Seedlings on the grow

Right about now, the first wave of seedlings we’ve planted are starting to grow by leaps and bounds. Here, Vittoria eggplant leaves are almost touching. In another week, they’ll begin to overlap and shade out each other’s light. We transplant them into bigger pots to extend their indoor stay, because it’s still at least a month until conditions in the great outdoors are ready for them. Meanwhile, broccoli, cauliflower, onions and other more cold-hardy seedlings will soon be ready to go.

We’re heading into the most intense portion of the market gardening year: late April through May. Early seedlings have to be managed, and new seedlings started. Outdoors, the field has to be prepared and then direct-seeded. Through it all, there’s a steady march of seedlings, from comfortably protect world of the seedling room, to the harsher conditions in the greenhouse, and finally, into the garden beds. It’s all about timing, lots of work…and the weather!