Starting Seeds: Lightly Sifted Compost

Today we're launching a conversation about seed starting, and we hope you'll join us. I'll start us off...

Good advice from Sharon Astyk--smart, prolific writer:

You see, I knew you could start seeds in lightly sifted compost - in fact, I'd seen Rodale Institute tests that showed that some varieties seeds did best in finished compost. So, the year before, I'd gone out in February, dug up some compost, let it defrost, and then sifted it through an old screen and used it, with lovely results. All those living organic bacteria made a very happy arrangement, and the seeds I started that way did far better than those I did in organic potting mix.

Today I'm going to shovel out some compost and sift it through a screen. I'll use it in containers to start seeds using the winter-sowing method Debbie and Little Green Girl showed us last year. Not sure if sifted compost would work in the portable microgarden shown above, as it's sub irrigated and relies on a wickable potting medium.

I like the idea of using the rich resource we have in compost...and not having to buy potting mix. Since it was 60 degrees Jan 31 in Chicago and should hit 50 today, it's definitely gardening weather, at least for now.

Winter-sowing relies on cold...but we likely have more of that yet to come.

Winter Sowing Was a Success!

Late winter when we had a warm period we sowed Dinosaur Kale and Amish Deer Tounge lettuce in our salad table then watched them germinate. When they were about an 1" in height we took off the plastic on the low tunnel exposing the plants to full sun and were amazed at how fast they grew. Yes, it's nice to have fresh homegrown food again, it makes me think summer is almost here and I can almost taste some real tomatoes!

Plans for this salad table can be found at Maryland University Extension and the videos and instructions by Jon Traunfield, a fellow Master Gardener are very simple and complete. We love this salad table because the rabbits can't access it but after this harvest we plan on converting it in to a SIP because we found it required frequent watering and SIPs are just more efficient at conserving water.

I'm feeling pretty lucky that the squirrels haven't discovered it, or at least haven't been interested in digging in it, they'd rather eat my heirloom tomatoes!

I LIKE this homemade salad table but will LOVE it when it's converted into a SIP this Spring!

The salad table wasn't our only success this season. Mid winter Little Green Girl and I winter sowed lots of seeds not knowing what would happen. As we uncovered the containers when the temperatures got warmer we found the results to be incredible. Just about everything we sowed germinated well with the exception of the Marsh Mallow seeds... and that's probably because I didn't make enough drainage holes. Seeing a container full of water, mud, and no seedlings seemed to have confirmed my suspicion.

Here's what we sowed this winter:

What's one of the best advantages of winter sowing? The tomatoes and pepper plants we grew indoors required hardening off while winter sowed plants didn't. From seeds to plants they've already acclimated to the outdoor environment. Mother Nature is truly amazing.

Winter Sowing Rewarded in Spring

We're overdue reporting on the results of this winter-sowing project from mid-February. 

Fact is, our hearty winter-sown mustard, tatsoi, and arugula seeds have been leafing out for a couple weeks, though we're taking our time planting them. The tiny, well-rooted plants are easy to pull up and tuck into many a spot.

We'll definitely be winter-sowing again next year. I'm very glad to have learned about this from fellow GRG-er Debbie.

Cool-Weather Greens 2011: Hardening Off + Salad Ready (Already)

Hard to believe just two weeks ago we transplanted our tiny seed starts into these larger containers.

 

Yesterday we walked to Bruce's to pick up the results of two more weeks under light in a room-temperature house. Yow! They must have grown a third of an inch a day. Time-lapse photography would be fun here.

Next we'll take our hardy transplants and harden them off, a process nicely described here by Johnny's Seeds via Washington State University. (If you don't live in a cold-weather climate, I suspect the term is meaningless, but as noted at the link, hardening off is both a season extender and important for intensive gardening.)

These plants will be happier once acclimated to their preferred temperature range, about perfect right now in Chicago, with lows just above freezing.

Click to enlarge the

 beautiful joker lettuce...or is it jester?

Here's a side-by-side shot of seeds started on the same day--outdoors by me using the winter-sowing method (right) and indoors by Bruce. Quite a difference, though our still-tiny starts in the box will surge with the increased light.

Thanks, Bruce!

Winter Seed Sowing, Seed Sharing, Chicks + Carl

The GRGers met this week to thwart sub-zero temps by trading seeds and discussing the coming growing season. Debbie is clearly one of the weak-for-seeds brigade. 

Check out her fine selection here, along with two tiny determinate tomato starts she gifted us with (we've never grown one--this will be fun), along with a pound cake (mmm). Up for sharing were long beans, melons, and myriad tomatoes.

While I made tea, she got to work sorting seeds while Bruce revealed his priorities by focusing on pound cake.

During our meet, Debbie told me about winter sowing. Can't believe I'd never heard of this technique, which mimics the action of the hearty volunteer seeds that come up in an in-ground garden each spring.  For winter sowing, you plant cold-hearty seeds in a punctured covered container and set it outside, venting when the sun starts warming up the soil. Like planting in a cold frame or under a cloche, it makes good sense.

She pointed me to wintersown.org for the basics and I gathered some seeds we harvested last year and also some left over from the past several years.

Using the ubiquitous Earthbound Farm baby spinach containers (these are from years ago--I'd guess they never decompose), I put drain holes in the bottom and filled with a mix of moistened coir and compost we brought in last fall. Then I planted arugula, kale, mustard, tatsoi, baby bok choy, and beets.

Sprinkled with water, put on the covers, and used a carpet knife to cut air vents in the top.

Now they're in the backyard, ready for whatever mother nature brings.  We'll crack them open to get some air when it warms up. And keep you posted on the outcome.

One reason I thought this would be fun is that Bruce is starting our cool-weather greens indoors today, under lights and in controlled warmth. The winter-sown seeds won't be ready in the four weeks his will be, but they should provide a succession of seedings for the roof and in-ground garden.

I walked to Bruce's today to drop off some chard seeds and visit his menagerie. Can you see Carl peeking over the chicken brooder? He gets a little jealous when a visitor's attention is drawn to peeping cheeping bits of fluff. It's fun to see their adult feathers emerging.

Bruce encouraged me to take a palm-full of feed and set my hand into the brooder. The chicks hopped right up--they're becoming nicely acclimated.

Carl is growing too. His paws seem a lot larger now that just a week ago. He's very smart, knowing when he's being naughty with his needle-sharp teeth but barely able to control his puppy self. Bruce is bringing a lot of tough love, a good thing since Carl may one day outweigh me.

Pasty butt--click for all the action. When a rear end dries out and plugs up, hands-on help is required.

Cheeping heartily during the procedure...

...and patiently getting dried off.

Carl loves the space heater that runs alongside the brooder.

I'm king of mountain (click to enlarge). Only in Chicago would 40 degrees F feel like spring.