Reflections of katlupe: starting seeds

Showing posts with label starting seeds. Show all posts

Saturday, April 05, 2014

My Seed Starting Process Has Begun

Seed Starting

Yesterday I started planting my seed starting planters, that I only use for this purpose. I bought three bags of seed starter from Lowe's. If a planter is too big, I add small rocks to the bottom for drainage. These little planters though, do not need it. I only fill them part way, then dampen the mix. Not too much. Just to feel it. Then put my heirloom seeds in place. Then I spray a little more water on the top with a spray bottle.

Seeds

I save many of my seeds from year to year. I buy heirlooms most of the time. Though I have bought hybrids also. Just not a lot. I make sure the seeds I buy are covered by the safe seed pledge that are non-GMO seeds. I want to grow REAL food in my garden. This is the Safe Seed Pledge if you do not know what it is:

The Safe Seed Pledge

"Agriculture and seeds provide the basis upon which our lives depend. We must protect this foundation as a safe and genetically stable source for future generations. For the benefit of all farmers, gardeners and consumers who want an alternative, we pledge that we do not knowingly buy or sell genetically engineered seeds or plants. The mechanical transfer of genetic material outside of natural methods and between genera, families or kingdoms, poses great biological risks as well as economicc, political, and cultural threats..."

This pledge was signed by us (whatever seed company you are buying from) & other companies that are concerned about this issue. For more information on this project, contact:

The Safe Seed Initiative
C/O Council for Responsible Genetics
5 Upland Road, Suite 3
Cambridge, MA 02140
www.gene-watch.org

Seeds Planted & Covered

This one is all done. Now is the part I dread..........having to keep them warm at night in my house and away from my cats. Our house is cool at night when we bank the wood stove back so it is not really that warm. I am trying a few different methods to keep them warm. As for the cats, I am keeping my fingers crossed that they won't be interested in them.

63 Seeds Started

Yesterday I started 63 seeds. I am planning on starting more, maybe tomorrow. How many will survive to be put in the garden? I don't know. Some will come up and some won't. Time will tell. I have a large area for the garden so I can start a lot of plants. There are some, like the bush beans that I don't start, and they will be the first ones up and producing. That is the plant I grow best, besides potatoes.

Patches, my helper today!

Friday, April 04, 2014

Time To Start Seeds!

Time to get started with my garden. Right now that means starting my seeds inside. It is still quite cool and we are running our wood stoves. At night though, our house gets pretty cold once the wood stove is banked back for the night. I am thinking of trying a few different things to keep them warm during that time. Seeds need to be kept really warm. My oven has a pilot light and I did think about setting them in there for the night. But I am afraid the propane would kill them. So that is out. I could set them on top of the stove, and the pilot lights on each burner (I have 5) might give them a little warmth. The propane should not affect them up there in the open. That is an idea I might try.

This morning, I am accumulating all my seed starting essentials. Yesterday, I bought seed starter to start them out with. This morning I went down to the root cellar and got all my containers. Or a large amount of them. I still have more downstairs. I only needed the little ones to start the seeds in. I brought up trays that I keep them on so they are easy to move around. I save plastic containers that meat and produce come in from the stores. I use them to put under the little planters, to catch the water that drains out of them.

This is one of my favorite activities. I love to garden. I love to see it progressing during the spring and summer. It is an activity that my husband and I share. I used to share it with my father. When I work in my garden, my thoughts are always of him, and his skill as a gardener. After such a hard winter (they are always hard here anymore), spending time outside, listening to the birds, and being in the sunshine, is something I crave to do. How about you? Are you starting your seeds yet?

Saturday, May 04, 2013

Watching My Seedlings Grow!

Tomato seeds planted in this one.

From a container of dirt, some water and sunshine...........comes our food! Every spring, gardening fills my thoughts. I want to always grow more every year, than I did the year before.

Seedlings in the bathroom.

Many different plants get their start inside the house to give them a head start when the weather warms up. Tomato and pepper plants, especially have to be started early in order to enjoy them as early as possible. My cucumbers and squash plants, I have been starting inside in recent years, but I really don't have to. They still grow fast, and I know we will be eating lots of squash and cucumbers fresh from the garden all summer.

Getting bigger!

The seedlings respond to the warmth of the sunshine every morning! Someday, we hope to have a greenhouse. We had planned on building a sun room on our deck so that we could start seeds there. But now we have plans to move from this house, and will make sure our new house will have a space for starting seeds. And it will not be cold during the night, as it is here. That will make gardening much easier.

Gathered together in front of the window every morning!

I swear if I sat in front of them all day, I would see them move through the dirt! No, I have watched, and you never see their heads pop up. A few minutes later, you come back and there they are......popping up through the dirt!

