01 April 2019

more potting up!

Moved a bunch of plants out of their seedling trays yesterday. First the tomatoes. One was still holding the seed coat between two leaf tips.
I used the bottom of half gallon milk cartons this year
Sweet peppers.
Basil. Only two of my sweet basil grew- and the one front left is behind the rest. I don't know if that one will make it. (Once before I transplanted a seedling that didn't have its first true leaves quite grown out yet, and it died).
The majority of them are amaratto basil (seed from my sister)- which has purple leaves! It's an ornamental variety.
Fenugreek- If it finds favor, this it might replace oregano in all my cooking. Told my husband I was growing fenugreek instead this year, and he said he really likes it. Still unfamiliar to me.
Epazote are still small, slower to grow- but kind of attractive with their rosy stems.
I potted up a dozen- probably more than I need-
and discarded all the smaller ones-
Nepitella are even smaller, so I felt dubious even moving them. But they do have the first true leaves, and most of my plants really take off once they get into proper soil.
I'm anxious to pot up more, but only one celosia was big enough yet. It's the plant that grew out trio of leaves instead of the usual pairs.
Likewise only a few of the globe amaranth were big enough to move up-
and only one of the opopeo amaranth. I'm glad I looked this plant up- the opopeo variety can grow huge! eight or nine feet tall- so I'm going to find a place for it outside of my regular garden plots, probably against the fence in sun.
And finally- my lovage has sprouted! I looked up more info on lovage, because I was starting to think it would never germinate- and very glad I did. This one will also grow large- possibly six or seven feet- and is a perennial- although some people dig it up at end of season to eat the carrot-like root. I'm rather excited about growing this now, because its leaves and stems have celery flavor- and I've failed at growing actual celery before. Would be nice to have a hardy, thriving perennial that takes place for celery.
There's only a few seedling trays now- summer savory which will go straight into the soil in a few days when the freezing nights have passed, 'peach screamer' nicotiana- which I probably should have direct planted, but forgot that particular- and black cumin. I also sowed a few cucumber seeds.

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