The Seed Report: Day 8

Whoa! Look at our little seeds and their sprouts - we are surprised by how fast these have shot up! Looks like we need to get these in the ground (or pots) really fast...

It's only the eighth day that these have been in their peat pellets but already they're looking leggy and too stretched out for the little soil sacks to support.

We're planting the beans in their own big, deep container, and we're putting the beets in a long shallow trough. The greens, cucumbers, and radishes will go in more large yet not too deep containers.

Related: The Seed Report: Day 3
Plus... Garden Spotlight: An Array of Seeds

(Images: Faith Hopler)

Comments (4)

Beans and zucchini always seem to sprout up really fast and be ready for transplant sooner then anything else.

You can combat the legginess by putting the pots way down under the soil, just let a bit of the stem and the leaves stick out of the top.

And your answer to my question last week about starting the seeds in pots makes total sense, I live in the Southern U.S. and always forget that other regions are further behind us on the planting schedule.

Good luck!

This past weekend I planted a bunch of pellets; GOLDEN beets, (you inspired me!) snap peas (which go directly into pots already outside), basil, mint, thyme, tarragon, radishes, and I got ground cherry and zebra tomato transplants from seedsavers (which i am planting in a window box.) Its still pretty chilly in Boston, and the farmers market is still a week or two away. I am hoping next weekend to plant the small plants.

I second angelfunk's comment about planting deep to combat the legginess. I think some of these should have been planted 3 seeds per pot and multiples pinched out so that there is only one healthy plant per pot. Note some plants don't like to be repotted - like beets and carrots.
Best of luck!