Are you like me, one of those gardeners with the best intentions, who just can’t seem to get it all done? I ummm.. finally started most of my seeds at the end of May. They were supposed to be started in February, March, and maybe April at the latest.
Well, May was still a good month I say.
One of the things that holds me back, other then time, and disorganization is tagging each pot. I find it tedious, time consuming, and rather a bother.
“Hi, my name is Jen, and I am a bad gardener.” I am sure there are support groups for people like us.
So here I was, a hour free, piles of seed packets desperately waving at me, peat pots, starter mix, flats, and no more excuses. Then I remembered my gardening fiasco last year. Being overly confident that I could remember what each pot contained, I had not bothered to label anything.
Yes, I am a bad gardener, and I should know better.
Which worked fine until things got moved around. Especially my prized heirloom sweet peas, vibrant blue, and coral pink. When it came time to give away a few pots to a friend for her garden, I accidentally gave most of the blue to her. Every time I looked out onto my patio and saw only coral blue, and not the stunning blue I had envisioned, I kicked myself.
She had a remarkable showing of glorious blue heirloom sweet peas, that gambled up her antique trellis. Leaving everyone to comment on their beauty, I saw a inordinate amount of coral pink. Live and learn.
So this year, I had resolved to do a better job of identifying my seedlings. Poor babies, they deserved a better life, with a better gardener. But this new gardening resolve didn’t involve too much effort, so I looked around for something to mark the pots with. And found my scrap paper from all my card making. Perfect size, perfect colors, and so easy to use.
I cut strips of the same color for each variety, and tagged one pot with a name, and date. Placed them into each pot of dry starter mix, added the seeds and watered.
Now even a month later, they are still holding up well, slightly stained, but so easy to know which is which. This might be a little late as a seed starting tip, but keep it in mind for next year.
And anytime you want to join my support group for bad gardeners, just let me know. We will be arranging a meeting sometime in the future, maybe after we finally get our seeds into the ground.
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Jen
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Here here My name is Rebecca and I have an addiction to gardening and do not take proper care of my plants. There I said it. I am the same as you. It's a wonder I have anything that grows. I like your idea and it is very easy to see what you have going at a glance.
ReplyDeleteHey Jen, great idea! Especially the color coding aspect. Even someone like me(green thumb missing) could look like he knew what he was doing putting this tip into practice.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful and attractive, Jen, good idea! I am fine at the labeling, it is getting the seedlings into the ground without them being eaten or shriveling from too much/not enough watering or too hot/too cold temps. Is there room at the meeting for one with those faults? I think May is a much better time to do it anyway. :-)
ReplyDeleteFrances
What a great idea, Jen. I'll have to try it next time I attempt to grow seeds - because I, too, am a bad gardener and have never been successful growing plants from seeds.
ReplyDeleteNice images.
ReplyDeleteThere's something exciting seeing pots labelled and waiting for the first growth, expectation, every gardener gets it.
I've found stuff I sowed a little later this year catches up. I resisted the temptation to sow to early when seedlings can sulk from low temps and light levels
Lol! I'm pretty good at doing a disastrous job on early growing from seed. Give me a warm May day and an exterior bed any day. Maybe I'd feel different if I had a greenhouse ;)
ReplyDeleteHello! My name is Tiziana and I have an addiction ...... gardening! :D
ReplyDeleteI am also in turmoil at this time, I'm thinking to start sowing
because this is a good time to germinate.
Your idea is bellissimae agree with you.
I use colored plastic sticks where I write with a pencil the names of
sow plants, since it is the only system with lasting because
watering.
Your blog is always beautiful, always follow him.
Bye!
Hi Jen.What a great idea. Saves on all of that writing to have them color coded.Making things easier certainly does not make you a bad gardener. Yours seeds will probably do a lot better than my early flubbed up seeds.
ReplyDeleteIs there one more space in your support group? Take me in! Color identification - what a simple and great idea! I give you my own medal, Jen!
ReplyDeleteDon't despair. All flowers, no matter the color, are beautiful in their own way. I do love your colored strips to assist in color-coding, however. Pure genius!
ReplyDeleteMay your sweet peas climb to greatness. Are they the perennials that return each year in your area?...at least then you won't have to do this again.
i use plastic knives and a marker
ReplyDeleteYep, I am guilty as well!
ReplyDeleteBrenda
Like your color coded solution there. I had much the same idea except I used colored popsicle sticks from the hobby shop. Cheap and colorful.
ReplyDeleteOh, I think we all are guilty of bad gardening. Even when I tag things I manage to get things mixed up. Right now I have no idea how many of what variety of peppers I actually have in the garden! (But I'm lucky to have any peppers at all thanks to the rabbits and slugs!) And I thought I was planting muskmelon in with my pumpkins - nope, pickling cukes. Is the muskmelon in the leek bed? Nope, pickling cukes. Where the heck DID I plant that muskmelon? (and I had those plants labeled as well!)
ReplyDeleteWell, considering our summer has barely begun here, I think you're right on time. I never had the patience to start seeds. I do love sweet peas though, in any colour.
ReplyDeleteVery clever, Jen!! Besides, the coloured paper looks pretty too while you're waiting for seedlings. :)
ReplyDeleteI write the name of the seed on a roll of masking tape, rip it off and stick it on the pot. It's easy and fast. Now if I only had the foresight to remove last years tags before starting :)
ReplyDeleteGreat way to use all your scraps of paper..pretty too! :)
ReplyDeleteCute post, Jen. Tme has a way of eluding the best of us so count me in as a member. And speaking of time, where did June go? Oh well, happy July gardening :)
ReplyDeleteLove your blog. If theres a support group for bad gardeners then Im in! My habitual disorder is planting way too many seeds and then feeling too guilty to destroy healthy plants - hence im overrun with courgettes!!!
ReplyDeleteI would certainly be a charter member of your little 'bad gardener' club. Did label any squash or melons and mixed up all the tomatoes...Kim
ReplyDeleteI'm a terrible gardener - and love snails and dandelions and not labelling things. Love your pretty photos.
ReplyDelete