Direct Sowing - It Works With a Little TLC

"I'd spend the dollar and not bother trying to start seeds."  That was dear old mother's comment at the greenhouse when I spied watermelon plants for a dollar a piece.  The frugal side of me won out and decided to take the chance and plant the heirloom seeds I had waiting at home.  Direct sowing has its moments and you often ponder why waste my precious time.  Prior attempts had seeds not sprouting and trying to figure out what was a seed or a weed.  The key to seed sprouting is warmth and water. Pay attention to the soil temps described on the seed packets.  Stick your meat thermometer in the ground to see if the soil is ready.  When ready, plant the seed following the instructions on depth and spacing on the packet.  And then water, water, water - everyday until they sprout and keep watering after they start growing if its dry.  You don't need to drench them, but give them enough of a drink to keep growing.  And why spend the time?   To save money of course.  For a $2-3 packet of organic seeds, you'll get a 10-100x return on investment.  It's worth the effort.  Here are the latest sprouts.

Butternut Squash

Cucumbers

Edamame

Watermelon

Cantelope

Radishes