All of a sudden the seedlings under lights in the basement are evolving into plantlets. Their new leaves are miniatures of their true selves, and if it weren’t for the multiple varieties, for example of tomatoes, they would no longer need their labels. The tomatoes are hairy and give off their singular fragrance when stroked gently. Because their stems are not solid walls of tissue, they can be planted in garden soil right up to the first set of leaves and extra roots will grow out of the stem. This process will keep the plant as short and stocky as possible with a large root system to support the huge number of leaves and fruits it will produce in the coming months.

The marigolds already have their multi-pronged, shiny, symmetrical leaves. The Black Dragon coleus are getting their deep magenta coloration, still blotchy at this stage. The kale leaves have the characteristic saw-toothed edge and the milky blue-green color that the mature outer leaves will have. All this is happening to plants that are still, in most cases, less than an inch tall.