Not that I was looking forward to flipping on the garish lighting in my kitchen, but I am so happy I finally got my first flats of the season started! While it's still too early for most of my veggies, I started 2 flats this afternoon, mostly herbs and a few flowers that need a good long start. Even though I start my main crop of lettuces and mesclun by direct sowing in the garden, I thought I would start a few indoors also since I have the lights up anyways - that way they can just continue to grow inside and give us some good baby greens while we wait for Spring.
2 Seed Flats, Heat Mat, & Lights
I need your help here... I saved some seed last fall and have no earthly idea what it is, apparently I forgot to label it! The first photo is on a salad plate to give you an idea of its relative size, and the second photo is a close up of the seed & hulls. Any ideas? I was thinking it was a flower, but it reminds me of an herb seed. Does anyone think this might be cilantro? The seeds are tiny and round. I had tons of cilantro last year and it is possible that I saved some as I was ripping it out. It has no scent like dill does, do Cilantro seeds smell like the herb? I don't remember!
Mystery Seed
Seeds started today and # of cells for each:- Artichoke - 6
- Basil - 9
- Rosemary - 3
- Thyme - 9
- Marjoram - 6
- Oregano - 9
- Giant Parsley - 9
- Lemon Balm - 9
- Verbena - 6
- Chives - 9
- Leeks - 6
- Spinach - 3
- Val D'Orges Lettuce - 3
- Mizuno Oriental Greens - 3
- The Mystery Seed - 3 (this should be fun, maybe it's a new tradition!)
It may seem like alot of herbs, but I only keep a few in pots on my deck for kitchen use and all the rest go into a large area I have for my birds, butterflies, caterpillars and bees. Many of the herbs I plant are perennial here, so every year it gets easier. I will also be putting my Artichoke, Litchi Tomato and Ground Cherry here for some taller interest as well as getting them out of the way since a few are thorny.
That's all for now! Big day for me today - as a Minnesotan you know what I will be doing tonight. No phone calls will be answered!
I don't have any little girls in the house so I am deficient in purple hair ribbons for Marley to show her Viking Pride. I had to settle for light purple bands out of the kids' weaving loom set! There is no chance of Sprocket the puppy wearing hair ribbons, she would just eat them. As a matter of fact, she has probably already eaten Marley's off her head!
SKOL, VIKINGS!
Hm... I know it's not cilantro (you can see what they look like here), but I can't help you beyond that... Sow a few and see what leaf shape the plant has!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kenneth! Definitely not that. I sowed a couple but I am just impatient :) I do love a good mystery. My kids think I should mix ALL my seeds up and have a mystery garden. Hmmmm, maybe I don't love a mystery that much :)
ReplyDeleteKenneth beat me to it! I was just going to post a picture of my cilantro seeds . . . which look just like his! Your seeds remain THE MYSTERY SEEDS . . . mwah-ha-hah-ha!
ReplyDeleteYour seed starting set-up looks neater and cleaner and better than any seed starting set-up has a right to look.oey97harvest
Hey Erin! My first guess was oregano or basil, but since you planted both I suppose you'd have seeds of those to compare them to. I guess you'll just have to plant some and find out what they are later! :-)
ReplyDeleteIt looks to me like chives. Did you by chance save chive seeds? Do they look like the chive seeds you planted? I saved some chive seeds last year and while I don't have the flower part anymore the seeds look similar to yours.
ReplyDeleteJudy
That's definitely not cilantro...I'm with caffeinated mama, it looks like basil seeds.
ReplyDeleteI'm starting my artichoke seeks next weekend along with a few other things...I'm getting really excited!
And the mystery deepens! It is definitley NOT cilantro, NOT chives (I didn't plant any last year), and NOT Basil (I only grow Pesto Perpetuo Basil which does not flower and is sterile). I have a feeling it might be a flower. I guess we really might have to wait and see! I just hope they germinate so we can solve the mystery!
ReplyDeleteLooks good. I had planned to start flowers this weekend but life intervened. Marley looks pretty sweet.
ReplyDeleteOnions or garlic, I would but money on it. A heat mat too, you lucky girl. Cilantro seed is the spice coriander and the seeds taste like that. Good lucky for your game. Peace
ReplyDeleteI don't know what the seeds are, but I just gotta say that your Marley is such a pretty girl!!!
ReplyDeleteRuralRose, another definite not for onions or garlic, none of it flowered and I wouldn't have saved that anyways! I am hoping for a speedy germination on the 3 "mystery cells" so we can all find out what it is.
ReplyDeleteAnd, yes... Marley is a cuteheart! She's my "turn-key" dog. We got her when she was 6 years old and she is a model of good behavior and sweetness. None of it is rubbing off on Sprocket, our little 1 year old Aussie that's full "it"!
Are they round? if yes maybe thyme, sage, or flowers like ypu mentioned. Did you save seed from this big red ones you grew? (I think that was you!) Thyme seeds are tiny though, those may be too large.
ReplyDeleteIf sided then like rose said, some type of allium (chives, onion etc....)
Kelly, yes they are round, black and very hard! The big red Celosia flowers are the only other ones I saved and they are wispy more like a marigold seed. I have been driving myself crazy looking through old photos of my yard trying to figure it out! Funny thing is the only seed I remember saving was that Celosia, although right next to it was a little dish containing this mystery stuff, I'm thinking I did it the same day but just don't remember! I'm telling you, its those kids, they steal all our brain cells...
ReplyDeleteDon't they though? Well, it will fe a fun day when you solve the mystery!
ReplyDeleteErin, they look like my basil seeds, but since you didn't plant any, I have no idea.
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting on my post about Gardeners Hands, the worst for me is the tomato plant residue, YUK, and that stuff stinks, and sticky. Then there is the purple nails from shelling purple hull peas, and I teach cake decorating, try to explain "My hands really are clean" to people who have no idea where food comes from.