I always seem to be behind on my seedling plants!!

I think one the most frustrating things I deal with is that I always seem to be behind on getting my starter plants going in time!! I promised myself that I was not going to be behind again this season. So the weekend after Thanksgiving I started broccoli, kale, turnips, cabbage, white onion and cauliflower. I was so proud of myself I knew I was going to be ahead of the game this year. After all these needed to be planted in January and it was November!

On January 5^th I went to my community garden with my seedlings on hand. Exited because I was ahead of the game, so I thought. I get there with my three inch high baby seedling plants and everyone else plots were filled with plants that were 2-3 feet tall!! My mouth fell to the ground, here I was behind AGAIN!!

So here it is the end of January now and people are harvesting their broccoli, kale, turnips, cabbage and cauliflower and mine is just starting to look like they might survive to harvest. So again, I have resolved NOT to be behind on my seedling plants.

Today I checked my guide to see what should be planted this coming April. Based on April’s planting I put seeds in of Dixie peas, pumpkins, straight neck squash, zucchini, sugar snap peas, two different varieties of early peas, and green beans. I also decided to start my cantaloupe, cucumber, bell peppers, jalapeño peppers and habanero peppers. They don’t get planted until around June, but they will be nice and big by then and finally I might be ahead of the game. J

This is my portable greenhouse that I purchased from Amazon.com. It will hold my seedlings until they grow nice and big to plant in my garden.

For those who are interested or are thinking about doing container gardening I thought I would give you the following reasons why you should try container gardening.

10 REASONS TO TRY CONTAINER GARDENING:

1.    Container growing is easy.

2.    You can garden in any space.

3.    You can garden in any state in a container.

4.    Kids love container gardening.

5.    Gardening in a container outfoxes critters.

6.    Container gardening can bring instant gratification.

7.    Gardening in a container can suit any style.

8.    You can grow almost anything in a container.

9.    Gardening in containers can suit any personality.

10.Gardening in containers can fit into anyone’s life style.

And since I have done container gardening for years now, let me share with you some common mistakes.

Don’t fill a large container in the wrong place! Ever tried to lift a large container once it’s filled with rock, dirt, plant and water? Choose your spot before you get started.

Don’t drown your plants! To avoid over-watering your container garden, use containers that have drainage holes. I am telling you it’s a must!!

Don’t under-water! In early spring and early fall I water every-other day. During the hot dog days of summer I water daily. Winter can be tricky because our winters vary so much. I always do the finger test regardless of the season or weather.

Awkward plant to pot ratio, seriously consider the type, size, weight and location of the container as well as the size of the plant IN ITS ADULT STAGE.

Don’t buy weak or sickly plants. You can’t save then, I know! lol

Fear of pruning. When your plant starts looking leggy or ragged, don’t be afraid to cut them back. Your plant will come back healthier and happier with a good haircut.

Beware of bad neighbors. Not the people who live next door, but the plant that will live near it. For example: you don’t want to put pots of corn or tomatoes in front of your radishes, carrots or zucchini plants.

Starving your plants. Potting soil only contains a certain amount of nutrients that plants require to grow and be healthy. This means you need to supplement those nutrients with fertilizers.

Living with ick. After you've tried everything, short of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and your plant still looks dreadful, cut your losses and toss it on the compost pile or in the trash. If only one plant in the container looks iky, pull it out and focus on the rest.

Don’t have unrealistic expectations. I can say this to you, but you will. Just know that you will and the next time try not to have unrealistic expectations.

Happy gardening!!

Dianna