The first seeds were planted...

Germinated Tomatoes - March 29, 2015

On Saturday morning, March 21st, a few of the garden members got together and planted tomato and pepper seeds in peat pellets, covered them with saran wrap and put them in the indoor greenhouse to await their germination.

I forgot to take pictures of the garden members who came and helped (so sorry), but we got a lot done.  We planted:

Roma Tomatoes:

• San Marzano (30 peat pots with two seeds in each pot)
• Italian Roma (30 peat pots with two seeds in each pot)

Beefsteak Tomatoes:

• Big Red Beefsteak (30 peat pots with two seeds in each pot)
• Stover Beekfsteak (30 peat pots with two seeds in each pot)

Cherry Tomatoes:

• Sun Gold Cherries; our favorites (10 peat pots with two seeds in each pot)
• Chocolate Cherries (5 peat pots with two seeds in each pot)
• Baxter Bush Cherries (5 peat pots with two seeds in each pot)

Sweet Bell Peppers:

• California Wonder; our favorite sweet bell (50 peat pots with two seeds in each pot)
• Canary Bell (5 peat pots with two seeds in each pot)
• Purple Beauty Bell (5 peat pots with two seeds in each pot)
• Yummy Bell (5 peat pots with two seeds in each pot)
• Corno di toro Bell (5 peat pots with two seeds in each pot)
• Orange Gilboa Bell (5 peat pots with two seeds in each pot)

Hot Peppers:

• Jalapeno (Burpee -- Pimento Picante) -- (10 peat pots with two seeds in each pot)
• Pasilla Hot Pepper (5 peat pots with two seeds in each pot)
• Banana Pepper (5 peat pots with two seeds in each pot)
• Poblano Pepper (5 peat pots with two seeds in each pot)
• Anaheim Pepper (5 peat pots with two seeds in each pot)
• Marconi Red Pepper (5 peat pots with two seeds in each pot)
• Cayenne (Baker Creek) -- (5 peat pots with two seeds in each pot)

Once they were planted and covered, we didn't bother them until they germinated.  No water, no heat, no NOTHING!  I know that a lot of people set them on heat mats, but we didn't do that this year.

All of the tomatoes (Roma, Beefsteak and Cherries) germinated and we could see them sprout on the morning of March 26th.  At that point, we took off the saran wrap (I use Glad Press and Seal) and put them under the grow lights.  From this point on, they will be under the grow lights at least 16 hours / day until they go out in the garden (or until we run out of room under the grow lights).  

Tonight, March 29th, I see a few of the Jalapeno peppers sprouting and a few of the other hot peppers.  My guess is that by tomorrow morning, I will see all the hot peppers sprouting and off will go the Glad Press and Seal and under the lights they will go!

If I remember correctly, the sweet bell peppers will take a while longer.  I think it was about 3 weeks last year before they germinated.  Good thing because I am already running out of room under the lights.

If any of you have grow lights and know how to take care of these babies, I would be happy to have you help us!  Just let Kim know and she will put you in touch with me (Susan Wheatley).

So, that brings us up-to-date!  In a few more weeks, they will be large enough to transplant and we will need your help once again!  

Ready, set, go!!!!

I can't believe it, but it is already garden season!  I thought about it all winter but at the same time it crept up on us and ... IT IS HERE!

For those of you who are joining the Community Garden for the first time, WELCOME!  We are lucky to have you!  We are a close-knit group that loves to garden TOGETHER!

Let me tell you a little bit about this blog and its purpose...

Tomato seeds germinated

Each year of our Community Garden, we like to track what we have done so that we can remember what works and what doesn't -- for example, what our favorite varieties are of veggies and when we started each of them by seed or by direct-sow.

In addition, we like to throw pictures on this blog so that you can see what is happening in all the different garden plots... this is where YOU can help!  We like to have pictures of EACH garden group and EACH garden member...if you could bring your camera (or cell phone camera) and snap a couple pictures when you are in the garden from time-to-time and then send them to me (susan_wheatley@comcast.net) as a jpeg file, I would love to share them on the blog.  Unfortunately, I don't make it to each and every garden assignment and therefore, I miss some of you :(  So, PLEASE send me your pictures and I'll share them with all!  We love all kinds -- funny pictures (my personal favorite), pictures of the garden plots, of the individual members, of the sunrises and the sunsets -- anything "garden-related" we love.  We also love pictures of the children working in the garden.  What a way to make a memory!

Each year, I have made a digital scrapbook of our community garden.  I am behind on last year's book but hope to get it put together in the next week or two.

This is just an introductory post...later this evening, I will post about our first garden assignment -- planting tomato and pepper seeds.  I forgot to take pictures of the garden members doing the planting (out of the habit) but did take pictures of the actual seed pellets and now that they have germinated, I have pictures of that as well!  Be watching for that post next!

Until then...