I got to play in some dirt today. I have 8 bags of soil that i saved specifically for the winter. Well being the intelligent person that I am, i stored them in the blacksmith shop when i was done planting in spring.... They froze....solid. So i have 8 bags scattered around my kitchen thawing out. 1 bag is near thawed, but ohhh no, i can't wait, so i cut that bag open dug my hands in an breathed a great big huge sigh. I actually kept telling myself i am breaking up the clumps,,, i knew better,,lol,,,, i was playing in the dirt! Ahhh but we must keep the child inside of us happy at all times, don't you think! So I started to go thru my seeds, an decided today was an excellent day to start a few of my herbs. I also started a few boxes of plants for my winter sowing but thats another story. Here are my little babies.... Here i have started watercress, mint, basil and here is the parsley, lemon balm, and piri piri chilis behind those containers is a stevia plant that i brought back out to get started again. As more dirt thaws, I will plant more and more. Get dirtier an dirtier fingers and hands. More an more light is shining each day, we now have 6 1/2 hours of light, so all is well in the Artic..
I've been out in the garden playing in the dirt!!! I've been cutting back shrubs and planting bulbs. It's the first time this year the weather has been good enough to allow me to be in the garden and it feels fantastic!! I hope all your seeds germinate for you Biita and that your soil all thaws out soon. It's lovely to hear that you have light again and are enjoying getting 'down and dirty.'
You better believe it Eileen, i feel like a kid again,,,,lol,,, and loving every minute of it. Glad you got to go play too! Isn't it great to just get out.
I can't wait till our stores start getting seeds in, then I can start my planting here. But its still just abit early to plant too much inside right now. I have tried starting some dill but not sure about them yet.
Petunia its way to early here too, but these boxes will stay inside the house as my kitchen herbs,,, later i'll plant more to put outside but thats not for a few months yet. the dill just do as i did above, when it gets to the size of your hand or better a mans hand thats when they get just a little food. then just water when it starts to dry out. but don't let them sit in water. you'll do fine. I actually have no room for keeping my plants warm at this stage so i rigged up a board that sits half on the window sill an half on my table, the heater is just below it. when the herbs start to sprout an have established themselves to a decent height then i'll move them to other window sills an start other herbs in their place.
I'm so envious I'll just have to try and start the stupid lavender seeds that dumped in from a gardening magazine the other day. I'm bound to be unsuccessful, given my previous sewing record, but at least I've gotten to play a bit in the dirt too.
I was doing the same thing in my kitchen night before last Biita. Its just a great feeling.I planted a few tomato seeds (Brandy Wine is the name)I planted some Texas Star Hibiscus seed.Playing in the dirt was fantastic.I do know how Biita felt except mine wasn't frozen.
Isn't the smell and feel of dirt wonderful Biita. I am glad you had some fun. Glenda, I also planted tomato seeds, in peat pellets, 6 each of 3 different varieties. I have 2 more varieties coming in the mail. I actually took vacation days this week to work in the gardens, but we had way too much rain last week and everything is a mucky mess.
Oh Biita, how great! I noticed some seeds already out for sale in the stores. I haven't bought any yet, but I'm sure I won't be able to control myself much longer!
I saved alot of seeds from last yr, but i also ordered seeds from my swedish seed catalog, and i have already recieved that order. mid february i will order the rest so they will be here by march. those will be all the veggies. tomorrow i'm gonna play in some more dirt,,lol.
Biita..... what have you gone and done, meid! This is a wonderful thread. The subject with pics just push all my gardening buttond... I was astounded at seeing those butter/margerine tubs! I had no idea that they were so big. That is an excellent size. BTW, do you drill holes the bottom to let water drain out, or just leave it as it is. I knew when you described them that they were perfect...and they are! Yoiur little dirty-hands outburst here is inspiring and treally gets the anticipation thing going. Thanks for another winner....
actually Sjoerd those are ice cream tubs. 3 liter tubs,, the little one that is green and says Rød Chili is an actual butter tub,, it just has 5 seeds in it.. but i save the tubs all yr, and clean an reuse the ones from the yr before,, they are just perfect, deep enough so you don't have to rush an transplant right away. they can get a good hold on growing then.. i use them also for outside winter sowing. i also have the neighbors saving them for me. since their plastic, i just stick a pair of scissors thru them or a knife, a few times,, those don't have the bottom holes but they do have little rocks in the bottom, just incase. I've been raising herbs this way for yrs... works for indoors, just add more seeds when it starts to thin out.
Ohhhhhhhhhhh... heh heh heh, I see. 3 liter... perfect! I use 1 liter ice cream tubes but only as under-setters. I use my tubs until they absolutely fall apart. Years and years. I like your idea alot. Rocks in the bottom is a good idea for inside planting, isn't it. I take it that Rød Chili, is Rood chili-- or red chili, right? Another similair word to Dutch.
Biita, seems like you have started us all playing in the dirt. I have my seed starting mix on the cabinet now. In just a while I will be potting up some hardy yellow Hibiscus seeds I have germinating. And more tomato seeds.
