More often, I realize that some of those factoids rubbing up against my brain cells are actually of little or no use. When is the last time I used a compass? I still use paper maps, but that probably makes me quaint and old-fashioned. At our newspaper, there’s a whole generation of folks who are experts at developing film.
Young folks these days may never learn how to build a fire, make popcorn on a stove or address a letter. Yet, I’ll seek out a 12-year-old if I have trouble with my iPhone.
This week I wrote a story about the 100-year anniversary of farm advisers. Way back when, Cooperative Extension educated people about important life skills, like canning food for the winter. I still know people who do canning. I’d put that in the “quaint and old-fashioned” category, with quilting, churning butter, wood carving and making apple-head dolls.
WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE
Before I forget, now is a good time to pass along some antiquated knowledge — planting seeds.
Once upon a time I grew most of my vegetables and flowers from seed. Frankly, it gave me something to do in the middle of winter. Then the Handsome Woodsman came along. He didn’t appreciate soil and seed packets all over the kitchen table, and showed me the wisdom of buying huge plants in early May.
SEED PLANTING 101
One of my favorite resources is the UC Davis Vegetable Planting Guide, http://tinyurl.com/hh22o7m.
The document spells out what seeds you can try to plant in which months of the year.
For February, the guide gives the go-ahead for planting seeds of lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, chard and beets.
Frankly, I’m not falling for that trick again. I think what they really mean is you can plant these seeds indoors.
For about $30 bucks you can buy a heating mat that can be placed in a quiet corner of your kitchen.
Seed packets contain all the useful information you will need, including planting depth.
Plant your seeds in moist potting soil. The dirt in your yard will contain some of those weed seeds you know and hate. Cover your container and place the individual containers in a seed tray, available at a local nursery.
Cover your plants and watch regularly. If they get dry, you can give them a squirt with a spray bottle.
I’ve also had decent luck covering a container with plastic wrap and placing on top of the refrigerator.
The heat from behind the fridge warms just enough to tease those seeds into sprouting.
Once the seedlings emerge, they need sun, which you can find along a bright windowsill.
Note that if you have super-efficient windows, the kind that block out the sun, this isn’t your choice for indoor windowsill action.
Move the plants to the center of the living room at night. The windowsill gets cold after dark.
12 WEEKS
If you rummage through your seed packets from last year or the year before, you’ll note that some of these seeds state they can be planted 12 weeks before the last date of frost.
IN OUR AREA, DATE OF LAST FROST IS AROUND THE END OF APRIL, AND 12 WEEKS BEFORE THIS IS JUST ABOUT RIGHT NOW.
Lettuce is extremely fun to grow. James Loomis, in an article found in Catalyst Magazine, http://tinyurl.com/haeb9wq, highly suggests using a heating mat to sow lettuce seeds in one-week intervals. This way, you can eventually transplant them to the garden over time. Thanks James. With online articles like this, we now no longer have a need for gardening books.
While you’re planting lettuce, plant some chives. I think I’ll bury some chive seeds outdoors, just to be nostalgic. If flowers are your thing, I’ve had good luck in the past planting seeds indoors including pansies and the alyssum. Others to try include poppies and snapdragons, according to this rather worthy write-up by Baker Seed Co., http://tinyurl.com/hqo8zus.
