Looking Forward

Happy days

I have been in a bit of a gardening downer over the past few weeks. The allotment didn't do well last year when others had bumper crops, I cannot find a job in horticulture (Garden centre, nursery or gardening!), I didn't get a place on a gardening course and Norfolk Master Gardeners have been disbanded because there is no further funding! All of which added on to a very wet winter put me into a decline. However it is not terminal and like the most persistent weeds I've started recovering. I ordered a box full of assorted seeds from Seed Parade – excellent value for money – and some James Wong seeds from Suttons, Cucamelons, Callaloo, Tomatillos & Electric Daisies.

Greenhouse

As I said last time I have commandeered part of the middle shed for seed growing – so long as I can stop people dumping junk on the flat surface!!! I started some broad beans off a couple of weeks ago just in cells on the bench not in the new toy and they are just starting to pop their heads up. At the same time I put in some onion and leek seeds which don't seem to have stirred yet. I managed to clear a small space on the greenhouse bench so these have all been put up there as it is lighter and warmer. Also in the greenhouse are pots and hanging pots of strawberries, long overdue for planting up, hopefully I'll get a small early crop.  I rescued some Garlic, destined for the bin, from work & am glad to say that some of it is growing happily in a trough near the greenhouse. 

Garlics

Back in the shed I've changed tack and put some flower seeds into a tray in the propagator. The packets say they should have been planted by last year but I'm hoping that with heat they will all spring into life. There's a mixture of Poppies, Rudbeckia, Asters, Sweet Peas & Shasta Daisies. I've got lots more to try but there isn't much room because I've pre-sprouted some parsnips and they are now in there too. How successful things are remains to be seen – I have bought proper seed compost this year and I am very disappointed. It's Levingtons so I expected it to be good quality fine blended compost but no, this is full of hard woody lumps and fibrous bits, not what seeds need at all. I might as well have used ordinary multi purpose!

Sprouts

On the kitchen windowsill are the rest of the parsnip seeds and another tray of assorted seeds all pre-sprouting to check their viability. I've got tomatoes, peppers and peas all laid out in organised rows. It is a technique I first discovered on my Master Gardeners induction day. It makes so much sense when you're not sure of the viability of seeds to just try a few on a damp paper towel to see if they come to life.

I haven't done anything on the allotment for ages – it needs digging over, or rotavating to save my back! Although I've not managed to get down to the allotment because of the wet weather I have been planning out the coming growing season. The top half of the plot will be nearly all fruit plus the asparagus with a dividing line of herbs across the middle, these are mainly grown for wildlife as I have plenty at home to use in the kitchen. The rest of the plot is divided up for a normal three crop rotation but fitting in nine different types of beans plus two lots of peas, spinach, chard, squash, onions and leeks means that the 'hungry' area will be much bigger than the brassica or roots areas. Fortunately we are not big brassica eaters – I am doing Romnanesco, Kale & Brussels Sprouts this year for a change. In the roots part I've got four types of carrot (not planned but magazines give things away!) and two types of parsnip. I will need to do some clever planting to get everything in! I am thinking about growing a pumpkin on the 'compost' heap. It isn't really usable compost because it is just the heap where I pile all the weeds I dig out – so more of a mountain than a heap!

I have purchased a soil testing probe – it does moisture, Ph and light. I have tested it out here and there and was shocked to find that the Acers & Camelia which were repotted into ericacious compost last year are now in non acidic compost. It reads Ph6! So I had to purchase some special food for them to try and redress the balance. I shall have to use only rainwater for them to help balance things out. This makes me wonder what to do with the Blueberries. I need to check the Ph of the soil on the allotment before I decide but if Ericacious compost doesn't stay acidic enough is there any point of transferring them into pots?

Alexanders Everywhere!!

In the garden at home there are signs of life with bulbs poking their noses through. However this mild winter has meant that the weeds have already taken over – we are overrun with Alexanders! I dug loads up last year and they are back with vengeance so I'm seriously thinking of using some mega strong wed killer on them. Not organic or good practice but sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures! I know that some people like to eat them – leaves in salads & roots later in the year but I'm not one of them! It will be tricky in some places because they are growing close to or in some shrubs.

Ever flowering Calendula

Last time I mentioned I'd dug up the scorzonera – well I did eat some of it & was not impressed. It was very tough and fibrous and the famous 'delicate' flavour left a lot to be desired. Still it was only a curiosity! The Fuchsias have calmed down and although full of buds they aren't opening. The calendua is still flowering!