Springtime is Just Around the Corner

After church today, we had our Sunday merienda (click HERE for a post from 2012 to read what that's all about).  Then we walked to the garden and out in the yard just observing signs of spring.  We haven't had much of a winter.  If I'm remembering correctly, we've only had one freeze.  It was an uncharacteristic early one back in November.  It knocked out my broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage seedlings and I had to replant.  We're harvesting that right now.

Anyway, with Spring on the way, it is time to move things forward on the tomato, pepper and eggplant seedlings we planted right at the end of the year.  They all have true leaves on and it is time to re-pot them as I generally plant at least two seeds in each seed pot.  In everything you read, this is where you thin them out.  You pull out the weakest looking plant and throw it away as you don't want them overcrowded or to get root-bound.

I never do this.  It takes a little more time, but I break them apart, carefully separating the roots in order to save BOTH plants.  I'll either plant them or give the ones I don't need away.  I began this process last Saturday.

Lilac Bell Peppers (Purple Peppers)

I use an old spoon to pull the plants out of the pot.  It works good as a scoop so you don't damage the roots.  An old fork works well, too.  Then I put soil in another seed trays to give the seedlings a seed pot of their own to continue growing in.

It is a slow process, but that is the nice thing about Saturdays.  No rush or deadline.  You can take your time.  We set up a table underneath the big live oak and put on a playlist of Old Time Classic Country and began an enjoyable labor of love.  As Johnny Cash sang "I walk the line" I sang along too.  Perhaps too loudly.  In no time, the seed trays filled up with seedlings individually potted.  You could almost sense the plants' relief at having some elbow room.

We re-label each seed-pot so we know which is which

Tricia was raking sticks and leaves and we got a fire burning in the fire pit.  With all the plants re-potted, I mixed up some diluted fish emulsion and sprayed the plants with it to give them some "get up and go."

Finishing the job

Now that we've got that done.  It's hurry up and wait until we are sure that we're past the last frost date.  Then we'll transplant these in the garden.  In our area, our average last date of frost risk is February 26th.  We've got other things to start working on while we wait.  Maybe we'll show some of those undertakings this week.