Broccoli Failure

Each day, when I decide to sit down to complete my official garden plot layout (scaled on graph paper and everything!) I find myself feeling inept or maybe it's lethargy that I feel. Either way, I feel somewhat stuck or hesitant. I have drawn up a few sketches and I have a list of the plants I'm growing, but I'm not completely sure of how I want to approach this project. I know I will be doing several succession plantings (is that redundant?), and I will be trying my hand at some companion planting (ya know, marigolds with tomatoes...) but I'm still not set on my layout. Any suggestions?

But, what I can expand on (to an inappropriate extent) are my broccoli seedlings and the broccoli tragedy I've experienced as of late. You see, my seed germination had been going rather well and honestly, now that I'm writing this down, I can see how this could seem rather trivial, even silly. But, even in just a few weeks of buying, germinating, and starting seeds the seedlings have become family; they are my babies. Why else do you think they call it a nursery? I feel like a mother and feel that it's my duty to see my progeny succeed...or at least live!

The collards, marigolds, onions, and dianthus are all looking fresh, green, and perky. My broccoli, the same, until a week ago. It started with the poor little 1 inch green seedlings just looking a bit droopy, like a bed of sad puppies. I watered them a little extra and moved the flat away from such harsh sun. Then, they were wilty like old lettuce, so I just watched and waited. And finally(I guess I waited too long), they were all black and crunchy like raisinsfound under a car seat. I tried to salvage the little buddies for another week but to no avail. They are gone for good, and it's a true broccoli failure.

So, today I planted some more....and life goes on! I'm doing a bit of a mini-experiment; I planted half of the remaining broccoli seeds strait into the starting mix in little pods while the rest went into a moist "envelop" made of paper towels resting in a shallow dish and slid into a plastic baggie. I am curious to see which will grow faster or which will last longer than two days(which is the current record for broccoli in my makeshift plant nursery).

So as not to get too down about the broccoli and to remind myself that it's not too late, I've been concentrating on all of the other plants I'll be getting to grow this year. I thought I would share them with you. Hope you enjoy this list as much as me!

Since I am using this blog as my gardening journal there will also be information that may seem superfluous to some of you but vital to me. Next to some of the plants you will notice the date I started germination or planted the seedling indoors...it seems I am running a little behind but better late than never!

Listada de Gandia Eggplant (March 12th germination)

Peppers (purchasing transplants)

Tomatoes (purchasing transplants)

Tomatillos (March 12th germination)

Early Fortune Cucumbers

True Lemon Cucumbers

Black Beauty Zuchinni Squash

Golden Zuchinni Squash

Icicle Short Top Radishes

Dragon Carrots (Sown in cold frame 3/6)

Spinach-Double Choice Hybrid (Sown in cold frame 3/6)

Romaine Lettuce-Parris Island Cos

Grand Rapids Loose Leaf Lettuce

Georgia Southern Collards (March 1st germination)

Baby Choi Cabbage

Genovese Basil

Cilantro

Rosemary

Sage

Harris Model Parsnips

Purple Top White Globe Turnips

Burpee's Golden Beets

Early Wonder Beet

Austrian Crescent and Red Potatoes

Yellow of Parma Onions (Feb. 25th germination and sown in cold frame)

Evergreen Long White Bunching Onions

Sugar Bon Snap Peas

Provider Green Beans

Fiskeby Soy Beans

Buttercup (Burgess Strain) Squash

Butternut Squash

Amish Melon

Moon and Stars Watermelon

Birdhouse Gourds

Sweet Corn-Perfect Picnic Hybrid

Marigold (March 1st germination)

Dianthus (March 1st germination)

Scabiosa

Sunflowers

Butterfly Flower

Babys Breath-Covent Garden White

Cosmos

Aster

Zinnia

Cornflower

Petunia

Larkspur

Calabrese Broccoli (Feb. 25th(failed) and March 11th germination)