Basil’s all grown up

With indoor seed sowing season in full swing, and an early Spring planting season, I’m getting behind in my blog-keeping duties. The last several weekends have been really beautiful – gardening weather, without a doubt, indoors or out. (Not weather for sitting behind a computer, no sireee.)

The rocket, radish, and lettuce seeds and garlic bulbs that I planted on March 15th are all up and about (crazy garlic – I’ve never seen garlic leaf out so quickly. I’m simultaneously intrigued and suspicious…). No photos of those babies yet, though. Like I said, I’m behind on this stuff.

Also on March 15th, I transplanted my 60-some basil seedlings into their big-boy pots. They’re just beautiful, and I can’t wait to get them settled into my new tiered basil rock garden (created by my brilliant landscaper brother, who has a way with rock gardens like no one else).

Normally, I transplant seedlings to peat pots for that last stage of growth before they go into the ground in May, but, this year, I’m trying something new. CowPots. Made with cow manure compost instead of peat. I’ll be happy if they just disintegrate as promised — peat pots don’t — so that I’m not spearing peat pot slabs in the Fall with my pitchfork when I’m turning chop into the gardens (how irritating is that, I cannot tell you…).

Roots hanging out of the peat pellet – yep, it’s time to transplant!	CowPots. I fell hook, line and sinker for the marketing. If nothing else, I figure they can’t be worse than the peat pots.
Sweet basil getting all snuggly in their new homes on their foil-lined trays.	Red Rubin basil in their Cowpots (Lil Red is the one on the right – not so little anymore!).