Some time around when I started this blog, I set up a Google News Alert that searches on the terms “novice gardening.” Some days, it provides me the world’s most interesting compost. Often, I get news of small events in random counties in New Jersey, or articles wholly related to gardening, but that just happen to have the words “novice” and “gardening” somewhere in the piece. (“The Life Span of Novice Skateboarders” by Gardener Smith, for example.)
(OK. You can stop Googling for that article now. I MADE IT UP.)
I rarely actually click through to any of these fine articles. Most days, the Google News Alert is relegated nearly instantly to the Deleted Mail file. But today’s sole link caught my eye. The article, “Starting Plants From Seed is Wonderfully Fulfilling,” appeared in the Hollister (Calif.) Free Lance today and, thanks to the miracle that is Google, landed in my inbox.
I’ve been considering the quandary of what to do with the upcoming garden plot, and have been poring over the SeedSavers catalog with something akin to delight. But planting seeds is a daunting prospect. What if they don’t come up? What if I plant them to early and the damn seedlings freeze to death? What if I plant them too late and they are burned in infancy?
My God. THE RESPONSIBILITY.
So, while other garden bloggers have been ordering seeds willy-nilly and posting lovely pictures of piles and piles of seed envelopes, I’ve been worrying the pages of the SeedSavers catalog between my fingers and muttering to Steve about how we really should have a Serious and Important Discussion about what we’re going to plant this year. Actual action? Well, not so far.
The article seemed like a fortuitous piece. Perhaps this would have the answers I have been seeking.
I should have known better than to even click.
Stay tuned…part two of this post will arrive just in time for your Thursday reading pleasure.
on Mar 7th, 2007 at 9:15 am
There’s also Pinetree, superseeds.com. Very cheap, so even if they fail, you can still buy plants as a backup and not feel too bad–that’s my plan, anyway.
on Mar 7th, 2007 at 5:04 pm
You’ll figure it out. Some things can easily be grown by seeds (beets, kohlrabi, radishes, lettuces, beans, peas, spinach and the like). Anything that will germinate quickly and mature in the time you have to use. If you start them indoors, you can actually grow tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, etc. But, you should have started them by now. I’m too lazy – other than my herbs that I start outside and bring in for the winter – to grow from seed anymore. Learning is so much fun!
on Mar 7th, 2007 at 5:35 pm
Try some seeds! There is still time for tomatoes, peppers, eggplant if sowing inside. Then there are all the seeds you can sow outside in the spring. I ordered most all of mine from Pinetree, good prices and good service (and pretty packets!).
You’ve got to at least TRY seeds. You will be so proud of your seedlings! I don’t buy any plants for my vegetable garden, I grow everything from seeds.
on Mar 7th, 2007 at 7:05 pm
Tough isn’t it. Don’t worry about it though, the fact you are even looking is positive, and even if one choice turns out to be wrong… there’s always next years seed catalogue. Good luck… I’m sure whatever you choose will look fantastic!
on Mar 7th, 2007 at 11:20 pm
Jenny and Carol, you guys are thinking alike! I hadn’t even heard of Pinetree, but perhaps I have to check that out.
Sally, I will post more about starting the seeds inside…basically, it’s not that I’m lazy, it’s more that I don’t want to deal with the hassle.
John, that’s true…there is always next year!
on Mar 8th, 2007 at 5:02 am
I don’t have the time or patience for starting from seed, though I’m happy when gardening friends give me plantlets that they’ve started from seed! I do direct seed some things into the herb garden, though. For instance, every year we plant dozens of nasturtium seeds — they’re so easy to grow, and I love having nasturtiums in salads.
on Mar 8th, 2007 at 11:36 am
[...] Wacky paths to the garden « News for novices [...]
on Aug 5th, 2007 at 3:12 pm
You sure have a nice way of teasing your readers with your posts :-) For instance, I can remember one of your posts about going to a Gardening Fair sometime early in the year. Did you let your readers in on the juicy details about the happenings at this fair? And now, you leave us all hanging and waiting for your part two of “News for Novices.” Newsflash. I just noticed further down the page a link to part two of News for Novices.” So I am going to close for now and hurry and see what pearls of wisdom await me in the continuing saga of “The Inadvertent Gardener.”
on Aug 6th, 2007 at 6:35 am
Garden Decor Junkie, I live to string people along… :-)