So last year I had some minimal success growing my first plant to seed – a lone Calabrian Chilli pepper that was the single survivor of a seed starting pod. It was glorious for me.
Fast forward less than a year, and my brain said “You should plant way more – like 200!” So I did!
Between the end of February and mid April I planted 20 types of tomatoes, 5 types of Calabrian chillies, (also using the seeds from last years winner) 3 types of Eggplants, 2 types of cucumbers, and 1 fun Zucchini strain (Zucchino da Fiore)
I started a bit early (nervous and excited) but I staggered planting as much as possible – figuring I could keep seedlings in the seed trays alive long enough to make the jump up to a 3 or 4 inch pot – then into a half gallon/gallon pot to go outside for a few weeks.
My setup is super ghetto, but with some astringent moving around, and bottom watering I was able to keep most of the plants happy and alive – even through they were in WAY TOO CLOSE quarters to each other.
I lost a few branches and leaves because of the clutter, but almost every plant has survived the multi stage potting up, and I’m starting to get a little less nervous (we’ll see what happens when they go in the ground 😂)
So here’s where we are now. About half the plants are potted up large enough to wait for the ground/container. I bring them outside every day – hoping I can start leaving them out overnight by next week.
I’ll post snaps of my seedling spreadsheet incase anyone has tips/concerns about certain strains, or are just curious.
Any frail/questionable plants you see had a tough go with some WAY TOO EARLY fertilizing (I’ll never do that again) but I only lost a few plants (albeit almost every single “Cherokee Purple” tomato – although I’m not surprised as those were the ONLY seeds I bought on Amazon 🙄 – on that note the “Cuore di Bue”, and San Marzano strains were also very bitchy about my mistake, and I’ve had to take extra care to try and save as many as possible.
So that’s about it! I’m still working on a garden plan, and could use some suggestions/help!
I’m building a 45 tomato “square foot” trellis for the Indeterminate tomatoes, will probably sparse out the chilli peppers between containers, my elevated raised bed, and the ground. Maybe a small trellis for cucumbers, and I don’t know wtf to do with the Zucchino da Fiore plants (the idea is to just harvest the edible flowers)
So, any words of wisdom, or warnings?
Aside from watering I’ve shifted my focus to the trellis, and amending my soil to get the ph up (could really use some helpful tips here)
Or maybe I’ve totally f**ked up, and they’re all doomed already 🤷🏻♀️
Anyhoo, would love to hear your thoughts!
Happy gardening! ❤️
John La Magna
P/S: For someone who don’t know “ADHD”
“Gardening with ADHD” in US English means exactly the same thing: gardening while having Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
It’s a concept that focuses on:
- Understanding the specific challenges individuals with ADHD might face when gardening (e.g., difficulty staying focused on one task, easily distracted, trouble with planning, forgetting to water or fertilize).
- Finding strategies, tips, and techniques to help people with ADHD garden more effectively and enjoyably (e.g., breaking down tasks, creating simple routines, choosing easy-to-care-for plants, using memory aids, turning gardening into a sensory-rich activity).
- Highlighting the therapeutic benefits of gardening for those with ADHD (e.g., reducing stress, improving focus, building patience, providing a sense of accomplishment).
In short, it’s about adapting gardening practices and approaches to suit the characteristics of someone with ADHD, while maximizing the positive impacts gardening can have on them.
