One of my favorite parts of gardening season is watching those first tiny sprouts push through the soil. After weeks of planning, seed ordering, and mapping out my garden, the seedlings are finally starting to emerge!
This year I’m growing a mix of vegetables, herbs, greens, melons, squash, and flowers. Everything is getting its start in my seed trays inside mini-greenhouse shelving before eventually moving into the garden, containers, Tower Garden, and grow bags.
Products I’m Using This Season So Far:
What’s Growing?
🥒 Cucumbers
- Straight Eight
- Sikkim
- Armenian
🍅 Tomatoes
- Black Sea Man
- Black Cherry
- Brandywine
- Orange Accordion
- Tiny Tim
🌶️ Peppers
- Poblano
- Banana Pepper
- Jalapeño
- Serrano
🍆 Eggplant
- Ping Tung Long
- Black Beauty
🥬 Greens
- Kale (multiple varieties)
- Tatsoi
- Mizuna
- Spinach
- Swiss Chard
- Mustard Greens
🥦 Brassicas
- Broccoli Raab
- Red Russian Kale
🍉 Melons
- Golden Honey Watermelon
- Black Diamond Watermelon
- Honeydew
- Cantaloupe
🎃 Squash
- Summer Squash
- Zucchini
- Spaghetti Squash
- Early Bush Scallop Squash
🌿 Herbs & Flowers
- Long Bean
- Tomatillo
- Snow Pea
- Borage
Early Observations
The cucurbits (cucumbers, squash, melons, and watermelons) are definitely the overachievers so far. Many of them popped up quickly and already have strong cotyledons stretching toward the light.
Some of the greens and brassicas are emerging more slowly, but that’s completely normal. Kale, mustard greens, tatsoi, mizuna, and Swiss chard often take a little longer to size up compared to cucumbers and squash.
One thing I love about seed starting is that every tray tells a story. Some varieties germinate in just a few days, while others make you practice patience. It’s a reminder that gardening is always working on its own timeline.
Next Steps
Over the next few weeks I’ll be:
✅ Monitoring germination rates
✅ Thinning overcrowded seedlings
✅ Increasing airflow to prevent damping off
✅ Hardening off plants before transplanting
✅ Preparing garden beds and grow bags for summer crops
I’m especially excited to see how the heirloom tomatoes, peppers, melons, and cucumbers perform this season.
Stay tuned for updates as these tiny sprouts grow into a productive summer garden!