twelve seeds into the egg carton. I then planted celery, lettuce, cabbage, spinach, peas and garlic chives into the starter pods as well as a few of each into the toilet paper rolls. I also decided that I would plant some cinnamon basil into the cutest little planter I received from Aunly Brand to keep in my window sill. I now have at least one of each type of seed in a toilet paper roll and some in a second starter. I will continue to watch these and observe which ones grow well or faster or seem stronger and report back every few days to a week.
Follow me here and on Instagram for daily pictures and updates on these plants and many more activities on the homestead and tell me in the comments which starters you think will work the best or which starters you like to use! Thanks for reading and catch ya next time.
~Good Time Holler~
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