My bench is an old window shutter on two saw horses. Ken brought a variety of tomato and pepper seeds back from the states for us to try. I picked up some eggplant seeds at the garden center the other day, along with a bag of fine soil for seedlings. I set up an impromptu potter's bench in the utility room so I could work in relative comfort; no bending.
In our first years here, we bought tomato, eggplant, and pepper seedlings at the local markets and put them directly into the garden. We saved all the little pots they came in so that we could eventually try to grow directly from seed. Ken washed all the little pots in a bleach solution to kill off any molds or fungus, and I filled each with soil.
Next, in went the seeds. Two varieties of eggplant, and ten varieties of tomato. We're hoping to have at least eight eggplants and two of each tomato variety.
Ten bell pepper seeds are waiting to sprout inside my little hothouse.The backs of the seed packets say that peppers need very warm temperatures to germinate and grow, so I had to rig up a plastic dome before I get them planted. I used the clear tray in the first photo above to make one. I may have to buy a commercial seed dome at the garden center so I can plant more.
Hi Walt, love to catch up on your activities every few days, thank you.
ReplyDeleteIn Australia we don't have to salt and drain our eggplant, they aren't bitter....don't know if they are a special variety, but sure makes cooking easier, maybe Susan (at D.O.T.C. ) might know
AbbeysMum: Modern varieties of aubergine don't have the bitter juices that the old traditional varieties had. I haven't salted an aubergine for years. Occasionally it's a useful technique for reducing the water content in them though.
ReplyDeleteAh, it's an exciting time of year! Planning the garden. I always love it. Good luck--looks as if you're well on your way.
ReplyDeleteSusan, right, we don't necessarily salt our eggplant either. They are not bitter.
ReplyDeleteGinny, you are right. It's pretty exciting. We sat out back in the sun for several hours this afternoon. Very pleasant.
abbeysmum and susan, we occasionally get a bitter one, but it's the exception.
ReplyDeleteginny, it makes me feel optimistic!