A Seedling Update (take 3!)

I now have about 8 trays of seedlings started under the lights.. but, I need to get my act in gear and get the cukes, zucchini and rest of the gourds started. Today! (I hope).. The tomatoes, peppers, brassicas and more are doing very well, but some of the tomato leaves were looking a bit yellowish, so I dosed them with some Seaboost this morning. It's a locally produced liquid seaweed fertilizer.. just a squirt in the watering can and the plants perk up in record time! I also like Gardener's Dream, another locally produced fish and seaweed fertilizer.

Some of the dwarf tomatoes from http://nctomatoman.weebly.com

I was looking at our giant pumpkin seedlings this morning (thanks again Pete!!).. the kids are soooo excited  about having genuine giant pumpkin seed. They each started 3 and we now have 4 healthy looking seedlings. Mind you, one of them is on steroids! It's 4 times the size of the other ones.. funny how plants do that sometimes. Seeds and seedlings just seem to grow at their own pace. In fact, some of the peppers that I had seeded 5 weeks ago, have just come up! I had given up hope, but kept the soil moist, just in case - and lo and behold, they have germinated!

My kohlrabi seedlings - about 50 in total.. 

It's so interesting that the dwarf tomato seedlings really do grow much more compact then the indeterminate types. They're stocky and well branched and I can't wait to get them into the garden. Speaking of which, I've been busy spreading that manure and it's such a sweet spring pleasure turning the soil and seeing such a large amount of worms. I've been working the soil for so long now, that it's just rich in worms. Originally, I despaired of ever having worms! So many gardening books say things like 'if you don't see at least 30 worms per shovelful of soil, your soil is poor.' Yikes!! I don't think I seed 15 worms now in a shovel, but I know that my soil is very fertile. My plants tell me so.. 

Pretty purple 'Bolivian Rainbow' pepper seedlings

The next few weeks will be light blogging - I have a very special reason why and will share it with you in due time.. (no mother, no more babies!).. I'll keep up as best as I can, but will be back to normal blogging by May 1st.. please be patient! I promise, it will be worth the wait!

Ruffled pansies - love them!!