I performed a little experiment with the sugar snap peas this year. On December 31st, I planted some of the seeds in peat pots and placed them under a plant light inside; the rest I placed directly into the ground a week or so later. I wanted to know if the warmer conditions would give the indoor peas a jump start in their short but hopefully productive lives.
The indoor peat-pot peas sprouted in less than 5 days and have grown to over 8-inches tall in just 3 1/2 weeks. The outdoor peas just sprouted and they're about an inch tall.
I feel sorry for the peat-pot peas. Sure, they were quick to sprout and eager to grow, but they're spindly and appear ill-equipped for the transplant that they received today. The outdoor peas look robust and healthy and ready for the challenge of yielding up to a pound of peas per plant.
I can't help but be reminded of all the well-intentioned parents who want to give their children a jump start in life by planting them in front of the television and plugging in the Baby Einstein and Brainy Baby DVDs. Like the peat-pot peas planted under the artificial grow lights, these kids may appear to thrive early but may end up being spindly of mind, ill-prepared for the transplant into their adult environments.
I feel sorry for the peat-pot kids, too.
No comments:
Post a Comment