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March 13 Gardening potpourriI went to the local hardware store and immediately developed gardening fever. It was the smell of potting soil that first got me. Then it was the racks of seeds including a big selection of organic seeds. I went into the store for a chess board and came out with about 25 packets of seeds. At my next stop (since my gardening antennae were up) I spotted seed trays made of recycled paper that were bio-degradable and filled with organic seed starting mix. AND, they were less expensive than the plastic trays that always break anyway. So needless to say that night I was busy starting seeds.
Starting seeds isn't that hard to do. You need the basics, something deep enough to hold soil and seedlings, seeds, a spray bottle, a pencil, and soil of course. I use egg cartons as seedling trays, they work great. Fill your container with soil. Make sure it's full of soil and compact it a bit because it can settle over time. Use the spray bottle to moisten the soil by spraying a mist over top of your seed tray. Spray until the soil is really damp. Use the pencil to poke a hole the correct depth into the soil. Using the spray bottle, spray into the hole a bit. Drop in two seeds (one will have to be sacrificed by thinning later). Cover your seed with soil. Spray lightly one more time and place in a warm spot like on top of the fridge. (I protect my fridge with a piece of cardboard)
Keep your seed trays moist (not soaking) by spraying every day or as needed. When the seedlings come up, move them to a sunny window or use a grow light.
If you have extra plants or seeds, consider hyperlocavore's idea of seed sharing with someone who is a new gardener. You might also consider the idea of yard-sharing with someone who doesn't have garden space. Victory Gardening is also a topic of discussion lately.
It won't hurt anyone to have delicious, fresh vegetables to add to their table fare and share with others. If you are really ambitious, you could learn to can, freeze, or dry your extra veggies. I will be putting up instructions on my website later about these three methods of preserving.
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