I’m officially starting the 2003 gardening season today. Outside, it’s still very snowy, of course. The ground is covered with about two and a half to three feet of snow, and more is expected this weekend. However, I’ve got window boxes to fill, 70 of them, I think, so if I don’t get these started now, they won’t be ready in time.
For the last couple of years, I’ve always done my window boxes from plugs, which I bought from the Jolly Farmer, and got to arrive around mid- to late-March. But this year, Frank is convinced I can do it all from seed. I think deep down, he thinks starting from plugs is cheating, and his Catholic-guilt doesn’t want me to cheat. I’m not so sure about that, but I’m willing to give it a try.
To make it less stressful, he spoiled me rotten and bought me a five flat seed starting mat from HPS. and set it all up for me under the lights and stuff that he built for me before. So really, I have no excuse for this to not work. I’ve started a few things from seed before, and I keep telling myself it will all be okay!
I found it too cold to actually to the seed starting itself down in the basement. But I made up the seed-starting mix down there, filled the flats that I was going to use, watered it all well, and then did the actual work up in the dining room, at the table. It made for a lot of climbing stairs and a big mess in along the way and in the dining room, but my hands were just too cold for doing fine detailed work. I also found the basement far too dark as well. So next year, I’ll have to figure out something else. Maybe my potting shed will be up and running by then?