my Garden Diary: Seedling update for April
Since 90% of the messages i receive are garden related, i thought i would create a blog post updating you all on how my seedlings are doing and what i have started already this spring!
Since the end of February i had been itching to start some seeds but with snow still outside and freezing temperatures, i held off until mid March!
Everything i have planted so far has germinated and that makes me so happy! If you are struggling to get your seeds to germinate, maybe i can help you. I will share my tips along the way.
What i Planted first
Back in November i ordered some seeds from Etsy. They were a variety of zinnia’s, straw flowers, and some dahlia seeds. The seller was generous enough to send me some free cosmos seeds and also some sweet basil. Since they were surprise additions, i decided to plant them first.
I started the cosmos in an old croissant box from Costco (so fancy!) and then the basil in some terracotta pots. P.S, I am so obsessed with terracotta pots, i have around 50!
The cosmos germinated about two days later and they are still growing like weeds, i feel like they will flower before i can even get them transplanted outside! They are the easiest flower, in my opinion, to grow. I wrote a whole guide on growing cosmos successfully here.
I split some of the cosmos up and still have some that are thriving in the croissant container. Pictured below you can see the windowsill that has the sweet basil, cosmos, and some rosemary that i started about a week later.
🍅 Let’s talk Tomatoes
Crazy story, in the fall of last year i had a tomato plant from the summer that was still producing tomatoes. I bought this plant inside just to see what would happen and it still produced all winter long. I thought it was done and i was ready to throw it out, and then just last week another tomato popped out and the plant itself is going green again. It is blowing my mind! I also have started some new tomato seeds that i got at the farmers market and they are also growing so fast.
Here are my tips for growing tomatoes:
They love the sun. They need at least 6-8 hours of sunlight a day.
Tomato plants need watering everyday - Some people would not advise to water everyday, but i have found that they love water and sunlight daily.
Water in the morning.
Cut off any dead leaves so that energy can be directed to the parts of the plant that need it the most.
Pictured below: My tomato plant that won’t stop producing and my baby tomato plants.
Dahlia’s: My soulmate flower
Dahlia’s are my most favorite flowers, in particular, the Cafe au Lait variety. I currently have some that are being mailed to me, and this summer i will be planting them at a rented garden plot since i know i will have no space at home!
In the mean time, in my impatience, i bought some tubers from Costco (yes, i do go every weekend!) and immediately noticed that they were sprouting in the bag. I did pull the shoots off of some as i was not ready to plant, but i did put some in pots in my sunniest window and they are growing taller each day. If you are new to dahlia tubers, you can read my guide for beginner’s.
Pictured below: My potted dahlia tubers, and some dahlia’s that i started from seed. Once they grow a little more i will be transplanting the, outside ready for them to bloom in the summer. I am so excited!
Pest control
Having a lot of plants and seedlings in your home can create pests which can also spread to your house plants. This is annoying but you can do a few things to help.
One thing that has worked for me is getting some sticky traps, i will link the ones i have below. These have really been so helpful for me.
Garden journal
One thing that helps me keep track of all the seeds and plants i grow is a garden journal. Inside there are pages that will have space to write:
My Garden journal.
What seeds you started and when
Germination date
Progress
How often the seeds need water
Sunlight preferences
When starting and planting many different seeds, it is so helpful to keep track of everything. I also like to include notes on what worked and what didn’t so that i don’t make the same mistakes again. A garden journal can be life changing.
Above: This one is so pretty and is already in my cart!
I am going to do an update on my garden every month since i have so many seeds i still need to start!
Next week i will be starting:
Lettuce
Green onions
Peppers
Zinnias
Straw flowers
Zuchinni
And will be direct sowing once the last frost has passed:
More cosmos
Sunflowers
Watermelon
Pumpkins
Corn
Disclaimer: When you purchase from Amazon using my links, i do make a commission at no extra cost to you. I thank you for your support ❤️
Wishing you all an abundant growing season!
