11 April 2008

Seedling Boot Camp

Our seedlings have had a relatively cushy existence so far. They live under grow lights, close to a heater, and they get lots of attention and regular water. They are sissies. They would get their asses kicked out in the garden.

Therefore, we need to toughen them up before we let them out into the world. For the past week we've been letting them spend more and more time outside, so that they can build up a tolerance for the sun and the wind. I believe that our cabbages, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, lettuce, onions, and herbs are sufficiently hardened off, so they will all get planted this weekend as long as the weather cooperates.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Your plants look great!! What a terrific start. Now.... just have to keep the varmits away. Meg's mom

Anonymous said...

You southerners are so insensitive! Showing off your seedlings, talking about planting in the garden. You even had a photo with a blooming forsythia. A big jealousy inspired raspberry to you.

ps your seedlings look great.

Ali in Maine, where it might F****** SNOW this weekend.

Anonymous said...

Those seedlings look great!!! Good luck with the mystery muncher.

Christa said...

Your seedlings look beautiful -- and so healthy! Have fun planting. :-)

Anonymous said...

SUPER Jealous of your seedlings! Those are fabulous!!

-Rob

Carla said...

We just ate Brussels from the garden tonight. I live far enough south that we have a winter crop of brussels, broccoli and the lettuces.
I finally had to pick them because the weather is getting too warm and threatened to make them taste icky. Not one of them was any bigger than my thumbnail, but they were so tasty.
Good luck to your little group there. It all looks wonderful.

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

Yeppers, your seedlings are living the life of luxury...first being pampered inside, now on their way out to fresh air and sunshine.

vegmonkey said...

I agree with all of the above. I went to B & Q today, it's a hardware store in the uk, to buy some wood for some d.i.y - they had some seedlings for sale that were an absolute embarassment to veg growing...they looked half dead! Yours look fab. When did you plant the brussels and how much light have they had? Mine are nowhere near that!

Meg said...

Thanks, all!

Ali, lol. I hope the weather was decent for you ... it got cooler today, and I think western PA was supposed to get some snow.

CeeCee, that sounds yummy! I'm jealous of your warm temperatures. You'll be into tomato season soon, won't you?

Vegmonkey, I know what you mean--hardware store seedlings are the worst! I think we started ours on February 29th, so they are around six weeks old now. We have a couple of florescent lights for our seedlings, and I that really makes a huge difference.

Garrett Sawyer said...

Sissies getting their asses kicked out in a garden? Hmmm, I thought the garden is a sissies domain, lol.