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The First Seedling of the Season

February 22nd, 2010

I haven’t officially started and seeds yet. My light tables aren’t put together in the basement yet, I haven’t even ordered all of my seeds yet -yikes. Am I behind? Not really, I’ve been deliberately trying to restrain myself from starting things too early. Seedlings do so much better when you can get them planted outside when they’re the right size. So starting them too early often doesn’t do any good and may actually be bad for the plant in the long run. I will be starting some lettuce this week, I think by the time they’re big enough the cold frame will be warm enough to transplant them. I think spring will come a littler later this year so I’m holding off as long as I can to get the seed starting going.

I did “unofficially” start a few seeds for the Amsterdam Seasoning Celery I got from Renee’s Garden. A few days ago, I sprinkled them in a post I had by the back door that nothing was growing in (failed attempt to propagate a houseplant). The first seed germinated yesterday! I think this will make an excelling winter gardening plant. Fresh celery taste all winter long from a pot in the dining room! I can’t wait to see how this herb does. Celery sseedling are the tiniest of all I think, I should have put a penny by this so you can see how small they are.

Have you been starting seeds yet?

17 Comments to “The First Seedling of the Season”
  1. wic on February 22, 2010 at 6:25 am

    last week I started with tomato and tomatillo for the hot house.
    it`s crazy how fast the grow and my boys and I love to take a look each morning.
    I can almost taste them.
    crazy I know.
    .-= wic´s last blog ..Mediterranean Food: Loukanika – Greek sausage with yogurt sauce =-.

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  2. Rose on February 22, 2010 at 6:53 am

    Most definitely! In this climate most seeds need to be started indoors or they just won’t have much of a chance. We’ve got leeks and herbs, marigolds, evening primroses and impatiens, lavender, and now toms and peppers starting. I’ve even thrown common sense to the wind as sprog wanted to see if I could get the black beans I was cooking for dinner one night to grow, and we planted a few; they’re starting to poke up out the ground!
    .-= Rose´s last blog ..Considering he’s six… =-.

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  3. Christine on February 22, 2010 at 9:07 am

    Yikes! We fell into the trap of starting things early. Weather was warming up, but then things dropped really low. I might be able to start them later this week.
    .-= Christine´s last blog ..Pit-fired Bowls =-.

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  4. Mangochild on February 22, 2010 at 9:28 am

    No seeds yet – like you, I hear that it will be a late spring, at least late in really getting established. Things are starting to warm and there is a light at the end of winter, but for some reason “they” are saying that we’ll have warmth, then a few “relapses” throughout March and April. While I hope “they” are wrong, I don’t want to start the seeds early and then have them sitting around in the house because its not reliably warm enough outside.
    On the other hand, the later establishment of spring might mean a tad longer of a maple sugaring season! (Trying to look for a possible positive side here…)
    .-= Mangochild´s last blog ..New Local Blog On The Scene! =-.

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  5. Kelly on February 22, 2010 at 9:43 am

    I’m totally starting early this year – partly because last year my eggplants and peppers just seemed to need more season to make fruits, so I wanted to give them a good start with bigger plants (I’m starting to think this one’s going to bite me in the bum since they’re growing crazy fast). I started them mid Jan (yes, I know, they just got upgraded to larger homes this weekend) and started my tomatoes and celeriac last weekend. I need to wait til mid-March for the next installment (onions, luffa, brussels sprouts). I know others are saying otherwise, but my gut tells me there’ll be a bang to the end of winter and then an early spring (in like a lion, out like a lamb this March). I’m hoping for that. I also cleared the snow off my raised beds yesterday in the hopes of some early warming to them.

    Since every year is an experiment for me, in the garden, I’m trying to not be anxious and just wait and see what happens.
    .-= Kelly´s last blog ..Vertigo… Again =-.

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  6. Dan on February 22, 2010 at 10:28 am

    I have a few things start so far. Onions went in late Jan as well as one early tomato. The celery & celeriac were planted about 10 days ago. I will also be starting all the peppers on the next lunar date which I think is Feb 24. I find peppers really benefit from an early start, last year I had anaheim peppers in June.

    The main crop I am holding back on this year are the majority of tomatoes. They grow so fast they will not be started until 6-8 weeks before outdoor planting.
    .-= Dan´s last blog ..A Taste of Spring =-.

