Wow! Outdoor WS sproutlings still alive despite cold nights near -10!

Very neat -- the paper-towel-germinated kale and chards that I then put outdoor in WS jugs, which popped above ground a week or two ago, are somehow still alive despite staying outside overnight, uncovered, during several cold nights nearing minus 10.

First stevia harvest! (a few leaves, for pruning)

Delicious!

Hardening off of onions, parsley, broccoli, and celery started today

Hardening will be a bit sporadic because the weather forecast is so-so.

But today started with 1 or 2 hours in the afternoon shade, around 2 or 3 degrees.

Song sparrow, FOY in the backyard!

Sitting in the tray feeder.

Welcome!

Lots of white fuzz growth on the newest potted-ups! I'm not worried though, will "leave" it be.

The previous seedings had some white fuzz but not much at all; but the ones I potted up the other day, holy moly lots of white fuzz on top now!  Given this is my home-made mix I'm not worried, will let it be.

Wow -- the March 12th seeds are all a-popping! Potted up, including WS some kales and chards

So yeah, for the WS-style, I potted up some of the kales and chards into the outdoor WS containers and taped them up.  I'll put them outside when it's not much colder than around zero, and will either bring them in or put them under a blanket when it's colder than zero.

Kale, chard, lettuce, forget-me-not, and coreopsis started in PT

Started lots of seeds today, all in PT.  For the kale, once sprouted it will be mostly-all outside (inside at night) because kale never grows well inside for me for some reason.

Kale:

- Vates Blue Curled (a new-to-me variety this year in the hopes that it will be a shorter variety, so easier to keep under tulle without touching the tulle re: white cabbage moth)

- White Russian

Chard:

- Barese (a new-to-me variety this year in the hopes that it will be a shorter variety, so easier to keep under tulle without touching the tulle re: white cabbage moth)

- Fordhood (old faithful)

Coreopsis (new-to-me plant; seeds from veganic Ferme de l'Aube)

Lettuce (I rarely used to start lettuce indoors, but it's so slow to grow outside in cool spring weather so will try giving it a head start this year):

- Romaine (Paris)

- Ruby Leaf

- Black Seeded Simpson

The rabbit disappeared a month+ ago -- no more droppings

^^^

Stevia round 4 started in PT -- first batch of new seeds

West Coast, 2023 year.  Packet says only 68% germination rate!  

Stevia round 3 started in PT bec others not growing well

Oh my, the stevias aren't doing well so far this year... after germinating they're either crisping up, or seemingly alive but not growing...  so, started more seeds today...

Stevia round 2 started in PT (3 seeds) -- Various sprouts (not only stevia) have fizzled/dried out?? before taking off

I don't remember this happening in past years, so I wonder if it could have something to do with my mix?   Or maybe I'm not watering carefully enough.  But this year I've lost several PT-sprouted seeds after transplanting, where they make an appearance but then dried up / die before fully emerging.  But anyway, it hasn't been too bad, just a few here and there.

Seeds to buy for 2024 season (notes during 2023 season)

Stevia (because only ~3 seeds left)

Stevia started in PTs -- 5 seeds (maybe a bit early?)

^^^

Zinnia seeds being eaten! (probably the house sparrows since those are the only birds this winter)

^^^

Several broccolis disappeared -- can't find the seeds! Buried too deep? Round 2 started in PT.

^^^

All 10 piracibaba broccoli germinated! Potted up.

^^^

Onions round 2 started in PT (to fill in gaps in the original round)

^^^

Parsley, celery, and broccoli started in paper towels

Forest Green parsley,

Piracicaba broccoli (not doing any of the other types this year),

Tall Utah Improved celery (from the foil package seed selection from several years ago).

Wild rabbit droppings

Ok, maybe not veganic, but came across some droppings of the local neighbourhood wild rabbits; collected it and tossed it on one of the vegetable beds.  Will keep my eyes open for more!

Decided not to buy soybean meal (for fertilizer) unless can find organic

Saw this blog post recently.

A google search for "Aminopyralids" and "soy" shows they can be used for soy.  So, I won't risk buying non-organic soybean meal for now.  Haven't been able to find an organic source yet, so, will just keep doing without soybean meal.

The article says it's not used for alfalfa, so that's good.  (Besides, the next bag of alfalfa pellets I'll be buying will be organic.)