Hi Greeneyes and everyone!
Parsley
I have written in the past that last year and earlier this year, I was having trouble with my parsley growing from seed. I learned that it is highly sensitive to being transferred, and so, keeping that in mind, I was able to collect the ones that had sprouted on the paper towel in my sprout tray by cutting out that section with them on it, and putting them all into a cup with soil which can then be planted in its final home without disturbing the roots.
I was so excited a couple days ago to see my little baby parsleys making an appearance!
Seedlings
The other seedlings I sprouted a couple weeks ago which have been transferred to small sprouting cups with soil are also doing well. I have among those, the T Squash, sugar snap peas, flax, trellis beans, Asian (long!) green beans, daikon radish, and Atkins tomatoes.
Darlin reminded me that I had not started sunflower yet, so today I went through my seed library and put together three sprout trays containing:
Four kinds of OKRA: Clemson spineless, Jing Orange, Stelley, and Eagle Pass
HERBS and GREENS: Cumin, Cilantro, Strawberry Spinach, and New Zealand Spinach
FLOWERS: Sunflower, Echinacea, Chamomile
BEANS: Pinto, Black Bean, Great White Northern, Cranberry
GRAIN: Emmer, Red Amaranth
SQUASH: I’m gonna try again the White Bush Squash which was such a disappointment last year. I don’t know at this point if I’ll try any other squash this season. Except I do plan at least one zucchini. I had not tried that last year. The yellow squash was a real bust!
PLANS:
I have a GARLIC set containing 3 garlic bulbs which are actually sprouting that I plan to plant as soon as the frost date is past. I also discovered that I still have some ASPARAGUS roots from last year that I never got my round tuit to plant. I plan to give them a go to see if they’ll grow. I also have those two little “guaranteed-to-grow” seed cups that I’ll try.
Potatoes:
The sweet potato sprouts are as last reported and just waiting for the after frost date. The white potato I was reporting last week has increased the size of its sprouts, and I am waiting for a couple days before the after frost date to cut it up and let the callous form, as advised last week. (THANKS!)
Carrots
I also have a couple of different kinds of CARROTS that I want to try. I did manage to sprout some in the garden last year, but they did not make it. This year I’m going to try little ones that do not require deep soil.
Onions
I still plan to set out the onion sets Darlin and I got at the grocery store!
OH OH OH!!! I am delighted to report that the WALKING ONION I set out right before that last freeze is actually making an appearance. The ones I set out in the fall have not appeared. I fear the last freeze got them because their pot is not sheltered from the north wind.
The temps have not been officially freezing, but they have been getting down to just above freezing. We have elected not to set anything out till the after frost date.
Hope all is well with all of you!
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Thanks for the links, greeneyes! I just was prompted from your post that while we do not use coffee, I go to some gatherings where coffee with grounds is served. I could easily obtain the coffee grounds from our refreshment committee!
Consider lightening up the soil, especially if you have clay ! Add sand , vermiculite , potting soil ,last years leaves, especially add compost
Around here , I always add sand, vermiculite , or old chopped-up leaves to all 'root crops '.
A lighter soil will result in straighter carrots , and fewer crop deformities .
So pleased that your stuff is doing so well. I have delayed even some of my planned starts indoors, because it is just so yucky.
The carrots, beets, and onions that could normally be started outdoors and row covered are going to be started in doors this year too, and I don’t want to transplant them until well into May.
Also I would normally have lettuce already growing under row covers, and be harvesting them at this time, but not this year.
We have both reduced our coffee consumption considerably this year. One or two cups at breakfast, so we don’t have as much grounds as we used to when we drank it constantly during the day. We have a new restaurant in town, so I may go see if they would let me have their used grounds.
Wonderful news! Thanks for posting!