Hippity Hoppity, Nasties on the Way

Happy Easter, everyone! This is my second post for the Seed GROW Project, organized by Mr. Brown Thumb, with nasturtium seeds (Tropaeolum majus 'Spitfire') donated by Renee's Garden.

As shown in a previous post, I winter sowed some of the seeds in a milk jug on March 5 and some in a seed flat on March 6.

By March 30, the nasturtiums sowed in the seed flat had sprouted and their seed leaves were just starting to unfurl. Aren't they the cutest things ever? The ones sown in the milk jug had not yet come up. I think it's probably a bit warmer in the seed flats than in the milk jugs.

Only a few days later, on April 3, five of the six nasties sowed in the flat had their full, unfurled seed leaves. (I don't know what's up with the sixth seed, but I'm sure it will sprout soon.) I love nasties because their seed leaves are so similar to their true leaves, unlike most plants whose seed leaves look like rabbit ears.

On April 3, the first of the nasturtiums sown in the milk jug had popped up, too. The rest can't be far behind.

I plan to grow some of the nasties up a chain link fence and others in my veggie garden.

Speaking of Seeds...
Back in January, I started two snail mail seed swaps, and both recently returned to me. After picking out a few seeds for myself (you guys sent some interesting stuff to pick from!), I packed up the remainder and donated it to Growing Hope. Their director was excited to use the seeds for the Growing Gardens program. Thanks to all for participating, and hope you all found something you liked. Special thanks go to Frances, who had a lot of extra seeds to share.

Sweetbay asked what seeds I took for myself, and in case anyone else is wondering, I got quite a haul:

• Bean, white half-runner
• Blue shrimp plant ‘Pride of Gibraltar’
• Collard greens
• Columbine
• Coreopsis ‘Sunfire’
• Cosmos 'Cosmic Orange'
• Dill
• Golden Alexander
• Grass ‘Little Bluestem’
• Hollyhock, yellow
• Lion’s tail
• Mustard greens
• Poppy ‘Black Peony’
• Poppy 'Shirley'
• Radish ‘Sparkler’
• Rudbeckia ‘Cherry Brandy’
• Sage, scarlet
• Salvia ‘Victoria Blue’
• Sea holly
• Squash ‘Uchiki Kuri’
• Sunflower
• Sunflower 'Cinnamon Sun Red'
• Sunflower 'Giant Headed'
• Tomato ‘Black Russian’
• Tomato ‘Moneymaker’
• Tomato ‘Red Short Vine’
• Tomato ‘San Marzano’
• Toothache plant

I've winter-sown most of them, though I'll direct sow a few in my newly cleared areas!

Now you'll please excuse while I go nom nom nom eat my Lindt Easter rabbit which I've successfully saved for about 6 weeks now!