[gardeners] small victories
margaret lauterbach (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Mon, 01 Feb 1999 09:15:02 -0700
Well, we're waiting for spring to finish at George's and migrate our way.
For the past few years I've not had great success with my large (and
expensive) propagation mat, and I finally decided to blame the formica
table it lies upon. The mat was sticking to the formica. I went to a
recycling center, and first bin I looked in had a sheet of expanded
aluminum, not long enough to go under all of my mat, but long enough to
hold three flats. They didn't charge me for it. I scooted it under my prop
mat, and plugged it in. Planted a bunch of hot chiles.
I didn't go into the basement again for about three days, and yesterday
when I went downstairs, lo, there were numerous seedlings up and looking
for sunlight. I brought up five containers of seedlings, and left those
with just two or three well-sprouted seedlings each on the prop. mat. I'll
check that today, and plant more chiles that have spent overnight in a
saltpetre solution to hasten germination. Certainly revived my spirits.
We haven't had a bad winter, but cold oozy ground, strong breezes, grey
skies and 20-30 degree temps wear you down. Is anything enjoying this
weather? Sure. Cheat grass thrives. Poop. Margaret L