Needling to Plant Seedlings

Just seeing the very beginnings of my seed sprouts is so exciting. It means Spring and vegetable garden planting... fresh tomatoes - squash - peppers - herbs!  I've got heat mats and some grow lights helping with the process.  Worked awesome for the squash, pumpkin, cuke plants and somewhat for the tomatoes, lettuce, spinach and escarole.  The peppers, as in past year, have been very stubborn to sprout.

Now, however, it seems like they've stalled!  Maybe it's me trying to rush the season.... me saying to myself, "I've only got a month & 1/2 before these babies are to be transplanted!"  or maybe it's because I really can't wait for those nice ripe tomatoes and  peppers - fresh salad - the drying basil and oregano smells filling the house.

So my plan til planting time:

• warmth and light for the seedlings - considering moving the plants onto the deck behind protection to gain more of the warmth and sunlight.
• light, light fertilizer on a weekly basis
• transplanting the squash, pumpkin and cukes into larger pots
• continuing to put them on heat mats through the night

And I welcome any other suggestions.  I'm thinking of having my husband build me a small greenhouse...

My 1st Morning Muse

Hello, morning! Everyone talks about how long this winter has been.  I guess people are feeling it more this year because we've had a lot of snow and exceptionally cold temps.  But it's winter, people! It's supposed to be cold.  We're supposed to have snow.  It's part of living in New England.

But, as much as I love winter - all the seasons actually except for the hot hazy humid days of summer - I am looking forward to spring - warmer temps, more sunlight and sprouting plants.  This weekend we turn the clocks an hour forward.  The thing I don't understand is why do we do that in the first place?  I mean, we turn the clocks back an hour in fall and an hour forward in the spring.  What's the point?  Why don't we just leave the clock alone. Well I'm adding a link to the history (at the end of muse) but I really do think it seems like a waste of time.

So I'm really feeling the need to add some spring this weekend. I think the best way to do that would be to figure out if I want to start plants indoors soon. I've done it for the past couple of years but the plants don't seem to get as big and robust as you see in the greenhouse.  I tried using a heating element under my plants last year and that helped but they aren't getting enough light.  So I'm considering buying a plant light or two to help. But the next question, is this really going to be cost effective?  What type of light do I really need? Does it need to be one that just provide what sunlight would provide or should it also provide heat? How much will it increase my energy bill?  UGH! I'll be doing some research on that and getting back to you all on the outcome.

So in addition to planning my garden, here's a list of some other things I'm planning to do to get my spring mojo on...

• Weeding through my clothes- omg! I've got so many clothes that I never even look at
• Continuing my workout (big posting for another day)
• Getting my 15" and 18" spring & summer doll clothing line out and posted
• Organizing my sewing area
• Bringing in some dormant forsythia branches to bloom

So stay tuned.... planning some pictures and many more musings.

Here's the link to Daylight Saving Time - http://geography.about.com/cs/daylightsavings/a/dst.htm

Til next time....