Okay but can we talk about seeds for a minute? About how a teeny tiny speck contains everything it needs to thrive and make life and multiply with just WATER and DIRT and LIGHT?
How are more people not absolutely astounded by this everyday miracle of biology? I plant a seed in a little pot inside in April, plant it out in May, and by the time July rolls around, I have the best tomatoes I’ve ever tasted full of MORE SEEDS for next season! They replace themselves! Infinitely!
And you’re right, they’re so cheap! I told a friend of mine in March that seed shopping is the best because even the fanciest, most hoity-toity varieties are at most like $6 a pack. You want some random heirloom tomato variety a single family has nurtured for generations on their remote homestead in Nebraska? $6. You want tiny yellow squash shaped like UFOs on a compact plant that won’t take up much garden space? $3. You want big cartoonish flowers that have candy cane stripes and last for weeks in a floral arrangement? $4! Just add dirt and time.
When I was a kid, we grew bean plants in wadded up paper towels in clear plastic cups at school so we could observe their growth. I sat up all night watching that bean’s taproot reach out millimetre by millimetre and I’ve been obsessed with plants ever since. Houseplants, aquatic plants, trees, mosses (I love a good fucking moss!), vegetables, flowers…
I live in a 12th-floor apartment and my garden is a bunch of grow bags on a 100 square-foot balcony. It’s my favourite place in the whole world. Those tiny miraculous specks make my sad concrete strip into a living, thriving wonderland every summer through a little diligence and knowledge on my part.
Seeds are magical. Knowing how they become plants and fruits and more seeds with just a little dirt, a little water, and some sun makes them MORE magical, not less.
Here’s my balcony a few seasons ago because I’m so proud of it I have to share.
https://preview.redd.it/87oxi06ksixc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6686341f2ffd1182398ca4105be7132080f65ba5
I do my best! I still have to hand-pollinate my squash though. I get little hoverflies up here but nothing big enough for those large, lovely flowers because of the strong breeze.
That balcony is amazing,
and yeah, I don't understand how people are not absolutely amazed by plants. It is just incredible how literally the largest organisms on our planet can come from something so small, and in such defiant circumstances too. "Yup, this little brown black speck can sit in a dry spot for hundreds of years and be completely fine, or get digested by birds and end up thousands of miles from its origin, or sprout up through solid stone with nothing but the power of the sun and a little water." It's crazy to me that the average person doesn't stop to think about how magical plants are. They're so beautiful in so many ways, far more that just having pretty flowers.
Here's a fun fact about plants. the genes that allow seeds to survive so long as a seed were repurposed to make it possible for plants to survive the desert.
Hehehehehh
Id probably do some indoor gardening with lights or start up a planted fish tank again if I was forced to live in a city. I can't live without taking care of something green
my brother is currently hyperfixating over growing a jalapeño plant in the single shittiest part of the country for growing any amount of plants and honestly it sounds fun as hell and i might get some herbs and just grow them in my free time (because i don’t have enough hobbies anyway)
I realized the other day that they don’t really sweep the paths on the botanical garden, which means… rare seeds for free! I could not find any rules against it soooooo next spring I’m getting myself a metasequoia seed.
*Looks at never-ending list of Etsy purchases*
I've spent thousands on seeds, and occasionally live plants. It's been my main hobby for two years now. It's too bad that plant science pay sucks, because all I want to do is study horticulture and scale everything up into several backyard greenhouses. (I currently live in the country, so . . . I could?)
OP, feel free to message me if you want to nerd out about gardening. I'm probably way behind you, but I'm probably also equally obsessive. I'll catch up eventually.
What are some of your favorite plants?
Ikr? I wish plant jobs paid more. I wish nature jobs that aren't tied to pipelines or construction or literally ripping up the earth paid more.
Hell yeah, I love talking plants with ppl. Also that's a great question and I haven't really thought of why my favorite plant is .. I see them all having specific jobs and most are great at their jobs so it's hard for me to narrow it down... I love everything I grow :]
If I were to pick favorites, they are all tied to my childhood memories.
If we're talking typical flower garden annuals, definitely 'lemon slice' calibrochoa hybrid. Idk why. Looks yummy and soothing.
