Beverly’s Seed Starting Saga

Posted on April 5, 2022 by Dallas Garden Buzz

April 5, 2022

It is Spring. I will have my breakdown now.

Things were going great in my expanded seed starting operation at home. The goal was to start every plant for the north vegetable garden from seed indoors. I admired the strength of teeny seedlings as they pushed through the potting soil. I delighted as true leaves formed. I carefully reapplied vermiculite to the trays to control algae at the first tinge of green. I loved the camaraderie at our newly donated potting tables as fellow gardeners moved the seedlings from their trays to four inch pots.

Then…screech….mornings and afternoons became a tiresome slog as I carried each tray of seedlings outdoors to harden off – first in the filtered light of the patio then in the harsh western sun of the backyard. I increased their sunlight exposure at the agonizingly slow rate of one hour per day. My family helped. It was still a daily trial.

The last week of March my slightly sunburned seedlings and I headed back to the north garden. The volunteer gardeners there placed them into the raised beds with loving care.