{Homestead Notebook} our 2024 garden plans
It’s that time of year again here in the Pacific NW! Time to start planning the garden and starting some seeds (Why have starts from the stores gotten SO expensive?!)
I have a mix of seeds, some from my favorite Etsy seller Seed Geeks, some from the store, some home saved seeds, some from Urban Farmer, and Southern Seeds, and some that were on clearance from Burpee.
I sorted them according to how early to start them (I’m already two weeks behind! But last year I was a month behind, and everything did just fine.)
I got my little indoor greenhouse set up and ready to go with growing lights and a seed warming mat (for my peppers which always struggle to germinate in our cold house).
We’re still working on the backyard. We moved one of the garden beds and put a used Harbor Freight Greenhouse in its place we got from my mother-in-law. It’s not ready to use (or warm enough yet) but it’ll be so nice to have!
Next on the list: Get the seeds started.
After that: see about building a drip irrigation system. Have any of you done that? I’d love to hear what you think!
As I’m in central texas, I started seeds back in early Feb. A seed warming mat is such a help! I had poor results in tomatoes, but I got loads of bell peppers and several tomatillos! I’m hoping to get them out into the garden bed tomorrow. But I garden with my neighbor, so I can’t just plow ahead; I’m teaching her as we go. I did over-winter two pepper plants and got them out into a sunny spot today. And built and planted 3 pumpkin mounts, and 3 water mounds (if the neighbor can find those seeds! oops. otherwise, its more pumpkins) I’m loving all the dirt therapy I’m getting, its even helping my mood swings and hot flashes. 😀
The seed-warming mat point is one of those small upgrades that pays back quickly, but I would pair it with a simple temperature and hardening-off log. Label each tray with sowing date and variety, remove the dome as soon as most seedlings emerge, and move them from warm bottom heat to brighter, cooler air before transplanting. A week of gradually increasing outdoor exposure is usually kinder than one long sunny afternoon. My compact light, tray-depth, and hardening-off checklist is here: https://telegra.ph/Indoor-Seed-Starting-Light-Tray-Depth-Harden-Off-Transplant-09-25?utm_id=orion02&utm_source=forum&utm_campaign=comment&utm_medium=ordinary-kari-seed