Tuesday 25 March 2008

Potato's in

I had a chance this morning to go for a couple of hours so i put in the Red Baron onions and Red Sun shallots that i had growing on in some trays for the last month, and they had quite good root structure on them as well as some starting to show green shoots.

I also managed to put in 2 rows of potatoes, the 1st earlies Foremost and 2nd earlies Marfona. All i need now is to put in the final row of main crop Desiree and i have a small pack of Lady Christl also to put into a barrel/container.

Monday 24 March 2008

24/3/08

I finished digging over the top part of the plot last week apart from a small grassy section, and my MIL kindly came and did the bottom part and some weeding also so the plot is looking ready for the new season, apart from the covered area which will need careful digging to remove as much couch grass roots as possible. This will be tackled when the weather improves and the evenings lighten up.The plots' secretary phoned me to say he had arranged for a few boards to be delivered to repair the path edge. It had been left to disintegrate so much that the path is joining the plot, and really needs attention. So this is a great help, i'll just have to sort that this summer also.
Purple sprouting broccoli just waiting to be picked, despite having 4 or 5 plants of good size only this one is producing spears so far. Hopefully this means the others will start later and prolong the season?
With my daughter who wanted to play in the shed with the soil (!) i got her to help plant some seeds. I thought that some dwarf french beans would be best, easy for her to handle, and its only a little early for them. I used the variety 'the prince' and in the propagtor they are now germinating. Whether they survive til planting i dont know but she had fun anyway!!

Wednesday 12 March 2008

and more

The Red Baron onions and some Red Sun shallots i also picked up i started of in trays of compost in the shed, a method i read about somewhere. It seems to have worked as they have rooted well, some even starting to show green tips. I moved them into the greenhouse today to start hardening them off.

I sowed today some more seeds for the propagator, some savoy cabbage 'ormskirk', more spinach 'Monet F1', and maybe a bit early but some lettuce mixed leaves also.

The 'White Gem' parsnips also now have been start to be potted up, about 9 had germinated so went into loo rolls and into the greenhouse also.

I hope to get back over to the allotment again soon, i've turned over about 2/5ths ready for planting, and the potatoes are chitting so may end up in this area.

Monday 10 March 2008

seedlings

the first seeds sowed have been in the propogator for a few days now and have started sprouting. Here comes 2008!!!
These above are the first through, cauliflowers 'all year round', and a couple of Brussels sprouts, same variety as last year.

These are parsnip seeds. I have always had trouble growing them, a common problem, and read about pre-germinating them on damp kitchen roll first, and as you can see a few have started to sprout! Hopefully i'll have more in the next few days.