February 27, 2011 - GO!

The first seeds were planted this morning, and are all tucked into their asparagus-crate-turned-nursery. I planted a six pack each of nine varieties of lettuce: Buttercrunch, Iceberg, Little Gem, Mesclun Mix, Parris Island Cos, Red Sails, Rocky Top Mix, Summercrisp and Yugoslavian Red Butterhead.

I had an empty six pack and a four pack left , so I filled them with Tyee spinach.

I also had a six pack of parsley that was planted a week ago, so that filled the flat.

These will live in my warm bathroom until they germinate, then be moved out to the mini-greenhouse in the shed. Getting the greenhouse ready is my project for this afternoon. I have to make a few improvements in my shelf system before the seedlings can go out. The shelf I was using last year warped too badly from the weight and humidity, so I have to think of something different to do....and then try to find what I need in Mr. Granny's very, very messy garage.

*a few minutes later*

What on earth has gotten into Mr. Granny? I found two boards I needed for the greenhouse, and he didn't balk a bit when asked to cut them to length and drill a couple of pilot holes! Then, when I needed to find some 1"x6" boards to form the shelf, he jumped right up and went out to the garage to help! Then he cut them to length! I swear, that's the hardest he's worked all winter ;-) He's not usually this enthusiastic about gardening.

*and later yet*

Whew! That was a job, but I got the mini-greenhouse cleaned out, and the new boards nailed in for the shelf. I had a bit of aluminum bubble insulation, so I installed it on the uninsulated side of the unit, and put what was left over on the other side for a bit of reflective light. The hooks were screwed into the two 1"x6" x4' boards that will be used as the shelf, and to hold the fixtures for the bottom half.

I broke one florescent bulb in the process of hanging them. It loosened up and dropped out right on its end, so will have to be replaced before the lettuce-seedlings-to-be go out there. Or I'll have to borrow a tube from one of the shed's ceiling lights that wasn't working (don't ask me why!). All the tubes in the other three fixtures are working just fine.

All cleaned up and ready for spring! I did get the spoiled squash off the shed counter! It wasn't so bad, because it was still frozen solid. It took a bit of soaking with bleach to finish the cleanup, and there is a bit of a stain, but it is only a shed.

The new "babies" will be all tucked in, snug as a bug in a rug, very soon!