I’m home from Mexico and somehow even more excited to start my vegetable garden than I was when I left. Maybe it’s the inspiration from seeing permaculture in action, or maybe it’s just the feeling of spring creeping in, but either way, I’m ready to get my hands in the soil.
It’s the end of February, and the air smells like spring, like the ground is thawing and coming back to life. Little flowers are starting to pop out of the ground, the sun is shining, and people just seem to be happier. This is always a good point in the year, a shift from the grey of winter to something brighter and full of potential.
Following both the weather and my gardening timeline, it’s time to start the second part of the timeline, which is sowing my seeds indoors. This stage of my project is all about getting the seedling trays going. As a first-time gardener, I decided to use a bit of a cheat to make things easier: pre-made soil pucks. These compact little pucks expand when watered, creating the perfect environment for seeds to sprout.
The process was simple but satisfying: I set up the trays, watered the pucks, and watched as they absorbed the water and grew. Once they had fully expanded, I pulled back the netting, fluffed up the soil, and carefully planted each seed. Labelling them was the final step, ensuring I’ll know exactly what’s growing as they start to sprout.
This step makes it all feel real. Up until now, the garden has been a plan but now, there’s life beginning right in front of me. I can’t wait to see these tiny seeds transform over the next few weeks. (Time-lapse below!)