February 1...at last it's time for early seeds...let the gardening begin!

It's Feb. 1, and at last I have the opportunity to plant my first seeds for 2010.

This will be my first real attempt at sowing seeds indoors under light in or basement.

I have several metal shelves positioned near the furnace, with a variety of lights wired just a few inches above the shelve surface. I have taken an idea that I saw on a gardening web posting.

I took old plastic lids, the kind that come with storage totes, drilled holes in them in rows, and filled the holes with clearance Christmas lights. LED are the best, as they emit a large quantity of light and are very energy efficient, they are said to be as much as 85 percent more efficient than regular lights. I have also used some fluorescent light fixtures, etc., but mainly LEDs.

Sewn in planting trays are yellow strawberries, leeks, onions, and Impatiens. All are Polish varieties except the latter. Once the seeds were sewn, the trays were covered with plastic wrap to retain moisture.

My friend, Teresa, from Lublin, Poland, also noted in a recent email that she was sending a few packets of local seeds, today.

As we wait to see how our germination works, we excitedly prepare for our real vegetable seed planting in about six weeks.

At that time, we will prepare for the tomato, cabbage, and pepper plants that we will grow. In all, we expect to start about 1,000 to 1,400 plants. Of those, the majority will be nearly 20 different tomato varieties, and nearly half of them are Polish.

Sorry! That's our specialty. we'll keep you posted on our progress. Thanks for stopping by. Tom

Gardening 365 days a year

Those of us who love gardening enjoy the hobby throughout the year, not just during the warmer months.

Living in Southeastern Pennsylvania, there can be a lot of down time during the colder months, but that does not deter us from thinking about gardening 365 days a year.

Whether it is ordering seeds for next year's crops or planning changes in existing flower beds, there is always something to keep us occupied.

As we progress, we will try to cover timely topics for those who also have their minds on gardening throughout the year, and offer some helpful tips to make life easier.

Feel free to jump in with your own questions, your own advice, your own experiences or your own opinions. Let's get our hands dirty!

Also, we have a hobby of growing heirloom vegetables, especially those of Polish origin. If you are here in Eastern PA, we may be able to hook you up with a few plants. So, shoot us an email if you hear about something you may be interested in.

Keep checking here daily. We are sure you will find something useful from time to time.