Getting Fresh

Seeds contain all the nutrients they need to produce their first set of leaves, so most will sprout happily on a damp paper towel. (Easy, yes; efficient? No!) If you’re starting seeds indoors in the springtime, there are better ways to get them off to a good start and stave off diseases from the get-go.

You might have already checked out a bag of seed-starting mix and wondered, what gives? Why would I need something special to start seeds? The big advantage of these commercial mixes is that they do not contain soil and are sterile, which prevents a host of maladies from plaguing your tender sprouts. Aptly named “soilless mixes,” they’re typically composed of peat moss, vermiculite, perlite, and some added bells and whistles, such as lime for pH balance and a wetting agent that improves moisture retention. If you are using a mix with peat moss, or peat moss alone, be advised that it absorbs hot water much more easily than cold — useful information, when all your sprouts want is to stay moist!

All of the things that soilless mix does are wonderful, but not essential for a budget seed-starting operation. To start my seedlings, I have actually enjoyed more success using horticultural vermiculite alone. This is mica that has basically been popped like popcorn, a process that yields a light, pebbly mixture that does a wonderful job of capturing precious moisture, and of being cheap and easy to store.

Vermiculite does come from a mined resource (mica), so some might object to using it. It’s true that coco-coir, a growing medium produced from coconut husks, is arguably your most sustainable option. This lovely stuff has yet to really penetrate the American gardening market, however, so unless you’ve planned in advance and ordered it online, you’re probably going to be limited to what’s on the shelves at your local gardening supplies store. In that case, opt for coarse horticultural vermiculite, and rest assured that you won’t need a lot. I can make a small, 8 quart bag last me two or three seed-starting seasons. There’s no need to fill a bunch of 4-inch pots from the get-go; one cup of vermiculite will fill an egg carton or two and will be more than sufficient for your sprouts’ initial needs.

In sum: Learn to love the strange, soilless substance that is vermiculite, and save your bucks for later in the season.

Prudently scheduled for the spring equinox, the ceremonial ground-breaking for the White House kitchen garden took place on Friday and featured Michelle Obama and a group of Washington third-graders. The schoolkids will continue to assist in the garden, which, in addition to feeding the first family and guests, has an impressive political agenda: promoting nutritious local food and cooking, bringing attention to a practical energy crisis remedy, and proving that organic gardening methods have a place even on the country’s loftiest lawn.

In its initial form, the garden is mainly a utilitarian mix of greens, peas, berries, and workhorse herbs — no carrots or tomatoes in sight, yet — but Mrs. Obama has already indicated there will be a place for tomatillos in the future, and there are other signs that this garden is much more substantial than its political show. I was tickled to read that:

• White House compost will be used in conjunction with other organic fertilizers,
• there is a place for Swiss Chard which, in my opinion, is “the better spinach” and should become as common and popular as lettuce,
• flowers, some of which will be edible, are included in the plan, too, providing at least the rudiments of versatile kitchen garden design,
• and companion plants are being used — notably hyssop, which attracts just about every beneficial flying beast a gardener could want and improves the growth of nearby kale and collards.

In short, this is a savvily planned garden that might also be truly sustainable and extraordinary. For now, it’s enough for me that homegrown vegetables (chard!) have earned a place in history beside the Obamas.

Just when I thought eating from my balcony was the height of beautiful frugality, I discovered air plants (tillandsia), sculptural plants that grow without soil. There are many varieties, all of which gather nutrients exclusively from air, water, and sunlight, with roots that serve the sole purpose of attaching them to any amenable surface. They will thrive on wood, metalwork, stone, seashells…my mind boggles at the prospects.

Imagine growing them year-round, indoors, as an alternative to a “green wall” (without the maintenance and set-up costs), or using them creatively in your small green retreat.

With the proper care, each air plant sends out a handful of “pups” each year that can be separated from the parent, meaning that, for a very small investment, you’ll soon have enough for you — as well as for friends, neighbors, and curious passers-by…

Courses for the Master Gardener Program in nearby Vermont just began, and I feel that familiar desire to “go back to school,” just for a little while, and for information I will use daily. If this describes you, then you might want to check out master gardener programs in your own area.

These are volunteer training courses run through the cooperative extension services of your state university. The curricula usually cover home vegetable gardening and a lot more. I took the liberty of updating this list of state master gardener program websites — if these fail you, then check out extension.org’s list of state master gardener coordinators for more detailed contact information.

If you have personal experience with a master gardener program, I’d love to hear about it: How much of a time commitment did it require? Are you actively volunteering in your community now, or consistently using the skills in your own garden?

Having just paid a fairly honking-big library fee, it really hits home: For not much more money, I could have bought or swapped for copies of the same titles, and they’d be mine to keep — books on gardening and sustainable living that I’m sure I’d use again and again, year in and year out. Not only are there some juicy new gardening books for the growing number of practical, small-space gardeners, but there’s also a vast quantity of out-of-print titles that are being rediscovered and newly appreciated.

This past weekend, I chose about 30 titles, both new and out-of-print, to add to the Small Green Garden Bookshelf on Powell’s.com. Follow that link, and you’ll see the whole lineup: container gardening resources, small-space and urban garden design guides, and even some DIY manuals and cookbooks written with the home vegetable gardener in mind.

I try to pick them with a discriminating eye and always appreciate your feedback, so if there’s something in particular you’d like to see up on the shelf, or reviewed right here, shoot me an email.