Inspired to daydream by the snowiest Easter I care to remember, I began my community gardening adventure by starting some seeds. I picked the girls’ room at the new house to be my potting shed because until we have entirely moved in it is the least disturbed room in the house. I didn’t involve the kids in this part, mostly because they were so sugared up on Easter candy they couldn’t stay focused long enough to be useful.

I used one of those plastic “greenhouse” seed starter kits. I know, I know. It’s not the most eco-friendly way to start seeds. You’ll have to forgive me. I’m nervous about this gardening thing and the last time I was able to grow some really solid plants from seeds was in elementary school using one of those seedling kits. You have my word. When I get more experience and more confidence at this gardening stuff I will find a better way of starting seeds.

After I had planted the first row I realized that if I didn’t find some way of labeling them I’d never remember which plants were which. I improvised a labeling system using some of my husband’s electrical tape. It comes in several colors to help you to tell electrical wires apart. I taped a different color on each row according to the type of plant and made a key using a sheet of notebook paper.

I planted two rows of a compact sort of tomato I am hoping to grow at the house, two rows of mixed heirloom tomatoes and three rows of mixed bell peppers. I was going to plant the packet of cucumber seeds that I had until I read the seed packet and realized they didn’t need to be started indoors. I was also going to plant the rest of the Early Girl tomatoes we used at my daughter’s birthday party until I realized there were none left.

It’s probably just as well that I was out of the Early Girls as I think I probably have more than enough tomato plants already. Of course I could always give away the extras. That would probably be a nice way of meeting the neighbors I don’t know and reconnecting with the ones I do.

I took a photo of the birthday tomatoes we planted last week. As you can see we have a couple of sprouts. Hopefully that is a sign of things to come.

Half of the greenhouse kit is still empty so sometime this week I am going to take Cheyenne seed shopping. If she’s come down off her sugar high by then I will even let her help me to plant them. Wish us luck!