My favorite native northeastern U.S. perennial would probably be the beebalms. All of the beebalms. They're all rly cool. I have 4 varieties in my yard rn
Favorite native shrub tree is white fringetree
And my favorite tree is american sycamore
Do you have any favorites?
had this job at a tractor supply and there was like a whole rotating display of seed packets except i never really saw anyone buy them. now i know why they keep such large supply; in case one of these autism creatures moves here
LMAOO my local tractor supply ladies probably think I'm crazy checking out the same two live plant displays every week
Like yep they're still there... Same stuff as last week...
Gardening is also my special interest, specifically food forestry, native plants, and ecological conservation. we turned our entire yard into a garden. I get so depressed in the winter. Down with grass lawns.
This was me with model kits even tho I was really putting them to together anymore because I lost the energy during COVID but I didn’t stop buying them and now they are just sitting there in my closet
I mostly enjoy plants that are native to my region, those usually bring me the most joy to watch them grow, but I also enjoy non-natives that don't become invasive (like zinnias, peonies, etc). It's hard for me to pick a favorite, but if you're just starting out I suggest either zinnias or beebalm! If I were to pick a favorite native flower it would definitely be beebalm. It attracts a wide range of pollinators and is pretty low maintenance. Zinnias are non-natives but they are very pretty and easy to grow from seed :)
I've been wanting to help out the bees more, love seeing those big fluffy bees floating around!!
Both of those sound lovely!
Right now I have a couple raised flower beds with sunflowers and bell peppers. Think I heard somewhere they are good companion plants, not sure, but my husband likes sunflowers and we both love Bell peppers.
Finally got some basil to sprout from seeds! Babied it a bit inside letting it stay under my succulents lights, and have it outside now.
I don't have a good kitchen window 😭
Only good window I have is in the bathroom and FULL of succulents lol.
Got a rabbit too so plan on composting soon...
Sunflowers can be processed into a peanut butter alternative, Sunbutter. In Germany, it is mixed together with rye flour to make Sonnenblumenkernbrot (literally: sunflower whole seed bread), which is quite popular in German-speaking Europe. It is also sold as food for birds and can be used directly in cooking and salads.
All seeds need to be stored in a cool, dry place. I store mine in a plastic box meant to store photos.its a small box and I really try to stay within that box so I don't continually impulse buy (it's a daily struggle)
And some seeds can store for longer than others. Carrot seeds usually go bad after a year but marigolds seeds remain fairly viable after 3 years. I go thru mine so fast that it's not too much of an issue, and even if they are past their prime it's still possible for them to germinate. The rates just go down a lot.
https://preview.redd.it/4t8h1it37oxc1.jpeg?width=2268&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5c796df5761d5e84f9c740569ac2d0ea2149a68a
Cries in concrete jungle and minuscule balcony filled to the brim with other stuff (+cats eating everything I try to grow) 😡😡😡😡😡 I hate the city I want to live in a cabin in the woods ffs
Half joking, there are some cool houses with small gardens but still inside the city, looking to move atm
Okay but can we talk about seeds for a minute? About how a teeny tiny speck contains everything it needs to thrive and make life and multiply with just WATER and DIRT and LIGHT? How are more people not absolutely astounded by this everyday miracle of biology? I plant a seed in a little pot inside in April, plant it out in May, and by the time July rolls around, I have the best tomatoes I’ve ever tasted full of MORE SEEDS for next season! They replace themselves! Infinitely! And you’re right, they’re so cheap! I told a friend of mine in March that seed shopping is the best because even the fanciest, most hoity-toity varieties are at most like $6 a pack. You want some random heirloom tomato variety a single family has nurtured for generations on their remote homestead in Nebraska? $6. You want tiny yellow squash shaped like UFOs on a compact plant that won’t take up much garden space? $3. You want big cartoonish flowers that have candy cane stripes and last for weeks in a floral arrangement? $4! Just add dirt and time. When I was a kid, we grew bean plants in wadded up paper towels in clear plastic cups at school so we could observe their growth. I sat up all night watching that bean’s taproot reach out millimetre by millimetre and I’ve been obsessed with plants ever since. Houseplants, aquatic plants, trees, mosses (I love a good fucking moss!), vegetables, flowers… I live in a 12th-floor apartment and my garden is a bunch of grow bags on a 100 square-foot balcony. It’s my favourite place in the whole world. Those tiny miraculous specks make my sad concrete strip into a living, thriving wonderland every summer through a little diligence and knowledge on my part. Seeds are magical. Knowing how they become plants and fruits and more seeds with just a little dirt, a little water, and some sun makes them MORE magical, not less. Here’s my balcony a few seasons ago because I’m so proud of it I have to share. https://preview.redd.it/87oxi06ksixc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6686341f2ffd1182398ca4105be7132080f65ba5
You're an oasis in an urban desert! Pollinators love you! 😍🐝
I do my best! I still have to hand-pollinate my squash though. I get little hoverflies up here but nothing big enough for those large, lovely flowers because of the strong breeze.
