First seeds sown in 2012

Today I've sown the first batch of seeds for the year. I mark it as a big occasion. Its the start of a new journey for the gardening year. And (at the risk of getting all hippy on you all) its the promise of new beginnings from these little seeds.

Having recently studied a module of the RHS course on seeds I am even more in awe of these tiny objects. So, something new for me this year (having been a very slack gardener in the past) I washed out the plant pots and seed tray before putting the seeds into them. They deserve that, right? I'm asking these seeds to develop into things I am going to eat later in the year, so it seems fitting to actually treat them as something rather special.

So, this is what was sown today

On the non-edible front there is some Coleus -rainbow mixed, as I like them and need some more ground cover that isnt forget-me-not in the garden.

Edibles: 

Aubergine - early long purple 2

Onion - Ailsa Craig

Cauliflower - All year round

Basil - Sweet Genovese

Leek - Autumn Giant 3

Last year, youngest decided that she wanted to sow the seeds from her apple core. There were about 10 in all. 3 germinated. When they all had their 2nd set of true leaves I transplanted them into the same sized pots in the same potting mix, but they have grown at extraordinarily different rates which I just don't understand. There may have been a day's difference to when the first and last put out the seed leaves.

They've all been subjected to the same levels of sunlight, same amount of water, and same temp. It is quite odd. However, they all look healthy and really that's the main thing.

Also overwintering in my bathroom is one remaining cutting taken from a rosemary bush. I had 7 but they one by one died. I think, in retrospect that I probably damaged the heel when inserting them into the pot. I'm hopeful that this last one has now started to make some good roots and will be ready for planting out later in the year.

And finally, something that I have no idea what it is, except it was rescued from a pot at the end of the autumn. I know the 2 larger seedlings are forget-me-not (what else would they be, the stuff is EVERYWHERE in my garden. So if anyone has any thoughts as to what it might be then let me know. I'm erring towards either Yew or heather. Both of which have self seeded in my garden before.

January Planting Plan

Currently suffering quite a bit bout of depression which I am am writing bits about in another blog as part of my recovery, but I know that in the past my depression has been got through by growing stuff.

I had been meaning to go through my seeds at the end of last year and see what I have, what I need and make a list of when things need doing. It didnt happen.

This morning, in my drug induced haze, which seems to annoyingly slow down my movements and ability to do stuff but not my brain racing around I have managed to sort through the box of seeds and write a list of when each seed can be sown by month. 

Looking at the list its a bit frightening as it looks like there is loads to sow from Feb through to July, but everything is written down in *every* month it can be sown. I dont have to sow them each month. Must remember that.

For January - and I dont know when this will happen as it means organising myself to get into the shed, which I know is a mess, and I'm having trouble getting out of bed most days at the moment - is this:

All year round cauliflower

Ailsa Craig onion seed

Moneymaker tomato

Basil

Aubergine 

Lupin.

So there is a plan for what I would like to get sown this month. It wont take long to do once all the right things are to hand. That's the bit that is going to take the most planning; getting all the right things to hand.

Allotment plan for 2012

Have been meaning to get this sorted for a number of weeks. Its not a job that takes very long but needs doing so that next year isn't spent guessing where to plan things.
Its only a rough guide. Sometimes things have to move as either I've run out of space, or have extra space as something hasn't worked.
So the provisional plan for 2012 goes something like this:

Nothing should have been planted in the same location in the past 3 years. So far I haven't come across a huge number of plant diseases, but the whole plot is plagued by white fly (which I'm fairly sure will survive a nuclear winter) and flea beetles.

My aim is also to plant lots of summer annuals such as French Marigold, Calendula, Sweet Peas, Cornflowers etc. and dot them amongst the crops. Hopefully to attract in insect pollinators and also because they look lovely too. As I left most of them to seed this year I'm hopeful that I wont need to grow many from seed on purpose, but just move them from where ever they germinate. The same goes for the sunflowers (none of which were planted on purpose but all came from self seeding). These provided some windbreak for the plants this year as it is quite a windy site, and also good for attracting pollinators in.

