Hydroponics and seed starters 🌱

Hydroponics is so exciting to watch! This is my first attempt at it and I chose a pepper plant from seed. Honestly, I'd rather be out in the sun and dirt, but this is much more convenient during the winter or for culinary herbs. To the left is celery I started from grocery store produce. I've never experimented with that either, so it's all trial and error, but they seem to like the grow lights. ☉

I love being able to watch the roots grow!

With hydroponics, you need to keep an eye on the water level and add nutrients every couple weeks. Most units have warning lights for reminders and buttons to choose what plant you are growing (for optimal grow light duration). This photo shows the water level as very low. Not to worry, I filled it up immediately afterwards!

Here are more photos from the earlier stages. It's amazing how quickly plants grow, but then again, I marvel at how quickly my boys have grown in just a few years. Even then, how quickly a human forms in the womb. Nine months seems like forever as the mom, but in reality it is quite a short period of time considering all the parts that make the whole.

Yesterday was unusually warm so I planted some seeds in dirt for starting indoors. I left it out overnight thanks to the lovely weather, but brought them in now that the temperature has normalized. Enjoy the good while it lasts, right? The boys were digging in the dirt right alongside me, loving every minute of it.

These metal labels are awesome, by the way! Pencil or pen markings leave indentations so it's easy to read no matter the weather, and they poke right down into the dirt, or can be tied around the stem or propping pole. Lettuce and broccoli for starters and once I get more soil I will plant more. I just love these cute terra cotta pots, but I want to find more of the organic pots that go directly in the ground.

Ok, the next couple photos are out of context, but I will include them anyway! If you saw my last post, I shared about my new yoga journey. Well, here is the flyer for the challenge I'm in. It is in honor of Valentine's Day, and the ultimate goal of loving yourself rather than depending on the energy of others.

Here is my standing pose for day 2 of the challenge, the Warrior 1, which signifies strength and confidence. I found it fitting since those are two aspects of my life that need focus, but also I'm wearing a hemp shirt with a lotus flower, which represents (in short) rebirth or spiritual enlightenment.

Here is day 3, a twist:

How are you preparing for spring? Have you made any commitments to yourself lately? What makes you happy? Where do you enjoy your quiet time?