Chick With Broken Foot

Normallly, I do only one post every other Saturday, but today I am adding a second post about a little Rhode Island Red chick that has come to the Little Bit of Paradise Farm.

Baby chick needed a buddy to snuggle
with, so a toy lion worked.
Photo by Tracey R. Simmons 2016

Isaiah 43:20 The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the desert and streams in the wasteland...

Sometimes God send humans to provide and help His creatures. Adding another chick was not planned. Yesterday, when I went to a farm store to purchase some chicken items, I was surprised to see newly hatched chicks this late in the season. Of course, I had to go look, because they are so cute.

Being an animal rescuer, I notice things about or with animals that others don’t necessarily see. In one of the large tanks that housed the chicks, I saw one chick with her leg out in front, toes curled under. I knew something was wrong. I got an employee who has helped me with chicks before. He said something was broken. I offered to buy her to get her some help, but he couldn’t sell her because the rules (not the farm store’s rules, but state rules) of needing to buy at least six chicks at a time.

Although, I am a rule follower, I do realize that sometimes the rules are wrong for certain situations. When an animal is in need of medical help and someone is willing to put the time and money into helping, then there should be alternatives for said rules.

Why is there such a rule? It is because of people who think chicks, baby bunnies, and ducklings make great Easter presents – buy one and give it to their kids who mangle the poor creatures. Animals are not Easter toys or presents!

[How could a newly hatched chick end up with a broken bone(s)? Chicks can be mailed as long as they can get to the destination within 2 days. A chick can go without food that long because they are still absorbing nutrients from the egg. Unfortunately, the USPS and other shipping companies are not 100 percent careful with packages. I know from talking to employees that packages get thrown around, even packages marked with “Live Animal Inside.” I’ve heard some horror stories.]

I continued my shopping. As I was walking to the front to pay for my items, the same employee saw me and said, “Come on, I’m going to sell you that one chick.”

“What about the rules?”

“I spoke to my boss and told him I was going to sell her as a single chick. And he just looked at me.”

We walked back and I quickly spotted her amongst the many dozens of other chicks. The employee packaged the chick and wrote the info on the carrying box. I said, “What if they give me trouble up front?”

“Tell them, Brian said it was okay.”

Thanks Brian!

My grocery shopping was shot for this trip. I had to get the little chick home, get her hydrated, and get her some medical care.

Having been a former licensed wildlife rehabilitator, I wished I knew how to take care of the break, but I had taken care of injured and orphaned squirrels not birds. To get the chick help quicker, I called a wildlife rehabber I knew who specialized in small birds, as well as many other creatures. (The local farm vet isn’t open in the mornings.)

At least with my rehabber’s training, I knew of some first-aid things to do.  First, I knew the chick needed hydration. She couldn’t walk to the water or food dishes in the tank she’d been in. I also knew of a homeopathic remedy to give her to help with the injury and any pain. I’ve seen homeopathic remedies work wonders on animals.

I spoke to the rehabber on the phone. She wasn’t sure if the chick could be saved. She said if the chick had lost circulation, there was no hope. I asked her to at least try and to take a look. She agreed.

It would take a little over an hour to drive to the rehabber’s. With the circulation issue crowding my thoughts, I quickly sent a text to some friends to pray that the chick’s circulation was good in the leg and foot. I also prayed, determined that I wasn’t going to let negative thoughts take hold. Then, we started the drive.

I had put the chick in a nest of toilet paper to hold her in place and to cushion her while driving, but each bump in the road made me wonder if she was okay. She didn’t do the typical chirping.

Once we arrived, I held the little girl as the rehabber checked her foot, leg, and hip area. I was barely breathing - waiting and wanting good news.

“The circulation is good,” the rehabber said.

Wow! Thank you, Lord!

The little "shoe" made from cardboard to straighten the
chick's foot bones.
Photo by Tracey R. Simmons 2016

The chick was fitted with a “shoe” for her broken foot. I was instructed on how to cut new shoes, how to fit it, and how to tape it on, as this would need to be done if the shoe got soiled and as the chick grew. But the rehabber was worried about the chick not putting up a cheeping fuss.

Home we went and the fussing began along the way. Yeah! I had to be careful of my speed. I didn’t want a speeding ticket on top of the now expensive chick. Yes, I paid the full price $2.99 plus tax for a broken chick, and added a donation to the rehabber for helping, plus my cost in gas.

