Peat Pots Made for Planting Melons, Peppers, and Eggplants

It is pretty common to place sensitive plants into peat pots because when it comes time to planting them outside they will not be harmed by you handling them.  I started planting some fruit and vegetables today that take some time to mature and harvest.  Melons take the longest followed by eggplants and then peppers.  All three were planted using these biodegradable containers.

Once I planted each of the seeds I then added them under some fluorescent lights that are used to start the germination process as soon as possible.  This year I am growing crimson sweet watermelon along with Carolina cross and Georgia rattlesnake.  This type is more round than oblong like most other watermelons tend to be.  As long as it has the same taste I don't mind what the shape of it is.

I am also growing a different cantaloupe as well.  I have been growing an heirloom melon throughout the past several years, but this season I wanted to grow something different.  This year I am growing a crenshaw cantaloupe which is supposed to be much larger than the ones I have been growing.

Flowers grown inside are just about ready to go outside once some warmer weather arrives.  I can place them outside during the day right now, but will probably bring them in during the night.  The night is still too cold to leave certain plants outside, but soon I will be planting my spring cool weather plants.

Tomato Seeds Now Planted Indoors With Others To Come

I just finished planting my tomato seeds this week and they are placed underneath lights to get them started a little bit faster.  Right now the weather has been quite cloudy and they would probably normally take twice as long if I were to put them in the windowsill.

Right now most of my seeds that I have planted have began to germinate and sprout.  Some of them are growing quite well and my second planting of flower seeds have also poked through the soil.  I need to start planting melons and eggplants since these plants take awhile to mature I want to give a good head start this season.  I hope to plant them sometime this week.  They too will be placed under fluorescent lights for the start they need.

Not much has changed in the tomato seed planting and I decided to do five seeds of cherry and steakhouse with 24 Roma seeds.  This should give me a minimum of 34 tomato plants with plenty of room to plant all my other fruits and vegetables.

Getting Some More Flowers Seeds Planted Indoors

I have many different flower seeds this season that I need to get planted as soon as possible.  My flowers are always the first to be placed outside so that they can produce flowers right away and continue blooming all season long.  Right now I have about nine seed packets that are only flowers and have begun planting a few of them inside.

My wildflowers that I tried last year are one of my favorites and have worked quite well along with my others that I grow each season.  They were able to attract many different butterflies, insects, bees, and much more.  Unfortunately I didn’t get any hummingbirds which was disappointing, but I plan on growing these seeds once again for their great benefits.

I also have some cosmos and cilantro that need to be planted as well.  Although cilantro is an herb it does produce a flower similar to dill and Queen Anne’s lace which is beneficial to attracting appropriate types of insects and bees. 

I usually don’t do well with Queen Anne’s lace and will probably have to thin out the plants so that one plant will be transplanted into the garden instead of a bunch of them which I like to do with alyssum and dill.  Luckily I get wild Queen Anne’s lace which happens to grow around the garden and attracts exactly what I am looking for each season.

I don’t know when I will begin planting more fruits and vegetables, but I think I will have to at least start my melons rather soon.  They take the longest to mature along with eggplants and I will have to start them indoors.  They need the earliest start possible and that means most likely growing them under fluorescent lights for a short time before the weather warms up and the sun is out longer.

With a New Season Comes Some New Crops

I am not changing the garden that much this year and instead will be introducing some new vegetables into the mix.  Potatoes are one of the new vegetables that I want to add into the garden.  I also decided on keeping peas and radishes and will have a little bit less lettuce than last year.

Spinach has always been a favorite and since I didn’t plant any last year I decided that I would plant some this season.  I also want to get some celery into the garden as well and I have started them inside for a head start.

Rhubarb and brussel sprouts are the two new things that I will add to the spring garden.  I used to have rhubarb many years ago, but I have actually never grown it myself and I decided that this would something new that I could add.  I love brussel sprouts and have never actually thought of growing it until now.

I am also growing some new types of lettuce.  Last year I grew all four types, but this season I want to add some new varieties.  Instead of ruby glow hybrid I will be substituting it with the king crimson hybrid.  I have selected green ice to take place of my looseleaf type that I planted last season.  I still will be planting all four types of lettuce just different types.

So far I have planted celery, the two new lettuce varieties, brussel sprouts, dill, and alyssum.  I probably should have started a little bit earlier, but if I place them under fluorescent lights I believe I could catch up in time for the spring. 

Other than these three things I think the garden will be the same as previous years.  I might have some new types of melons, corn, or other vegetables or fruits to grow this season, but hopefully we’ll have a fruitful season.