I hope to see you at the Home and Garden Show this weekend. For over thirty-five years, the next eight to ten weeks in February, March, and April, have been the busiest time of the year. I began planting seeds for flowers and vegetables when I first became a Master Gardner in 1992 in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. It’s where my love for planting perennials began. When I lived in Florida, working as a neighborhood specialist, I funded many best practice and community gardening programs before leaving to teach in China. Now back in the Ozarks where I grew up, I’m seed-starting again. Last year I did about eighty trays, mostly to give plants away at plant sales for Master Gardeners, the Hillbilly Garden Club, Planet Unity, among others.
I usually coincide seed starting with the Ozark Empire Fair weekend just because it provides a benchmark for new beginnings. I have accumulated more trays and inserts that I can use and have been encouraged not to try to grow so much this year. (I gave away almost 3,000 plants last year). Starting seeds is like a ritual that coincides with the Chinese New Year we’ll celebrate next week. Lots about that next week…
I plan to write something every day as to what seeds I am planting that day and how I am caring for what I already have under lights or in my green house. I have a bunch of new raised beds to get set up this Spring in my backyard too. A few weeks ago, I started over 250 perennials under the lights (mostly Shasta daisies, pink cone flowers, and yarrow). There’s also a tray of johnny jump ups and lettuce and kale mainly for my chickens… see above. They are barely peeking over the small pots they are in here, but they are doing fine. I’m also trying some peas that are now in the greenhouse.
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