Time to start pepper plants from seed. This year I am planting bell peppers, Italian sweet peppers, corno di toro red peppers, jalapeno, northstar, biggie, serrano, pepperoncino, anaheim, Thai hot, ancho magnifico, fire ball and cayenne. I use self watering starting containers and place them in the kitchen oven and leave the oven light on. This provides the 80 to 90 degree F temperatures needed to sprout the seed. Once they sprout, I move them under grow lights for 16 hours a day and I keep them watered. When they have 2 true leaves they are transplanted  in individual peat pots and kept under grow lights until they are ready to set out in the garden the end of May.

Yesterday I set out some broccoli, cauliflower, green cabbage, red cabbage and kohlrabi.plants that were started from seed on March 2, 2013 (See my post dated March 3, 2013). These will all do well in the cooler spring weather. I should have kohlrabi to eat by May 1st!!

Last night's dinner guests celebrated St Patrick's Day and of course corned beef and cabbage were served along with boiled potatoes, boiled carrots and Irish soda bread. Dessert was chocolate cream pie!

All these recipes are in my cookbook, Dad's Home Cooking; Traditional Recipes for Preparing Healthy Family Meals available on Amazon.

Steaks on the barbie last evening for dinner guests! these were served with baked potato, corn on the cob and tossed green salad.

The first of March is the time to start some cole crop plants from seed. I started some broccoli, cauliflower, red cabbage and green cabbage. The seeds were planted in some recycled sterilized pots using purchased potting soil. I mark them with wooden labels than I have made so I can keep track of what has been planted. I will keep these inside until they sprout and then put them under a grow light. If I have a nice day I will move them out in the sun and bring them back inside at night. These should be ready to set out in the garden in about 1 month.