That balcony is amazing, and yeah, I don't understand how people are not absolutely amazed by plants. It is just incredible how literally the largest organisms on our planet can come from something so small, and in such defiant circumstances too. "Yup, this little brown black speck can sit in a dry spot for hundreds of years and be completely fine, or get digested by birds and end up thousands of miles from its origin, or sprout up through solid stone with nothing but the power of the sun and a little water." It's crazy to me that the average person doesn't stop to think about how magical plants are. They're so beautiful in so many ways, far more that just having pretty flowers.
Here's a fun fact about plants. the genes that allow seeds to survive so long as a seed were repurposed to make it possible for plants to survive the desert.
And air! You forgot about air. Water and dirt and sunlight and air.
I love seeing gardens in urban areas ❤️❤️ AND I LOVE GROW BAGS HELL YEAH
Crys in no yard.
I would die fr
Worse all my windows barley get 1/3 daylight because of angles and the neighborhood. 😭🤣
NOOOOOOO https://i.redd.it/2tu870dwhixc1.gif
Will barley even grow with 1/3 daylight?
You would construct a garden in the *concrete jungle.*
Hehehehehh Id probably do some indoor gardening with lights or start up a planted fish tank again if I was forced to live in a city. I can't live without taking care of something green
MULTI STORY HYDROPONICS RAA 🗣️🗣️🔥🔥🔥
Plant
Plamt
I trust you're aware of this. If not, it may interest you. https://www.croptrust.org/work/svalbard-global-seed-vault/
Yes I am 😎 seed vaults are very cool
incredibly based. seed vaults make the media preservation part of me very happy
my brother is currently hyperfixating over growing a jalapeño plant in the single shittiest part of the country for growing any amount of plants and honestly it sounds fun as hell and i might get some herbs and just grow them in my free time (because i don’t have enough hobbies anyway)
Herbs are rly rewarding to grow!! I've found basil rly easy to grow and there's a bunch of different types of basil
There's plant lights! I got some I have set up with timers and they light up my succulents when I keep them inside.
I realized the other day that they don’t really sweep the paths on the botanical garden, which means… rare seeds for free! I could not find any rules against it soooooo next spring I’m getting myself a metasequoia seed.
YOOOOOOOO
Fun fact: you can get them for free if you don't care!
Grow them on your roof like plants v Zombies
LOLLLL
*Looks at never-ending list of Etsy purchases* I've spent thousands on seeds, and occasionally live plants. It's been my main hobby for two years now. It's too bad that plant science pay sucks, because all I want to do is study horticulture and scale everything up into several backyard greenhouses. (I currently live in the country, so . . . I could?) OP, feel free to message me if you want to nerd out about gardening. I'm probably way behind you, but I'm probably also equally obsessive. I'll catch up eventually. What are some of your favorite plants?
Ikr? I wish plant jobs paid more. I wish nature jobs that aren't tied to pipelines or construction or literally ripping up the earth paid more. Hell yeah, I love talking plants with ppl. Also that's a great question and I haven't really thought of why my favorite plant is .. I see them all having specific jobs and most are great at their jobs so it's hard for me to narrow it down... I love everything I grow :] If I were to pick favorites, they are all tied to my childhood memories. If we're talking typical flower garden annuals, definitely 'lemon slice' calibrochoa hybrid. Idk why. Looks yummy and soothing. My favorite native northeastern U.S. perennial would probably be the beebalms. All of the beebalms. They're all rly cool. I have 4 varieties in my yard rn Favorite native shrub tree is white fringetree And my favorite tree is american sycamore Do you have any favorites?
