The Indoor Garden 2

Last week, we talked about the idea of indoor gardening. This week, we begin to roll out the nuts and bolts (or is that trays and seeds?) of indoor gardening. Peter Burke, gardening expert and founder of the thedailygardener.com, has a delightful book for those that want a more in-depth look into this subject. It is called Year-Round Indoor Salad Gardening. It is a great reference and gift idea. We are going to rely on that book here. Check your local garden shop, such as the Backyard Greenhouse in Crosby, for this book and some of the supplies you may not have found at home. Some big box stores and online sites can be other resources, if needed.

Some recommendations can be substituted, such as pyrex instead of aluminum trays. The things you use may be a different dimension, just get an approximate idea of the relative size you will be using. Be creative and thoughtful about your choices. So, these are the things to find around the house, out and about, or online to get you started:

• Five 3 inch by 6 inch trays aluminum foil trays, or 6 inch ceramic cereal bowls
• One gallon soil mix (Standard germinating mix)
  • Try Organic PROMIX
• Five tablespoons compost (commercial or homemade) per tray
  • TryOrganic Valley Compost
• Three teaspoons liquid sea kelp with water or dry kelp meal
  • Try Nepune Organic Kelp Meal
• One Tablespoon each: sunflower, pea, radish, and buckwheat seeds
• One teaspoon broccoli seeds (or Chinese cabbage, kohlrabi, or and Brassica)
• Cheesecloth one full sheet per tray. You can try paper towels, packing paper, paper napkins, or newspaper with a soy-based ink.

Work this week to collect the supplies and, if desired, get the book for reference. Next week, we will try to put it to use. Make the SHIFT today!

Peter Burke Year-Round Indoor Salad Gardening IBSN 9781603586153

Chelsea Green Publishing  www.chelseagreen.com