Round where I plan on planting the peppers and aubergines I'm going to construct a roofless 'greenhouse' made from used squash bottles. Its an experiment and we'll see what happens...

A blog from the garden

Absolutely glorious morning here today. Have been itching to get out in the garden and tidy away the last of the summer toys that the kids had left out, and also sort and tidy the remaining peppers and chillies in pots.

The smallest of the peppers I really couldnt remember what they were. Fortunately one of the pots contained a label and the are Rainbow Mixed. I'm quite scared that some of the jalapeños have gone bright red. And the Cayenne de Chilli looks like it might be a bit punchy too. The Californian mixed are just turning from green to red. They can stay in their pots for a while longer.

On the racking there were pots of lupins, delphiniums and hollyhocks that had not made it into the ground earlier in the year. I managed to find a couple of gaps so most of them have a home now

They're obviously not at their best and had got quite pot bound, but they have a better chance of making it through the winter with a little more space to stretch their legs.

I had sown lavender seeds and 6 had made it through from germination to being pricked out. Sadly, due to neglect on my part, only one remains. 

I think I will bring it in for the winter so it stands more of a chance at getting watered occasionally.

My 'pretend' grass has had a good rake and the leaves bagged to make some lovely leaf mold.

One of the pepper plants which hadnt survived had this growing in it.

I'm not entirely sure what it is. Possibly a Yew seedling, or maybe one of the heathers that I have. Time will tell, unless there's anyone who can shed some light on it for me.

The remaining pots in the greenhouse have been packed away, and the cover removed for the winter again. The greenhouse has only been up for two seasons, but already the plastic is starting to degrade at the top.

This tree used to be a lovely specimen tree in my next door neighbours garden. When the new owner moved in about 10 years ago, he had the tree chopped down, but not before it had sent out new shoots under the fence into my garden. For years they did nothing but put out a couple of blossoms in the spring which never set. But last year and this fruit has appeared. I assumed it was an apple tree. The blossom is quite similar looking in my opinion to apple. Most of the fruit had fallen, and I hadnt really closely inspected it before as it was to the side of the greenhouse and not really accessible. The skin of the fruit seems quite sticky, but that could be sap from the neighbouring sycamore. But...it has a lovely 'perfume' to it and doesnt look like an apple. My inital suspicion was quince, and having asked on twitter and had a look on google images it would seem that Japanese quince is most likely. Have a recipe now on how to make quince jelly, so will get to that later this afternoon.

 The job now for now is stripping the ripe peppers from the plants and I think will probably roast them. The chillies I'm not sure how I'm going to deal with them yet. Carefully is probably the right way!

November potatoes and other harvesting

Am late harvesting main crop this year, due to a number of circumstances. Despite the grey foggy morning and looking at the rest of the calendar today was the only day in the foreseeable where it wasnt raining and I had nothing else more urgent to do.

I'd cut the tops off the potatoes over a month ago, but wasnt quite sure what to expect, and as there had been lots of rain was expecting to find slug damage to some of the tubers.

 Before

First row

2nd row 

(my glasses on top of the big potato to show size)

None of them have any signs of slug damage, and only a few have some patches of scab.

Was also pleasantly surprised to find cauliflowers that hadnt gone quite past their best.

Though some very very teeny!

Leeks are almost catching up having been planted out really late

And last of the rhubarb, probably a bit late picking it, but the frost hadn't got it yet. 

All the goodies in my trailer safely home (was it was heavy cycling back though)

Not nearly as many parsnips survived this year, mainly due to a dry spring and not being able to water them enough as they were germinating, but the few that have survived arent too bad. 

Slightly unconventional method of drying the potatoes for storage

Really is a whopper, 18cm and 900g. It has a sibling of equal size and weight. Both from the same plant. I need to find out what my neighbour was watering that end of his plot with as I'm sure they have benefited from whatever it was.

Everything is just about dug over now ready for the winter. I possibly need to spend another morning tidying things up, but then that should see me through to the spring. Must get the plot rotation sorted, and think about what I want to grow next year.