April 24, 2012. I love transplanting from bitty seeds to toddler plants. I think some of the volunteers prefer to work in the fields, somehow doing the more “earthy” work, and I’m grateful for them, because three hours scooting around on the ground makes this oldish person feel as though I’ve been beaten up . . . always for a good cause, of course!
But the meditation in the fields is matched by the meditation at the transplant tables . . . filling up the trays of cell-pots with plant material (how’s THAT, Trevor?), sticking my index finger deep into each cell, readying it for the baby plant. Then lifting a row of sprouted seedlings up and out of their original incubator, separating them tenderly and tucking them into their individual planting cells, where they will stay for a bit more time. We carefully make “diamonds” with our fingers, as Justin has taught us, and pat the soil down all around the stem of the seedling. Then the ever-miraculous sloosh soaks each cell before the full tray (24, 48 or more cells for each tray) is carried carefully back to the seedling greenhouse.
It’s like watching your babies be born, and then graduating from bassinette to crib, before they are set out in the fields to begin crawling, walking, running to their full potential. Nursery School will be next for these little stems and leaves.
Today’s transplant characters were tomatillos, Anaheim peppers, Carmen tomatoes, and Viva Italia tomatoes. I hope I got those right. When I see the names on the seedling sticks, I whip out my archaic but trusty phone and text myself in my Notepad so I can remember half of what I do each week.
SO many tomatoes, and I rejoice when I think of all I will bring home with me in September and early October! Yum!
Woodswoman 