- Heart & Soil Newsletter
- Posts
- Growing Mondays: Grow fast, fail fast, (learn), grow again fast. Growing from seed this autumn.
Growing Mondays: Grow fast, fail fast, (learn), grow again fast. Growing from seed this autumn.
Be unreasonable
Jo Hunter Adams
March 09, 2026
Hi! I'm Jo, writing from Heart & Soil homestead, a 1-acre homestead in the Far South of Cape Town, South Africa. Every week I share inspiration and education for your growing journey. Thanks so much for reading!
Welcome to Growing Mondays, where I talk about growing- vegetables, fruits, animals and people.
Don’t let anyone tell you what’s what. If we want to change the world, we need to be unrealistic, unreasonable, and impossible.
It’s been super difficult to grow staples that feel nourishing, and though we have a long way to go, unusual sweet potatoes are making a sizable contribution.
Today I wanted to propose that you try the impossible, the improbable, or the unrealistic. You never know what will happen. I’m so grateful for the people who buy or share strange, exotic seeds that are unlikely to grow in Cape Town.
We have 4 large bunches of bananas ripening right here in the windy, sandy, low-rain deep south right now…10 years of unlikely growth— and a lot of greywater— has brought us here. Last year we harvested over 60kg in bananas.
When I hear about unlikely agricultural projects, I’m so grateful. Those unlikely projects are, at worst, data on what doesn’t work. At best, they pave the way for the next person. It can be reassuring or comfortable to be the voice of reason, or the person who says that something cannot be done.
Harvesting some of our white sweet potato. Supplying staples one week at a time.
Growing from seed this autumn
Carrots, beetroot, lettuce, radishes, swisschard, peas, broad beans (in fact any cheap seed where you’re willing to take a low-stakes risk) can be direct seeded. Carrots and lettuce are EASY to save seed from.
Microgreens can be grown in pure coconut coir. Sunflower microgreens take just 7 days to grow, so if you know you’re running low on lettuce, grow some microgreens.
Growing from seed requires a medium that both retains water and drains well. We use vermiculite, perlite, worm castings and coconut coir. You can come and see our mix anytime.
Seed requires frequent watering, but not too much. Figuring out water just requires practice, observation and attention. Don’t tell yourself you can’t do it. If you don’t have enough attention right now, just remind yourself that this is about attention and observation, not some unlearnable skill. I kill a lot of seedlings, and I also grow a lot of seedlings.
Seedlings require light and warmth without too much wind or burning sun. But this doesn’t have to be perfect! Leggy seedlings can often correct themselves when planted out. Too much shade tends to be better than too much sun.
Make sure animals can’t get to your seedlings. Seedlings have so much nutrients and are attractive to animals of all kinds!!!
Don’t worry if you don’t succeed. You always have time to try again and again. If you need free recycled trays or pots, you can come and get from us anytime- they’re dropped off here and can always be cycled out.
sunflower microgreens, our staple.
Coming up:
Next week Tuesday (17 March) I’ll be in Jo’burg to speak at the South African Human Rights Commission’s National Investigative Hearing into the Food Systems of South Africa. If you’ll be there or have advice for me on sharing the story and experiences of the Agroecology Hub and our community, I’d love to meet and learn from you.
18-19 April Our son Eli Emerson Adams (13) will be having the first exhibition of this year’s paintings, right here at the farm. Save the date!
If you are enjoying our newsletter, please consider forwarding on to someone in your community! If you received this from a friend, you can sign up here
Reply