Now able to stand, but wobbily. Muscles
need to strengthen in her hip area.
Photo by Tracey R. Simmons 2016

Still the chick wasn’t out of the woods, so to speak. Dehydration can kill baby animals and birds quickly. I worked all afternoon into early evening to get the chick to drink water from an eyedropper – rehydrating her with each drop. I also mixed organic plain yogurt with organic chick started to start her food.

At 7:35pm, I heard little cheeping sounds; I went in to check on the chick. She wanted to eat, and I helped - holding a spoon of food up to her little beak. About an hour later, chirping sounds brought me back to check again. She was eating - on her own.

Wow, what a great sign. This is still a critical time for the little chick, but with each passing hour and each improvement, her chances of surviving increase. 

Light for warmth, food, and water in smaller dishes for
safety reasons.
Photo by Tracey R. Simmons 2016

As with Pippin, this little chick could also use your prayers for healing and strength. Sh still has a long road to recovery with lots of 'ify' things along the way.

The Animals Can Teach You

Spritzen, Pippin, and Deaf Dog Hope
Photo by Tracey R. Simmons 2016

Job 12:7-10 For ask now the animals, and they will teach you; ask the birds of the air, and they will tell you; Or speak to the Earth and it will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who not to recognize in all these that it is God’s hand which does it. In His hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind. (Amplified Bible)

Pippin O'Chi
Photo by Tracey R. Simmons 2016

Animals give me life and have taught me many things. God has given me a love for animals that many people do not understand, and that others have made fun of me for, but that is how God made me.

I know animals are important to God. He created them first. And to those Christians who have told me that God was just practicing before creating humans, think about this: Why would God need to practice? He is God!

This coming Tuesday, June 28^th, it will be one year since I lost my beloved Koda suddenly and unexpectedly at just four years old. It has taken time to heal, and Pippin O’Chi had all four of her paws in that healing process for me. She has snuggled with me, licked away hurts, and played & been goofy making me laugh.

Then, in December, we added Spritzen Nala O’Chi to the pack. She makes a wonderful playmate, big sister, and toy stealer to Pippin. She is concerned when Pippin has to have a bath – watching the process, and then checking Pippin all over after she has been dried. Spritzen also makes sure Pippin’s ears are clean.

Spritzen Nala O'Chi and Pippin O'Chi playing tug with one
Spritzen's toys.
Photo by Tracey R. Simmons 2016

What a pair they make, and I love them both dearly!!

Pippin O’Chi turned a year old on March 15, 2016.  We are still dealing with her immune system. Her fur is still thin, but she no longer has sores.

The problem we have put off for as long as possible because of her immune system is her teeth. Not all her baby teeth came out. We waited because we didn’t want to tax her immune system with a surgery, but it can’t wait any longer. Next Wednesday, June 29^th, one year and one day after losing Koda, Pippin is scheduled to have the surgery needed to remove all those baby teeth.

Spritzen won’t know what to think with Pippin being gone for the day. They have never been separated before. When Spritzen had to go to the vet for shots, Pippin came with her; helping Spritzen deal with her fears.

This surgery is troubling to me. I know that I should just pray and give it all up to God – my own fears for Pippin’s wellbeing through the surgery, but I am going to ask for your help as well, to add your prayers for Pippin to get through the surgery without complications - Matthew 18:19-20 says: Again I tell you, if two of you on earth agree about whatever they may ask, it will come to pass and be done for them by My Father in heaven. For wherever two or three are gathered in My name, there I Am in the midst of them.

Chick Fever

Chicks just a few days old the first week of March 2016
Photo by Tracey R. Simmons

Chick Fever struck at the Little Bit of Paradise Farm back in February. Symptoms started after seeing chicks at a farm store. Yes, it was still winter, but getting chicks early means getting eggs in summer rather than fall or later.

After seeing the baby peeps, the chick fever progressed quickly. The symptoms included: continuous thoughts about baby chicks, what kind I wanted to add to my flock, the desire to listen to those little chicks peeping noises, and wanting to hold them & watch them grow.

Rhode Island Red chick on April 15, 2016
Photo by Tracey R. Simmons

Out came my chicken books and to the library I went to get more books on chicken breeds. I had purchased a few books when I started chicken hobby farming two years ago. I wanted to be a responsible and informed chicken keeper before I started then, and needed to do more breed research now. **I believe if you are going to have any kind of animal, you should be educated on how to take care of that animal prior to getting it. I know of people who jump into getting an animal without doing any kind of research, and they do not know how to take care of that creature correctly. In my opinion, that is irresponsible and it can be detrimental to the animal(s) wellbeing.**

Chicks in mid-April in a bigger house.
Photo by Tracey R. Simmons 2016

I had gotten Silver Laced and Golden Laced Wyandottes two years ago after we had a really cold winter. I wanted chickens that would be cold hardy and not have troubles with getting frostbite. These girls are beautiful chickens, but don't lay like I'd like and can be broody. With my current breed research, I decided on Black Australorps and Rhode Island Reds.

