Making Babies

So now you have seeds and the basic seed starting equipment. Next step: SEED STARTING. Finally....oh joy!

But wait. Don't be too eager: be sure to start your seeds at the right time, to ensure the seed is ready when the weather is. The description on your seed packet should help.

Add seed starting mix (or potting mix, if no ss mix available) to the containers you're using for seed starting. Embed seeds, about 1-2" apart (if there's room), depending on size of seed. Plant more seeds than you actually want to grow, since some might go to heaven. Not sure how deep to plant the seeds... I just added a light cover of mix.

If you're starting seeds indoors: add water to the tray and wait for 1 hour. Discard any water left in the tray that hasn't been soaked up by the pot. This method will ensure you're not drowning the seeds. Place in a very sunny spot, or a few inches under your fluorescent light for most of the day.

I started hot fish peppers, sweet purple peppers and mint seeds last weekend. No sign of life yet.

Container Gardening - Equipment

Here's my list of things to acquire for the balcony garden. If you have the time and interest, try sourcing items second-hand from a thrift store or on Craigslist. I scored these great whisky barrel planters for $40. Especially with containers, you can get really creative... rain boots, kiddie pools, old bathtubs ... the sky's the limit.

• Containers.
  Be sure to add drainage holes if there aren't any; plants don't like to be sitting in water for too long. If you don't want to drill holes, the next best thing is to add a layer of lil' rocks to the bottom of your pot.
  Keep in mind that different materials hold water differently: plastic, ceramic and tin holds water for longer; terracotta and wood less.
  Consider the plant when thinking about pot size. Better to go big than too small.


• Potting mix.
  I had to do a little searching before I found organic potting mix; $5 for 15L bag at Grassroots, also sold in bulk. Though it has peat moss in it, which I heard is sourced in an environmentally-destructive way. Boo.
  Don't use garden soil; you'll need a sterile mix.
  


• Fertilizer.
  I'm hoping my worm composter will provide all the fertilizer I need. Plus I have a little sample bag of organic fish compost from a nice man at the Royal Winter Agricultural Fair, so I figure I'm good to go. But in case you're looking, check out the organic fertilizers at Grassroots, all under the Urban Harvest brand.


• Pruning scissors.
  Much more kind to the plant than twisting, pulling, etc.


• Gardening gloves.


• Trowel.
  


• Watering can.
  Not essential, but makes it easier to sprinkle your plants with water and avoid flooding them with a sudden, hard downpour.


• Resources.
  Books, internet sites (like this one!), people.


• A PLAN!
  Lots can be said for trial-and-error, but you'll probably have more success from the start if you're armed with a little knowledge and some ideas of where to put your plants, considering sun/temperature.

And, if you're starting from seed, you'll also need:

• Seeds.
  Seed exchanges are great - I think YouGrowGirl.com has a forum for this. Otherwise, you can buy from a garden store, or order directly from a specialized seed seller. Some popular organic seed sellers from Ontario: Urban Harvest, The Cottage Gardener, and Greta's.
  


• Seed starting mix.
  Where's the organic seed starting mix in Toronto at? Since I couldn't find any, I'll try potting mix. A lady at Grassroots suggested this, since she had some success with it. Plus I like the idea of buying less things, and using what you already have.


• Cells or small containers (if starting indoors).
  You could buy seed cells, or use containers you have on-hand. I cut up some empty tetrapak cartons and plastic bottles, added some holes in the bottom, and placed them on styrofoam take-out trays.


• Very sunny spot, or a fluorescent light (if starting indoors).
  If you don't have a south-facing window or balcony, get a fluorescent light from a thrift shop.
  

Local Oils

Live in Toronto and interested in local oils other than butter? Here's a few that I recommend trying. Local and organic vegetable oils don't seem to exist in this part of the world; let me know if you find otherwise.

Sunflower Oil
Brand: NuSun (www.FlorAlpFarms.ca)
Grown/Produced in: Mitchell, Ontario (100-200 miles from Toronto)
Cost / Availability: $17 for 1L... available at 4Life Organics
Oil is light coloured and has a medium sunflower seed flavour (uhhhh, duh). From the website, it seems as though the oil is grown/produced locally; sending this question through the company's website elicited no response.

Soybean Oil
Brand: Pristine Gourmet (www.pristinegourmet.com)
Grown/Produced in: Waterford, Ontario (<100 style="font-weight: bold;">

Canola Oil (extra virgin)
Brand: Pristine Gourmet (www.pristinegourmet.com)
Grown/Produced in: Waterford, Ontario (100-200 miles from Toronto, as crop is outsourced from other nearby farms, but processed/packaged in Waterford)
Cost / Availability: $8 for 250mL... available at Culinarium, Fiesta Farms
The most flavourful canola oil you've ever tasted; has a nutty quality to it.

