Hello and welcome (back) to the blog on this organic garden Friday. In Part 4, I wrote about having called into Martha Stewart’s radio show a few weeks ago when my seedlings were not sprouting properly. She told me to try a grow light and off I went to the local big box hardware store to pick one up which proved easier said than done.

I went to the gardening section expecting to simply ask to be directed to the proper shelf and instead I had to speak to three different people to get what I needed. I realize grow lights can be used for a variety of gardening (including the illegal kind) but they certainly don’t make it easy for someone just wanting to experience the pride of growing her own San Marzano tomatoes. I was starting to question why I wanted the grow lights myself. I now know I wouldn’t last long in interrogation – I was ready to admit to things I have never done. I finally left about an hour later with my four-foot shop light (that’s the fixture) and forty watt plant bulbs but minus $50.00 CAD.

I recruited a very handy person I know to install the grow light for me in my basement and pondered the impact of the grow light on my eco-footprint (and my wallet). I was faced with a dilemma – how can I be green and economical while leaving this florescent light on for ten to twelve hours a day? I learned that electricity in the Greater Toronto Area is cheaper and better to use on off peak times. Off peak is considered to be from 9:00pm to 7:00am, so I would have to flip day and night for my plants. They got the full effect of the grow light from 9:00pm to 7:00am and then basked in the basement’s natural light for the rest of the day. Within a week I noticed that some of my spindly/floppy seedlings were now standing ramrod straight (although still thin). Some of the plants actually looked healthy and full of life while others were droopy or had not come up at all yet.

Seedlings under grow light. Image courtesy of chiotsrun.com

I had bought a few more packets of tomato, zucchini and basil seeds from Martha Stewart’s line of organic seeds. I filled a few more planters and added them to the collection downstairs. To distinguish these new plants, I added the date to the label. I know that the Martha Stewart brand stands for excellence and I hope that extends to her seeds because I can use the help. I’m interested to see what the difference will be with these new seedlings having been under the grow light from the start. I have all my fingers and green thumbs crossed that this will work.

So now my total gardening venture including planters, seeds, dirt, plant food, grow light fixture, and special grow light florescent bulbs have cost me about $110 CAD. Normally my entire garden (not including the cost of replacement plants if necessary as it was for me last year) cost about $150.00.I’m hoping nothing else will be required now.

If you have any tips, tricks, stories or advice please share them with me—I can use all the advice I can get. Happy (early) gardening.

Mr Anthopolous please bring back Travis Snider.