Other gardeners out there, do you plant the little peat pots or do you pull the plants out of them? The package says to plant them, but they seem to pop back up out of the ground no matter how carefully I pat them down, and the little plants are all lying on their sides. Next time I'm going to take the plants out. I planted cucumber seeds over two weeks ago, and they still haven't germinated. Not sure they're going to. Maybe I should try again.
But the worst failure is the pasture grass. That stuff costs $40 a bag, and it takes two bags to cover the area I have. Then this constant, unrelenting rain ruins it all. I don't know how long to wait for it to sprout before giving up and starting over. Meanwhile, I'm sure all the nasty weeds will do just fine.
I don't really like gardening. I'm not good at it, and I'm tired of being muddy and cold and wet all the time. I'm starting to think herbs in indoor pots is a good idea, and trading eggs for veggies again like last year. The farmer's market should be starting up pretty soon, too. Maybe I should leave it to the professionals.
The problem you mentioned with peat pots is pretty common. Instead of doing that, just make a little cup out of newspaper and plant that whole thing.
ReplyDeleteTwo bonuses with that:
1) The newspaper just melts away and attracts earthworms.
2) You won't disturb the roots and stunt growth on those things that hate that.
Sounds like you may have rotted your seeds. As for transplanting, some of those things really don't do well in transplants at all. Peas and the like being major ones.
Even just the slightest touch on the roots of squash, cukes, beans and the like can just stop them in their tracks. They really do hate to be moved.
You can get over that with the newspaper thing. Just handle them very gently and try not to squeeze the newspaper when you move them.
Don't give up though! I went with raised beds because of the horrors of the spring rains and flooding and it finally made me happy and love gardening. (Plus less bending and no weeds ;))
What do you want to try to plant? Maybe we can help?
Aw, don't give up. For weeks after I did our first round of seeds I had nothing. Then all the sudden I had green. Though only about half of the things I planted came up.
ReplyDeleteI hate those peat pot things. They never seems to disintegrate like they're suppose to and the roots get bound. I like Christy's idea about the newspaper. I think I'll try that next year.
Thanks, guys! I appreciate the support. I grabbed the peat pots and tore the bottoms out, then replanted them. I also got a few starts, because I just am so impatient to have something in my garden besides bare dirt. Mixed asian greens.
ReplyDeleteHere's what I want to plant (keep in mind, I'm in western washington, in a very cold and windy microclimate. Very wet, short season. I do have a good place to start indoors.
1: lots of beans, string, wax, scarlet runner.
2: cukes for pickling
3: beets, ditto;
4: spinach and chard for greens
5: potatoes (I'm thinking of doing them in a garbage can... ever tried that?)
5: later in the season, summer squash, tomatoes, and I'd love to do chiles if anybody thinks it would work.
Oh I forgot to mention, although it is cold and wet here, I have absolutely unobstructed sun all day long, morning till night.
ReplyDelete