Seeds, Seedlings and Plants

I love to garden and have experimented with Seeds, Seedlings and Plants for years. I am no Master Gardener, never took the course, just trial and error…over time.  As a matter of fact, every year, I try to grow something new. Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn’t.

Like the year I tried to grow corn, in the back yard. The stalks grew tall but the corn was a weird funny shape.  I used the stalks for fall and the squirrels took the rest high into the trees and dropped the kennels all over the yard and then corn grew all over. It took up too much room in my small garden and created a lot of clean up. Not my thing…

By the way, corn is a plant you grow from seeds, sewn directly in the ground, after it gets warm. And then there are seeds that are great to start indoors while it is still icy frosty cold outside that turn into fresh dainty seedlings right before your eyes. Then there are some veggies that you are better off purchasing from the nursery. Let’s start with growing seedlings…

• Tomatoes are my very favorite to grow from seed. I love growing heirlooms and saving the seeds for the next year. It makes me feel a tiny bit self sufficient. 
• Bell Peppers are a relatively new additional to my garden. The first year I grew seedlings,  I used the “start in the toilet paper roll” cute idea from Pinterest. Well, let me tell you, some type of fungus grew all over those cardboard rolls and about killed every one of them. Then some mite attacked them in the garden and I almost lost them again. In the end, all was well and I had a bumper crop! Even enough to freeze. Sorta like a scary teenager that does crazy stuff and you just keep caring for them and loving them and  they turn out superior in the end. REWARDING!
• Cucumbers, squash and zucchini. These are easy to grow from seed and grow really quickly. Great choice for a beginning seed starter.
• Marigolds are just about the only flower I bother to start indoors. You can save these seeds from year to year as well. I have enough to supply 12 states if there ever is a shortage. And you know, they are awesome wonderful in the garden. 
  

Okay, so while these seedlings are being lovingly nurtured on a sunny window sill, spring rolls in and it is time to plant. It took me a long time to learn how to grow a spring garden. Finally, I have a few delicious delightful veggies that I can grow from sowing seeds directly in the soil as soon as the winter weather breaks.

• Snow Peas are such a fresh treat from the garden. I can’t even tell you how good they are. The seeds look just like dried peas and  are easy to grow when it is cool outside. Oh and they don’t have to be shelled. Nope, not going to grow peas I have to shell. You eat them shell and all.
• Lettuce especially the leafy organic spring mix. Loosen up the soil and sprinkle this tiny seed around and soon you will be swimming in lettuce.
• Kale was my new addition last year and boy it was good! Another tiny seed just sewn directly in the soil that thrives in cool weather.

• Radishes are wonderful to grow with kids. They come up quickly and show their happy red tops to the world! If you have never had radishes from the garden, you have to give this one a try.  These can be sewn directly into the soil but need to be spaced correctly. Making a seed tape is ideal for root veggies so they don’t get to crowded and can grow to their full potential.
• Carrots are a work in progress for me. Going to try them again this year. Will keep you posted…

Now let’t talk about plants, from a local nursery or commercial garden center…

There have been years that everything I grew was purchased as a plant and put in the ground and generally every year I purchase a few plants just to try something new like the Cherry Tomato plant from last year. We ate every tomato on two vines they were so good. So what are some plants you might want to buy…

• Perennials like the strawberry plants I bought for $1.00 a piece at the nursery last year. They are awesome producing from spring to fall and growing like crazy!
• Asparagus my #1 favorite vegetable! I finally started a patch last spring. These are like roots that you buy bundled or in packages. They look like dried octopus. You plant them but don’t harvest the first year so I am super excited to try them this year!
• Anything else that suits your fancy that is a good fit for your garden.

and then there are the volunteers….

Bless their little hearts. Last year I had a full blown pumpkin patch of volunteers. They decorated my steps and feed the squirrels and birds all winter.

Had a few heirloom tomatoes and watermelons pop up as well.

In the garden surprises are generally welcome…

except the snake that lives in my garden and scares the living day lights out of me on a regular basis and the weeds. I could really do without the weeds!

I would love to hear about your garden adventures! What do you like to start from seed, grow into seedlings and plant?