updates

Predictably, graduate school took over my life already. Fortunately, there haven't been any huge developments on the garden front. However, in the spirit of, well, having something to write about while I'm waiting for Hank to finish dinner, here is what is new:

1. I finally received my mini-greenhouse trays. Ultimately, I settled on two smaller trays rather than the behemoth tray mostly because only a few of my plants will start indoors.

2. I recently received a care package from my parents that included (among other things) a few more books (Park's Success With Seeds, Park's Success With Herbs, and Secrets of Plant Propagation). Until I get a chance to read about something other than 20th-century urban history, I won't have a lot to say about them. However, upon a quick flip-through, they all seem like informative resources, despite the fact that the links to the two Park books are likely the least informative links I will ever post on this blog. Thanks for the books, Dad. Mom, thanks for the warm winter socks.

3. I also received catalogs from both Burpee and Territorial last week. So now I can not only gawk at their prices, but also drool over things I'm not actually going to grow this year. So there's that.

And now, back to grading undergraduate reflection on globalization. Is it summer yet?

decisions

Now that I have my seeds, the next step is getting seedling supplies. This brings me to a couple of things I need to figure out.
To risk the frost, or not risk the frost?
Frost dates are calculated by an area's last average frost. I am tempted to push all of these dates a week or so earlier in the hopes that it will warm up early this year. Last year, I know I started my seeds indoors ahead of schedule, and likewise planted them outside ahead of schedule, I just don't remember how early. As far as I remember, that worked out just fine.
The obvious con to this plan is tempting fate a little too much with fragile seedlings. Seedlings need light and their roots need warmth when they go outside, and nighttime low temperatures can really sting in the early spring. The pros to this are a longer growing season and a (slight) remedy for my winter restlessness.

One nice thing about containers is their movability. Theoretically, I would know about a cold snap with enough warning to bring the containers inside for a few days. However, the movability of containers is tempered by how much a container full of watered soil weighs. Furthermore, keeping the plants indoors also assumes I can keep the cats away from them, which will be interesting.
Something to think about; advice is totally welcome.

Moving right along to decision #2:

How many mini-greenhouses do I want to buy?For the uninitiated, mini-greenhouses are essentially plastic trays with lids that house disks of peat growing material. This is the easiest way to raise seedlings (in my highly tested comparison of peat disks to, say, dixie cups with potting soil), and in my opinion, it is totally worth the extra cost to buy the materials. Further, you can purchase additional disks and the trays are reusable, though I wish they were sturdier. Anyway, these greenhouses, usually made by a company called Jiffy, come in all shapes and sizes. My growing shelf will accommodate a big hummer that holds 72 disks that I can get for $12.99 with shipping from amazon.com. However, I'm not sure I need so much space. For the same price, I can get two 12-disk trays. I think I am leaning toward the 72-disk tray, not because I need all that space, but because it may give me some flexibility in positioning the disks in the interest of their lamp.

The other issue is cost: I may be able to find either/both of these items for cheaper at the Home Despot. However, when I made a trip over there a few weeks ago, their garden center was still in winter mode. When I called today, I got hung up on twice being transferred from department to department, so I don't know if they have greenhouses in stock or how much they cost. Anyone have an idea on the price of these bad boys outside of Internetland?

seeds ii

My seeds finally came in the mail! The crisp paper packets are tidy and promising, and when laid out on my desk, I am tempted to take our flirting-with-50-degree weather and run with it. However, in the interest of avoiding a seedling massacre, I will continue to plan rather than do.

So far, I have set up a tentative planting schedule. Many of the things I am growing this season can be direct-sowed (sown?) outside when it warms up, rather than starting everything indoors (like last year). Philadelphia's approximate last frost date is mid- to late-April, which I am going to call April 17, because it's a Saturday, and I know I have time to work on the deck on Saturdays.

The indoors-starts:
Eggplant - late February/early March
Tomatoes - early March
Echinacea - early March

The indoor- or outdoor- starts:
Chives - early March indoors, late March outdoors
Mint - early March indoors, after frost date outdoors

The outdoor-starts:
Lettuce - mid-March
Mesclun lettuce - mid-March
Chard - late March
Bee Balm - early April
Delphinium - after frost date
Basil - late April
Squash - Early May

As I look at this, I realize all these dates are a long, painful way off...

seeds

I ordered seeds from TinySeeds a few days ago. Tiny Seeds carries primarily Botanical Interests seeds, which I have seen just about everywhere from national chain hardware stores to independent nurseries. Their selection is pretty good, and their prices are much more reasonable than other more well-known seed catalogs (hat tip, Thembi).

Like last year, I plan to raise most of my garden from seed. This year, however, I plan on planting more flowers, many of which will be easier to buy as transplants later on. The seed list, which may expand later, is as follows:

Herbs:
Basil - Genovese (Organic)
Chives - Common
Spearmint

Vegetables:
Eggplant - Black Beauty (Organic)
Zucchini - Black Beauty
Cherry Tomatoes - Sugar Sweetie (Organic)
Lettuce - Crisphead Great Lakes
Lettuce - Mesclun Baby Greens mix (Organic)
Swiss Chard - Bright Lights

Flowers:
Delphinium - Butterfly Blend
Bee Balm - Dotted Mint
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea)

The seeds should get here in a few weeks. A number of these guys should be planted outside a few weeks before the last frost date, minimizing the amount of space I have to devote to raising seedlings indoors.

A brief word on organic gardens: I am not a staunch organic-ist. At the supermarket, I will buy organic if the cost and quality are similar. When it comes down to it, though, I would much rather put the time and extra expense into purchasing locally when it is an option. I much prefer the idea of keeping local farmers viable by purchasing produce in season at local farmers' markets, when I can.

I hold the same sort of logic when it comes to raising my own vegetables: I will raise my garden organically when possible, and as sustainably as possible. However, I don't think that organic is an all-or-nothing proposition: I do what I can on the budget I have. Container gardens are notoriously starved for nutrients, and balanced organic fertilizers are expensive and hard to come by. However, homemade, effective options exist for pest control, and I will utilize them whenever possible.

In the end, my herbs and vegetables will not be certified organic. They will, however, be as healthful as is possible. And, as a side benefit, how much more local can you get than just outside your bedroom door?