Seed Booty

Hoooo-rah! Having just moved into a bigger apartment with a large balcony (100+ sq ft), I've been having dreams of container gardening. So last Saturday, I attended Seedy Saturday, Toronto's annual community seed exchange event. It was the perfect place to grab seeds if you're looking for rare, organic, heirloom and/or local seeds, and talk 1-on-1 with growing experts. It was held at the Wychwood Barns, a restored TTC (public transit) repair barn which now serves as a community and art space.

The event had a great turn-out; though a little breathing room and some more face time with seed sellers would have been nice. I went armed with a short list of seeds:

3 herbs - mint, coriander, basil
4 vegetables - kale, swiss chard, beets, hot peppers
1 edible flower - nasturtium

But seed mania got the best of me, and I ended up with 6 more seeds, including 5 donated by a container-gardener friend. So now I have seeds for mustard greens, cherry tomatoes, arugula and bell peppers too. Grand total: 15. Yikes.

I spent the rest of my seedy day peeping into thrift shops looking for planters (none yet), reading 2 gardening books from the library ("You Grow Girl" and "The Moosewood Restaurant Kitchen Garden", both really good references for beginners), and setting up a comprehensive gardening schedule and balcony layout based on sunlight requirements and companion planting. I've transformed into a garden geek, when did that happen. If it so tickles your fancy, you can check out my gardening schedule and layout, I welcome any and all comments!

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=p0083wFSfTpO5XF7yYFvtAQ

How-To: Sprout in a Jar

Guess who's bizzzack---??? I've been busy moving, and vacationing, and unwinding from all the moving and vacationing, that I've been ignoring my lil' P-a-J for too long.

Let's talk about GROWING FOOD already. For a blog about local food, it's about frickin' time.

Jar sprouting: me love. With some common kitchen equipment, a tiny bit of apartment space and a little time, you too can help sprouts emerge from their hard shells and enter the real world. Not only is it fascinating to watch, but sprouting seeds improves its digestability and nutritional value. So go ahead and eat your cute little sprout babies.

You can sprout many dry beans or seeds from your local bulk store (e.g. chickpeas, wheat berries, quinoa), but the yields likely won't be as high as if you used seeds specifically sold for sprouting. I usually buy Mumm's brand, since this seems to be the only brand available in Toronto. You can buy a variety of Mumm's seeds at many shops, including Toronto Sprouts, The Big Carrot and Essence Of Life.

Before you start, check to make sure the seeds can be sprouted by the jar method.

Tools:

Wide-mouthed glass jar (I usually use a 1L mason jar)
2 tbsp sprouting seeds (my favourite: daikon radish seeds... spicy like wasabi! And they grow little white root hairs that look creepy and neat)
J-cloth or cheesecloth - cut to fit over the top of the glass jar opening
Elastic band
Medium-sized bowl

Directions:

Add 2 tbsp seeds into the jar. Secure cloth onto top of jar with elastic. Rinse seeds by adding water to jar (through the cloth), and draining water. Fill jar again to cover the seeds. Let seeds soak for 2-6 hrs. Drain water, invert jar, and prop on an angle in the bowl. Twice a day, say, when you wake up and before you go to sleep, add some water to the jar, swirl, drain, invert and prop. In 3-6 days, you'll have a jar full of sprouties ripe for the eatin'.


Home-Style Potatoes with Daikon Radish Sprouts
Season: Autumn or winter

I adapted this from The Veganomicon cookbook's "Diner Home Fries" recipe. You can change it up a bunch of ways.... add/sub chopped peppers, turmeric, cumin seeds, chili peppers. Serves 2 as a side dish.

Ingredients:

2 medium sized potatoes --- sliced into 1/2" thick pieces
1/4 onion --- chopped
a handful of fresh daikon radish sprouts
oil for frying
salt and pepper

Directions:

Bring a medium-sized pot of water to boil. Add potatoes, and cook on medium heat until firm but can be pierced with a fork (10-15 mins). Drain.

Heat oil in a skillet on med-high heat. Add potatoes, arranging in a single layer in the skillet. Cook until nicely browned (7-10 mins), and stir to brown the other sides, adding oil if needed. Add onions, stir and cook for 3 mins. Add sprouts and cook 2 mins until onions are transparent. Add salt and pepper to taste.