Herb Seeds in the AeroGarden

The AeroGarden I started on Dec 2nd, 2021, was getting out of hand, they really needed more room. Time to try out why I wanted this growing device, my hope is that I can move them to pots, get them adapted to soil there, and then into the ground.

You might be thinking why not just do it in a greenhouse, like “normal” people? Well, I already tried that, I bought a nice little greenhouse two years ago, bought seeds, got them all planted, and watched for life to come. Life came, but not what I planted; somehow things from far reaches of the yard grew instead. I planted them in other parts of the yard and decided the greenhouse wasn’t going to work for me.

I want to grow herbs from seed so I can experience the full cycle of the plant but many of these plants I have only worked with dried and shipped to me. If “volunteers” grow even in the greenhouse it isn’t helpful, well it is helpful since more plants, but not what I’m going for.

So, I decided today was when I was going to transplant them to pots. This proved much easier than I thought it would be given how the roots grow down into the water. I was able to get them all out of the white plastic holders, cut the potting “sponge” down the side so the roots can spread easier in the pot, and get them nicely into pots. The dirt was quite cold, so I hope they handle the transition.

Once they were all potted up, I cleaned the AeroGarden to get it all ready for a new round of planting, this time it will be herbs. I started Tulsi (Ocimum sp.), Valerian (Valeriana officinalis), Wood Betony (Stachys officinalis), Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis), Calendula (Calendula officinalis), and Borage (Borago officinalis). If these grow, at least I’ll know what each of them is and if they don’t, well that could be for several reasons.

On that note, since in the pictures you can see where these seeds came from, I feel the need to also tell you the seeds have been hanging around in a small box in the dining room on our altar for the last 2-3 years. This box has been taken in and out of the house to the garden multiple times, me trying to decide where and when to start them, only to be brought back in and put back on the alter. I tell you this because if these seeds don’t sprout, I’m sure it is because I didn’t plant them in the conditions, they should be in, nor did I store them in a way to ensure they stayed viable.

The AeroGarden is all set up with herbs in it and the plants that just came out of it are in pots sitting next to the AeroGarden. I figure that I shouldn’t take the growing medium, amount of light, and everything from them at once. They will spend a week or so here, if they are doing good will move to one of the windows in the house, then outside unless I decide I want them hanging in the house. I figure this slow transition to the outside and in the ground will be my best bet at healthy happy plants in the garden.

Now we wait and watch!