In over my head
So those 128 tomato seeds I planted? On Saturday? Well they were 95% sprouted on Wednesday night. I was not prepared for this. I was totally not prepared to find 121.6 tomato seedlings pushing up against the plastic cover at 10 o'clock at night when I checked on them. They were supposed to wait until the weekend. The gardening books said 6 to 10 days!!!!! Not 4!!!!! So I hastily rigged a flourescent light over the little buggers, watered them thoroughly, and nervously glanced at the 128 pepper seedlings lying in wait next to them. Please, please don't sprout yet I silently implored them. I'm not ready. I obviously had not thought this out thoroughly. How ever will I transplant 256 tomatoes and peppers into larger pots? Thursday evening , there were one inch little tomatoes reaching for the light. Large enough to tempt the two cats, circling like sharks below the table. I hastily rigged a barricade. Stacked paint cans, cat carriers, old screens, whatever I could find, to protect my tender little charges. They will have to be moved today. I have a bright upstairs bedroom that I believe gets enough sun, so they hopefully will go in there. I'm paranoid about damping off now. Somewhere I read that watering them with Chamomile tea protects against damping off. Anybody know? And as if I did not have enough on my plate, what with the mini-jungle growing in the basement and the renovation of 4 rooms in my home that is moving painstakingly slow, I ordered chickens. The chickens I was supposed to get from my friend, as a result of her buying a property that came with them...well, that fell through. And I was really disappointed. I wanted chickens. So I looked around and finally found a place where I can buy only 4, so I bought 4 Buff Orpingtons. I pick them up on March 28. They will live in a large box in the garage for a month or so and beyond that....well, I don't know. That involves shed cleaning and construction and just way too much at the moment. I probably shouldn't have gotten them. I am nervous about taking care of them and who I will get to look after them when we go away for vacation or I'm away for work. Chickensitters are hard to come by, I think. I'm in way over my head right now. Why does this happen every Spring?
posted by meresy_g at Friday, March 17, 2006
2 Comments:
You're in luck. Peppers take a while to germinate, so that will buy you some time. :) What did you start them in and what are you transplanting them into? (hint: yogurt cups are AWESOME) I've never done the chamomile tea thing, but yet I've never had damping off problems. Always water from the bottom and you should be fine.
As for the chickens, you'll be fine with that too. They need surprisingly little, and they'd be fine for a weekend alone, provided they have plenty of food and water, and it's easier to get someone to check in once a day than you think... especially if you pay them in fresh eggs. It will all work out!
I started them in sphagnum moss starting mix and I've saved probably 200 pots from buying annuals and perenials over the years, so as long as I give them a bleach bath, they should be okay. Although I will have to order a dump truck of potting soil. As for the chickens, I cleaned out the shed this evening. I will have to set up perches and nesting boxes, but hopefully it will all work out.
Post a Comment
<< Home