They're growing strong! My sprouts have become baby plants.
My sprouts are one month (+ 4 days) old! Actually, they’re no longer sprouts—they’re baby plants. Until this week though, I wasn’t convinced that this first experience of growing plants from seed would be a success.
Some seeds took a very long time to sprout. After two weeks, their growth seemed to stagnate. I transplanted them from the growing medium to nourishing soil. They seemed to stand a little taller. Last week I put them outside, and the favourable weather is encouraging them to grow taller, stronger and leafier every day. I admit that we’ve supplemented our baby plants with small ones from a nursery. But I’m also confident we’re on the path to a harvest with our vegetables grown from seeds.
I’ve taken notes on what I’ll do differently next year.
Lessons Learned Growing Vegetables from Seed
- Start earlier (mid-March). This Ottawa planting calendar should help me out.
- Forget the growing medium. Plant directly into small pots filled with garden soil.
- Find a better window spot (or use a lamp?); the seedlings were always leaning toward the light.
- Be patient. Different plants have different germination times.
- If it doesn’t work the first time, try again. There are several variables that influence germination. It’s hard to control them all with an amateur set-up.
