Wednesday 29 February 2012

Leap Year

 With the extra day this year I thought I would use it to refill my heated propagator.My Alberto's Locoto began showing yesterday,the only failure so far is Cayenne pepper which I will give another week.The windowsill is currently Pepper heaven with about 5 types on it.
I have refilled with flowers that are Feb/March sowing on the packets.Thus today I started pots of Amaranthus.Marigold Galore,Rudbeckia Cherry Brandy,Cosmos Brightness and Verbena Bonariensis.Finally I have started my tomatoes with a pot of Early Tanana.Only another 30 types to go.
The small plastic greenhouse is currently home to my Broad beans.So far the Bunyard's Exhibition have yet to show but the Aquadulce are sprouting.Another couple of weeks and they will be on the allotment.
The recent decent weather has seen me down there digging and weeding.
The garlic is coming along strongly as are the shallots,unfortunately a weeding of my onion patch has left me with a number of gaps.The manure has all been dug in in my legume bed and I am making a start on removing a tree stump and my plastic path has been completed.







Thursday 23 February 2012

A lovely day today

I probably didn't need a jumper and a fleece since the weather was glorious.I finished off my path and did a bit more digging and weeding.
I also planted 3 raspberry canes that I got from Wilkinson's Mailing Seedling,Glen Ample and Polka.They all look like twigs at the moment.
I harvested my final 4 leeks and turned over the compost heap,some of it even looks like soil.
I lifted up a covered area that I manured last year and it seems to have broken down so a mass dig in session will follow later.
Thompson and Morgan have surpassed themselves by sending me my In the green snowdrops so I planted them in the garden after I came home,
I have potted up my basil and broccoli in the conservatory and am chitting my Pentland Javelin,Charlotte and Pink Fur Apple potatoes in egg boxes.
As ever space is at a premium.

Monday 20 February 2012

An Update

 A nice few days have seen a couple of trips to the allotment.I harvested some unfrozen leeks and have a couple left.
The Brassica cage still has some brussel sprout plants,I may get lucky and have a few that look edible.
I have extended my path that splits my plot up and starting weeding.The more I get done now means less work later in the season.
The heated propagator has finally seem some action and I have a couple of unnamed chilli and Black Hungarian up,
From the seed circle I have planted some Landrace ? and Violetta broad beans as well as some Sweet peas which I have left in the conservatory.
I have also started some Koralik on the windowsill as well as some beefsteak tomatoes.
My AYR Cauliflower has been potted up and my Brocolli and Sweet Genovese basil will be next,
It's still early so I am holding off on planting too much.
My Bunyard Exhibition and Aquadulce are outside in the greenhouse and are showing no signs of growth.
In the garden the crocuses are out as are some Iris reticulata

Friday 3 February 2012

Frost

The heated propagator is now full.
I received some seeds from Premier seeds and the final space has been allocated to Black Hungarian  a hot pepper,I also did a batch of my self saved Anaheim chillies.
Now i just have to wait.
The sunshine encouraged me to visit the allotment,unfortunately it is frozen solid which made my digging a no no.
I did however manage to prise some leeks out of the soil for Sunday lunch.

Wednesday 1 February 2012

Early season sowing

 A picture of my Babbington leeks (left) and Egyptian walking onions (right).Both have come up so are relegated to the conservatory for a little while.Windowsill space is just to valuable at the moment.
My new toy a mini electric propogator which holds 2 half seed trays or 8 pots.I had a little seed planing session this afternoon with some of my Seed circle swaps.Currently I have a small unnamed chilli and one called Cayenne,I also started some Aquilega Royal Purple because it supposedly takes 1 to 3 months to germinate.Tomorrow it will be Napia Early Pointy red peppers and Alberto's Locoto chilli courtesy of advice from AJ's blog.
I'm trying not to go too overboard at the moment because its still early in the season and I still have not worked out a proper allotment plan yet.