New life..

I have almost 100% germination on the seeds I started and they are under shop lights and I could see tiny emerging true leaves too. Above pictures are a bit old now. I will try to take latest pictures and post them soon

Happy Spring

Now that it is officially spring, I started few seeds indoors. My daughter was so excited about starting seeds that she was constantly reminded me today till we did it. This year I have a strict numbers  to stick to for several reasons. Following is the plan and started some of then from seed. I have few old and new seeds so if germination is 100%, I am not going to plant all of them but pick few healthy ones to fit the small bed I have.

1 container baby carrots (may start another container if germination is good)
5 Sungold cherry tomatoes
5 Little prince eggplants
5 Mixed Sunflowers

Wintersowing technique: Marigolds, Zinnias

TODO ( may be for next weekend)
4 cucumbers
2 Basil
6 Okras
4 Ridge gourd

New Seeds germinated..

Ridge Gourd

I am trying some warm season crops, which may not be too ideal for new england weather, but experimenting to see what they have in store for me. Sowed Ridge Gourd, Bitter Gourd and Okra seeds and only Ridge Gourd and Okra seeds germinated showing some presence. Now its waiting and watching and fertilizing for the rest of the season....

Okra

Starting seeds - 2010

I started planning the garden for 2010. I bought few seeds this year, some are generously given by Daphne's Dandelions and some seeds are from last year. Even though I don't have much growing area, but its always fun for me to see something growing. This year I have decided not to buy any transplants but plant whatever I grow from seed. I also want to keep a record of my investment. Today I have started some seeds indoors.
4 pellets each of the following Veggis/Herbs: Sweet Basil, Tomato(Red Siberian), Cherry tomato (Emma-Sungold F3), Eggplant(Little Prince), Cucumber(Bush Slicer), Early Jalapeno (Chili pepper), Cayenne pepper
4 pellets each of the following Flowers: Marigolds and Petunias.

Other than the above I will start couple of snap peas and containers of Mesclun (salad mix), baby carrots, Nasturtiums, Spinach(these are old seeds, not really counting on them) and Chard and may be some herbs.

The above may be too many plants for me to manage this year, but it also depends on the germination rate of the vegetables started. Last year I didn't have much luck with few seeds I started as I started very late in the season in Early May and didn't have much of growing season left for the transplants to grow and on top of that 2009 June was too rainy. I tried selecting some seeds which need less time to mature too. this timeSo, wish me luck with 2010 :)
Seeds from Daphne's Dandelions

Seedlings

Most of the seeds I have sown have germinated but yet to get their true leaves, this is taking a long time. In any case I am planning to get them out early June.