Another beautiful sunny day, and the birdies are chirping. I've been checking up on my first batch of seedlings and still no germination. It has only been 3 days but I am getting anxious. Hopefully they will wake up soon. The worms are doing ok so far- none have tried to escape, and I adding a fan to increase air circulation in the closet has helped I think. I also visited a friend who gave me some dried leaves he collected (all disease free and clean as a whistle). It was on his recommendation since worms generally love outdoor carbon sources, and since all I've been doing is overloading them with newspaper and egg cartons there is some sense in adding some au natural carbon sources.
Today I endeavour to start the rest of my seedlings- this time, I'm going for the mega batch. I purchased a flat of 50 cells of coir cups in a tray (bit of an expense but it will save time later when I'm trying to separate them and put them in another container or to give them away), as well as a Coir Brick. For those unfamiliar, coir is dehydrated coconut husk fibre, a by-product of the coconut growing industry. It is quickly gaining renown for its ability to retain water and provide a light weight material for mixing into potting soil. It doesn't provide any nutrients, but simply adds lightness to any mix which is beneficial for container gardening (promotes drainage, decreases water logging that might increase mold and rotting). It is a potential competitor (or usurper of?) peat moss, a non-renewable resource that is currently very popular due to its locality. More about this debate later, but for now I'm using both materials: the coir for adding to my potting soil mix and in the cups, and peat which is already in my mix and in the Peat Pellets I got from a friend.
I also was very fortunate to get an extra four varieties of tomatoes from a seed exchange with the same friend I got the leaves from. The new varieties are from his own collection of saved seeds, and he was able to tell me a lot about their growing conditions, preferences, tastes, sizes, colours... Due to the limitations (and some benefits) of container growing he suggested four varieties of tomatoes to try:
Green Zebra
Isis (LOVE the name!)
Golden Girl (another charming nomer)
and Black Cherry.
So altogether thats 16 varieties of tomatoes that I'm starting in my 50 cell tray. It doesn't make for an even division of varieties, so I am in the process of deciding which varieties to start more/less of. I have to take into account the age of some of the seeds and therefore the reduced germination rate but also the practicality of each of them. The Cherokee Purple, for example I had difficulty with and my friend confirmed that they are finicky. No kidding- last year I only got a few fruits even when planted in the community garden (not in containers). I had a great success with my cherries (except whippersnapper) but now I also have some determinate varieties that I may want to favour instead of the indeterminate. Urg, so many factors!
I also want to start some basil to accompany the tomatoes, and these I will plant in the peat pellets I got. Basil and tomato are the best of friends, so it makes enough sense. I also got my hands on some sacred basil (or tulsi) seeds which are very widely grown and used in Indian homes and is a known aryuvedic herb for its adaptogen properties (not to mention its calming effect when prepared as a tea).
I forgot to mention that in addition to the coir and potting soil, I'll be mixing in some of my left over perfect for potting mix which has some mycorrhizae in it- a natural fungus that benefits the plant roots to improve nutrient uptake and water retention. I used it last year in my containers, so I'll try it again in my seed starting. There is some information floating out there about the benefits of innoculating soil for plants as some (many?) benefit from the fungal microorganisms. I'm still in the process of learning about the complexities of soil ecology, but container gardening is a bit different, since it already presupposes a controlled environment. Gardening is one big experiment anyway, so I'll leave it at that and go with the flow. I am an intuitive gardener, afterall :)
Now to begin. Before I do, I think a good seed starting dance is in order so a quick detour to youtube, search for Xavier Rudd and hit play.
Spring is nigh!
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