Hi. My name is Maia Eisen and this is my first blog post. This is a big technological leap for me. It’s also a big leap to commit to writing. I want to thank my dear, departed friend Jenny for giving me the push; but that’s another story for another post.
For more about me, see “About Me”.
Ostensibly, this blog is about gardening in Seattle, about growing food in small spaces (very small, like pots!), about plants and flowers and changing seasons, and, actually, anything happening in Nature that grabs my attention and moves me when I’m out in my garden or taking a walk. I hope that my thoughts and observations will inspire other people to get outside and look around and see things they hadn’t seen growing in the world before, or perhaps see them in a new way, or maybe just learn a name to call them by.
Goldenrain Tree (Koelreuteria paniculata). New leaves are bright salmon.
And in my more idealistic, loftier moments, I even hope that when more people see and care about Nature’s creations, they will notice how joyful and peaceful it makes them feel, and will be motivated to take even better care of the Earth. I truly believe that when we connect with Nature, a critical healing happens, both in ourselves and in the world.
First Edible Container Experiment
Back to growing food in containers: I’m experimenting this season with different potting soil mixes and fertilizers. I’m being only quasi-scientific. If I were truly scientific, I’d only change one variable per pair of containers. But that takes too many containers, too much space, and too much patience. Still, I think it will be informative. And I’ll be reporting on my experiments as the season progresses.
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| newly planted peas with trellises |
Experiment #1 – Peas – Planted 3/25/11
Purpose: try a potting mix without peat moss (a resource with serious sustainability issues,) and compare to an amended commercial potting mix. Also try different fertilizers.
2 large, black plastic nursery grow-pots, 13” in diameter, 11.5” tall
Soil:
Pot A: 2 parts commercial potting mix (I used Gardener & Bloome)
1 part compost – Gardner & Bloome Harvest Supreme
½ part perlite
Fertilizer: Dr. Earth Tomato and Vegetable and Osmocote
Pot B: Peatless Mix, recipe:
1 part compost (from my compost pile)
1 part coir (coconut fiber)
1 part pumice
1 part perlite
½ Cup of Steve Solomon’s Complete Organic Fertilizer* per gallon of soil
*this recipe is readily available on the web. Just google.
I constructed trellises from bamboo stakes and jute garden twine and sank them to the bottom of the pots.
Planted one pea on each side of each vertical stake.
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| After two weeks, still nothing doing. |
Two full weeks later there is still no sign of peas.
April 8th: checked the package for germination time today. 8 to 25 days. And the package does say they need 40 degrees and above to germinate. It has been absurdly cold for April so far, definitely in the 30’s at night. (I don’t even want to get out of bed when it’s that cold; why should my peas?) Too soon to conclude that my peas are duds, or I’m a failure at this – even if I did totally forget about coating the withered little darlings with “inoculant”* before planting.
*live rhizobial bacteria to enhance nitrogen-fixing nodules on the roots.
But the sun is shining; it’s a beautiful day today. Maybe soon?
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