Seed Starter update

I did have quite a few things sprout. Around 15 seedlings. Only 8 made it to planting though. I should have placed the seeds deeper in the foam. Many started to sprout but didn't actually make it because they were unable to root properly. It isn't easy to place the seeds in the foam pod so I hadn't done it. Guess I know for next time. Once I planted these outside the veggies did not survive. I got a lot of bugs this year. The flowers though are in a different part of the house and those did great. As you can see in these photos there are brown mold spots. That got worse. It looks nasty. I really didn't like that. The foam isn't easy to clean so I doubt I will ever use this again.

AeroGarden Seed Starting System

It's spring in Iowa. The weather is not the greatest to plant outside. I recently found out that we have a frost risk until May 15.  Also apparently pepper don't like weather  below 50 degrees. So the pepper plants I put outside probably won't make it.

This is what it looked like out of the box. I was expecting more. I don't think the foam will survive multiple planting even though the box says reusable.

I had to remove these pieces to get it to fit. The instructions didn't tell me to do it but it wouldn't fit with them there.

I had 'help' while setting up so it took way too long. Once I removed those pieces though it was very easy to set up. 

Done and planted. It has spots for 66 seedlings. I couldn't fill them all. I have about 30 flowers and 20 veggies. More than enough for my smaller gardens. I did realize that I shouldn't leave the seeds there as a guide. Took me a day to figure that out. The lights, even though they are led and not so hot, will probably cook the seeds.

See you in a few days when my seedlings start to sprout!! 

Pepper Plant Day 219 transplant

The weather is finally starting to warm up that I decided to put my pepper plants outside. It was not easy. 

This first photo is a chunk that broke off. That is a big piece that my plant lost. It wasn't easy to be careful with the plants. They were so big and overgrown.

I had stopped caring for them. I wasn't removing dead leaves. Wasn't trimming. I was bad. In my defense though I went back to school and got my bachelor degree. 

Here is what they look like outside. Not very pretty. I am sure in a couple weeks they will be established and I will start having blooms again.

What's next for my aerogarden? I am doing a garden starting kit! 

Pepper Plant Day 134

My pepper plant is getting soooo big! I have trimmed it a couple times. Sorry no photo of how it has grown to the size of the cabinet it lives in. I have not had fresh peppers in a couple weeks. I have now figured out how to get peppers more continuously. I now pollinate once a week so that I may have peppers at different stages of growth all the time. I think in a couple weeks I can start harvesting a pepper or two every week. Here is my favorite recipe with my aerogarden peppers.
I started with fresh shredded potatoes and cooked with real butter. Throw in some cubed came and sliced pepper. Lightly seasoned then add eggs. Great breakfast!
I love how the peppers in my garden are small that I can harvest one and use it all up in one meal. Gives me such fresh taste in my food! Best peppers I have ever tasted!!!!

It has been months since my other aerogarden had anything growing and today I finally planted it! I want to grow some tomatoes! Tiny tomatoes! I also added four tickle me plants to the mix. Those are going to be presents for some peeps. Start them in aerogarden then transplant them. Then I still have three slots of tomatoes that will need the space.
I have been a busy gal and my schedule is so much better now that I hope to post more often. As you might know I am a mom of two and work full time. Well this summer I decided to go back to school. Yes it was hard but I now have a bachelors degree!!! I near had a breakdown doing so much but I am glad I finished my degree. It had been almost a decade since I dropped out of college so it was a challenge.
See you soon,
Dulce

Winter Peppers!

It is wintertime. The temperatures have been very cold (-30windchill during the day!) yet I am growing peppers inside my house!!!
Here is how it went:

 Day 49- I pollinated these flowers two days ago and I already have these baby peppers!

 Day 75 of my bell peppers. Is that a hint of color I see? The peppers are about 3 inches tall.

 Day 98! My peppers are turning colors!!! Almost ready!!! It was a grow anything kit and there were 5 possible colors the peppers could be. Looks like I will be having yellow peppers very soon!!

First harvest. Day 105. There are more that are about ready but I don't need so many at once. It's great that I can pick them as I need them

A month of peppers!

So last month I showed you the start of my pepper plants. Here is an update on them. These photos were taken almost a week apart from each other. I am completely amazed at how fast these have been growing! Love my aerogarden!!!

 Seedling came up supper fast!

 About two weeks after the first true leafs appear.

 Like I said... super fast growth. After I took this photo I gave away 4 of the pepper plants because I didn't have enough room for them.

 The leafs have gotten as big as my hands!!!

This was taken today....just for this blog :)  Day 32 and I can see some blooms starting to form!

Another update for you!

 Here are  some photos of my goji berri plant. Its blooming!

 Here are a couple of my strawberry plants. I am still getting a few strawberries and blooms.

 Here are my milkweed plants. I rescued some monarch butterflies this year. They needed a little extra food so I planted some milkweed. Yes; They were started on the aerogarden!

 Two photos of the same berry. It was ok... I just wasn't sure when it was ripe so I think I waited too long.

These are all outside. I think they will be done really soon with the weather getting cold and the near freezing temperatures almost every night. Thank goodness I can plant indoors in my aerogarden!