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  7. Jaspenelle on February 22, 2010 at 11:29 am

    I have started kale, lettuce and spinach inside (my spinach is having an awful germination rate though and the seeds aren’t even a year old yet…) I have Tom Thumb Peas in a container, but that is a constant. Since they are a dwarf variety I don’t transplanting them. This coming weekend I intend on starting snap peas outside though.

    I always start some seeds a little too early but I accept that I will lose some of them, it just makes me so happy seeing something grow under the lights. Your tiny little celery shoot has the same happy effect on me. :-)
    .-= Jaspenelle´s last blog ..Heirloom Pole Beans =-.

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  8. Sara on February 22, 2010 at 12:03 pm

    I too have (slowly) learned not to start things as early. It seems like plants do better when they spend more time in the ground, and less being tortured in my house!

    This year I’m trying onions from seed for the first time, so that gives me an excuse to plant a little now. And I started some cutting celery. But trying to be patient on the rest…
    .-= Sara´s last blog ..a good cake for seasonal eating, or not =-.

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  9. Amy on February 22, 2010 at 12:35 pm

    Of course ;)

    Julie Moir Messervy:

    ” Of all the wonderful things in the wonderful universe of God, nothing seems to me more surprising than the planting of a seed in the blank earth and the result thereof.”

    Helen Hayes:

    “All through the long winter, I dream of my garden. On the first day of spring, I dig my fingers deep into the soft earth. I can feel its energy, and my spirits soar.”

    Reply to Amy's comment

  10. stefaneener on February 22, 2010 at 1:52 pm

    We have to start pretty much all year ’round. So yes, things are up downstairs.
    .-= stefaneener´s last blog ..Chitting and Kitty =-.

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  11. Morgan G on February 22, 2010 at 3:07 pm

    Luckily, it’s been nice enough in Southern CA to start a few weeks ago. I have Spinach, Romaine and Grandpa’s Admires lettuce going strong. Our mini-dwarf citrus triplets (one Meyer lemon, one Mexican lime, one Valencia orange) are producing lots of new leafs and our two trellised blackberries have started to bloom! I was late in the garlic game and just planted three weeks ago, they seem happy so far!
    .-= Morgan G´s last blog ..Low-Impact Footwear Purchase: Pass or Fail? =-.

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  12. MAYBELLINE on February 22, 2010 at 3:52 pm

    Just waiting on the mailman bringing my seeds.
    .-= MAYBELLINE´s last blog ..Sweet Rain =-.

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  13. Kelly on February 22, 2010 at 7:33 pm

    I got my first seed sprout of the season today as well! My poblano was the winner this year, but that’s due to the fact I started the peppers two weeks ago. Yesterday I started up the tomatoes. We’re benefiting from El Nino this year, despite how far inland I am, so spring has come early this year. It won’t be warm enough to direct sow the lettuces and the like outside probably for another month yet, but even that is pretty darn early for these parts. If only every winter was like this!
    .-= Kelly´s last blog ..First Sprout of the Season! =-.

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  14. Patty's Plants on February 22, 2010 at 8:35 pm

    Hi, I found your site looking for pictures of raised beds. I own a small organic garden supply store in Milton, WI. I send out monthly newsletters to my customers and I would like to know if I could use a picture of your raised bed in my newsletter. Part of my newsletter is about Black Walnuts and vegetable gardening. Your picture of your raised bed is perfect. Please let me know. Thanks, Patty

    Reply to Patty’s Plants's comment

    • Susy on February 22, 2010 at 9:03 pm

      Sure, did you find it on Flickr? If you did you can download the larger version on there. If not and you need a larger size let me know which photo you’re talking about and I can send you a larger file size of it.

      Of course I’d love a credit in the newsletter :)

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  15. Joseph on February 23, 2010 at 7:41 pm

    New life is always exciting! Winter is mild here in Austin, Texas, so we’ve had several things going over the winter. The lettuce and carrots have been wonderful and the broccoli and spinach are looking delectable! I’ve got a blanket of lettuce sprouts in the corner of one my lettuce/parsley beds, and hopefully some carrots soon. Otherwise, I have a bunch of seedlings going indoors under lights to get a jump start on Spring, which is typically short here before it’s blazing hot. Glad I found your blog.
    .-= Joseph´s last blog ..WP.com Downtime Summary =-.

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  16. Marcia on February 27, 2010 at 1:10 am

    No, but I’ve finally separated my gargantuan Aloe Vera so I could put my hands in some dirt. Like you say, it’s not better to start too early and have all your tall and fragile plants snap in the spring breezes.

    Reply to Marcia's comment

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This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

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