**In the first picture above, you can see the Black Australorps are yellow and black. It is so fun to watch how some chick breeds change in color(s) as they grow. With the Black Australorps the yellow changes to white, then the white slowly disappears, and the black feathers take on a green sheen when the light hits them just right.**

When I began my flock, I wanted to raise my chicks in an organic way. I feed all organic food, not just their grains, but I supplement with organic carrots and various other veggies. The eggs I have gotten from the Wyandottes have bright yellow yolks, taste wonderful, and have a creamy texture - and this comes from a person who never liked eggs other than deviled eggs as a kid! I hope when the new girls start laying, that their eggs will be just as good. The Australorps may start laying by the end of July. The Rhode Island Reds should start in later August.

Chicks in their outdoor pen June 11, 2016
Photo by Tracey R. Simmons

The new chicks continue to grow and get more feathers. Now, they are housed beside the older girls in a seperate pen.

It can be difficult to tell each breed's chickens apart from one another. I have thought about getting different colored leg bands so that I can name them and tell them apart. For now, I have one Rhode Island Red who likes to come up to me and peck on my arm. I've thought about calling her "Pecky Sue."

Black Australorp Chick on June 11, 2016
Photo by Tracey R. Simmons

Orginally, I thought about calling the Black Australorps by various names related to black, and the same with the Rhode Island Reds - like Ruby, Rosie, etc. For now, they are just the girls, or "chick, chick, chicks" as I call to them.

My journey as a hobby chicken farmer continues. This summer I will be working on getting their chicken tractor mobile to allow them protective access to grasses and weeds. Plus, I want them to decrease the tick population around the farm; and maybe they can do the same with the grubs that are causing such a mole problem! Only time will tell.

Rhode Island Red Chick on June 11, 2016
Photo by Tracey R. Simmons

Memorial Day and Some History about Arlington National Cemetery

There is a place filled with haunting beauty, yet deep sadness and sorrow causing tears to flow. It is the final resting place for many of our military men and women, some having given the ultimate sacrifice – the loss of their life during times of war.

This hallowed ground is Arlington National Cemetery located in Arlington, Virginia. More than 250,000 military graves stretch across 624 acres of rolling green hills, dotted with trees - some being several hundred years old. It is a tribute to the service and sacrific of our military men and women.

Originally, the Arlington house was built as a memorial to George Washington by George Washington Parke Custis. Custis was the adopted grandson of our first president. Custis had one child, Mary Anna Randolph Custis. Mary Anna married Robert E. Lee, future commander of the Confederate Army. Some have thought Lee owed the property, but under the will of George Washington Parke Custis, Mary Anna had the right to live and control the house for the rest of her life. Upon her death, Custis' will stated control would pass to Mary Anna and Robert's eldest son - George Washington Custis Lee.

In 1861, just weeks after the beginning of the Civil War, General Lee wrote to his wife. He expressed his desire for her to move for her safety. Mary Anna did not want to leave her beloved Arlington house, but did so for her well-being.

The federal government levied taxes against the Arlington estate, stating they had to be paid in person. Mary Anna could not possibly pay the taxes in person, because of her husband's position in the Confederate Army. The property was seized by the federal government. On January 11, 1864, the property was offered for public sale, being purchased by a tax commissioner for “government use”.

The Arlington propery become a military cemetery. On June 15, 1864, Arlington National Cemetery was established by Brigadier General Montgomery C. Meigs of the Union Army. Under Meigs' orders, the first monument was built using stone and masonry, and was the final resting place for 1,800 Bull Run Union casualties.

When the Civil War ended, neither Lee or Mary Anna tried to recover possession of the Arlington property. After General Lee died in 1870, George Washington Custis Lee, eldest son of Mary Anna and Robert E. Lee, brought legal action, stating the land had been illegally confiscated. In December 1882, the U. S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Custis Lee, returning to him the property rights. Just a few months later, congress purchased the property from Custis Lee for $150, 000.

