I Started My Seeds!

I finally did it. I started my seeds. They're in a flat on a bookcase in my home office. That wire that you can see poking out on the left side is from the seedling heat mat, which is basically like a heating pad for plants. It's makes the root systems stronger - so they say.

That's a south facing window. Later in the morning the plants-to-be have full sun. I still don't have a grow light. During these early stages the unsprouted seeds don't need light anyway -just warmth and moisture. When the sprouts pop up I may just try to move my flat around the house all day, chasing the sun. Or maybe I *will* go to Home Depot and try to make my own grow light.  The fact that there aren't like, a plethora of pre-made grow lights for sale at every hardware store and building supply shop makes me think that maybe a grow light isn't really a necessity? Maybe window light (and love) is all you really need?

This is what I planted:

I have 50 peat pot cells. I filled strips like this with seed starter mix. They fit perfectly in the flat I got at Ace Hardware.

I planted 10 Aunt Molly's Tomatillos (just one plant purchased at a nursery two years ago yielded over 100 fruit that summer - so I figure if one of the ten survives I'm good to go), 30 Miltomate Ground Cherries (I know I can't find the plants locally, so seed starting is my only hope! Go little ground cherries; go!), 5 Brandywine tomatoes, and 5 Yum Yum Gold peppers. I usually buy tomato and pepper seedlings, but I figured I had the seed starting real estate, so I might as well give a few a try.

The ground cherries take 90 days to mature - so if all goes well I'll have yummy little fruit by the end of June, just about the time the kids are getting out of school (we've had a LOT of snow days this year!).

Ground Cherry Pie. Mmmmmm.

For kicks, and for future reference, here's what my garden looks like today:

Still pretty wintry out there. C'mon spring!