Getting the Garden Ready

This year, I decided to start my garden from seeds.  I planted some seeds I froze from last year, except those didn't grow.  The pepper seeds were brown when I pulled them out from the freezer, and the cucumber seeds were pretty wet after I let them thaw in the fridge.  So I didn't really have high hopes for them from the beginning, but I wanted to give it a shot.

The seeds that I bought at the store, however, have been doing very well.  I split the tomato seeds between two pots and put the basil seeds all in one.  I know I should have bought those little seedling containers that look like ice cube trays, but I wanted to use the pots I had in the backyard.

I also wanted to try something new - I recycled a salsa jar and used that as a pot!  It worked pretty well; the basil is growing nicely and the dirt stays wet for days.  Well, actually, It worked well until I had to transfer the basil plants to a bigger pot.  I should have probably used a spoon or something to get the seedlings out, but instead I went at it with a shovel and they all kind of fell out.  Some seedling stems snapped, the others I had to cram back into the dirt, so needless to say, they're not doing so well right now.

I then had to get the garden plot outside ready.  I pulled all of the weeds and turned over the dirt, so it's ready to go.  And some parsley is already growing in the garden plot!  I didn't realize it would come back every year.  My mint grew back nicely too, but it's doing something kinda funny.  When I bought my peppermint plant last year, it grew in a vine.  When it grew back this year, it grew straight up and it actually looks like a spearmint plant.  Any thoughts?

Anyway, the weather seems to be getting warmer, and I wanted to bring my plants outside now they're getting bigger.  However, when I went to weed my plot, I noticed my tiny basil plants, the ones that I mangled, now have holes in the leaves!  Stupid bugs.  So I might keep the tomato plants inside a little longer.

Right now I have parsley, basil, mint, chives, and tomatoes for my garden, and I'm going to get some cucumber seeds for the garden as well.  I am certainly not going back to zucchini because it was such a failure last year, but does anyone have any suggestions for what else I can plant?  I think I can fit one more thing...

Posted by Ali B at 9:30 AM