As I sat here watching the rain fall, yet again, feeling blah and wishing for some sunshine, I knew that today was the day I needed to finally get my little garden started. I've been excited about this project for a while now, yet, I have also procrastinated a little because I was nervous about actually attempting this and sharing my progress and results with everyone.To say I do not have a green thumb is an understatement. I actually have what I consider a killer thumb, if you know what I mean. I usually start with good intentions on growing plants and beautiful flowers, but I always end up somehow killing them. Too often, I water too much or not enough, I get busy and forget about them, and then give up and move on to another project. This time is going to be different because I am holding myself accountable for these seeds. This time, I am going to grow these seeds into transplants and watch them continue to grow in my summer garden. I hope.........
To start my seeds, I used the Jiffy Tomato & Vegetable Greenhouse that I purchased from Lowe's. This system comes with everything you need to plant (minus the seeds), and has easy to follow directions.
First, I took warm water and started pouring it around the pellets. I gradually added 1/2 cup at a time per pellet. The directions said to use 15 cups of water for the entire container. Once I added the water, the pellets slowly began to expand. After the pellets were completely expanded and the soil was dark brown, I checked for any excess water so I could pour it off before planting my seeds. Then, I carefully pulled back the mesh around the tops of the pellets and began fluffing and leveling the soil.
Next, I made my plant markers (there were some provided in the package), and began to plant my seeds. I put two seeds total in each pellet, one each on opposite sides. I used a toothpick to push the seeds into the soil and to lightly cover them with dirt on top. I did not push them very far into the pellet. I pushed them just below the surface and lightly covered them. I had read and watched videos on youtube saying the depth was not that important so I didn't have to worry about not getting them deep enough. I actually began to feel a little more confident at this point of the process.
All that was left to do, was put on the dome lid that came with the kit to cover the plants. I read the directions one more time to make sure I didn't leave anything out and placed the lid on top, feeling accomplished.
Now comes the hard part, the waiting for my seeds to turn into sprouting seedlings! I'm crossing my fingers this happens soon and Stage 1 of my project will be a success. I'll be sure to give progress updates with photos and posts as the weeks go by. I hope this project will inspire someone else who may be a little intimidated about growing plants to step out of your comfort zone and give it a try! I highly recommend the Jiffy gardening sets, especially for beginners like myself. If I can do it, you can, I promise!
Click on the affiliate link below to purchase your Jiffy Seed Starting Kit. As an Amazon Associate, I receive a commission on qualified purchases.
Comments