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, also called the Tomb of the Unknowns, is a part of Arlington. It is located on a hill with Washington D.C. in view. Two Union soldiers, their identity unknown, were the first Unknowns buried at Arlington. Now there are nearly 5,000 Unknown Soldiers buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Seven words are carved on the Tomb: “Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known but to God.”

The Tomb of the Unknowns is guarded 24 hours a day, 365 days a year - rain, sleet, snow or shine. The sentinels change guard every hour on the hour during the winter. In the summer, the changing of the guard is every half hour during the daytime, and every hour on the hour throughout the night. The elite members of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment are the Tomb Guard sentinels; and they are all volunteers.

Each potential volunteer must meet the height requirements of 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet 4 inches tall, and have a flawless military record. They are required to memorize the Arlington National Cemetery history and the location of 300 graves. Further training is required to learn the “walk”, which contain a certain number of steps in between specific actions. Training is difficult, with various testing phases, only the best of the best will pass. Those who endure and pass will be ceremonially qualified, earning the right to wear the Silver Tomb Guard Identification Badge.

There are over 27 funerals services performed each day. Full military funeral honors are given to those military members who have died as a result of the wounds they received from enemy action.

Times of war to maintain freedom causes blood to be shed, ultimately causing tears to be shed. Those military members who survive their wounds as a result of enemy action, come home, make adjustments, and live with the consequences of their wounds. Those who pay the most cherished price for our freedom - giving their lives, come home in a casket draped with the American Flag. Arlington National Cemetery becomes the final resting place for some of those precious givers of their life to keep American free. We need to be grateful to them, for their family's loss, and finally for our freedom, because freedom is not free.

On this Memorial Day, I think of my father, who passed away far too young, and who served honorably in the Air Force. It is his footsteps I followed by serving honorably as well. I also think about my Uncle Jim and my cousin Jim, who served honorably, and thankfully are still walking this Earth.

Honeybees and a Struggling Beekeeper

In 2013, I was finally able to start on a journey to become a beekeeper. This was something I'd wanted to do for a number of years, but I had to figure out how to do it despite a disabled hand/arm, and get the money. It is expensive to begin, and to make matters worse, the honeybee population has been in trouble since the 1980's. Before that date, there were more bees than there was equipment available to beekeepers. Now there is plenty of equipment and less honeybees.

The "Bee" and "Butterfly" hives in 2013.
Copyright Tracey R. Simmons

To begin my journey, I took a beekeeping class and read through various beekeeping books. In addition, the beekeeper teacher and I discussed alternative ways for me to "work the hive".

The following is just a small dent of information I have learned:

Queen - at the egg stage, workers and a queen are identical. The future queen is fed royal jelly throughout her development from egg to larva to pupa to adult. This takes sixteen days. The cell the queen develops in is larger than those for worker bees.

Drone - a male honey bee. It takes twenty-four days for a drone to develop from egg to an adult. Drones are bigger than female worker bees. They do not have a stinger and do no work. (The Bee Movie is extremely incorrect - written by males who didn't do their homework.) The drones purpose is to mate with queens from other hives; and they die in the process.

Worker Bees - it takes twenty-one days for a worker to develop from egg through adult. The egg gets royal jelly for two and one-half to three days. After three days, their food is changed (lowered) in quantity and protein. Workers bees are females with undeveloped reproductive organs. They do all the work in a hive except laying fertile eggs.

As the adult worker bee ages, it will have different jobs to do. Workers take care of the queen, build comb, raise the young, guard the hive, clean the hive including removing dead bees, keep the hive either warm or cool depending on outside temperature, and they forage for food.

Worker forage for nectar, pollen, water, or propolis. This is dangerous work, since the worker can become prey to various predators, be killed by moving vehicles, or get into insecticides and even herbicides which have been linked to the major decline in the honeybee population worldwide. This is disturbing since we humans need the food honeybees pollinate, yet the humans who make or use these chemicals do no want to admit to the damaging effects these insecticides and herbicides are doing, not only to the honeybee, but to animals, birds, and even humans.

My 2013 journey was filled with frustration and zero answers to the problems I was seeing in my two hives. I never got to the point of being able to put honey supers on my hives, because the bees were just not working properly.

After the first winter (now 2014), I had one hive that barely made it through the winter. And the teacher I took the class with became involved. He tried to help me, because he saw the desire and drive I had to help the honeybee. As the hive struggled through the spring, I wondered about the plan he had. In late June, he brought frames full of brood and a new queen to put in my hive. He thought this would fix what was happening. The problem was not fixed. The population and work done never allowed for honey supers to be put on the hive. Despite plenty of food for the bees, to include a large candy board to help them through the winter, they died in early March 2015.

