PermaNest Trays
I have a love/hate relationship with those black plastic seed starting trays. I’ve been gardening long enough that I’ve used pretty much every type of seed starting tray there is out there. The black plastic trays work the best for me, but I really dislike how cheap they’ve gotten in recent years. I used to be able to use them for 5-7 years, now they barely last one season. After looking at PermaNest trays for a few years, I finally purchased a few this year to give them a try.
I must admit that I was very happy with the quality of them when I opened up the box. The tall domes with sliding vents are a very rigid plastic, the bottom trays are super heavy duty. I have read reviews on the internet with gardeners saying they’ve had them for 20 years.
They have bottom trays, thinner top domes and the very rigid tall domes with vents. They are all very high quality and I can see that they will last me many years to come.
What I’m most happy about is that I will be able to use my soil blocker with them. They are definitely strong enough to stand up to lots of wear and tear. I will no longer have to worry about cracks and holes in the bottom trays and water leaking out all over the place.
What’s your favorite seed starting tool?
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Spring?
Yesterday there was a distinctly different feeling in the air when I went out. I think perhaps it was moisture, it was finally warm enough to feel moisture in the air. Even though it was only 15 degrees and we woke up to a few inches of fresh snow on the ground, there was something different in the air.
Probably later this week I will put a tap in one of the maple trees that I can watch from the house. It isn’t quite warm enough for sugaring season but it won’t be too much longer.
Have you noticed a change in the season recently? Do you feel like spring will arrive in your garden soon?
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It’s Official…
Well, the 2015 gardening season has officially started at Chiot’s Run. Yesterday I started onion seeds.
There are eight different types of onions in my trays, each tray is divided in half. This year I’m growing lots of yellows and a few reds.
I also decided to start two varieties of cold tolerant tomatoes. Typically I don’t bother starting tomatoes early, but our short summers here in Maine have me thinking I’ll start growing a few in containers up against rock walls to see how early I can get a few tomatoes for salads and sandwiches. I chose ‘Stupice’ which has always been a reliable early producer for me along with ‘Glacier’ which is a new variety for me.
Even though my garden is still sleeping under a very deep blanket of snow, it will be exciting to see the first little sprouts of green coming out of these flats in a few days. Tomorrow I’ll start celery and a flat of cold tolerant lettuces and endives for early spring salads. From this day forward, I’ll be sowing, watering, thinning, transplanting, sowing again, and then hopefully in six weeks planting a few things in the soil.
What are the first seeds you start for your garden?
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Quote of the Day: Julia Child
“Cooking is just as creative and imaginative an activity as drawing, or wood carving, or music.”
The other day I was eating breakfast and trying to decide what to make for dinner. I’m definitely not one of those come up with a menu at the beginning of the week and stick to it type of cooks. Cooking is one of my creative outlets.
I like to keep a well stocked pantry and buy what’s on sale and what looks fresh and delicious when I’m at the farmers market or the local co-op. Then I plan my meals depending on what I have in the fridge, what needs eaten up, what is in season, or what I feel like eating.
Most of my meals are quick to make and very simple, though I do like to spend all day in the kitchen if I get the opportunity. As with many people, there are a few things that we really enjoy and they grace our plates more often than other things: omelets, fajitas, stir-fry, soup, seafood, steak marsala, salad, and curry, along with a few other favorites.
There’s not much I enjoy more than coming up with something delicious after a quick look in the fridge/freezer/pantry. I am always trying to expand my horizons and learn to new foods/techniques along with coming up with new ideas for our favorite meals. This month I’m planning on trying to make sushi and spring rolls, we shall see how they turn out and if they end up on our favorites rotation.
Are you keen on learning to cook anything new? What are some of your favorite go-to meals?