Tuesday, June 05, 2012

Plants Showing Progress

Hobo supervising garden work!

We had some really hot days, then the weather turned rainy and cool. As I write this today, I am freezing. I do not want to start up our wood stove, so I just dress warmer. I started my garden, then was waiting for the plants to come up. Then it got so cool, I was thinking yesterday, that they probably won't come up. Surprise! Surprise! This morning they were showing their sleepy little heads!

Heirloom bush beans!

I am pretty far behind on starting seeds this year and having my raised beds ready to plant. Even if it is too cold to plant, usually my beds are ready to go by this time. Not this year! I am at the point in my life now where things are hurting and I have to put myself first. I will get the garden planted but I have time. Especially since it so cool. My son helped me out this morning by weeding my largest raised bed. That was a big help to me!

Heirloom cucumber seedlings coming along nicely!

My cucumber plants I started in the house and they can't go in the ground till I am sure it will be warm enough for them. I figured this way I will have a head start once I can put them in the ground. Most people do not start them in the house first, but if you have a short growing season it really makes sense to do it this way.

Peas

The peas I planted way back when I thought I'd start a cool weather garden. Well, the peas were the only ones who stuck around long enough out of those plants. The weather went from cool to freezing, to hot and now back to cool. There is only a handful of these plants but we can get some meals out of them. Were you able to get some of your plants started in the ground in your location?

Monday, March 19, 2012

Getting Seeds Ready To Start

Raised beds today

Planning your garden should be utmost in your mind at this time of the year. Spring this year, is warmer and most of our snow has melted. A few piles are around, melting slower because they are in shaded areas. Today looks to be a gloomier day though the sun was shining quite brightly a hour an ago. My garden plans are being worked on today.

Seed starting equipment

I brought up some of my seed starting equipment upstairs to get organized. Your equipment doesn't have to be fancy or bought especially for starting seeds. I use old containers that I have purchased small plants in. Over the years, I have collected more than a few. I also use disposable cups or whatever I find. Cut down a paper milk or orange juice container to start some in. Those plastic food containers from the grocery stores can be used to put the little pots in to catch the water. Makes them easier to move around.

Seeds in packets

I got out my seed packages and starting sorting through the ones I want to start now. Keeping various types of vegetables and herbs on hand is good so you have plenty to choose from. Add to your supply every year and try to add heirloom seeds. Then you will be able to save the seeds for the future years. As I go through the seeds, I will be putting some into glass jars for safe keeping. Nice little stash for the future!

Plowed up one raised bed since the weather was so nice!

By the way, add me on Google+ and we can talk!

Monday, May 02, 2011

Doing A Little Planting Here And There!

GREEN! I love green!

Spring has definitely sprung here at Peaceful Forest. My husband had to mow our lawn over the week-end. But it is STILL cold! It is probably due to the constant rain we keep getting. Our grass started growing and had to be cut on the one day that it was not rainy. I managed to plant my two beds of lettuce. They are in my containers that are up off the ground. Besides the salad greens are plants that like cool. Cool but not freezing.

Lettuce planted in the 2 planters on legs!

So since I am not sure yet when I will be able to plant in the ground, I have started more seeds. May as well have them all ready to go into the ground as soon as possible but have them already started. Saturday I started more broccoli and cauliflower. Both are low carb vegetables so I need to have them growing. This year I am going to try to dehydrate some of them and see how I do. Neither one is very good canned, unless you pickle them.


Loggers working down the road.

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Nice Spring Day At Peaceful Forest Homestead

Snow has just about all melted now!

Today we were supposed to go visit my FIL, but our brakes on our truck need to be replaced. So we decided not to go and take a risk as they do not sound good. My husband will get the new ones on in a few days. So we both spent the day working on our individual projects around here.

Callie in the barn

My day was spent on transplanting my seedlings that had grown quite big. They badly needed a bigger pot. The Green and Blue Hubbard squash has taken off nicely. It looks like we will be putting a lot of winter squash in our root cellar this year. For some reason the butternut squash and Hopi Gray are lagging behind. But I haven't given up on them yet.

My husband spent the day organizing the upstairs of our barn. He has his tools and stuff up there and needed it better organized. The upstairs is really big and he is planning on putting a work bench up there. He has definitely needed one!

Spring is finally in the air around Peaceful Forest. Mud season is here, though not too bad.....yet. I will not complain about our wet climate in light of what my Texas online friends are going through at the moment. Some of our rain would help them out a bunch about now. It is in our forecast for tomorrow in fact.

Happy Sunday and may God bless all!

