Hello, Sprout!

I love Spring. Not only does it mean more exposure to sunlight, but it means the beginning of the growing season: flowers, trees, fresh vegetables. It's a rebirth of everything that went dormant during the winter, including me.

Those of you that know me know that about this time every year (since about 2000), I start a bunch of flowers and vegetables from seed. There's something soooo wonderfully fulfilling about putting one teenie-tiny seed into a peat pellet, watching it sprout, and then reaping the rewards of an entire summer-full of fresh vegetables. From one little seed!

I also plant annuals, including coleus and wave petunias, which start as such tiny little seeds (smaller than a pinpoint) and yet grow into ginormous colorful plants. The petunias are particularly difficult to germinate, but this year, I think I may have discovered the trick... Due to an unseasonable frost last week, I brought my seed trays inside - away from my outdoor mini greenhouse, put them in our half-bath, left the lights on and brought in an additional three-bulb lamp. The seeds LOVED it. Even more seedlings emerged in the small, warm room. So many that I'll be able to transplant them into new little peat pellets to create even more plants!

So seriously, if you want any plants, let me know. I'm going to have more than I can handle. And if you give me a dollar (or more!) for every high-yielding plant, I'll donate it to Give the Gift of Sight.