Indoor Garden Progress Post

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Posted by Sara | Posted in Indoor Garden Progression, Indoor Gardening, Seed Starting | Posted on 01-04-2010

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So, the indoor garden plants are getting very big now!

The tomato plants now have a regular support cage around them and are about 2+ feet tall. I am wondering when they will flower!

The Cilantro continues to be prolific and I use it often in salads, breads and salsa.

The Basil is also getting rather tall. One plant in particular is about a foot tall and towers above the rest of the Basil forest. I am wondering if my pruning is causing this growth? It sure is delicious though! I love to just run my hand over it and smell the sweet Basil smell. MMMmmmm…

Here is a picture of the new set-up now that I have my seed flats started for spring planting.

Thanks for stopping by!

Outdoor Seeds Started!!!

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Posted by Sara | Posted in Outdoor Garden Progression, Outdoor Gardening, Seed Starting | Posted on 30-03-2010

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I finally got my outdoor seeds started!

I live in Minnesota so my first day of safe frost-free planting is May 20th this year according to my handy Farmer’s Almanac. There are seeds that you can start outside before that, but not many. I like to transplant plants to the garden for a lot of veggies.

Carrots, tomatoes, and several others can take 75+ days to harvest. With only 3.5 solid months of growing season I need to maximize my garden time, and that means starting from plants, not seeds, for anything that has a growing time of 60 days or more. (You don’t want your first harvest to come during your frost! What fun would it be to not eat anything out of your garden for months?)

Here is a picture of the seed flats I have started:

I have press-and-seal wrap over the trays to preserve moisture and warmth which will start the seeds faster. I have 2 kinds of trays: small egg-crate style, and large potter style. I use the large pots for things that need to get pretty big before transplant like carrots and tomatoes. I use the small egg crate style for flowers and smaller veggies, and things that can go in the garden sooner size-wise as well as colder-tolerant.

So here’s what I have started:

  • Yellow Onions
  • Long Carrots
  • Jalapenos
  • Bell Peppers
  • Broccoli
  • Beef Steak, Roma, and Salad Tomatoes
  • Petunias (regular ones :))

These I will sow right in the garden:

  • Beans
  • Peas
  • Short Carrots
  • Cilantro
  • Basil
  • Radishes
  • Zucchini
  • Cosmos
  • Morning Glories

These are either fast growers, or cold weather tolerant and do well going right in as seed.

Thanks for stopping by!