Sorry it has been awhile since I updated, I now have a
another big life distraction and a few small ones so I am just getting into a
routine...I promise lots of great things are happening and they will be posted a little more often now.
Yesterday I potted up a couple of trays of seeds for the new
garden. I already had some of the recycled card pots but decided to use some of
the papers I had lying around to make some more. There are many tutorials on
you tube on how to make all these fancy schamcy types but I found our small
weekly paper folded long ways into three, leaving a couple of inches left
over....was the perfect size for rolling around a Screaming Turtle coffee jar.
Fold the bottom under using a pleat method and it will sit well in the tray.
I
did put one very small staple at the top to stop the sides slipping but you can
do almost anything that suits. This not only uses up all the newspapers lying
around but make a container that can be planted straight into the ground that
breaks down quickly and naturally and is great for reducing any shock to the
plant through transplanting. Certain types of paper and print are not suitable so it would pay to check if you are unsure.Some people use empty toilet rolls...
I ended up with 18 newspaper pots and 15 of the stiffer card
type, a present from friends who know me well. So seeing as these are going to
be for my summer garden, I chose seeds for that purpose. I didn’t actually
realise I had so many varieties of tomato so choosing was hard but finally I
settled on ten types for now, threw a few of each in and any extra plants I will pass
on to others. Some of the seeds are from my seed saving last year so I will be
interested in the germination rate of my efforts. The ones I chose are as follows and should
make a fabulous variety of colours, tastes and sizes for the kitchen and the
stall...
*Chocolate
*Voyager
*Yellow Pear
*Mr Stripey
*Orange Blossom
*Green Sausage
*Black Krim
*Hazel Mae
*Amand Orange
*Zapotec Pleated
I also planted some fresh parsley for Granddad and myself,
some Capers, Tamarillo’s, Capsicum, Banana Capsicum, three types of Bean
including Purple King Bean and some peas. I know I will have to plant some more
soon but for now I will get these ones going and then get onto the next lot.
Once I have the potting shed set up how I need it, they will have a sheltered
warm spot to start growing. Because I needed some way of tagging them that
would last, be clearly read and waterproof, I used an old icecream container.
If you cut the sides and the bottom carefully you can get a pile of name tags,
recycling something most throw away and not having to spend a cent on expensive
tags from the stores. A fine vivid marker works well and both sides can be
used.
