This year I have decided to start along the road of “self-sustainability” by attempting to grow my own vegetable, fruits and herbs. This even has the added benefit of bringing a little bit more nature and greenery in my twenty-two square meter, fourth floor apartment building.
The journey began a few weeks ago when I planted my first batch of seven herbs. These have, however, sadly already perished. Therein lies my first lesson of botany: young seedlings do not like to live in a place where the temperatures continuously vary by approximately ten degrees centigrade as a window just besides them is opened and shut again and again, leaving cold and refreshing breezes of the Dutch winter wind to slowly but surely freeze them to death.
Armed with this knowledge, it is now time for phase two of my project. Despite the fact that my new packets of herb seeds have yet to be bought, I did have my vegetable and fruit plants for the summer months prepared: strawberry, cucumber, bell pepper and cherry tomato seeds have now officially started their journey of growth in various biodegradable pots and egg cartons. This time around I made sure that they all reside as far from opening doors and windows as possible. I still have a packet of radish seeds (and new herbs) to go, which can immediately be sown outside in March, however they have to wait for the time being until we restock on dirt.
I expect the first sprouts to come up in about 1-2 weeks time and will most definitely update their progress here once this happens!