As the weeks go on, I am starting to see some real changes. And it's become a little clearer who the potential winners and, well, losers of summer 2009 might be out there. I've been doing a lot more reading and have found that potting soil actually may not be the best thing for container gardening, since it tends to get really compacted and holds a lot of moisture, which I'm seeing for myself. So those potting soil pots (the newer ones) don't seem to be growing as fast. At this point, I'm a little concerned about the chives since they seem so thin and fragile - but maybe that will just take time. And the one small pot in which I goofed, planting a new set of seeds on top of perennial chives from last year? Those chives look terrible, though the new herb (parsley, I think?) is doing well.
But the little kits that came with a different kind of mix for soil (or weirdo sponges) are just going gangbusters. Check this out -- over the last week, I've really started to see some differentiation in the new leaves that are growing, and the plant varieties are really starting to look like themselves. See the marigolds there on the top? Flowers really can't be all that far behind, can they?
And look at the cilantro. Those new leaves are starting to be very recognizable as cilantro itself, like the kind you'd buy in the store. I'm hoping that in another week or so I can start pulling those new leaves to use them. All the reading I've done says that once you start harvesting these herbs, they just start coming back stronger for the rest of the season.
And.... ta-dah!!! The great success of the week -- against my own cynicism on the matter, a tiny little strawberry plant has started to emerge! I was so happy when that peeked through the surface earlier this week!
So, for the most part, things are going very well out there. I'm really debating on whether I should transplant the little Chia herb guys into bigger pots with actual dirt (though they'd stay on the sponge, just now surrounded by dirt) and on whether I should start using plant food. Plant food, by the way, is not so easy to find - my CVS is all out and the grocery store's a bust. I may have to make it to an actual garden store soon, perhaps to buy more pots too.
4 comments:
Good job. I don't have luck with seeds...so I always buy stuff that's been started at a nursery. And even then, half of the more tender herbs always kick it for me.
Good on ya!
If you do end up replanting them, make sure to buy "potting mix" not "planting soil." The latter is designed for plants that are going to live in a pot, as they need more nutrients.
Thanks, guys! I do have a big bag of potting mix that I've been using, but an article I read also said that it can be an issue with moisture and drainage - which may be why the non-potting-mix plants I have are growing better. Or maybe I'm just crazy and not really taking into account the week's difference in when I planted them... but I do think the ones in the pottng mix are growing slower. I'll keep reading.
awesome!
I just love watching plants grow! My cilantro was thriving, but with all the rain we've had, it's taken a turn for the worse. And my zucchini are almost completely gone. The rest of my plants, though, are looking great!
Today, we discovered 3 baby watermelons growing!
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