We have babies!  Baby seedlings that is. It isn’t like we haven’t done this before – started seeds in the basement and moved them outside, but for some reason it is more exciting this year. Maybe because of our big plans outside and our goal to grow it all ourselves. Maybe because this Winter has been so gray and depressing. Maybe because every year, I marvel at the fact that it does actually work- growing things from seed. 

 

Baby Basil

I can take no credit. Keith planted these and has been keeping track of germination rates (Basil, 3 days from germination, etc.) He even bought a heat mat for underneath the pepper seedlings and discovered that’s the trick since they took so long last year.

Our grow lamp blew, so these seedlings are under a fluorescent light while the new bulb is on order. After we go to the greenhouse supply store this weekend, we’ll plant more since the seeds arrived. I hope to get outside and start putting up the plastic for low tunnels in Peber’s Point so that we can try experimenting. I think I’ll buy a battery operated inside/outside thermometer with memory to see what the temp overnight was inside and outside the plastic tunnels. I guess some letuces can grow in 30 degree weather. I saw a picture in another blog of kale under snow. Just brush away the snow and pick the kale for dinner.

That’d be so neat, except Kale sucks, so I hope to find other cold-hardy veggies. I also think I need to start reading up on chickens. I guess there are so many varieties – just breezing through Martha Stewart’s magazine, I see all these weird looking chickens that lay blue eggs, or green eggs, etc. I guess there are different types that are better in colder climates, etc. so that might be my homework this weekend in addition to everything else on the agenda.