It's go time. My nine-year-old daughter and I are working together on this project, and all winter we've been collecting egg cartons. There are a few of the styrofoam varieties but the majority are recycled cardboard, which we will further recycle directly into the ground with our seedlings.
Five varieties of tomato plants went into 3-inch fiber pots, which can also be planted straight into the ground. I love the variety...greek, pink, black, red, cherry.
Each container was labeled (<3 Sharpie <3), and after planting, all immediately went out to sunbathe--it's been record high temperatures in the 80s this week, so our seeds should be off to a dandy start. With it being March in the Midwest, though, we'll have to watch the temperatures carefully. There's a spot ready in the basement for when the outdoor temps drop near the freezing mark, which could very well happen yet.
We'll now fall into a twice-a-day water cycle (a spray bottle is used so the seeds aren't flooded) and anticipate the day that the happy little seedlings poke through the soil. In the meantime, the big shovels will come out to rearrange the yard. There are many shrubs to dig out and plants to move around to make room for our heirlooms. Concerned about the tiny yard, I have been thinking a lot about vertical gardening--these guys are going to need to grow UP...
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