Dirt Therapy

It has been a cold winter here in the South.  I'm usually able to keep my winter greens growing in the garden.

Not this year. 

So far we're on our second round of near 0 degree temps. Ugh.

Everything outside in the garden is...shall we say...toast. (Nothing against toast, because quite frankly I love toast all slathered with grass-fed butter and homemade strawberry jam...but I digress).

The herbs will all have to be replaced in the spring.  Toast.
The kale, collards, spinach, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli...toast.

I take solace in planting anew for the spring.  I enjoy sifting through the seed catalogs, looking for that "must have" seed.

I started mine in 8 oz drinking cups this year.  I've tried all the egg carton, egg shell, dirt cube ideas.  They simply require repotting too quickly.  The roots do not have enough soil to hold adequate moisture to grow strong healthy plants.

I labeled all of the cups with the name of the herb, flower or veg seed that would soon call it home.  I filled the cups about 2/3 full with an organic seed starting mix.  At this point, I add warm water.  Enough to allow all the soil ample time to become nice and moist.  I waited 15 minutes, maybe, before moving on to the next step.

Then I planted each seed according to the depth recommended on the package directions.  Covering with soil accordingly.

I misted the top layer of cover soil with a spray bottle filled with warm water and placed all my cups on my little grow stand I concocted. I placed a single sheet of plastic cling-type kitchen wrap over each tray to help hold in the moisture.

In the picture below, you'll see that one tray has the plastic covering removed.  By day 6, the sprouts were above the top of the cup, so I removed it.

Pretty sprout babies...

Check your seed babies daily.  Make sure the soil is evenly moist.  Moist...not soggy. Rotate them so they will grow nice and tall and straight.  My grow stand is in front of my dining room door, with faces South.  I have a grow light above each shelf.  About 6-8 inches from the tops of the cups.

You may prefer a standard seed starting set-up like this or this or even this.  But if not, give my version a whirl and see how it goes!