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Connecting with the earth through seed starting
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Jacob's Cattle Bean is easy to grow,
lovely to look at and nutritious.
Photo: Seeds of Change
Back in the day, “growing your own” wasn’t necessarily related to food items, and seeds might be delivered in plastic baggies mixed with other herbaceous product. Now growing your own is happening at the White House. Starting from scratch can be a family affair as in Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, her chronicle of a year eating locally or home grown food. As the true story unfolds, growing a garden becomes a series of choices that informs the reader about the matrix of food, politics and power.
Whatever your motive, buying seeds is always the beginning of an adventure even for the most experienced hand because it’s the beginning of a partnership that includes, you, the earth and the elements. According to Marc Cool, director of Seeds of Change, one of the leaders in land stewardship, their orders for seeds compared with the same time last year are up 35%.
“We clearly see that people are using larger amounts of seeds indicating larger gardens and the focus is on vegetable crops rather than ornamentals,” says Mr. Cool. Seeds of Change, is now in its twentieth year of marketing garden seeds and plants that promote biodiversity, through organic and sustainable agricultural practice. While we don’t think of gardening as agriculture, it is.
Thanks to the web, on-line seed buying not only provides greater variety but also a wealth of information on how to get started. The National Garden Bureau provides step by step information on germination techniques that are helpful to the beginner.
Personal pitfalls for seed starting have included greed. I overbuy and plant more than I can take care of. If you’re going away for spring break, get a plant sitter as they need daily care and lots of light. Plan ahead in terms of where you’re going to situate them while they are growing indoors. Start simple and be successful. Nurturing one tomato seedling from germination to the table is an amazing experience. Finally, read the labels, some seeds sprout overnight while a pepper lingers in the soil biding it’s time.
Don’t forget to check out the last frost date for your area at the National Climactic Data Center so you can plan a date with dirt for getting the plants and yourself outside.
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