Note to Michele: Starting More Seeds

Hi Michele,

Today I gave our seeds another try. As I mentioned before, the egg crates were a disaster. Between the mold, not being able to keep them at the proper level of moisture and such a small amount of dirt, I lost all I planted in them. Some seeds started out ok and then died.

Saturday, my dad gave me this garden plant stand. I love it! It fits nicely on my deck with my little greenhouse and makes a perfect area for my pots and seed starts. My parakeets like it too. We tie the door of the cage shut tight, so no chance of losing the birds. They love being outdoors and sing to all the wild birds.

Here are the seeds I planted today. I saved the containers from the plants I bought at a nursery. Hopefully, these will work better than the egg crates.

1)stevia

2) rhubarb

3) all three tomatoes

4) Tomatillos

5) Ground Cherries

6) Strawberry Spinach

7) Zucchini

8) Summer Squash

9) Big Mac Pumpkins

I also sowed more lettuce, radishes and spinach directly into the garden. As for the Round Black Spanish Radish seeds from Old Sturbridge Village, the directions were enclosed in the package. I opened them today, thinking I could plant them now, but these should be started in late July or mid-August.

Some interesting historical info about the spanish radish from the insert: "This winter-keeping variety has a large, firm, white fleshed root with black skin. Radishes were a popular salad vegatable in the early 19th century. Seed catalogues included the winter varieties thus extending the season of availability." When we went to Old Sturbridge Village last summer, we saw these growing in huge patches. They looked more like a rutabaga size wise.

At the community garden, I found a few of my transplants had wilted and died. I planted two small pumkins and the asparagus beans which we bought at Monticello. These are in the same patch with the corn. We hope to have some success with the "Three Sisters Garden." I'm heading over this afternoon to water and check on things.

How are things going in your garden?



~Caroline