Getting Big

Sixteen days ago the pepper seeds were just emerging. Their leaves were cotyledons or “seed leaves,” which are not the plant’s true leaves.

The seedlings used to live in an old baking pan on the kitchen countertop where under-cabinet lights shone on them all day. Now they have developed true leaves and moved to the basement plant nursery where they will be potted individually, which is Phase Two.

Although I started tomato, pepper, parsley and basil seeds in 4-inch pots on the same day and they lived in the same environment, germination occurred over a nine day period. Tomatoes showed up first, then basil, then parsley and, last of all, peppers.

Laurie helped me pot the tomatoes individually last week. In the photo they are on the back row. They are already growing. Today I potted the tiny parsley plants in styrofoam coffee cups with holes punched in the bottom. Next on deck are the peppers, which are maturing faster than the basil, which is hidden by the peppers in the photo.

Here’s the nursery set-up. Two full-spectrum fluorescent lights, attached by S-hooks to chains, hang over the plants. As the plants grow taller, Dennis will raise the lights by moving the S-hooks. Ozzie made the waist-high potting table for me many years ago. It has a lower shelf where I store tools, seeds and materials such as seed-starting mix, potting soil and fish emulsion fertilizer.

An ideal plant nursery would be warmer, but the little guys do just fine in the 55º basement. So who cares if it snowed yesterday? The summer garden is progressing apace.

Copyright 2013 by Shirley Domer