One of One Hundred-Eleven

No, I didn't plan it this way, but somehow I wound up with 111 broccoli plants that germinated and survived my somewhat haphazard basement seed-starting system (as in if you are a plant in this house, you may get watered and you may not, depending on how busy my day is...good news is I take better care of my kids).

These plants are pretty happy little campers with this wonderful weather we have been having.

And yes, they are all spoken for! (To be eaten fresh (raw), lightly steamed (with cheese sauce, yum! or in stir fry or even just as is), and lastly blanched and frozen to enjoy all next winter sauteed or in Broccoli Cheese Soup when the snow is swirling and bitter winds are whipping).

Mmm....

Costs to date:

Seeds: started 114 plants cost of approximately $2 (had on hand) 3 did not germinate

Seed Starting Trays: 5.95 + 3.30 = 9.25 (bases/lids get reused but will count full cost)

Dixie Cups for transplanting up: (.03 each) 69 x .03 = 2.07 (will be reused but I will count it as an up front cost for the broccoli)

Soil for cups: ~$2

Electricity: unknown but not more than a few dollars at the most

Shop Lights: (already owned)

Approximately $17.32, plus some of my time (less than two hours total)

Plant purchase equivalent: $66.60 (.60 per plant, going rate locally)

Approximate Savings: $49

Hourly Wage that I "earned" by growing the plants myself: $25 an hour

Now to see what kind of harvest we wind up with!

xoxo,

Chickadee

(straight from the Lodge where admittedly the seed starting gets a little out of hand each year but makes for some awesome end-of-winter therapy and happy gardening dreams!)