Busy

A lot has happened since my last post the preparations for the growing season are hot at this time of the year with lots getting done everyday. So in this post I'll be updating you on all that's been sown, on the progress of current seedlings and other gardening tasks that I got completed.

First off the weather (this is England after all), its been fairly decent temperatures which have been improving day by day. We've had equal amounts of sunny and cloudy days, with a little gusty wind thrown in from time to time. Only had rain on Tuesday where I got soaked picking Thifa up from school :(.

So lets begin;

Monday

• I pricked out the salvia and celeriac seedlings into individual cells or pots planting them a bit deep as they were a bit leggy, they were both moved out to the greenhouse.


• I also decided to try something new (for me at least), that is sowing my peas in guttering. The theory is you sow them in guttering and when it comes to planting out time you dig a shallow trench and just slide them into place (yep watch this space!). I also sowed some french marigold flowers.


• The watercress has started to germinate.

Tuesday - I spent the most of the day out with Na'imah at the local museum for storytelling and craft activities which they hold the second Tuesday of each month, she really looks forward to these outings so I make every effort to get her to them. The story this time was "The Greedy Bee" and for crafts they had to make a beehive mobile and and some related colouring as you can see in the picture.

I also prepared a rice dish which had my home grown bean sprouts as one the ingredients, everyone love the taste and texture of the beans so will really endeavour to keep up the sprouting of seeds and such. With the clear tray available I sowed some lentils which I hope to use in Friday's meal.

While I was out I bought three fruiting plants redcurrant, blackcurrant and a blueberry, all for a pound each, not to sure about the blueberry cause although its green it doesn't appear to be coming out of its dormant period where as the others have young green shoots starting.

Germination of the perennial dianthus have started.

Wednesday - after the drenching I got Tuesday afternoon the sun came out today and with it the first blossoming of the garden's tulips. This one is in one of the kids playhouse planters.

• The tasks that got done, was the pricking out and potting up of the melongene, sweet peppers, hot peppers and melon seedlings, again they were planted quite deep due to them also being leggy. These were left in the conservatory as the night time temperatures in the greenhouse is still to low for these plants.


• I also got the opportunity to sow my tomato seeds I'll be trying twelve varieties this year. To many winter squashes were also sown simply because I couldn't choose, I only need eight plants but sowed one each of ten varieties :). The plan is what germinates and grows will get the opportunity to be planted, it will probably be just my luck that all will germinate still leaving me with the difficult task of which to grown on and which to give away. I was able to use more restraint and only sowed two varieties of pumpkin though.
• Germination of the spinach beet seeds were observed.

Thursday (today) -

• I received from an A4A member two cuttings of a herb called Vietnamese coriander, I have placed it in some water till tomorrow then it will get potted up.
• I potted up some Greek basil cuttings I had rooting in water to pass on to friends and family as I already have three good specimens. The thyme seedlings were also potted up and moved out to the greenhouse. The fruit bushes bought on Tuesday got potted as well and my fear that the blueberry was dead turned out to be true.


• Sowing of basil, onions white and red along with the flowers aquilegia and nasturtiums got done today. Also sowed some butternut squash seeds.


• Germination of the french marigolds have started in earnest and I had just about given up on the ochro seeds and had plan to resow today only to wake up and find two had germinated, will keep an eye on them and may resow Sunday to replace any seeds that haven't germinated by then.


• The radishes growing outside are doing well and as you can see the greenhouse is fulling up.

. Na'imah was also busy today enjoying a little glue play with the creating of a collage.