I have to give Renee’s Garden major props for delivering all 26 packets of seed (no backorders or substitutions) to my mail box just five days after placing my order online.
“This is always our busiest time of the year and currently our orders are exceptionally abundant. Due to the economy, the movement to produce locally, and concerns about food safety are motivating factors for this surge. Our phone coverage and work force has been increased by a third. As our catalog state, expect 3-4 weeks for processing before your order enters the postal system. We do realize that you may be somewhat inconvenienced by a longer wait this year and your patience is appreciated.”
Our makeshift indoor seed starting setup. Who needs chairs at their table, anyways?
I had grandiose plans to convert a small room in our basement into a climate-controlled, artificially lit grow room. But instead, I used my piggy bank and my winter planning quota to elope to the South Pacific, so the grow room has been placed on hold until next winter. (That will also give us another year to convince our neighbors that we are wholesome, law-abiding citizens before the rumors start.)
So I’m back to starting seeds in the far less optimal kitchen window. My germination times and rates are awesome, but from then on, things go downhill. They’re like seedlings on speed. Everything gets tall and spindly very quickly, often growing three inches tall before getting their second set of leaves. I’m theorizing that their goofy growth habit is caused by staying too warm at night and not getting direct overhead light, causing the seedlings to stretch. I welcome professional advice. Me and my perpetually cold extremities are not willing to drop our house temp to 55 or 60 at night, so until I get my grow room, (or better yet, a greenhouse) I’m going to have to live with spindly seedings, a few less pieces of furniture, and an earthy kitchen.
In the dirt so far are tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, brussel sprouts, lettuce, spinach, swiss chard, basil, chives, thyme, sunflowers, and zinnias.
