Savory Seedlings! :)

As I mentioned in a previous post, years ago I tried growing tomatoes and peppers from seed. They came out leggy and I vowed never to attempt it again! This year, after looking at the savory selections in the seed catalog, that just aren't available to buy locally, - I determined to shake off the past and be courageous enough to try again! I planted 2 to 3 seeds in each tiny plug! :)

As expected, the seeds sprouted and started to grow! :)

The first true leaves have started to appear, signalling that it is time to transplant them into pots, so yesterday I began that enjoyable task! :)

I love that I now have a great variety of tomatoes and peppers growing, from the common to the uncommon!! :)

I made the cardinal error of choosing to separate and save each seedling in the plugs, instead of cutting the extras off, leaving one plant per plug! Now I have three trays full of tomato and pepper seedlings, and probably have a tray worth yet to divide and pot up! I know better, but just couldn't bring myself to sever the extras! If they grow well, I can always plant more than I'd planned, and give plants away! :)

I love the new light system, so far, that is 4 lights wide for good light coverage! :)

So far the lights are doing the trick, and the savory seedlings look robust and healthy, instead of weak and leggy, like the ones in the past! I went to a class at the local Home and Garden Show, about growing tomatoes from seed, and learned that the grow lights should be ideally kept around 2" above the plants! I suspect that helpful tip is the cause of my success so far! :)

These baby plants have a long way to go to fulfill their destiny of putting food on our table, and jars of salsa in our pantry, (so we're not out of the woods yet!), but I'm feeling a little hopeful, now, that their care-giver can help make that happen!! :)