Seed sowing for me, starts in February and is a continual process over the following weeks. From the seed trays, the seedlings are repotted into plastic drinking cups. These are the preferred pots at this stage as they are deep enough to encourage root growth, use very little compost and I can label the pot itself. Most of the excess seedlings are given away so there is very little waste with sowing too many seeds, I can usually find homes for them.
It means that if I manage it reasonably well, more seed sowing space will be available as the previous seedlings get repotted and as they get rehomed, it makes space for the up-and-coming new batch of seedlings. In theory at least, it works. I have already found homes for my excess tomato seedlings as well as the yacón and oca tubers.
Some of the cold or winter sowings in milk and water bottles are beginning to get a spurt of growth so now it’s time to get the various troughs and containers ready for planting them up. Unfortunately, north of the border in the UK, suffers from late frosts so planting out too quickly can have devastating effects on young plants.
In the meantime, the greenhouse is reasonably comfortable for the rest of them. The Harlequin Mix sweet peas, sown in a milk bottle are already appearing out the top. Nasturtiums have had to be potted up and tomato plants are aleady in their final pots with just the hydroponic tank to fill and plant up.
A number of seeds have sprouted and are looking well.
Cucumber Passandra Ambercup Squash Kevendon Wonder peas French Bean, Amethyst Komatsuna Japanese Green Boy Kale, Nero di Tosca Shungika Spring onions, Darcy Peppers, orange and chilli Tree Spinach Korean Liquorice Mint Electric Daisy Perilla Shiso Orache, Purple and Red Basil, Greek, Red Rubin, Cinnamon, Mrs Burns Lemon, Thai Parsley Yacón Oca Harlequin sweet peas, Nasturtiums, various varieties Sunflower, giant single Balsam, Dwarf Bush Poppies, Large Pink and Opium Galtonia Candicans
There are more seeds sown but I am waiting for them to show their faces and those who have, will be looking for new homes soon.
Outdoors, the Japanese Wineberry, Arctic Bramble and Cocktail Kiwi are looking well with their new growth. The Chilean Guava has looked amazing all winter with its mop of green and pink leaves so I will look forward to seeing if it will produce fruit this year. The one branch which was covered in blossom last year was broken off by my neighbour’s rampaging little dog. Sadly the gooseberry and blackcurrant bushes I bought earlier this year aren’t doing as well as I thought they may, there’s just enough growth to show they are alive.
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