As cheap as I am, I have spent the past few months trying to figure out the cheapest way to start my garden. Growing from seeds, is the cheapest way to get plants, but how to germinate. I've been looking at the clear egg carton each week knowing there has got to be another use for it besides the recycle can, and then I put the two together- an egg carton seed germinator. It sort of looks like the ones in the catalog, so I modified it to work. I cut off the inner part and cut holes in the bottom, the inner egg holder can now serve as the "saucer" and the clear plastic top holds the heat and moisture.
The heating mat- I didn't want to buy a heating mat, but I had a heating pad. So the kit was about complete, all I needed to add was some soil, lights, a place to set up and a couple of racks to keep the seed germinators off the direct heat. As luck would have it, I just got an order from Amazon in a nice sized box. In went the rack, heating pad, another rack, seed germinators, and some lighting from the top. And, the box went under the dining table, who's way would it be in there? And, then there is the question of how hot. I checked my
Local extension office in Alabama and they have a chart for all vegetables. Prefect!
So, in my seed germinators are Pepper Giant
Thai Hot, Pepper
jackpot hybrid (both from Park Seed),
Jalapeno M Pepper from Ferry-Morse and
Tall Utah 5270 Improved Celery also from Ferry-Morse. Some of these I have started a bit late for my area, but I'm hoping shade tents will keep the worst of the Alabama Summer Sun off of them.
In the pots outside I have a Radish mix and some Simpson Black Lettuce that I am picking from each day and I direct sowed some "Renagade" Spinach about a week ago. I have one spinach seedling up. And, we are expecting sleet ot snow on Monday. Looks like the lettuce will be needing a hat! if all this grows and fruits, I'll be finishing the Summer with my favorite canning recipes and drying methods. I should only be so lucky!
