"Plants Want to Grow"

When instructing my girlfriend, who was helping me transplant tomato seedlings, I gave the usual advice to watch with the roots and be careful in general with the little leggy seedlings, but added "don't stress about it too much, whatever we do with them, plants want to grow." A couple of weeks later on my first day at my new farm job, our farm manager quoted the same phrase as one of her favorite sayings, something she had learned from a mentor during her apprenticeship.

This is really key advice. Especially for someone like me who had a hissy fit when she realized that two days after transplanting was the wrong time to leave those tomato plants out in 40 degree weather. I am trying to learn not to stress about my garden, which is something I get so much enjoyment out of when I'm not freaking out. More than half of the 100-plus tomato seedlings that I planted look like they will survive. My 70 or so broccoli are looking big and healthy. My new source of stress? I drew up a garden plan for the approximately 250 square feet of beds I have laid out and realized I don't have room for all my seedings and seeds! Somehow I will figure it out. Next weekend is after the last frost for this area, so I should have lots more updates soon!

Broccoli seedlings - the first ones I planted, not quite ready to go outside.

Tomato seedlings - planted too late for an early harvest, but many did survive the cold weather.

My rough garden plan. Yes, that magnet says "Jesus is coming, look busy."