Now that I have a garden plan and seed plan, last weekend we actually planted seeds! I thought it would be fun to designate plants for each child, so they each planted three cherry tomatoes each. They love cherry tomatoes, so I figured it was best to start with that. I am hoping that they will feel a sense of pride and ownership over their plants, as they plant them, watch them germinate and grow, and finally – produce some stuff to eat! My son planted the Balcony Charm variety and my daughter Sweet Hybrids. I also seeded Black Cherry tomatoes, as well as Roma and Early Girl tomatoes. We put three seeds in each pellet, for a total of 18 plants and hoped for the best. I put them on top of the fridge, covered with a plastic dome, to create a warm, humid environment.
Now look:
Seedlings! I have since moved them to my sunniest window. Apparently seeds like warmth to germinate, but prefer cool conditions once they are up. I am hoping they will be cool enough right up against the window.
I also planted red and green peppers, but they have yet to poke their heads out. I can see that the seed has sprouted, but they are still tiny pinpricks in the soil. These guys are still on top of the fridge.
Tomorrow I will plant parsley, mint and oregano. I am about a week behind on these. I have a feeling we might be late planting our seedlings outside this year anyway, as we still have a 3 foot pile of snow in the backyard! Spring just does not want to come this year. This week has been cold and gray, and I am yearning for the sun. Physically yearning! I want to feel the sun upon my face, I want to see greenery, I want to see things growing.
When spring finally does come, and morphs into glorious summer, I am sure I will be spending many hours outside, tending to my new garden. It will be a good excuse to get out there and soak up each and every day of summer!
One Earth to Live 
We used those pellets too! Nothing sprouting yet but I am hoping soon. Hasn’t even been a week yet. Sam is already feeling bonded to her little seeds and can’t wait to see what will happen next. We water them together and check them everyday.
So great that you are involving your kiddos in the gardening process. It will be habitat for them and soemthing I am sure they will continue to do in their own adulthood.
I love how excited they get – the seeds have sprouted! the seeds have sprouted! My son was disappointed to learn we will have to wait until fall for tomatoes to eat. He wants them appearing now! Patience, my boy, patience.
Is it wrong of me to think “food porn” when I look at these pictures? Usually people use that term to describe images of decadent plates of food. But you can’t have a meal before you grow the food.
I continue to wait to plant my seeds because it’s still too cold on the enclosed balcony. Unfortunately it’s also still too early in the year for direct sunlight to come in through the sky lights and provide more than a sliver of sunshine – the sky lights are situated at the top of narrow shafts, three feet above the level of the ceiling. So I’m stuck with a sunny room that’s too cold and a warm room that’s too dark. Guess I’ll have to treat the enclosed balcony like an outdoor garden and plant seedlings on May 24.
Do you have a sunny window? That is where I am growing mine! Then you can pop them out on your balcony as soon as it gets a bit warmer. I am sure your balcony can be like a greenhouse! I have sunroom on the back, which is mostly a messy kid boot room right now, but I am hoping to transform it into a greenhouse wonder of veggie delights!
No, I don’t, that’s the problem. I’m above a store in a row of buildings, so my two windows are on the north (no sun) and on the south in the enclosed balcony. The balcony does get quite warm on sunny days, but overnight all of that cement makes it very chilly. The sky lights help for indirect light at this time of year, but only a sliver of direct light comes in during the afternoon. It’s tough to have to wait to plant! 🙂
There is something so fresh and hopeful about seedlings after winter (or really any time for that matter). I don’t have outdoor space, but I’m growing a few different herbs on my window sill and think I will be attempting strawberries soon. I can’t wait to see what your garden ends up looking like!
My sister is attempting strawberries from sprouts and she says they have quadupled in size in about 2 weeks or so – maybe worth a try! I am going to try strawberries soon, although I might just buy the plants to start with. I think I will also supplement with some strawberry U-pick expeditions this summer as well!
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