It Begins Again!

Above are broccoli (rapini), tomatos, eggplant (not sprouting yet) and lettuce. I started this broccoli under the lights from the beginning and the brocolli below I started on the kitchen counter for the first three days. Just three days and the second batch is taller and skinnier with much smaller leaves. I'm going to have to get a few more lights.

I had to start my AeroGarden seedstarter under flourescent lights (top) because there is a problem with the base of the aerogarden and it won't work. I didn't purchase it directly from AeroGarden but from an on-line store, but AeroGarden is sending me a replacement base quickly (fingers crossed). I purchased two 4ft shop lights and cool light bulbs for them at Lowe's for under $30. Patrick helped me set them up. I have a space for them in the garage but it's a touch too cold so I have them in my closet. This works well but it feels a little funny growing seedlings in an upstairs closet! What will the neighbors think? :-) This didn't occur to me until I was googling something for my AeroGarden and found some prominent marijuana references and then realized that from a distance down the alley, my grow lights could look funny. Yikes! Below is a picture of the closet set up.

End of Winter

My excitement for this upcoming years garden burst into bloom with an alarming intensity when I found my first crocus open and blooming in my planter box, along with the beautiful green tips of daffodils and tulips pushing up and out. Pictured above are some of my winter ground cover: clover, fava beans, and winter wheat (just a tiny corner showing). The wheat was green all winter. Next year I'll put it in the entire back yard. Not many fava beans made it through our uncommonly cold winter.

I have ordered many of my seeds for this year and realize that I need more space in which to plant them. It looks like I'm going to get to share a garden with a family who lives in the country about 3 miles from my house. I've been drawing up plans like crazy for our meeting on Monday to decide what size the garden will be, etc. Yay!!

My other big gardening development is the Aerogarden I purchased, an AeroGarden Pro200. It comes with a seed starter kit, so you can start up to 70 seedlings at a time. I also purchased some good flourescent lights and am setting up a seed starting station in the garage. Last year, Patrick and I moved all the baby plants by hand morning and night, to the sun-filled windows, then away from the cold drafts. They were also a little spindly, although they survived and then thrived outside later. I'm going to do an experiment this year and start the same seeds in a regular starter set that I start in my AeroGarden at the same time and see how they compare.

I'm all ready to go, just waiting for the seeds to arrive. I ordered them on February 4th, so it should be any day now.....