Every gardener knows that not every seed becomes a plant, and this season has been a great reminder of that for me. Today I’m sharing an honest update on some of my seedlings that started off strong but unfortunately didn’t make it — and what I’m doing next.
Sweet Peas: A Heartbreaking Freeze
I was so excited about my sweet peas this year. I started them the old-fashioned way using toilet paper rolls and paper towel rolls as biodegradable containers, and they were growing beautifully. When it came time to begin the hardening off process, I made a mistake that a lot of gardeners make — I forgot them outside overnight. We had an unexpected freeze, and unfortunately none of my sweet pea seedlings recovered. If you want to see how they looked before things went wrong, I have earlier videos documenting their progress. The good news is I’ve started a fresh batch indoors, so stay tuned!
Stock Seedlings: So Close, Yet So Far
The same fate met my stock seedlings. After my first attempt with 60-cell trays failed to take off, I switched to the soil blocking method and was thrilled with the results — they were doing great! But once again, the hardening off process got the better of me. I left them outside in temperatures that were too cold, and they didn’t bounce back. It’s a tough lesson, but an important one: always keep a close eye on the forecast when transitioning seedlings outdoors.
Growing Herbs: Third Times the Charm
Herbs have been my biggest challenge this season. This was actually my second round of attempts using 6-cell trays, and despite trying everything — switching from a basic seed starting mix to a blend with worm castings for added nutrition, using humidity domes, and trying both a heat mat and a humidity dome on separate attempts — none of my six trays germinated. Not one.
In the past I’ve had great success starting basil, dill, cilantro, and borage from seed indoors. But this season I wanted to push myself and try chamomile, rosemary, oregano, thyme, and mint — and none of them cooperated. After two failed indoor attempts, I decided to try starting them outside and posted a video of that experiment. Fingers crossed!
Despite the setbacks, I’m feeling optimistic! I’ve been out in the garden doing prep work in anticipation of our last frost date, getting everything ready so I can start moving things outside once the hardening off process begins for my successful seedlings. There’s still a lot going right this season, and I’ll be sharing updates on those wins very soon.
Gardening is all about learning, adapting, and trying again. If you’ve had similar struggles this season, know you’re not alone! Drop a comment below and let me know what’s been challenging for you this year.
Chat soon! 🌱
Keri