This week we read a facebook post from Real Seeds about why it’s best not to rush into starting seeds off too early, even though some chillies do benefit from an early start. The main point was that you usually end up with leggy plants far too soon, with nowhere to put them. As they said: “Resist, unless you have ample heated space and use grow lights.”
We have been in this position a few times before. We start the year being very keen and then in March end up with leggy tomato plants sitting on the windowsill (above). Seeing that the frost down here can be as late as mid April that ain’t much cop. To get a bit of an idea of when your last frost could be, stick your postcode into lastfrostdate.co.uk here. This is what we got:
We are going to resist for the time being, and have ordered some seed compost and in a couple of weeks time will get the heated seed tray out and start off some chillies, but until then we will do little and often in the garden if the weather allows. We got two big bags of multi purpose compost today and filled a couple of raised beds just before the sun went down. Total time in the garden, ten minutes. It’s a start!
It may be some while before we can get back out there again as there’s a cold spell coming. To cheer ourselves up we can always open up the seed tin and read the back of seed packets. Here’s a few nice packs we got for Christmas (below). Better (weather) will come!
Thanks to Debby H for the reminder to get the frost protection out this weekend as we’re in for a touch for frost. It’ll be wise to cover those plants that aren’t hardy or for those that think that spring has arrived what with this mild weather we’ve had of late.
We got out in the garden today and did just over an hour to warm up those “doing the gardening” muscles. We cleared the bed at the side, gave the ground a light forking which creates the illusion that a lot of work has been done on it when you look from afar. It is nice to see a tidy flowerbed.
And yes we know this is a dandelion (above) but for some reason earlier we didn’t want to dig it up as we thought it may be one of the plants we obtained at the plant stall in Crystal Palace last year. We were told about the plant “the inexperienced gardeners think it is a weed and dig it up” so of course we left it as we didn’t want to be caught out.
And sick of buying spring onions on a weekly basis, we’ve taken to planting any left-over spring onions in a plant plot by the kitchen rather than throw them away! And why not, waste not, want not and all that.
Many thanks to our friend Adrienne for sharing this photo of her geranium (or is it a pelargonium?) still flowering outdoors in December. It’s a wonderful splash of colour for this time of year and we can’t believe that it’ll be the winter solstice in a few days time as well.
Weeds up to me knees 