I'm trying to be careful with all my seeds. With luck, I can use them again in the fall or next spring. Although it seems unlikely I will have any pepper seeds for next year. None have germinated and I keep planting more. I may have to wait for pay day to cave in and buy the plants. I will just hope there will be some decent plants left by that time. I have my heart set on Anaheim and Serrano. Anaheim, so I can finally learn to make chili rellenos. My neighbor and I are planning a big cooking day with goodies from our gardens and the rellenos is the top choice. I might be willing to get another pepper to replace the Serrano for something hot, but I want something that has long peppers and a good producer.
I had jalapenos last year, which aren't really my favorite peppers. Just not the right kind of heat for me unless I'm making green chili. Last year I was too hot and miserable to make any green chili in the already too hot kitchen. I should have kept some frozen. This year, the crock pot will go out on the porch for making green chili and soups. No more getting roasted alive every time I walk in the kitchen. Speaking of roasting outside. I should get a food dehydrator for my peppers. Especially if all the seeds I have planted suddenly decide to make an appearance. Twelve each of serrano and anaheim so far. I'm planting more each week until they surrender and grow.
I won't be saving all the seeds. Just a few. I still want to enjoy the thrill of buying new seeds in preparation for spring. And I always like to add something new or different each year. Next year I'm already thinking butternut squash and Swiss Chard. I might try the chard this year if I find a plant because they look so pretty and my garden wouldn't look so bare.
I made the mistake of being too quick to plan to fill a bare spot in my garden. I didn't think all the spaghetti squash seeds would germinate, but so far, all of them have made an appearance. I already put butternut squash on the seed list. If I decide to get the seeds, I will have to wait to plant until the spaghetti squash plants get bigger. So I can dig them up and give them to my neighbor or someone. Assuming they won't mind being transplanted. I think I counted 14 seedlings. And I already spaced them out quite a bit when I planted the seeds and sprouts, so I wouldn't have to waste time thinning them. If they all grow into plants of a decent size, they get the award for being the seeds with the best germination rate and hardiness in my garden this year. I thought the beans and peas would win, but while they did germinate, they aren't all that hardy, growing at a snail's pace so far.
My other big mistake is that I still haven't updated my chart. I started to do it one day after taking inventory of what seeds I have, but then I got sidetracked playing with ATP's List feature. That will be very useful, so I think the distraction was a beneficial one I don't regret.
I got a pack of about 50 tongue depressors to use as markers because they were so inexpensive as the dollar store this winter. However, I didn't see this mistake coming. Moving the hose around always catches on those markers and I find the markers everywhere except in the soil. I need a better plan for markers. The roommate keeps asking what is planted where because the markers that I keep returning to their appropriate spots, are nearly invisible with the straw mulch. Now why didn't I see that coming?
