Is It Spring Yet?

I know many other gardeners have been getting the seed catalogs in the mail. When I open one, I see the promise of fresh vegetables and warm weather. I also start craving the feel of dirt. These seed catalogs in addition to the new greenhouse my dh put up have me itching to start planting even though winter has just begun. The frugal side of me that wants to save more this year thought of last year's seeds sitting in bags in the refrigerator. I decided to do a test run to see if any of them would sprout. Below are pictures I will title Sweet Success!

First up are the Roma Tomatoes which have grown like little weeds. I had four in one container but transplanted them today.

Next is the lettuce. I started the seeds in a small container and am trying out two different containers with the transplanted plants. We love the leaf lettuces so I am hoping to be able to grow it successfully in the greenhouse during the winter months.

This is an assortment of the seeds I planted. I have some herbs, tomatoes, and peppers. A few have been slow to sprout. I do have at least one of everything either up or sprouting.

Last is my pride and joy -- Celebrity Tomato plants. These are special since they are grown from seed I saved from one of last year's tomatoes. I planted three seeds and have been rewarded with three plants.

My dad had a magazine that detailed how to save seed, and I gave it a try. I am thrilled that it worked. Celebrities grow best in the area that I live in. However, no stores carry the seeds or the plants so I always have to order them. Now as long as I make at least one tomato each year I will have seeds. I will be saving seeds from everything I can from now on. While growing a garden can be cheaper than purchasing vegetables from the grocery store, the price of seed often makes the process pricey. I am thrilled at the idea of not having to buy seeds for tomatoes or peppers. The different varieties of both make up a large portion of my garden every year. I will be detailing how to harvest and save seeds later this year as it is quite simple.