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…some tips to watering seedlings, based on my experience.
Rain water is optimal for seedling growth. Capturing rain water- whether it be a pail, or a fancy capturing system- it’s pretty easy to do. My suggestion would be to fill a container and bring it inside to get to room temp before watering the seedlings, as not to shock them.
In the ‘urban greenhouse’, I’ve been using a combination of re-used water (gray-water) and tap water that has been let to sit in open air for a few days.
The gray-water comes when i wash some freshly harvested greens from the garden in a small pail, the water from this is then saved until the seedlings are needing a drink.
The tap water method is simple, just fill a few containers with water and let then sit out for a few days prior to watering, this allows some of the chemicals to escape into the air.
Watering depends on the environment- the seedlings need a moist environment to thrive, but too much water is not good. If the seedlings are under lights, you’ll need to pay more attention to the soil. At first, you may need to water lightly every day- I like to do it in the evenings, when the lights have gone out, so the bed is moist and dark for a bit. As the seedlings get larger, reducing the frequency of watering may be in order.
Most important to keep in mind- the seeds need certain temps to thrive, so adding anything that is outside that temp range will shock them.
There are so many approaches to this, this is just one that I’ve worked with. Keep a journal with your trials, see what happens with what you are doing, and always keep in mind that the plant world can be very forgiving!
.post-note. One of the beauties of writing these posts, is that i am reminded of things that i have done in the past, and in laziness, have left to the side. I realized with writing this particular post, that i wasn’t using rain-water as i did last year, and the ease of it, as we have a catchment tank so close to my kitchen door. So i now have a bucket of rain-water in the urban greenhouse to water the seedlings. So happy to be back to that! Linda
Blessings of abundance!
The tomatoes are bustin’ out of their four inch pots! Our ‘urban greenhouse’ is working well, my large kitchen window faces south, and with the sun still low in the sky, they are getting what they need. In a few weeks we’ll need to transplant them into gallon size pots, not sure where they will all fit at that point, and we have until May before they get transitioned outside! Last Tuesday, with the kids at Ujima, we transplanted some tomatoes that Becky had planted at her place (seeds saved from an heirloom tomato from the Co-op) we’re excited to see how those go! The kids also transplanted some lettuces outside and planted Tomatillo seeds to put in my kitchen.
This is quite different from doing it in small scale on my own. I have more attention to keeping track of the different varieties- making sure we know what is what as we go. I don’t feel so overwhelmed by the amount of plants we are caring for, because I am excited about all the abundance of food that will go home with the kids, and anyone else that is working on the farm. This brings a smile to my face.
I planted the rest of the peppers today- Anaheim, Ancho/Pablano, Jalapeno and a tangerine Pimiento sweet pepper, as well as the rest of the Tomatillos and some more spinach. We are planting in succession the spinach and lettuces, to extend the harvesting possibilities.
In the next few weeks, we will work on preparing the rest of the beds, as April will be a big planting month for us. Come May, we’ll begin to bring out what we have indoors now, as the evenings get warmer. I love this aspect of it, having to really listen to the seasons, and the subtle changes, the moon, and her different phases. Being in the garden, right now, is so amazing- Robins, and other feathered creatures going crazy with activity! The flowering red currants are in full bloom, which makes for happy hummingbirds! The plums are also in full bloom, with the apples soon to follow, i’ve noticed a few buds peeking out on the peach trees and the Asian pears that i’ve been working espalier for the last few years are really showing signs of possible blossoms this year!
What is coming together, this year is beautiful- when i first began working my little P-patch plot 9 years ago, i looked around at all the other plots-separated by boundaries, and i thought- what if we all got together and each grew large amounts of what we like to grow, and we share it at the harvest…..break through the boundaries, work together, to grow our own food collectively! Well, this is what a few of us are doing right now, and i say…it ROCKS!
I’ve been foraging in the nettle patch this past week, the first few sets of new growth popping up everywhere!
Yes, i encourage nettle in my small garden, it feeds the soil it grows in, and the young spring leaves nourish my body with iron and many other minerals!
I begin making the tea by boiling filtered water at home, pour the hot water in a mason jar, cap it up and carry it across the street to the patch of nettle. Some days i brave it and harvest with bare hands, other days i bring a small pair of scissors with me to snip the leaves and drop them gently into the jar of hot water. This process is done with complete focus on this beautiful herb, as i have been taught (by the herb, no less) that if you do not pay attention to the nettle, while harvesting it, it will demand your attention…with a proper sting!
after i have put a fair amount of fresh leaves in the water, i sit in the garden while the infusion rests for a bit- a chance for me to appreciate the beauty i am surrounded by, and give thanks. If there is time, i sit in the garden while drinking this spring tonic. Or i carry it with me on my morning’s journey.
A note about stinging nettle- the best time to harvest is when the plant is alive with fresh spring growth, harvest gently, a few leaves here and there- and it loves to be talked to while harvesting-read…complete focus on the plant you are working with! It is my understanding that it is not advisable to harvest once the plant has flowers, as it may be toxic to the internal organs-(liver, specifically).
Oh…i always thank the nettle, for her grace in the garden and in my body!
Sweet spring greens abound!
Linda
…the best dinner i have had…in so long…traveling across the street to the garden with my wooden bowl, i began to meander my way through the young kale patch, pinching a few tender leaves here and there-the kids tasted some raw yesterday and said they tasted like broccoli! Then i made my way to the chard patch-young seedlings from seeds planted last summer. The small plants lay dormant through the winter, and begin their spring growth as the days turn warmer. Along the way, i found some miner’s lettuce- this is very prolific every spring here, and so tender. The last graze was in the young spinach patch that made it through the winter, the recent warmth encouraging beautiful tender new leaves here!
The abundance traveled back across the street to my flat. I revived some old stale bread cubes (cut up before the bread was too hard to cut…) in a hot pan with some butter substitute, salt and pepper. I tossed these about in the pan until crispy.
The dressing was made with organic olive oil, 3 small cloves of finely chopped garlic, Bragg (liquid aminos-a bit like soy sauce but not fermented) pepper and fresh lemon juice.
In a wooden bowl I tossed the spring greens, croutons, dressing and pecans.
So perfectly fresh and delicious!
…and this is just the beginning of a beautiful season of eating from the garden. I am so grateful to have this opportunity to grow my food in the city.
Be well, and plant a garden- for the earth, it’s creatures and as a blessing, you’ll harvest a bit of food for yourself!
with wildsynergy! Linda
