I
hate to be such a nerd about things, but I am really excited about
our garden, to the point where I was getting really nervous and
stressed that the seeds weren't germinating, at least visibly. I
would check the pots two or three times every day, and still nothing.
I started to wonder if I screwed something up, which wouldn't be the
first time.
We've
had a garden for several years, but usually planted starters that we
purchased from the market or in town. Every year I kick myself
because I felt like it's something we could have done this. All it
takes is a little planning and initiative, and this year we finally
got our act together and got the seeds in time. The key, at least for
me, is keeping it simple. I got mainly tomatoes, three different
varieties: Roma, Amish Paste, and some other breed that I can't
pronounce even if I remembered its name. R and the kids wanted
squash, peas, and beans, but the last two you directly plant.
It
was fun because the kids got into it and helped choose the seeds and
then get the starter pots going. I made a mistake early on by not
wetting the soil, which is really dry and sort of hard to work with.
Plus, when it's dry, it doesn't seem to moisten properly, which of
course added to my neurosis. I found out later you're supposed to
dampen it before working with it, which I would have known had I read
the instructions. What else is new?
Once
we had the pots ready, we brought them inside and I sat and waited
for signs of life. After about a week, I was ready to dump the pots
out and search the debris for a seedling. I ran into issues watering
them because the liquid seemed to gather on top and not soak in, and
then it didn't seem to sink in very far. So many things to worry
about.
Well,
after what seemed like two weeks, some of the plants started to break
the surface, and let me tell you, I was so stoked. It's a pretty
amazing thing to see a plant come out of this tiny seed, which will
eventually bear fruits and vegetables. How can you not be in awe of
it.
I'm
going to take them over to the greenhouse and eventually I may need
to transplant them, but that's for another time.
Until
then, thanks for reading, and thanks to Tico for the pic.
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1 comment:
It is a totally awesome experience to grow something with your kids. And when you're excited, they're excited. Plus, you get to show them the process of where food comes from, which is mind-blowing to me. They think you just buy everything at the store, but for them to know about the process is great.
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