Sunday, April 03, 2011

Gardening Season Is Beginning At Peaceful Forest!

Squash & Pumpkin Plants 2010

Today finally feels like spring! Waking up to hearing the birds sing makes you ready to get out of bed in the morning. Like they are saying, "Hurry up sleepy head, the day is waiting!" The first thing that runs through my mind is digging in my raised beds. But I can't. Not yet.

Raised Beds in backyard 2010

I have been transplanting many of my seedlings already. They grew so fast that it was hardly worth starting them in the little flats. It is sadly too cold yet, in fact, our ground is still frozen and much of it is still snow covered. I will have strong little plants to put in the ground when I can.

Squash Blossom 2010

New York gardeners around here usually plan to get their gardens in on Memorial Day week-end. My father who has been gardening for most of his life doesn't even start his seeds until April first. By starting mine earlier though, when I put the plants in, it is like the gardeners who purchase plants instead of seeds. It gives you a head start on the harvest. We get vegetables earlier than usual. With our weather here in NY that is a good idea!

Rich Compost!

Are you getting your garden in? I know many of my readers here are in a warmer climate than I am. So I hope you got a good start already. Happy spring!

Friday, April 01, 2011

Hopi Pale Grey Squash Seed Starting

Blue Hubbard Squash are growing!

Even though it is snowing and cold here in upstate NY today, my thoughts run to spring. We are so ready for it after our long hard winter. I went upstairs to water my seedlings this morning and found many had sprouted. I will transplant them into their own pots soon. Keeps me focused on my garden. I wrote about starting my seeds in this post, Starting Seeds Today on March 18th. They are coming up and look good.

My Hopi Pale Gray Squash 2010

Except my own saved Hopi Grey Squash seeds have not showed their face yet. Now these seeds are heirlooms and I thought they would start with no trouble. Maybe they need more time, or............

Hopi Gray Squash Seeds 2010

I recently read on Jackie Clay's blog that you are not supposed to plant any squash seeds within a mile of each other. Now I don't have that much room on my whole property let alone in my garden. It makes me wonder about people with next door neighbors who have gardens. Many people grow winter squash. She had much more detail on it on her blog but it makes me see I really need to do the research on saving seeds and planting heirloom seeds. If you follow my link to her blog, scroll down to the area where readers ask questions. She tells you there about saving squash seeds (it might be hard to get past the pictures of her beautiful log house though!).

Broccoli Seedlings

It disappoints me that I shouldn't be planting that many different kinds of squash in one garden. Does that mean that I can't grow various types of pumpkins and squash? Or is that the conditions for only the heirlooms? I have some that are not heirlooms. I was going to be using them up before I discontinued them completely from my garden. I guess I will learn as I go with the heirlooms and saving my seeds.

Hubbard Seedling Popping Up!

How is your seed starting going this year? My friend Marlene, the writer of an awesome blog called Marlene's Many Hats posted her seed starts for her Wordless Wednesday post this week, Look at her zucchini..........wow! Way to go Marlene!

Friday, March 18, 2011

Starting Seeds Today

We have three compost piles. One is the one we put manure in presently. That is what you see in the photo above. It is hot, so the snow melts instead of keeping it covered. The other snow piles are covering the other two piles. One is the one we stopped adding to two years ago. It will need another year to set. The other one we will be using this year, as it is now three years old.

I went out there and got two buckets of new compost. Put it in the baking pan and set it in the oven this morning for about three hours at 180 degrees. It sterilizes the compost. To start seeds you don't want anything else in there competing with the seeds. Later on in the garden, all those good things in the soil are welcome, as then the plants need them. But for now, they are in a controlled environment.

Rich compost from our compost pile. It is like gold. Our garden is very productive due to the quality of our soil. We plant everything in raised beds full of this compost. It is easy to work with and full of earthworms. I love the smell of the dirt and the feel of it between my fingers. I guess it is no surprise that one of my favorite things to do as a child was to make mud pies and play in the dirt.

The seeds I ordered from Comstock, Ferre & Co. are heirloom seeds. They do not sell any GMO (genetically modified organism) seeds and that was what I was looking for in a seed company. I do not want to contribute even in a tiny way to Monsanto. If you don't know who Monsanto is, they are currently the company that is in control of the GMO seed market. Anyway, this post is not about the politics of heirloom seeds, but about my own little food factory here.

Today the seeds I stared were winter squash varieties. Last year we grew a few different kinds but didn't get as many to store as I wanted. I want to store as much food as possible. So this year I am doubling the amount of vegetables as I normally do. I will store some fresh and can the rest. Squash is one of our favorites. How about you? What kind of vegetables are you growing this year? I am getting started today because I have spring fever.

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