Starting Our Seeds, Part 1

It’s that time of the year again, when the Wonder Kids get to scoop up dirt and plop seeds into little cups.  They absolutely love seed starting!  Watching the seeds grow and change into vegetables fills them with delight.  They happily dump the cups to look at the roots and search for veggies.  Mommy doesn’t like that part so much.  We grow fewer veggies that way.

But alas, time to start some seeds.  First we mix our soil (one bag of potting soil and one bag of composted manure).  The Boys Wonder were thrilled to be able to use their big muscles to haul and dump the bags.

The seeds for this first round of seed starting are 2 kinds of eggplant and 3 kinds of peppers.  With the exception of the jalapeno seeds included in that count, we’re trying all new heirloom varieties this year.  The Wonder Kids said they were willing to try the veggies if they produce.

Next comes the Wonder Kids second favorite springtime activity (after mud-puddle-jumping)-scooping soil into cups.  ”Mommy, if I move it very carefully, I can make lots of roads for the worms”.  We like to use plain plastic cups for our seed starting.  We can watch the roots develop, write on the outside of the cup what we’re growing, and play with them in the mud puddles recycle them when we’re done.

Using their fingers to poke holes in the soil makes the Wonder Kids happy.  Then they can wipe the soil onto each other.  Oh, the squeals of dirt-monsters chasing kitty cats echoes off the back of the house.

Boy Wonder #2 especially enjoys putting the seeds in the cups.  His philosphy: 3 seeds per cup-no more, no less, no mess.

While Boy Wonder #2 and Girl Wonder #1 were putting seeds into their cups and covering them up, Girl Wonder #2 mixed cupfuls of dirt in “her lab”.  It kept her occupied for as long as brothers and sister were planting seeds.  Then she needed to get in on the action and chaos broke loose.