A BUSY TIME IN THE GARDEN
The spring rush is just round the corner. Last year it was
in full flow at this time, but spring 2017 has been quite cool, so there has
been no rush to start outdoor seed sowing and planting.
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| Anna transplanting tomato seedlings |
Last year I planted my first early Casablanca potatoes on
the 20th March, but this year the soil has not yet warmed up so they
will have to wait a bit longer. The potatoes are all sprouting in their
chitting trays but not putting on any growth to worry about.
Sweet peas are very disappointing this year. I bought three
varieties to try but there was only ten seeds in each packet and I only got one
of my favourite Air warden to germinate. The seed company from Newmarket will
not be getting another order from me next year. Other seed packets were all
very sparse. Gone are the days when you sowed half the packet one year and kept
the rest for the next year. The sweet peas are very slow to grow so not yet big
enough to go outside on a warm day.
Trying out some new chrysanthemums this year, so my delivery
of plants from Harold Walker arrived on time with excellent strong well rooted
cuttings, which are now potted up. Existing spray type chrysanthemum stools in
the greenhouse are all growing well so a batch of cuttings was taken and will
root in a small heated propagator.
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| Dahlias showing new growth |
Dahlias boxed up a few weeks ago and kept in a warm place
are now beginning to grow so soon another batch of cuttings will follow for the
propagator.
Begonia tubers were beginning to sprout so they have
now all
been boxed up and put into my cold greenhouse which I give some supplementary
heating to on cold days and nights.
Broad beans and established geraniums are all growing well,
but with continual gales and cool weather they will need to wait a bit before
going outside to harden off.
Sowing continues with cabbage Kilaxy, cauliflower Clapton
and Brussels sprouts Crispus (all my clubroot resistant varieties) as well as
lettuce All Year Round, spring onions and beetroot Boltardy. These
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| Young seedlings |
Last year’s leek crop of Musselburgh was very disappointing
so this year I will try a different variety, Autumn Mammoth and sowing them
earlier, but because of the cold weather they have gone into trays and will
soon be needing pricked off.
Onions sown earlier are now all growing well and they are
now ready for pricking off as soon as we get some warmer days. If you are using
sets they can be planted at the first decent dry day onto well prepared and
enriched soil.
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| Rhubarb ready to pick |
As cooler weather limits what I can put outdoors for
hardening off the greenhouse is getting very cramped, but I am lucky with
having a lot of good windowsill space so my tomatoes are still indoors but
needing pricked out into cellular trays. Later they will go into pots and get
transferred to the greenhouse as the cooler atmosphere and better light will
keep them sturdy.
The cool moist weather is just perfect for lifting and
transplanting snowdrops and aconites in the green as they will get less
disturbance, and continue to grow for a few more weeks, before dormancy begins
and they die down for the summer.
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| Transplanting aconites in the green |
Rhubarb crowns have had an early start so pull a few fresh
shoots as soon as they are a decent size, and at this time of year they will
try and run to seed so remove these as soon as possible. Rhubarb is a thirsty
plant with its huge leaves and a gross feeder so give a fertiliser dressing
then a mulch of well rotted compost to retain moisture throughout the growing
season.
Wee jobs to do this week
Keep checking for
slugs and snails and put down some pellets where ever you are planting young
vulnerable plants such as salads, beans, sweet peas, as the mild winter has not
helped to reduce the numbers overwintering, and they will be feeling hungry.
Greenhouses with young seedlings and soft cuttings are a magnet as there are so
many places to hide underneath pots and boxes.
END
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