Right now, it seems like almost everybody in America wants to grow vegetables and avoid trips to the supermarket. Besides, there’s nothing more delicious than a tomato freshly plucked from the vine or lettuce and herbs snipped from plants growing in containers on your deck.
However, seeds can be difficult to find. One supermarket trip you might want to take is to the Stop & Shop on Route 119 in Tarrytown (wearing your mask and gloves, of course), where there is an almost-full rack of Burpee seeds.
Of course, you can also buy from many online sources. The Etsy seller SeedGeeks, in St. Louis, MO, for example, is getting multiple rave reviews for their quality and reasonably fast shipping; they have 103 different types of vegetable seeds and 30 kinds of herb seeds. (Please buy only what you need; seeds are most viable the first year.)
Several weeks ago, Garden Club of Irvington Horticulture Co-Chair Renee Shamosh started her seeds in compartmentalized trays filled with seed-starting mix. When they were large enough to transplant she moved them into 3-inch pots.
But it’s definitely not too late for you to get started right now! In fact, some of our members have grown great gardens starting as late as Memorial Day weekend.
In a few weeks Renee’s seedlings will be potted up into these large fiberglas containers, now awaiting planting in her backyard.
“You can start tomato seeds (or purchased seedlings) directly into pots like these,” Renee advises. “Make sure your pots have drainage holes. A layer of newspaper in the bottom keeps insects from crawling inside the hole. And a layer of pebbles helps with drainage, too.”
What are you going to plant this week or weekend?
“Shallower containers are fine for cool-weather crops like lettuce, Swiss chard, and spinach,” Renee says. Why in containers and not in the ground? So they can be kept on a patio or deck, away from hungry squirrels and birds. However, if you have space directly in the ground that can be protected with fencing, go to it.
THE GARDEN CLUB OF AMERICA