HelpfulGardener.com

Okay, so while the kids won't be by themselves for the next five days, they will want to be "the ones" to tend the seedlings we all just planted. Yay. (Unexpected absence on my end).

So, how does this sound? All pots are on or can quickly be moved to the porch.

First, I'll fill an 18 gallon tub (lidded) with water from the rain barrel right next to all of the plants.

Second, I'll give them a watering tool:

[img]https://www.chefdepot.net/graphics18/spiceshaker.jpg[/img]

because I already have it and it's easy for them to handle.

Third, I'll post "picture instructions" on all of the plants (staked signs).

• - 3 shakers full on the tomatoes and peppers.
  - 4 shakers full on the citrus trees (or I'll just stick them out in the rain - or use my olla - decisions decisions).
  - 2 shakers full on the just seeded carrots (they'll get rain where they are on the edge).
  - 3 shakers full on the just seeded leafy greens (they won't get rain where they are).
  - 2 shakers full on the jiffy pots kit if there is no water in the bottom, 1 if there is (it's tilted to let water drain to the side, but I can drill a hole for drainage).
  - 2 shakers full on all other established plants.

All plants are mulched, as are the seedlings (they are under damp paper towels layered with dirt and with light dust of shave tree bedding from pet store (untreated, for rabbits).

All plants are in well-draining pots or fabric bags. I might just put the olla in the citrus I I have time.

The kids are reliable, and 1 missing day shouldn't hurt much, or I can bug the adult for whom the instructions will be a welcome visual aid.

I have no idea how to save the worm bucket starter kit I think arrives tomorrow ... maybe I'll make a friend take it home and ??? keep it in his garage with some scrap food in a 5 gal bucket (cloth lid) as a temporary solution until I get back into town.

That seems liek a great idea! It will teach the kids a little bit of resposability to tend to the seedlings they planted. I hope everything goes well!

Did your order worms WITH the kit? Typically I believe they come with a post card that you send for the worms and if you order worms with the kit, they are shipped separately from the worm farm.

If you do receive the worms -- are they grown worms or cocoons? Either way, I believe you could put them in the fridge (non-freezing part -- door or top shelf) to keep them dormant.

Thanks, BC.

Yes, I ordered from a company someone mentioned here.

where I bought 'em from wrote:These bags weigh around 5+ pounds, they consist about 1000 worms, coconut fiber, active bedding and worm eggs. This starter is a good size for a 10 gallon or 18 gallon bin and will compost the scraps of a family of 2.

I emailed the person sending them to me to ask advice but I don't know if I'll hear before Friday (expected departure day).

While I have an old worm tower, I expected to be building either a flow through worm sack or a nested 5 gallon job this weekend ...

Well, turns out I didn't need it - travel plans avoided ... Thanks again for feedback

Thanks, MG.

Turned out I didn't even need to water them until yesterday - those little closed up systems work very well. I'm curious if I'll need to "harden" the plants even though I've had the container in several hours of direct sun and lots of indirect sun on the porch this whole time.

Took the lid off of the starter yesterday at lunch time. Partially cloudy and sprinkly today so I left it off (it's under porch cover so no rain will get in but sun will).

Need to make myself a planting calendar - tho my five day trip turned into a one day trip I came home with a ton of seeds to start starting ...