22 April, 2018 Charlena Edge 0 Comment

Of the 55 pots of seeds I planted, only 20 seedlings have survived.  There are a few reasons why… First, the pots. In the past, I used plastic. This year, I found the cute ceramic pots in the shed and decided to use them. I could save myself a little money and get started right way. It turns out, the hole in the bottom was functional, but the ceramic was cold so the soil never warmed enough for the seeds to sprout.

Secondly…what was I thinking? Last year I made a mix of pete moss, vermiculite, and compost with some Miracle Grow soil thrown in. The Miracle Grow was only about 10 percent of the total mixture. The light bulb went off when I spread my mixture onto two of the beds near the house and I realized I should have used it to start my seeds. So dumb…

Speaking of light bulb…issue number three was my lighting. I simply had too many pots for the amount of light that was available. Remember the desk light I couldn’t find? I found it today looking for something else.

The main problem is organization. I worked too late, I watered too late, I remembered my potting mix ratios/materials too late. My shed and mudroom are a mess and I’m too tired to do anything about it. So…I currently have 20 plants still hanging on. The Marshmallow has a “true leaf” and the sage and peas are doing really well. The Honeysuckle is vining and the tomatoes… well we knew they would make it.

I’ll repot everything in the proper soil mixture next weekend and I’ll go from there. It could be that this just isn’t for me right now and I need to face the truth. I’ll have to see.

Non-Starter… these never sprouted. The cold ceramic and inconsistent watering and lighting are to blame.

One bright spot! The Marshmallow has grown a true leaf.

The peas are growing tall. I had to stake them with a lollipop stick.

The Honeysuckle (started from a cutting) is doing alright. Some of the faded leaves worry me though.

The sage is doing pretty well.

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Charlena Edge

Charlena Edge

Hi, welcome to my humble abode! I’m middle-aged but still learning and discovering. I have a Master’s degree in Therapeutic Herbalism. In between my disjointed, seemingly unrelated posts, I hope to share some of what I’ve learned about plants and about life. Grab a cup of coffee and stay a while. I’m happy to have you.