Works for Me Wednesday: Starting seeds

This past Friday, I started my seeds. It takes a bit of preparation, but here is the list of things that I did:

1. I cleaned out my garden window. I typically do it every few months during the spring, summer and fall. In the winter, it gets a bit more neglected. I loved on it. It's all good now.
2. I pulled my little greenhouse out of storage and hydrated my peat pots. I like to hydrate my peat pots with the open notch to the bottom. (See that little round circle in the picture below?) They seem to hydrate faster for me that way.
3. While my pots were hydrating, I went through my seeds to figure out which ones needed started now and which to start outside later on.
4. I make labels on some wooden tongue depressers. It's a bummer not to know what is growing in your little pots!
5. After the pots are hydrated and excess water drained from the bottom of the little greenhouse, I flip the peat pots over to expose the little round middle. That is the opening in the mesh for you to be able to sow your seeds.
6. Now is the time that I plant my seeds. I just plunk in a few seeds per pot. I feel like Octo*Mo*m though. I put two seeds maximum per pot with the thought that only the maximum of 24 tomato plants could possibly grow. Hmmm. Do I know for sure or will there be a few sets of surprise twins? In the past, I've put 3 or so in each pot. I ended up splitting the seedlings into individual pots and ended up with 60 tomatoes! Everyone I knew got tomatoes! I'm trying to avoid that this time.
7. I go ahead and follow the directions on how to cover the seeds. Remember, some seeds need light to germinate. After everyone is tucked in, I close the lid down and place the greenhouse in the window. A few things that I do:
- I spray water on the lid only. I found that I overwatered the plants and they dampened off (died.) By spraying water on the lid, it is less stress on the little guys.
- I prop the lid open at night, for at least a few hours. I find that if I don't do this, the pots get all fuzzy. Seeds rot. It's not good.
- For the first week or so, I put my heating pad on low underneath the greenhouse. I don't want to fry the soil sterile, but I do want to make sure that it is nice and toasty so that the seeds do what they need to do.

I'll let you know my progress! Ooo! I should tell you what I'm growing in there, eh? You can cross reference the list at http://www.rareseeds.com/.
- Arkansas Travelers- a round pink tomato
- Royal Chicos- a paste tomato
- Pink Surprise- a lovely calendula that will be a border plant for the butterfly garden
- Parsley Braynor
- Genovese Basil- a companion plant for the tomatoes
- Lemon Bee Balm
- Lavender- they were free seeds that I won from Aveeno! :)
K- and I checked our little pots out last night and look what we found! We have Pink Surprise (Calendula) peeking through the soil!
We have some Basil popping up, too! Whew-whoo! :)

My husband and I are doing The 40 day Love Dare. We invite you to follow along!

Day 5: Love is not rude. He who blesses his friend with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be reckoned a curse to him. -- Proverbs 27:14

Today's Dare: Ask your spouse to tell you three things that cause him or her to be uncomfortable or irritated with you. You must do this without attacking them or justifying your behavior. This is from their perspective only.