Progress Report – I have Muscle Rippling Seedlings!
Impatient for spring to come now, I decided to sow some seeds anyway.
About 2 weeks ago I sowed some ‘Calendula’ seeds into trays and put them on the shelf in my mini greenhouse that sits on my raised bed. They are tough cookies, Calendula so I thought they would come through if they wanted to.
Today, I trudged through yet more snow to have a look at the beds and there they were, bravely peeping through the soil. The frame felt lovely and warm inside. Just goes to show what can be done even when it’s really cold outside.
I also sowed some lettuce and globe artichoke seeds in a tray and put them in the kitchen on the window sill thinking they might be a bit more temperamental. Me being me did them all in one tray, got the tray mixed up and didn’t know which end was lettuce and which end was artichoke! I need not have worried it became very noticeable which one was which.
The lettuce came through first all thin and spindly, but I have kept watering them with the memories of the pathetic broccoli power food I tried a while ago. No sign of the artichoke for a few more days – until yesterday.
Talk about make their entrance with a bang!! All at once, all 9 of them powered their way through the compost bursting open pushing the compost out of the way. Wow – this was exciting. You can almost see their muscles rippling, they won’t be content being a little plant, its obvious these boys are destined to be big wow factor plants needing a position of note in the garden where visitors can stand and be impressed by them!
It’s very tempting to help these new seedlings on their way by trying to pick of the seed cover as it holds the two leaves together, but please try to avoid helping them. I tried once and killed the seedling before it had a chance to get started – again not a good feeling for a sensitive gardener. It’s a bit like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, that final struggle to break free is part of its journey. It has to build its own strength.
Filled with confidence at this success, Sue and I decided to have an afternoon together sowing more seeds whilst Mark put her raised bed and mini greenhouse together.