Plant a Seed

A few years ago I decided to try my hand at gardening. I started with a strawberry plant which did pretty well for a 1st try. I didn’t get many, but I was able to enjoy them nonetheless. Strawberries are super easy and they jump from pot to pot, so I was able to have them cascade down the staircase. Unfortunately, some work needed to be done on the stairs and the strawberries got lost in the shuffle.

I never could figure out if I’m over or under watering the plants and it always caused me a bit of angst. During a visit to Home Depot I came upon a self watering container at a decent price and figured I’d give it a try. I have to say it was the best decision ever and I’ve since bought 4 more. All I have to do is make sure that water reservoir is full and the plants do the work themselves. This also means that the plant roots reach down to get to the water, making for stronger roots.

I prefer to start with seeds than with plants, maybe its the purist in me. I truly feel more accomplished when I can harvest what I started from seed. As its cold outside into May, I start the seeds indoor under a grow light. After much research (yes, I research everything before buying), I bought the Hydrofarm 2′ Fluorescent Grow Light Fixture. The plants actually started to flower and vine indoors! I use a small desk fan to blow on the plants to keep their stems strong.

Due to limited space, it was difficult to grow cucumber and tomatoes. Previously, I used an old bed frame for this purpose, but this year, I decided to plant Burpee Patio Princess seeds in an attempt to save space. I also plan to add other varieties of Bush tomatoes and cucumbers.

Last year I joined a community garden and there was an abundance of basil. Having only ever thought of basil as a herb, I never knew it’s used to make pesto. I had never had pesto sauce until very recently as a sample at Costco. Once I learned that it was basil that is used to make pesto sauce, I got bunches of it from the garden. My daughter and I enjoyed the pesto so much, I decided to plant it in my own garden this year.

The soil I am using is a mix of Organic Compost, Seed Starting Soil and Miracle Grow Moisture Control Potting Mix. I’ve had good results with this mix previously and I’m hoping it continues. I’ll be planting ochro again and maybe try some carrots as well. Cabbage? Lettuce? The possibilities are endless. Wish me luck. I’ll be posting my results along the way. I planted the basil and tomatoes four days ago and already the basil has sprouted. I was so excited when I came home and saw the little leaf!