For the first time in 3 stubborn years, I’m following the directions on the seed packages that I picked up at Home Depot; I like to think that a green thumb shows like a dominant genetic trait, but clearly I was mistaken after moronically starting my seeds in February last year. What I’m getting at is, if you remember, it didn’t go so well.
I’ve had a lot of luck with the seeds that I start indoors between April-May because I can let them bask in the heat of the sunroom (which feels more like a dry greenhouse on a warm day), but I never actually noticed that most seeds instruct you to plant them right in the ground, in the actual earth. Go figure.
As far as I can theorize, my brain is totally fooled by the fact that the whole neighborhood is bursting with color after a few unseasonably warm days, and if the fields of daffodils and my favorite magnolia trees are blossoming, why shouldn’t the zinnias and marigolds be beginning to follow suit?
Whatever, I’ll put on my brain-brakes and hold up on planting the florals I’m craving for another month (or two, based on the Direct Sow map codes on my seed packs) and focus on the one, single package I picked up that does instruct me to start indoors: Hello, pretty impatiens, you’re going to look adorable as front garden edging.
At a manageable 8″ height and promise to bloom all the live-long-summer, I’m pretty excited to try out these impatiens and line the edge of the newly extended and landscaped front garden with pretty pink blossoms.
Unlike last year when I did seed-starting in toilet paper and paper towel rolls, I decided to try something else this year. The plan to use newsprint from Pete’s Rockabilia catalogue left me with plenty of pages to make into little seeding pots (we don’t subscribe to the newspaper, so we don’t have actual newsprint laying around). This will just as eco-friendly and just as f-r-e-e as last years, although cuter, since many of the pages I used featured punk onesies. Generally adorbs.
This tutorial isn’t rocket science, you can do it while you watch TV or listen to the radio or talk to Mom on speakerphone, it’s almost no effort. I see a few products for sale out there that “help” you make paper pots like this one, but I’m not entirely convinced I need to spend $14 on something that I figured out in 2 seconds myself.
With a single page cut in half lengthwise like shown above, I found it easiest after a little trial-and-error to fold over one edge of the sheet; cuffing it a little helped to keep the end-result a little bit more orderly.
Create whatever size seeding pot that you need, I rolled mine tight so that it was about the size of the “O” you make if you’re making an A-OK sign with your finger. Following me? Side note: I have lots of hand wounds lately, sorry.
Pinching the roll tight (no glue or staples required), I folded one end like a little package, creating a flat surface and base to stand the soil and seeds upright.
I drizzled the impatien seeds over Scott’s potting soil, which I had scooped into each little pot, and then watered the whole batch lightly and set them on the kitchen window sill to get some sun love. Hopefully within 3 weeks I have greenery, and by mid-May (after major fear of the last frost passes) I’ll have them in the ground.
P.S. Still in search of a good electric heating pad to set them on during cooler/shady days. Any safe recommendations?
What are you doing to get your seeds started this spring?
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