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Environment, Lifestyle

My Plant Diary: Documenting the remarkable growth

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6.6 Plants Diary

It’s time for the big reveal! About two months ago, I started collecting seeds from the vegetables I prepared. Keeping the healthier seeds, I laid them out to dry under the sun. Once they were dried, I could begin my little project – to grow my own vegetables.

Capsicum seeds
Capsicum seeds

One of my favorite seeds to collect – Capsicum seeds.

It fascinates me how one capsicum can have so many seeds where each seed has the potential to grow several capsicums. Nature never ceases to amaze me.

Butternut squash seeds
Butternut squash seeds

For those who don’t recognize these seeds, they’re extracted from butternut squash.

Watermelon seeds
Watermelon seeds

It’d be easy to mistake these as insects, but they’re watermelon seeds.

Plastic Egg Carton
Plastic Egg Carton

Our family occasionally buys our eggs in plastic cartons (which I’m not proud of), but we’ve definitely cut back on our purchases. And I’ve kept the cartons to reuse later. Now is the perfect time for that.

With three different kinds of seeds, I had a carton for each – Capsicum, Butternut Squash, and Watermelon.

My gardening tools for mini plants
(Here is a photo of my tools)
Planting seeds into dirt
Watermelon seeds

Once I filled the egg cartons with dirt, I dug a small hole and dropped the various seeds inside. I tossed a pinch of capsicum seeds because I thought it’d be amusing to watch a bunch sprout.

Plants Timeline

Dirt-filled cartons
Day 1
March 9
Day 14

2 weeks later after I planted the seeds…

  • The butternut squash seeds grew unexpectedly fast (and strong).
  • The watermelon seeds started pushing its way up to the surface.
  • The capsicum seeds are still nowhere to be seen.
Plants growing strong
Day 21
Close up photo of plant
Close-up photo on the leaves

But one week later, everything started crawling out.

  • The squash leaves were growing at such an alarming rate. Every single seed was growing.
  • The watermelon plant was starting to grow new leaves.
  • Not to forget, the capsicum seeds are starting to break through the surface.
Butternut Squash Plant
Day 35
Butternut Squash roots
Close-up photo on the roots

Another two weeks later…

It was too big to fit in the carton anymore. I had to relocate the squash seedlings to a new pot.

Relocation of plants complete!
Relocation Phase Complete!

I didn’t have enough pots so I decided to reuse the plastic cups from all the bubble tea I drank. But first, I had to drill some holes at the bottom to allow the excess water to flow out.

Plant Results

Capsicum seeds growing strong
Capsicum

Here are the results so far!

I definitely threw in too many capsicum seeds, but it was fun to watch it grow.

Almost-dead watermelon plant
Watermelon

Unfortunately, the watermelon seedlings failed to survive (though one is miraculously still alive even though it’s slanted).

I either overwatered them during the most humid days or left them in the sun for too long, and they dried out.

Butternut Squash Plant
Butternut Squash

The squash seedlings are still growing strong. Hopefully, I’ll get some butternut squash in a year or less, if it can survive that long. For those interested in learning how to care for a butternut squash, here’s a plant guide to help!