My only option to continue beekeeping was to hope for a swarm - to be called about a swarm and to capture it. That didn't  happen. I did not have hives to watch and observe for the summer of 2015 - something that actually is very relaxing.

It was a non-beekeeping friend who thought of the possible cause to all the troubles with my hives. She knew my hives were about fifty feet from a country road which is quite busy compared to other country roads. She asked if my hives were dirty - they were. She lived off a highway and knew how dirty her house was from the exhaust from all the vehicle traffic. Plus, as my adopted dad, a retired professional firefighter, told me - carbon monoxide is heavier than air and settles low. My hives sat lower than the road surface. I discussed this with the beekeeper teacher, and it was something he hadn't thought of, but worth pursuing.

Finally, a possible answer, and the fix - move the hives back more than two hundred feet from the road. The nice checked paver squares that my hives sat on would have to be moved. I was game if it got me back into being a beekeeper.

Now it is 2016, and after rolling two years worth of change, I had enough money to buy package bees. This is a screened box that has three pounds of bees in it, which is about 10,000 bees. It also has a queen with a few worker bees inside a smaller cage.

The "Bee" hive siting on the checked pavers.
Photo by Tracey R. Simmons

Last Monday, I got my package and put them in my hive. I hope to keep you informed on how my hive is doing throughout this coming summer. And I hope to get some wild honeybees I've been told about to put into my other hive. These wild bees are considered survivor bees and could help improve the gene pool in my area. Keep watching for new post...

Rose of Sharon Bush and a Friendship

Spring has sprung. The grass has become a luscious green, and weeds & perennial plants are starting to grow. Of course the weeds always do quite well, out growing everything else. Trees and bushes are beginning to leaf out, with the canopy in wooded areas closing in.

Yard work begins with picking up hundreds of sticks and moving them to big piles we've made over the years. These stick piles provide shelter and protection for little animals and birds.

The dead remains of the
Rose of Sharon Bush.

 A disappointment for me, was finding that my Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus Syriacus) had died. I was given a start by my friend - Bob. We had worked together. He was the oldest guy in the department - all jobs were male dominant trade careers, and he was the one most open to having female co-workers.

Bob was a plasterer, a master of his trade. Plastering is not drywall work. It is better than drywall and fireproof. Plastering is the old-fashion way of building walls, using lath and plaster, and it is an art which is being lost.

Bob was open to working with me and even teaching his trade. He taught me how to repair plaster walls. I never had an opportunity to build a whole wall on my own, but helped him with putting up the lath and mixing the plaster.

It was on many jobs that I watched Bob holding a hawk full of plaster and taking the edge of the trowel into the plaster, moving it out and away, while tipping the hawk towards his body. The first time he had me try this, I dumped the hawk full of plaster down the front of my dark green uniform. He chuckled, his big belly jiggling up and down, and told me, "Don't touch it. You'll make a bigger mess if you try to clean it off, because it will smear. Let it dry, and then it will come off in chucks."

Even after it dried and the chucks came off, I was still left with a filty uniform that I had to walk around in.

Bob and I would team up to do other kinds jobs as well. Once we went to check on a job - what needed to be done, what supplies we needed, etc. Bob was up on the ladder checking around a light fixture, when he suddenly let out a yip, jumping around on the ladder.

Startling me, I jumped back and away, thinking he was being shocked by electricity somehow. Then, with his hands over his head, Bob threw his hip towards me and shouted, "Get it, get it, get it!"

This only caused me to jump further back, but I said, "Get what?"

"Get my pager!"

I reached up and pulled his pager off his belt - it was vibrating. Bob always set his pager so he could hear it, but somehow it had been switched to vibrate. When it went off, it startled him...

I was so relieved that he wasn't being electrocuted, but I got so tickled at what happened, I started laughing until I had tears in my eyes....

Bob, his wife, and I became friends, even after he retired. When I finally became a homeowner, Bob gave me a start from his huge Rose of Sharon. That start just didn't want to grow, despite it being a plant that is suppose to grow well.

Two new shoots from the
Rose of Sharon Bush.
Photo by Tracey R. Simmons 2016

The interesting thing is that Rose of Sharon started to grow after Bob passed away suddenly. It even had two different colors of blooms, something Bob's didn't have. It grew to be over six feet tall, but then suddenly died for no apparent reason. This was upsetting, because it had become a way for me to remember Bob and the good times we had shared as friends and co-workers.

