Still Smarter

So the propagator has been on a few weeks now. Vino's brew at has done me proud with a wee power controller.

I am under strict instructions this year not to plant so many chilies - so I haven't. That said, I still have an enormous amount of stuff 1 inch tall.

And I have managed to get some Cav.Nero seeds that will actually germinate! Important crop this one!

Is anybody else planting?

Been thinking of getting some chillies in, but lack of time, motivation and other stuff, means that erindoors just has the "seedlings in a cup" things.

Dirt, seeds and paper/plastic cup/lid, sprinkle seeds add water, place in warm location and wait.

She has coriander, parsley, mint and chives started. All doing well, though the mint was slow to sprout, but there's some action going on there too....

I have a garden mint plantation - I am trying to get enough to cover the small grassy knoll.

If you have a brew mat, I cannot recommend strongly enough buying a five quid plastic propagator.
Really you want to plant you chilies beginning of March and keep them toasty. Mine were a bit late this year, but seem to be catching up. Although that does seem incredibly early. The nice thing about Chiles is they don't get leggy - You can start them sooner.

I don't know why, but planting some seeds just seems to lift my spirits a little bit in the 'grey months'

If you want some seeds shout up. Happy to bung some in the post.

I only did chillies the once, almost 10 years ago.
Even in the polytunnel they struggled up here.
I ended up cutting the many,many plants down and hanging them in the kitchen to ripen.
They lasted for years dried.
My growing season is just too short for a few things, sweetcorn and aubergine are on that list.
This is the weekend that I plant the most of my veg. seeds in propagators.
When they need potting up in a couple of weeks, I will need the greenhouse heater most nights, before planting out in the polytunnel.
Things like parsnips still have a while before sowing outside.
Obviously carrots, turnips and the like get sown direct in the PT anytime from now.
It has taken awhile to settle into a no grief regime.
Each year I try something new, just to see if it works. This year it is Summer Purslane, Collards and a Black cherry tomato.
And a dwarf blue Scotch curled Kale.
I love kale as a vegetable, when not sold with the stems chopped in with the leaves.
I no longer have a netted brassca bed to keep the butterflys away, and hope this might thrive in the PT.
As you can see, I am a keen veg. grower.

Robert.

Managed to repair the greenhouse last week, the female of the family next door didn’t want me going into their garden to do the repair as it didn’t want me building a lean to greenhouse. I waited until the family was out and got the job done; I heard some strong agricultural language from next door when she returned.
Got my tomato plants in and have ordered up mixed salad seeds which I will start of in the propagator, still wondering what else to plant.

Elderflower. We moved from a house with a fabulous elderflower tree last year, so no sparkling elderflower wine production this year, sadly. However a cutting we took has rooted over the winter, so it was planted out in the new garden over the weekend. Nothing like growing your own..!

I've got starts of lemongrass, ginger and turmeric eager for some warmer weather so they can go outdoors. Unfortunately, we've been having record low temperatures for the time of year. Running out of space on my windowsills - I need a greenhouse.

I want to start some ginger again .. Left it too late last year.

Sunflowers are in. I do them in a gravel tray with clingfilm in the airing cupboard.

I am gobsmacked.
36 hours and the Summer Purslane seeds have sprouted several mm's above the compost.
I see a Purslane wash happenin'

Robert.

Purslane. Never grown it. Not unlike water cress I recall. Do you use it as a cooking leaf or in salad,

Mash wrote: Wed Apr 03, 2019 6:42 am Purslane. Never grown it. Not unlike water cress I recall. Do you use it as a cooking leaf or in salad,

I have not grown it before.
It can be eaten in both ways you describe.
Supposed to have a crispy texture and an interesting nutty, peppery flavour.

Robert.

Purslane grows wild around here. We had a serious bumper crop of it last year. Never had it in salads, but it's great in stir fries.

We eat a lot of greens cooked and fresh. So I have ordered some Purslane seeds. Let's have a go.

If anybody wants to try Sutherland kale - PM me and I will pop some in the post. Rare heritage breed very heavy cropping.

A serious nose dive in temps tonight, 1°C in the greenhouse, so heater on.
A bugger, as the propagators are burstin at the seams and I was hoping to get Tomatoes and stuff planted into the poly tunnel.
I am going to have pot them up again and keep in the greenhouse, with night time heat for another week at least.
The cucumber plants that just had to be planted out two weeks ago due to size, are just about dead, so I must start again.
I was so far ahead, now just a little bit.
The price you pay for living in this country.
But when the weather is good, the midges are biting!

Robert.

Poly is busting with seeds.
At last we got some rain! Already had the the sprinkler out.

Have 3 new rhubarb crowns growing on in big containers to be planted out in a new veg garden next year.
Also have started off some pots of perennial leeks. Both a French version - Poireau Perpetuele, and the conventional Babington variety.
Salvaged several small offshoots of Bocking 14 comfrey to start a new bed next year.
Also took root cuttings of a few varieties of blackberry that are getting away nicely. Himalayan Giant, plus some others that I can"t remember what they are.

I didn't think it possible to eradicate Comfrey, yet mine has gone, after many years.
Have some bonkers rhubarb that gows 4ft tall every year, and makes a good stick for bashing.. just about anything!
My salvaged Spanish Bluebells, from an old friend, now dead,flowerered this year for the first time.
Busy day planting tomatoes and stuff out tomorrow.

Robert.

Sweetcorn Planted out yesterday. Kale bed dug over.
lettuce 1 week from harvest. Far too many Tomato plants.

Perennial leeks - have looked at these couple of times. Are they as garlicky as they reckon?

If anybody wants some elephant garlic seeds shout up I have far too many. Quite happy to put some in the post FOC.

I left it too late to put my elephant garlic in unfortunately. My cucamelons are still small and I'm hoping for loads of them. Cucumber is crystal lemon and seems to be ok even though they got planted mid April. Peas are going great not sure what variety as I just planted a cup full from the packet of steep peas in the cupboard. I will be putting my cabbages in on Wednesday when I get home along with some kale. Growing Malabar spinach too. planted loads of dill. loads of beans both runner and French all mixed up and planted in a long row for a laugh.

I have an enormous amount of purslane to plant out !!!! Whose idea was that !!

My wild purslane is popping up everywhere. Looks like we're in for another bumper crop this year and I didn't have to do anything but let it grow.

Slugs got my first, second lot planted out yesterday.
Nibbled a few leaves myself, I managed to contain my exicitement.

Robert.