Sunday, March 29, 2009

Sowing Seeds...


Last year, I started a small garden at the back of my small acre of The American Dream for the first time since we moved to Maine. I grew tomatoes, hot peppers cucumbers, beans, and sunflowers. Loved it! I ate a ton of tomatoes, many of the cherry tomatoes I ate right there in the garden. The sunflowers were about 7' tall and the beans just kept coming and coming.

I usually purchased my already established plants from the local garden shop. But this year my husband (which I am now going to start calling him Captain, because he got his captains license and I think that is cool) and I decided to start our own plants from seeds. This way we can really decide exactly what we want to grow and not just what plants the garden center has available. My parents are doing the same thing, as are 2 of my friends and I know that many of the Farmers Market members have already started. It seems to be all the rage of late. Growing your own food. The White House in Washington is even doing it.

The Captain and I decided on 4 different varieties of tomatoes (we LOVE tomatoes), beans, cucumbers, carrot (I have never grown these and I think it will be fun), sweet mixed color peppers and zucchini. I will also be sowing some salad green seeds, basil and oregano. The salad greens and herbs will be going in a separate garden. I just found out about this cool idea for a "salad table" or a movable garden. Captain is building me a small frame, about 3'x6' with a screen on the bottom. The idea is that you lay it out like a tray, fill it with soil and plant your lettuce and herbs. You prop the whole thing on saw horses, and water daily. You can keep this smaller garden by the back door so you can harvest your lettuce and herbs daily and very easily.

We just finished sowing those tiny little seeds and I am sure I will be checking them about 6 times a day for the little sign of growth. I'll keep you posted.

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