[Garden '09] MOAR PLANTS

[kyrthira]

Okay. This is nuts.

It's been a week, right?

Well, here:



(If you can read this, you're too close.)



Looks like as of today we have:
(If I don't say when we got the seeds, assume they were bought this year.)

Larger starter:

Six out of eleven carrots, roughly an inch tall. These are older seeds, so I don't expect them to all pop up at once. They'll most likely get their own pot and since they can grow so closely together I can probably stagger them very very effectively.

Three out of six onions, roughly an inch tall. Older seeds, but coming up well so far. These suckers are gonna be about two pounds each when they're done, so they're likely to have their own planter as well. I'm wishing I'd staggered them more, but since they're not sprouting at the same time hopefully they won't mature at the same time.

One out of six roma tomatoes, roughly two inches tall plus. They're older seeds, so I won't be surprised if they don't, only a bit disappointed. They're my favorite tomato plant and I do plan on getting trellises to grow them vertically.

One out of two pole beans just thinking about poking through. They should be harvestable over a period of time, and I really only planted two just because they can be easily stored, but I would LOVE to have both come up (again, these are older seeds much like most in the larger starter). I'll probably trellis these as well.

One icicle radish just poked through. We bought these last year for nyterose and we'll see how they go -- if he likes them, maybe we'll start a couple more. They've lasted this long, right?

One jack-o'-lantern pumpkin, at LEAST four inches tall. Even though we bought the seeds last year they sprang up in an instant. I have no idea where we're going to put the plant for its permanent home; we might be able to get away with a smaller pot and transfer it elsewhere. Right now the roots are already outgrowing the little starter. One of the sprouts fell over, so it's been nicked already; no need to thin this one anymore as it did it to itself.

One yellow zucchini, at LEAST four inches tall. Last year's seeds, I'm hoping the other comes up because they're fantastic for grilling.

Both dill, half an inch tall. This will be nice to go with the pickle cucumbers; I hope two dill plants will be enough considering I'll probably end up with A LOT OF PICKLES.

One tarragon, should be thinned eventually, half an inch tall. These seeds were soooooo tiny that I dropped in a bunch of them instead of just three, and pretty much all of them came up. Hah.

One out of two basil, maybe a quarter inch tall. These are very old seeds, so I'm glad any came up at all. Right now the amount of basil is greater than the tomatoes, so I'm not worried about not having enough to go around.

One sage, just starting to poke through. It'll be interesting to see how these progress.

Smaller starter:

One out of two red bell peppers, just starting to poke through. Seed-saved from store bought plants, I'm so insanely happy this one is coming up. I'll be positively ecstatic if both do. There weren't a lot of seeds from the one, but I have plenty left over.

One orange bell, maybe an inch tall. Since I only planted one of these, seed-saved, it's awesome that it's coming up. This one out of the three gave the most seeds.

One yellow bell, still thinking about poking through fully. I hope it makes it! This one was seed-saved as well, bought in a three-pack with a red and orange. This one of the three had the least number of seeds.

Four out of four green onions, an inch and a half tall. I can probably plant these at the edges of another pot and let them go crazy.

One lemon basil, maybe a half-inch tall. I really want to see what this one tastes like when it's finished coming up and I can nick a leaf off of it without worrying about it dying.

Two out of two basil, about an inch tall. So very very happy that this many seeds came up (same package as from the larger planter) and I love basil anyway.

Two out of two broccoli, two plus inches tall. They've all come up, and I'm giving serious thought to staggering the rest of the 11 remaining seeds in the packet just to use them all up in one year and give more crops (and more to save).

Two out of two cherry tomatoes, two inches tall. Cherries are fun snacks, and this will probably make a full pot (with basil!) to trellis and let go nuts.

Two out of two pickle cucumbers, at LEAST four inches tall. The roots are already spreading out of the starter, so I'll want to replant them soon and thin them. They'll harvest for a very long time, so I may be pickling for quite a while. I hope the dill grows just as fast!!

One black zucchini, at least four inches tall. Like most of the other squash/zucchinis they're huge and need to be thinned soon, and replanted.

One acorn squash, at least four inches tall. These were requested for this year, and I'm not sure how they'll taste. Probably pretty good, from what I hear. Needs to be thinned and replanted.

One butternut squash, at least four inches tall. All I remember is trying to peel one with an old, mostly worn-out peeler at SMF, and nearly giving myself blisters. Fun times with the folks I was working with, but ow. I haven't a clue what they'll be used in.

One white squash, at least four inches tall. Needs thinned and replanted. I love how they look, and they'll likely be ready in time for Samhain. I'll have to find out if these make good rattles when dried, and if so I'm totally there.

Three out of three beets, at least two or three inches tall. These should be thinned soon. I'm not familiar with the culinary use, but they should make fun yarn dye if I can get off my tush and do it when they come up. I'm pondering putting them in a planter with some other root veg, and possibly growing a few more. Did I mention the seeds look like grape-nuts cereal?

One thyme, half an inch tall. I planted a few extra of these seeds, and I'll want to thin it relatively soon. I'll probably stick it in a planter with some of the other common kitchen herbs; I doubt it'll grow faster than we can make decent use of it.

One oregano, just come up. I love oregano in a lot of things, I want to see how well this is gonna do.

I haven't seen any hot peppers yet -- poblano, jalapeno, or bananas. Parsnips, green peppers, celery, cucumbers, grey zucchini, rosemary, parsley, coriander, and chives haven't come up -- neither has any of the random mixed peppers. I'm hoping that's because they're older seeds and/or because I can't expect EVERYTHING to sprout instantly, right?

If we get the squashes replanted, we can put the lids back on the starter greenhouses, and hopefully that'll let the other seeds catch up to the overachievers!