And they're off!

I suppose this officially commences the 2009 growing season. I started six things on thursday evening in the aerogarden. Most are perennials (self-heal, skullcap, garden sorrel, soapwort, and roman chamomile..or was it german, I don't remember honestly, I grow both, but this was the perennial.) I did start Holy Basil and Czech Black hot pepper which will eventually get moved to pots in the sunroom when they get too big for the aerogarden.

So far the only sprout is the chamomile, not surprising, but this is the the part I hate...waiting.

In other news I opted to use linoleum tile for the sunroom floor. Why? because we had some left over. Ultimately I figure the most sustainable solution is to use what I already have. I'm still waiting on that door. This going in and out of the sunroom through a window is getting ridiculous.

Does anyone have recommendations on pot size for growing salad crops indoors? (mache, spinach, lettuce)

Ping Pong and puzzles

ping pong of course being the weather, 20 one day, 40 the next. The mint and valerian are doing well if you cant see the phone photo clearly.

the puzzle is lemon balm. Seems that the seed stock I have is succeptable to damping off. I have started it twice in the aerogarden and both times it has turned belly up a few days after sprouting. This to me makes little sense. I thought damping off was a soil born infection, wouldn't hydroponics by definition not allow for such a thing. Second, the aerogarden uses a single water reservoir for all the growing pods, so everyone shares the same water. But I have started a half dozen other seedlings during the same time, and none exibited any signs of damping off. No batch had any of the same species of seedlings, to avoid the possibility that perhaps something was antagonizing it. Even stranger still, chamomile was in the mix this time around. Chamomile tea is supposed to be a preventative for damping off, so I figured on a whim it might have some kind of positive effect. Nuthin, nada, zip. After a few days (I am still amazed with how quickly perennials germinate in this thing.) I see green baby leaves emerge, then die, then another seed germinates, wilts and dies and so on. I have started a couple seeds in sterile mix to test, but if those go belly up too then I am thinking that the seed itself is the culprit. If so I'm sure the company will give me a refund, but I'd rather have a Lemon Balm seedling. Oh well, a friend has offered a cutting if it doesn't work out.

So Far So Good

Two days ago I moved the mint from its spot in the aerogarden to a separate pot, and last night the valerian and lavender got their own winter homes too. Thus far they seem to be doing well, I have them sitting next to the aerogarden to share in some of the light that spills out. The question for my readers (both of you...) Can I just move them to a windowsill for the winter or do they need as much as they can get, given how early in their growth cycle they are.

BTW aerogarden offers a "master gardener kit" with "a year's worth" of foam plugs, plastic baskets, clear domes and nutrient tabs. Um...all I really need is replacement foam plugs and nutrients (eventually). And for almost 50 bucks? No way. I'll worry about nutrients when I run low, but for now I just cut up a piece of sea sponge and stuffed a couple seeds in it, I'll let you know how it works.

In the 3 empty spots are hyssop, chamomile and lemon balm.

Growing Challenge: preparations

I'd like to add a couple of seed sources I have done business with in the past who have been excellent.

First, (and where I get the majority) Southern Exposure Seed Exchange. I think every item is open pollinated, heirloom, and grows well in NYS despite the fact that they are a Virginia operation.

I have done well with Victory Seed Co. and Garden Medicinals and Culinary as well.

Being a part of the Growing Challenge was easy, I have sooo many new additions that only one seems like cheating.

Really for me this year involves two major goals:

1.) Implement a succession and intensive planting strategy based on the FANTASTIC "How to grow more vegetables..." book by John Jeavons.

2.) Turn the northwest corner of the backyard by the pond into a lush sanctuary of herbs (mostly perennial).

As it stands I have 3 lavender bushes, purple and white coneflower, rosemary (which might not survive the winter), garlic chives, and common sage. The north side of the pond has a dwarf ornamental cherry that was transplanted last year.

I have seed either here or in the mail for
Red Plantago, Fennel, Anise, Wormwood, Angelica, Basil (Genovese, Purple, and multicolor holy basil), German Chamomile, Valerian, Feverfew, St John's Wort, Black Cohosh, Mint, Creeping Thyme, and Lemon Balm.

I am looking for a good Butterflyweed to add as well. I understand that in addition to butterflies it attracts soldier beetles as well. I need the hired guns in a bad way. Every spring the hordes of cuccumber beetles descend upon my poor beds and lay waste to everything and anything curcurbit. I refuse to resort to insecticide, and I have seen the occasional soldier beetle near my sunflowers, so I am hoping the poor garden residents can hire some badass warriors to come and defend the crops a la The Seven Samurai. If that doesn't work I have some Amaranth I am going to plant too, I hear they like that.

And since I first wrote about the Aerogarden I have realized a major mistake...planting so early. I had terrible luck starting perrenials from seed historically and now they are growing too fast. I am going to need to move the Mint, Valerian and Lavender to small pots very soon as their roots are getting dangerously close to tangling. I will certainly update on how they take the move from hydroponic to soil.

winter bleh

I must admit I was initially skeptical when I opened my christmas gift. My wife got me an aerogarden, and my resistance was based in part I'm sure on my distrust of all things easy and convenient. I have to say germination time was barely a blink. (I opted to start some perennial herbs I have had great difficulty with in the past.) To add to my surprise, aerogarden offers a replacement tray that will do 70 starter plugs. Considering how well this has worked so far I am seriously considering it. They offer additional plugs, but I'm sure I can get something like rockwool and bulk nutrients for much cheaper.

One of the pots by the way has lavender seed that I saved from one of the lavender plants in the yard...Wooohooo, I've sucessfully saved seed from a Kentucky wonder bean plant last year and now lavender. Now to see if the zinnia, morning glory, and coneflower seed germinates...in spring.