My Seedy Garden

Today I started transplanting my seedlings outdoors.  I also saw my first snake of the year today, a teeny ring-necked snake, who was snoozing under a small drift of leaves up against the house.   I would have included his picture on the blog, but he didn't wait around long enough for me to find my camera.  I started several flats of seeds indoors this year.  I used a regular shop light with a 40-watt flourescent bulb 6 inches above the seeds for 16 hours a day.  Among the seeds used are 3 different types of poppy (Antique Flemish, Hungarian Breadseed and Black Swan), rue, wormwood, mugwort, 2 types of basil (Sweet & Spicy Globe), and Crackerjack marigolds.

Basil seedlings (at left is "Sweet Basil; right is "Spicy Globe")

Poppies waiting for their day in the sun

Mugwort, rue, and poppies "hardening off" outdoors

When I planted the seedlings out, I gave them a nice drink of MiracleGro Quick Start.  This helps prevent plants from going into transplant shock as they leave their pampered indoor lives for the harsh realities of the garden.  Today was a sunny day with temperatures that reached 80 degrees.  I would have preferred a cloudy day to transplant seedlings, but the gods don't always grant my weather wishes.  I also put sticks upright in the soil around the new transplants so that Sunny (aka The Poodle) doesn't trample them.  Last year she squished my squash; an exuberant poodle can be mayhem in the garden.

April 15 is the frostfree date in North Georgia; my tomatoes, cucumbers, and tabasco pepper have already been planted.  I'm doing all Cherokee Purple tomatoes this year; this heirloom variety was so good last year that I sliced and ate them like apples.

A newly planted Cherokee Purple tomato

The really difficult part of growing plants from seeds is deciding what to grow and where to plant it once it's ready to live outdoors.  I still haven't decided where the rue and mugwort are going to reside.

Wishing you happiness in spades,

M.R.S.