Seeding Itch

I was already feeling the itch to start seeds for the summer, when I went to Buffy's and read her article on Winter Sowing. Damn, If I was home enough to do all the checking on the plants, I would be tempted to try it.

This year is going to be especially tough for me and the seed starting. I am used to having a greenhouse so I can start the seeds in March, repot the seedling several times, and have large plants to plant in June (our frost-free date is May 30). With the short summers, I really like to have the plants on the large size when I plant them, otherwise they don't have time to produce.

This year, I have no greenhouse so everything has to stay in the house. With creative re-location of house plants, I should have enough room for 6 seedling trays. However, if the plants get too big and need to be re-potted into larger containers, they won't be under the grow lights due to lack of space. I figure I won't be able to start seeds until April - a whole month late according to my schedule.

Added to the mix is the fact that we won't be here for about 10 days towards the end of May, so I have a real problem on my hands. Sure, I could ask the people that will take care of our animals to water - but I don't feel right about asking them to do that every day or two. That also would be the best time for hardening off the plants, but once again, it isn't right for me to ask these people to take up all their time moving plants in and out of the house.

So, the plants need to stay small, and a means of watering them while hardening them off needs to be devised. Oh yeah, add Miracle Worker to my various titles.

Comments

[Cop Car]

Obviously, compared to me, you are a master gardener; but, I'll offer a tip, anyway. Remember when I lived in Albuquerque, but worked anyplace BUT Albuquerque? Especially with the dry air there, it was a challenge to keep my houseplants alive for the two-three weeks between my trips home. I learned to festoon them in dry cleaner plastic bags. I used staples (ordinary staples used for paper) and twist ties to close up the openings. Never lost a plant. I used the same method last Fall to keep my plants from dying while we were seeing you, WS, Buffy, etc on our vacation. Like you, I didn't think it fair to expect Wonderful Granddaughter to water everything. Might not work on seedlings (it does cut down, a little bit, on the light that they get), but that's my idea (for what it's worth).

[Buffy]

You must really miss your greenhouse. Will you add one sometime in the future? I'd kill to have one attached to the house, but there's no place to add one where we have adequate sunlight. If we added a freestanding one, I'd have to add a sidewalk, and pave part of the drive so that Mother could walk to it.

[Cop Car]

We all love trees; but, the down side is that we don't have clear space for gardening or sun for plants. The lots that we bought to build this house were "perfect" in that they were clear prairie from the street back to within 100 feet (on the east side) or 200 feet (on the west side) of the creek. We have trees along the creek, but clear space to have gardens and sunlight for our windows. (Too bad that I'm too lazy to attack gardening as Bogie & Buffy do!)
Bogie and her WS have sun on their house, pretty much--considering that they are surrounded by forest.

[bogie]

Buffy - We well never have another attached greenhouse. Unfortunately, the only place to attach one is on the back side uder the eave. That is a horrible place to put one (as we found out) because icecycles tear the heck out of them. The old greenhouse "lasted" 10 years - but was literally ready to fall down when WS tore it down.

If we ever get to put up a garage (which would have to be detached and about 70 feet from the house), I might eventually get to attach a greehouse to that. But I won't hold my breath on either the garage or the greenhouse!

[bogie]

Cop Car - that sounds like a good tip. I'll keep it in mind!