Last weekend, I trimmed off the dead branches. In the process, I found not one, but two new shoots from that Rose of Sharon bush. I feel like the Heavens above smiled down on me, causing that growth. And in return, I smiled back, was thankful, and remembered Bob.

Starting Vegetables and Perennials

Sometimes you learn the best through trial and error. I have done this while starting plants, and would like to pass on what I've learned to speed your progress in starting your own vegetables and flowers.

The items you will need to purchase:
* Grow Light
* Starter Soil
* Pots
* Seeds
* Fertilizer
* Container to hold pots

Grow Light - I purchased  a 4 foot fluorescent light fixture that holds two tubes (bulbs). You don't have to get an expensive fixture, but I do recommend that you make sure it is UL approved for safety. You will need to purchase the correct size growing lights to put in the fixture. (Growing lights are different than regular fluorescent lights.) I use a small-linked chain to hold my light. This allows me to adjust the height of the light from the plants.

Fluorescent Light Fixture with
Grow Light Tubes (bulbs).
Photo by Tracey R. Simmons 2016

Starter Soil - This is different than potting soil or top soil. It is lighter, making it easier for seeds to germinate and roots to grow down. I use organic starter soil.

Pots - I like to use 3 inch peat pots to start my plants. These pots allow you to transplant your plant into your garden - pot and all. This reduces the shock transplanting causes. As the pot breaks down, it adds nutrients to your soil. (When I am ready to transplant, I make vertical cuts in the side of the pot in the lower section. This allows the growing roots to get into your garden soil quicker and deeper.)

Seeds - your choice. If you want to grow perennial flowers, check the growing zone the perennial is rated for, making sure it is for your zone. If you get something that is for a warmer growing zone than you live in, the plant will not survive the winter - it basically becomes an annual. (Example - if you live in zone 4, and you buy perennial seeds rated for zone 6 and higher, it will grow the first year, but will not come back the next year. It will freeze out during the winter.) When it comes to vegetables seeds, they come in organic as well as non-organic. Organic seeds will not be genetically modified and will not have traces of harmful chemicals like pesticides on them.)

Fertilizer - Since I grow organically, I purchased fertilizers for organic use.

Container to hold pots - I use a plastic sweater totes. You need something because of watering pots/plants.

Now you are ready to get your seeds started. The starter soil must be moist. I pour it into a 5 gallon bucket and add water, mixing it around. This is the quicker method. You can just add water and wait for it to absorb into the starter soil, but it takes a lot longer.

Next fill your pots to just below the top, but don't pack the soil tightly.

Peat Pot with soil just
below the top.
Photo By T.R. Simmons 2016

Now it's time to add your seeds. Each variety of vegetable and flower has a different depths to plant the seed. You will have to read the planting instructions. Some seeds need light to germinate, others do not. In addition, seeds have different number of days it takes for them to germinate. This will all be on the planting instructions. (Starting plants should be done 6 to 8 weeks before frost for most plants. You can also start plants in the summer for fall planting.)

Since I start about 48 plants, I use a Popsicle stick to label each pot. You can keep it with the plant even after transplanting in your garden. The wood will decompose.

Once all your pots are ready with seeds planted, all you can do is wait for the seeds to germinate. Keep the pots moist, but not overly wet. You can add water to the whole tote and allow it to soak up through the peat pot.

Once your plants are visible, you will need to have your grow light just a couple of inches from the pots - this is what most people do not understand. Plants will reach for the light. If the light is far away from the plants, all growing energy will be put into the stem to get the leaves closer to the light source. An extremely long stem is thin and weak, so keep the light source close to the plants. As the plants grow, raise the light, but still keeping it close to the top of the plants. By doing this, your plants' stems will be thick and strong.

Grow Light just above the tomato plants.
Photo by Tracey R. Simmons 2016

When it comes to tomato plants, their first leaves are not the "true leaves". Once they get their true leaves, you need to start fertilizing them. All plants need fertilizer, but I use my tomato plants as a predictor of when to start using the fertilizer. (The starter soil doesn't have all the nutrients to keep plants growing strong. This is why you need to fertilize them.)

Banana Pepper and Perennial Flowers
Photo by Tracey R. Simmons 2016

Lastly, once your area is frost free, you can transplant your plants into your garden. Remember to make the vertical cuts in the side of the peat pot in the lower section to allow the roots to grow into your soil quicker.

Happy Planting!