Although Valentine’s Day has come and gone, it seems appropriate to tell you about a little
indoor plant experiment I have going on right now. At Christmas, my former roommate Susan, who has managed to locate the world’s greatest gardening gifts ever since I started this blog, sent me a terrific gift that I will unveil to you patient blog readers when the season for actual gardening comes around.
But in the meantime, there was a smaller, more immediate part of the Christmas gift: A small “Valentine” kit, with a teeny-tiny pot, little strawberry seeds and the growing medium to plant them in.
I haven’t had much luck with strawberry 
plants outdoors, but thought it would be cool to try the kit indoors just to see what will happen. Susan and I coordinated by email: we would both plant our kits on January 21, mine here in Iowa on my chilly windowsill, and hers at her new house.
The growing medium arrives as a flat disc that requires a little water to expand out to a thick cylinder. It’s sort of like sea monkey dirt: you add water and the fun 
begins.
I planted the seeds and put my pot up on the kitchen sill, and but for a couple of days, have managed to remember to open the shade so the thing has some sunlight. It’s watery, often-snowy sunlight, but it still has to be healthier than the gloom in my kitchen without the shift in shades.
So far, nothing has broken the surface of the dirt, and I’m trying to take a lesson from the aloe and not water it every single day. We’ll see how it goes—even if I don’t end up with a ripe strawberry, it would be nice to see something green rise up from the dirt.
I saw little bulb-growing kits like that at Christmastime and though they were fun, but strawberries would be even better!
If nothing happens soon, you might want to consider putting some plastic wrap over the top of the pot to keep it a little warmer until it sprouts (and keep the water in). I did that last year and got pretty good results, and I’ve got some scallion seeds in a pot on my windowsill now, uncovered, and they’re not budging.
Isn’t it hard waiting for seeds to sprout? Jenny’s tip is a good one … I’ll be checking back to see if there’s been any action on the growing front. Don’t over-water!!
Interesting! I’m having a hard time getting anything but my tomatoes to sprout right now. I don’t know if my seeds are bad, or if the temperature/water/sunlight combination isn’t just right yet.
What a fantastic idea! *wafting growing vibes*
I had an amaryllis bulb for Christmas which shot up and is out now – possibly starting to go over.
(Have been lurking at your blog for a little while now.)
Here in Virginia, my little strawberry plant has not sprouted yet either – even though it sits in a very sunny, warm window. I covered the little pot with some plastic wrap this morning and will wait to see what happens. Fingers crossed.
My mom always put her pots to sprout in a gallon zip lock back with a few holes poked in the top.
Hmmm, yum strawberries. xx
That is a cute idea. I agree that putting either saran wrap or a large plastic bag over the plant will add humidity and encourage growth.
Jenny, that’s a great tip — thanks for sharing it!
Kate, yes…I now totally fear over-watering!
Jen(aside), there are so many variables…it’s often hard to pinpoint just what the problem is.
Nezza, I’m so glad you de-lurked! Thanks for the growing vibes.
Susan, I just added plastic wrap to mine, too…we’ll have to compare notes!
Cole, yes…some strawberries would be quite tasty…
Kristi, we’ll see if it works!
*sigh*
I don’t think the Valentine’s Day strawberry is going to make it. The plastic wrap was too late (if only I had thought of that at the start). Meanwhile, the window sill tomato, basil and oregano are doing great (especially the tomato and basil – the oregano seems more fragile, but given that my oregano from last year seems to have made it through our easy winter I’m not too worried). Looks like I’m not going to have any of my own strawberries this year. The birds would probably eat them anyway!
Susan, you’re right — they probably would eat them. But still…it’s so disappointing! :-) Glad the other plants are working out, though.