Gardening Part Two

Because I had run out of trays to start seeds, last night I ran out and bought more. I still had eggplant, bell peppers, jalapenos, cucumber, squash, and beets to plant. I've been reading a book called, "Grow Great Grub" by Gayla Trail. I really like this book. The author specializes in creating gardens in small and sometimes unusual spaces. She emphasizes that you don't need a large piece of land that is free of shade to have a garden. This is great since we have little space and not all is covered in the sun. The book goes through many different types of vegetable, herbs, and plants, and she describes how to plant them, where they will thrive best, and when to harvest. The book also has some great looking recipes!

I decided to put some of my seeds into large pots instead of the ground, since space is limited. The pots, although plastic, were kind of expensive, but I figured they would be used many times over. Since the beets grow downward I put them in the largest pot. Squash and bell peppers went into the medium pots, and jalapenos and cucumbers went in the smaller ones. I may transfer the smallest pots to the ground when they start to grow more, but i'll wait to see how they grow. Because the packet and book suggested starting eggplant seeds indoors I used two small trays for the eggplant. Since it is still in the 50's here I think I will be bringing these pots inside.

I thought I'd also share some pictures of the seeds I planted about a week or so ago. Not all of them have popped up but the arugula is going crazy! I can also see basil and chives starting to emerge. Yay!

Tonight I am making a braised potato recipe as well as beet risotto. You won't believe the beautiful color this risotto turns from the beets. It would be perfect for valentines day. Maybe next year. Post on that later tonight! - kb