On Saturday, February 21, Garden Club of Irvington members Dorrie Bernstein and Kathryn Slocum demonstrated that it’s never too early or too snowy to start your kitchen garden plants or perennials from seed. The event was held from 9 – 10 am (indoors) at The Nature Center at Greenburgh.
At this fascinating, useful workshop, Dorrie and Kathryn showed attendees how to start seeds now during the coldest day that will be ready to transplant in time for warm-season planting and at much lower cost than if you purchased them at a garden center.
Here’s a preview of the steps involved:
1. Choose translucent 1-gallon milk jugs. Drill holes in the bottom of the jug for drainage.
2. Mark the jug for cutting just below the handle.
3. Slice the jug apart with a sharp X-Acto knife, leaving the area around the handle intact to act as a hinge.
4. Fill the bottom part with moistened potting soil and sprinkle seeds over the top. Press the seeds down to make contact with the soil and sprinkle a light covering of soil over the seeds. Sprinkle with water.
5. Securely duct tape the jug closed.
6. Use a permanent marker (“Garden Marker”) to write the name of the seed variety and the date on the jug. Place outdoors on the north side of your house (yes, in the snow is fine). Watch the jugs to make sure the soil stays moist. Lift the jug. If it is light, it needs water.
7. Following nature’s timetable, the seeds will sprout in time for planting. As the weather warms (if there are seedlings growing), you can open the tops during the day and close them at night.
8.–9. Soon, you’ll have healthy seedlings ready to separate and plant in larger containers or in the garden.
Dorrie filled and placed these jugs with vegetable and native plant seeds on the north side of her house on Monday.
Here are some lovely chard seedlings from last season. Dorrie and Kathryn grow a lot of the produce they use in their creative cooking.
You can, too. Sign up using the QR code below.
September is ending, and the windowsills at the Irvington Post Office on Buckhout Street sport garlands of fall leaves. Two cartons are already set up for kids to post their letters to Santa. However, the window boxes planted by Garden Club of Irvington members and friends are still going strong.
THE GARDEN CLUB OF AMERICA