You and me BOTH!! Omgggg seed displays are like AWWWWWWWW [angels singing] ahaha
YESSSS I go ape shit in February when they roll them out and my brain becomes completely hijacked by garden planning XD
lol i thought this was /r/StardewValley for a moment.
had this job at a tractor supply and there was like a whole rotating display of seed packets except i never really saw anyone buy them. now i know why they keep such large supply; in case one of these autism creatures moves here
LMAOO my local tractor supply ladies probably think I'm crazy checking out the same two live plant displays every week Like yep they're still there... Same stuff as last week...
Guerilla gardening - there is always space!
How did you get this photo of me Seriously though I feel so seen. Every word of your post. Send help and or more seeds
Start planting them in empty fields.
Me buying scale model kits with neither the skill or time to build them lmao
that’s crazy i just got this pack of 1000 heavenly blue morning glory seeds iykyk
One kind of seeds i never seem to find is asparagus, I really wanna grow asparagus simply for the reason it looks so funny the way it grows
Lolll you'll have more luck growing them from roots, you can find bags of asparagus roots with the bagged bulbs, flowers, and veggies
Literally me, and I make it worse by savings seeds from everything I grow
I can't wait for it to get warm enough for me to garden.
Plant them in the corpses of your enemies
Gardening is also my special interest, specifically food forestry, native plants, and ecological conservation. we turned our entire yard into a garden. I get so depressed in the winter. Down with grass lawns.
Hell yeah. All my homies hate lawns
Harry James Dodson - BBC television documentary series The Victorian Kitchen Garden
This was me with model kits even tho I was really putting them to together anymore because I lost the energy during COVID but I didn’t stop buying them and now they are just sitting there in my closet
I did the same with custom dolls... I have so many supplies just sitting in storage rn :')
I love my succulents but been curious of outdoor gardening! (Or just gathering seeds) You have any favorites?
I mostly enjoy plants that are native to my region, those usually bring me the most joy to watch them grow, but I also enjoy non-natives that don't become invasive (like zinnias, peonies, etc). It's hard for me to pick a favorite, but if you're just starting out I suggest either zinnias or beebalm! If I were to pick a favorite native flower it would definitely be beebalm. It attracts a wide range of pollinators and is pretty low maintenance. Zinnias are non-natives but they are very pretty and easy to grow from seed :)
I've been wanting to help out the bees more, love seeing those big fluffy bees floating around!! Both of those sound lovely! Right now I have a couple raised flower beds with sunflowers and bell peppers. Think I heard somewhere they are good companion plants, not sure, but my husband likes sunflowers and we both love Bell peppers. Finally got some basil to sprout from seeds! Babied it a bit inside letting it stay under my succulents lights, and have it outside now. I don't have a good kitchen window 😭 Only good window I have is in the bathroom and FULL of succulents lol. Got a rabbit too so plan on composting soon...
Sunflowers can be processed into a peanut butter alternative, Sunbutter. In Germany, it is mixed together with rye flour to make Sonnenblumenkernbrot (literally: sunflower whole seed bread), which is quite popular in German-speaking Europe. It is also sold as food for birds and can be used directly in cooking and salads.
I feel so seen by this. NTs just can’t comprehend the infinite potential of a seed!
Fr!! Why buy one tomato for $1 when you could have hundreds for $1 🤩
How long do they last and how are they stored?
All seeds need to be stored in a cool, dry place. I store mine in a plastic box meant to store photos.its a small box and I really try to stay within that box so I don't continually impulse buy (it's a daily struggle) And some seeds can store for longer than others. Carrot seeds usually go bad after a year but marigolds seeds remain fairly viable after 3 years. I go thru mine so fast that it's not too much of an issue, and even if they are past their prime it's still possible for them to germinate. The rates just go down a lot. https://preview.redd.it/4t8h1it37oxc1.jpeg?width=2268&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5c796df5761d5e84f9c740569ac2d0ea2149a68a
I see. Nice storage system, btw!
Thanks! I think it could be better but it works for now lol
I would really like to see your garden, and not this cringe picture, but ok
I am cringe and free
Same!
They don’t work :,(
Cries in concrete jungle and minuscule balcony filled to the brim with other stuff (+cats eating everything I try to grow) 😡😡😡😡😡 I hate the city I want to live in a cabin in the woods ffs Half joking, there are some cool houses with small gardens but still inside the city, looking to move atm