March 25, 2010

    It rained last night, so I didn’t have to water my new cosmos, chard, radish, or gourd seeds.  The ground was a nice dark brown, one of my favorite colors.  There were only two or three tiny puddles, so I know the soil is draining well.
    This morning I forgot to prep some morning glory seeds for planting.  I have to soak them in warm water for 24 hours before planting them.  I was out working, and so I called my brother and asked him if he could soak a small handful for me.  He said ok and took care of it.
    I got the planting bug, and since I can’t afford to buy any seeds right now with a vacation coming up, I rummaged through the old seeds box.  Everything in there is packed for 2008 or earlier.  I decided that I would try lettuce and herbs, and not be too disappointed if they didn’t grow well.
    For the lettuce, I cordoned off a 5’x4’ bed in the side garden next to my radish plot, and roughed up the soil with the weasel tool.  I didn’t amend the soil at all, because the soil here in the side vegetable garden is about as good as it gets.  I amend other beds with soil from this one.  It also had a little 3 way compost added last year.
    In an old plastic container, I mixed four already opened lettuce packs together; there was black seeded Simpson, Butter crunch, a leaf lettuce (I forget which kind), and a Romaine lettuce.  I spread the seeds, and covered them with what I hope was about ¼” soil from another part of the garden.  I watered them.  I’ll thin them out to 8”-12” after they’ve sprouted.
    Three years ago when I first moved in to my house, I went seed buying crazy and bought one of just about everything.  This included a fine assortment of herb seeds.  I never used any of these seeds. They are all from 2007, and I’m wondering if they will perform well if they are a few years old.
  

I planted them anyway.  In the side flower bed in the front, I planted sage, spearmint, fennel, cilantro, savory, fenugreek, basil and purple basil, and thyme.   
 I used good soil from the side vegetable garden to amend the soil in the side flower bed before spreading each kind of seed in its’ own one square foot plot, covering with ¼” soil and watering.
    I didn’t have time to plant the anise, marjoram, or either the flat leaf or the dark moss curled parsley; and I want to grow some oregano as well.  I’ll do all that tomorrow.  Along with the morning glories.