Panic In the Garden
Can someone please talk me down from the ledge? I have/had all these fabulous plans but I’m terrified I’m going to fail. My seedlings are started but a couple have started to get leggy and topple over. I also foolishly planted more than one seed in each egg carton space with my first batch so they are now competing with each other. Without realizing I might have been doing something wrong, I planted my first seeds in potting soil instead of seed starter mix (my second batch is in the seed starter). I keep reading about all the insects and diseases that can kill your plants and I don’t know how to help my plants (also have I mentioned that I hate bugs?) if or when they get sick. I read yesterday about how different plants need different types of soil and fertilizers but I was planning on just getting the same soil for everything. Do I really need sandy or loamy (wtf does that even mean???) soil in different beds? I am freaking out and I have barely even started!!!
The Hidden Hippie 
Don’t worry, what you need is a book or some basic info, Soil amending is easy, so you can use the same soil and just adjust it http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/07235.html. As for the bugs, there are good and bad bugs, what you might want to do is check out companion gardening, it’s good for both bugs and plants. For instance lady bugs love to eat spider mites. They are good in the garden, as are worms. Worms help aireate the soil. This site might help you a bit. http://www.growveg.com/growguides/companion-planting.aspx?gclid=CJG74Je8864CFSoGRQodpTyuKA. Lloyd used plain old soil as starters as well. We have some leggy seedlings also This should help with your leggy seedlings http://www.ehow.com/how_5429661_prevent-leggy-seedlings.html. Gardening is an adventure, failures lead to future sucesses. I’m putting a book aside for you here that might come in handy. We have lots of gardening books, but I thi n this one might help. Next time you’re in Nanaimo you’re welcome to pick it up. 😀
Thank you so much for those great suggestions!! What is the book you were mentioning? I have a few that I have bought and have borrowed a bunch from the library.
I know the feeling. The truth is plants are amazing and know what to do to survive. We planted last year not really knowing what would do well and what would crap out. Now we know! It’s a learning process and it’s different for everywhere.
I wouldn’t stress. If a plant dies because it’s in the wrong soil, it likely was going to be too much work to keep it alive anyway. And really, what does the wrong soil mean?
Just soldier on. I guarantee you’ll come away with a lot. Whether it’s in vegetables or experience each is just as valuable as the other.
Have fun! It’s the best part!
I went through the same thing last year. It’s hard to be an expert when you first start and to do everything right. 🙂 My goal this year is to grow a little more than oxygen and herbs.
Just from my own experience: a) your leggy plants will be fine. I start all of my plants in my windows, and by the time they go outside they are thin wimpy things…but they always bulk up and kick butt. Try to get them closer to your light source if you can, rotate them so they are not reaching for the light and try to reduce the temp a bit. b) It will probably hurt to do it, but pull out those extra seedlings. The remaining plants will be happier. c) Nothing wrong with starting them in potting soil, I do it all the time. d) Don’t worry about the bugs/diseases. Chances are they won’t come at you all at once and you’ll have time enough for googling solutions. And get some thick work gloves for squishing the bugs. 🙂 e) Some plants for sure do better in different types of soil, but I bet you will find that everything does ok. I have really heavy clay soil and am supposedly not able to get decent root veggies or potatoes…but yet I still do. Don’t sweat it. Remember that what you are reading about is the ideal, not the rule. No one has a perfect garden or does everything right all the time, and every year is different and brings new lessons. Try to enjoy it and celebrate what works!
Thanks Daisy! I am a huge fan of sprouts so I did my babies a favour and picked the extra seedlings and ate them with a bunch of spouts. It was hard but at least they didn’t go to waste. Thank you for the rest of your suggestions and your support!