Each week, this newsletter will contain three sections:
How things are going
I will share an update on my garden as a point of reference for how my weekly tasks are adding up and looking.
What to do this week
Here I will present the 3 - 5 things I am planning or doing this week.
Resources
A deeper dive into information and perspectives that are inspiring or informing my gardening.
If you are coming to this newsletter mid-season, please take a look at the posts from the past few weeks to get a sense of context for where we are at this week!
Week 12: 3/19/2023 - 3/25/2023
What I am doing:
March 20th marked the first day of spring! We have just about 8 weeks before our average last frost date (May 15th). If you haven’t started any seedling, but you are planning to, now is the time!
Last week, I spent some time out in my garden, checking my infrastructure for anything that needed repairing, as well as noting what I’d need to do to get the space ready for building some new components (such as trellises). I noticed that a few brackets holding my hoops in place needed to be replaced. Also, the furring strip of wood I use to anchor my plastic cover needs to be reattached. A few things to work on in the coming weeks.
This week, I’m continuing to start a few more rounds of seedlings. In part, I’m doing this because I came into some really interesting varieties from a seed swap organized by local gardening experts, Joanne and Ron Katz. I highly recommend attending a local seed exchange if you get the chance. It’s such a great way to be exposed to varieties that you may not have known about and to talk shop with fellow gardeners.
Some seedling updates:
Almost everything has sprouted at this point, with just a few stragglers waiting to come up. Patience is key during the first week or two when waiting for seeds to germinate. Then more patience is required waiting for the plants to really start growing. I’ve noticed that most seedlings have slow beginnings, then really take off after growing their first true leaves.
During this early waiting period, it’s important to keep an eye out for stress on the plants. Too little water prevents seeds from germinating, and will kill seedlings. They can’t survive very long without water.
Too much water, especially water at the surface level of the soil, can cause damping off. This is a disease that causes the stem of the plant to become pinched at the soil level, and it will kill the plant. One way to help prevent this is to run a fan across your seedlings to keep the top of the soil dry, preventing fungus growth. This has the added benefit of providing a little good stress to the plants, making them grow stronger and ready for the outdoors. Another sign of overwatering is pale green or yellow leaves. If you see this, reduce your water amount or frequency.
Too little light is another big problem. I noticed that a few seedlings were getting “leggy.” This is when the seedlings start growing long stems, because they are trying to reach more light (as if they were being shaded out by taller plants). Notice in the picture below the circled tomato seedling. It has a slightly too long stem, and it’s curved, reaching for the light.
I’ve been moving my shop lights up and down for the past few weeks to find the sweet spot with these seedlings. You’ll also see a few seedlings per container. Eventually this will become a problem, stressing the plants, and causing them to grow poorly. I am waiting for them to show their first “true leaves,” before I evaluate which ones to keep and which to remove (I may also re-pot some of them). Eventually, I’ll only leave one per pot.
Plants start with a set of leaves called cotyledons. These are the first leaves it grows that push up out of the soil. They get the plant started, and then it grows a second set of leaves, and onward. These are the mature leaves that look like the leaves you know the plant to have.
Another thing I am thinking about this week is creating space and gathering resources to eventually pot up these plants. Over the next 8 weeks, they will grow large enough that they’ll potentially need to be placed into larger pots. That means I’ll need larger pots, which take up a larger footprint in my workspace. I’ll also need to prepare my lighting to cover that larger footprint. I’ll also need more labels to keep track of these potted up plants. Labeling is super important. Always have a plan in place for keeping track of your plants! In the summer, you’ll want to know the exact variety that delicious tomato or pepper is so you can grow it again next year.
What to do this week:
Spring is here. I hope this catalyzes you into action, and that you are getting more excited for the coming season. This is a great time to check in with the progress you are making toward bringing your gardening vision to life.
Here’s what to do:
It’s not too late to start your own seedlings! I hope that the past couple of posts have inspired you by breaking down the process into clear steps. We are 8 weeks away from May 15th (our last frost date), which is plenty of time to start anything you’d like to grow this season.
If you are growing seedlings, be sure to watch for signs of them getting leggy. Explore what might be causing the stress. Adjust your light exposure, the amount you are watering, how often you are watering, and temperature, to try to help them recover. You can always try to save seedlings by repotting your seedlings, burying them deeper in the soil, if they become too leggy.
Check in with yourself about the progress you are making toward getting ready for this season. Take a look back at your garden map and planning notes, and compare this to your space. Are you getting things prepared so you can successfully achieve your vision?
Next week:
Continuing to follow the seedling journey!
Checking in on early spring crops.
Talking raised beds and containers.
Resources:
Resource 1
Helpful tips on responding to leggy seedlings
Resource 2
General advice for troubleshooting seedlings