Sprouting peas

Sugar Snap Peas are sprouting!

So far about 14/18 seeds planted have broken through the soil. Planted on 4/3, they took exactly two weeks to sprout.

On Sunday I planted the following:
Lettuce - Boston (plants)
Lettuce - Salad Bowl (plants)
Onion - Red (plants) - total experiment; I am not really sure what to do with them
Marigold - Crackerjack (seed) - seeds were free, but I worry that this variety will be too big
Carrot - Short n' Sweet (seed) - half of one square
Carrot - Little Finger (seed) - half of one square
Strawberry - June-bearing (plant) - I couldn't resist increasing my changes for strawberries this year

Earlier in the week I planted a thyme and rosemary bush. I already experienced the convenience of having the herbs outside my door. While grilling Sunday night I was able to add some fresh thyme to my basket of onions, potatoes and peppers. Yum!

Here are some updated box shots - now that there something growing in each one.

Box 1
(Currently growing: marigold, thyme, rosemary)

Box 2
(Currently growing: marigold, sugar snap pea, strawberry, lettuce, carrot)

Box 3
(Currently growing: marigold, lavender, red onion)

First seeds in the ground

My Super Sugar Snap Pea (Burpee) seeds have been planted. While I try to locate my stone marker, I decided to use one of those cute markers, which also accurately describes their progress. Last year, my first pea harvest was in the first week of June - so I expect peas in about two months!

Found: Seeds in Triscuit Boxes

Triscuit wants everybody to experience 'home farming.' They included basil or dill seeds in 4 million boxes, providing seed cards inside marked boxes. My mom is the one that pointed this promotion out to me, and gave me two basil seed cards. I hope to plant them soon.

I think this is a creative way to spread the word about gardening, especially for kids who will be able to see how easy and [in my mind...miraculous] it is to grow a plant/vegetable from one seed speck.

For more information on Triscuit's collaboration with urbanfarming.org visit www.triscuit.com/homefarming

Disclaimer: I am not sure if this promotion is still running; just check your local Triscuit retailer to find out!

My First Seed Order

This week I received my order from Seeds of Change. Not counting my garlic order, this is my first true seed order. I originally bounced around between different seed companies trying to find an ideal balance between variety, price and quantity. My hardest decision was figuring out which potato to grow using the potato box method. After researching online, I found that a late maturing variety works best when growing potatoes in containers. Bintje potatoes were a versatile, late maturing variety with smooth pale yellow skin & light yellow flesh. Seeds of Change had this variety and offered a 10% discount through Facebook. Here are my cute, little Bintje seed potatoes:

In addition to the Bintje potatoes, I also ordered a two varieties of corn (Japanese Hull-Less Popcorn & Brocade Sweet Corn) and Black-Seeded Blue Lake Snap Pole Beans. I am excited to plant corn this year!

Thank you Campbell's..I think!

While scanning The Cheap Vegetable Gardener a few months ago I saw a posting about getting free tomato seeds through a Campbell's Soup promo on their Help Grow Your Soup site. Since I had a can of soup on hand (you needed to enter a can code), I requested the seeds...and yesterday I received about twenty tomato seeds!! Thanks Campbell's!


However, while receiving free seeds is great, these are not entirely without issues. Here is why...

• the good...free tomato seeds!!
• the bad...all I know is that they are tomato seeds...I have no idea what kind!
• the ugly...the package says I should plant by March, 2010.

Florescent lights are my only hope for starting plants indoors as my apartment hardly does not have enough natural light. However, I have not quite figured out my plan yet!

Although the seed promo appears to be over, they still have a few exciting community projects going on and even a virtual garden to test out your gardening skills during these winter months!

Overwhelmed by Choices

I just decided to order my first seed catalog (from Johnny's Selected Seeds). Flipping through seed catalogs may commonly be a winter task, but I have never seen a seed catalog and felt the need to be inspired. And am I ever inspired...and overwhelmed! I now realize how hard it is going to be to limit myself! There are so many varieties that I would love to try! I am now really glad to have a few more square feet of dirt. However, I need to plan carefully so I can maximize my new space!! Let the fun begin...