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Thursday, May 28, 2009

Day Late, Dollar Short by Late Bloomer


That's me; story of my life. Yesterday (late as usual) I began the repotting of seedlings for the veggie gardens, fed and watered them well before using up all the milk cartons I could find. Now what? Large plastic cups is what; too many plants as usual. And because I haven't built that cold frame I promised myself, the little plants have spent too long in their tiny starter pots. There was no indoor room to expand. A few words about my ON THE CHEAP philosophy, AKA very GREEN: Plant everything possible from seed, including last year's left-over seeds, and even seed from organic market veggies. If you grow heirlooms, their seeds should be viable, too. Everything is worth a try. Start 6 weeks early. Don't forget to feed them (I forgot). Near the end of April, have an outdoor place to keep your re-potted baby plants safe from weather and frosty nights. Plant in the garden around June 1. Make use of window sills: Save cuttings from begonias, sweet potato vines, coleuses, and geraniums. Take second cuttings in mid-winter when they get leggy. Pot up your culinary herbs for winter use. There: not only fresh herbs, but a green view all winter long. Now that you've saved a bundle on all those nice healthy plants, enjoy!