Thursday, January 21, 2010

Ready to Sow (Well Almost)


Dang is Johnny's fast!  I just ordered this stuff 2 days ago, and it is here!  I am equipped to sow, aside from not having the Vermont Compost Fort Vee mix for the soil blocker.  I do however have organic potting mix in the basement from last year's bulk order.  (Did I mention the puppy shredded anything plastic and gardening related this Fall and Winter?  Somehow she found and destroyed all of it.  She won't be able to shred the blocker now will she.)

There was a recipe included with the blocker (Eliot Coleman's), but I went with the recommend bagged mix since I can get it at a decent price through the NOFA bulk order.  The problem is that it might not be in before I want to start those maters.  No worries though, I also purchased some Cow Pots.  Ever see the "poo-pot" episode of Dirtiest Jobs?  (Just in case you missed it back in the day and are curious:  http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/dirty-jobs-poo-pot.html - check it out!)  I will probably transplant into the poo pots rather quickly this year, then bury the pot and all when they go into the quart size containers.  Hoping for happy roots!

As for seed flats I love the domes for germinating and keeping the delicate new seedlings moist.  I ordered a 'kit' that came with different sized cell Pro-Trays to keep the soil blocks company.  This year I will most likely be germinating my fall sowings in a flat wherever possible since my seeds/seedlings were snacks for creatures this past year.  Fall sowing was a complete bust!  And that giant green thing?  I am messy.  Very messy.  Not so cool when your baby veggies live in the bedroom.....this contraption should help keep the dirt where it belongs, not on the floor.   If only I bought an extra to keep in the kitchen.  :)

Ooh! I finally have my cherished Pistou Basil seeds in hand.   Last year I did a post on this favorite herb which can be found here after my plants arrived.  We LOVE this stuff sprinkled generously in salads all summer long.  It has a pleasant, mild flavor and there is no chopping involved.  Mmmm, I can almost taste it now.

9 comments:

Annie*s Granny said...

That was fast! I'd like to order one of those things you have right in the middle of your picture. Oh...Johnny's doesn't sell adorable kids?

Erin said...

Wait - did I miss something? There is a puppy?? I washed all my stuff out from last year and I don't really know what I am waiting for right now... lol, I hope this weekend to have the herbs and a couple of other things that need a long time to germinate up and running. I haven't blogged, haven't sowed... and today my house was freezing, it was raining and I felt depressed so I went out to a "real" yarn store to get inspired to knit. Maybe I'll get into the potting soil tomorrow... and Granny, I got 2 cute little heathens I can send you...now where was that empty Johnny's box???

Kelly said...

Erin, she is still one, and therefor a "puppy" in my book. At 2 she will become a teenager. :)

Ruth Trowbridge said...

Wow am flaming green right now!! Now is a sustainable sowing set up. I had never seen a personal blocker before. My son and I watched the poo pot video together both laughing, he thanked me for sharing it with him, how sweet is that? So I am going to pass on the thanks too. Can you start sowing seeds now? I have to wait six weeks. Peace for all

Kelly said...

Not yet RR, but I will start some tomatoes in late Feb. to set out under cover early in the season.

I am glad your son liked the video, it has been years since I watched it, I should watch it again.

Thomas said...

I've never heard of cow poo pots before. I'll have to do a quick read on them. Alos, let me know how you like johnny's soil block mix when you finally get it. That might have to be an option for me eliot's recipe doesn't work out for some rason.

Ruth Trowbridge said...

I sure hope I didn't turn you off homeschooling, it just isn't what it looks like in the classroom. Today I came across another homeschool mom's post thought you might enjoy (her whole blog is a hoot).

http://laughing-duck-farm.blogspot.com/2010/01/boys-ok-maybe-just-my-boy.html#comment-form

peace

Foodscaper said...

Hey Kelly- I have three sizes of soil blockers but don't want to use the recipes to make the soil. Where can you buy soil blocker soil online? You rock Kel!

Kelly said...

Johnny's Seeds sells a mix, and also the Vermont Compost Company Fort Vee mix is supposedly good per Johnny's.