When I went to buy the potting soil and new pot for the sunflower seedlings this past weekend, I wandered by a rack of seed packets. Some of them were four for a dollar, and I 
considered throwing a bunch in my cart.
I stopped myself. I’m still wary of trying to grow from seed, and don’t really have the stomach for an elaborate seed-starting operation. Even when confronted with a ridiculous bargain, I’d still rather at least go with my plan to buy heirloom seeds instead of run-of-the-mill stuff from the hardware store.
Oh, yes. Barely a year in, and I’m already Ms. Snobby Snobberson about seeds. Go figure.
But I did pull a packet of mesclun off the rack, and, when I bought the sunflower seedling pot, bought a little oblong pot with the thought that I would at least start some salad in our kitchen. Maybe it will grow, maybe it won’t, but I thought I’d take the risk and see what happens.
If anything happens, I’m guessing it will be a teeny-weeny crop of baby lettuce that will make up about half a salad. But it’ll be a good salad. I’ve got a long enough memory to know that.
on Mar 16th, 2007 at 3:02 pm
Good for you! I love starting from seed indoors. Isn’t it funny how we gardeners are all so different, yet still oddly similar at the same time? I will be starting almost everything from seed indoors this year – even pumpkin and corn (which are always supposed to be sown outside). I will be writing my details about seed starting soon.
Good luck with your salad starts. Will you be transplanting it outside, or eating it young from the pot you start it in?
on Mar 16th, 2007 at 6:17 pm
… and a good salad it will be! It’s fun growing from seed – so much so that you might find yourself adding a few more seed packets.
Enjoy!
on Mar 17th, 2007 at 6:23 pm
Woo! I also hate seed starting and transplanting, but I planted spinach and “microgreens mix” today. I figure I’ll have a little snack when I thin the seedlings, and I should get at least a handful of small salads out of the whole pot full.
on Mar 17th, 2007 at 7:56 pm
Matt, I’m going to eat it straight from the pot — I’m just not finding myself to be excited about starting things indoors and then transplanting. But I am looking forward to our little indoor salad!
Kate, I still have some seeds left of the same mesclun mix — as soon as it’s warm enough, I’m sticking some in the ground outside. I’m looking forward to being able to plant out there instead of in here.
Natalia, enjoy that pot of salads! You’ll have to let me know how it goes.
on Mar 17th, 2007 at 10:54 pm
I grew mesclun mix outside last year, and it grew FAST and was so thick. It was yummy and as long as I kept cutting it, it kept growing. It was very proliferant! I’m guessing you’ll have more than half a salad’s worth! Oh, and it’s pretty to look at, too!
on Mar 18th, 2007 at 6:06 am
Enjoy that lettuce when it grows. I grow some annuals from seeds … ones that I save myself from previous years. Want to exchange links?
on Mar 18th, 2007 at 4:47 pm
Funny how you caught on to heirloom seeds, Ms. Snobby Snobberson, indeed! Good luck with the mesclun. It’s a good seed to start with.
on Mar 19th, 2007 at 12:28 pm
Have you tried winter sowing? Very low maintenance.
Good luck in the seed starting venture, you may find you like it more than you imagined… hwa hwa hwa.
on Mar 22nd, 2007 at 5:56 pm
Kylie, I tried to plant it last fall, but wasn’t that successful, unfortunately. But this spring, I’m going to try it outside again.
Carol, hopefully I don’t kill off all my heirloom seeds…sigh…
Ottawa Gardener, I haven’t tried winter sowing. Any tips on how to do it?
Crafty Gardener, I will definitely enjoy that lettuce if it ever gets big enough to eat. Hmm…
on Mar 22nd, 2007 at 7:27 pm
[...] Published March 22nd, 2007 Seeds , Vegetables , Uncategorized Almost miraculously, the lettuce seeds I planted last weekend began to poke through the soil in their pot by last Monday evening. I’ve read that lettuce [...]
on Apr 3rd, 2007 at 10:55 am
[...] a salad Published April 3rd, 2007 Exasperation , Status check , Seeds , Vegetables My first seed experiment of the year is not…I repeat, not…an unqualified [...]