Spring is a time for new growth and now that the weather is warming my garden is starting to grow as it emerges from the long winter. My seeds which have sat waiting in the cupboard are finally coming out. I had wanted to sow in March but I felt it was just too cold, all my sowing at this time of year is in the polytunnel but even in there it was only just above freezing.
I sowed two sets of onion seeds in March one set at the beginning and another at the end, last week the first set started to shoot and now the other set have to. I really thought that as they has sat in the cool polytunnel for nearly a month they would not germinate but to my amazement they have, now I need to work out what I do with them next and when as I have never grown onion from seed before.
Many other seeds have been sown this week, broccoli and a a packet of mixed wildflowers yesterday and today cabbage, basil, parsley, coriander, lettuce, spinach, kale and chard. Over the weekend I am planning to sow beans, cucumber, peas and courgettes and tackle the weeds that are also shooting up all over the garden. My biggest pest, mice have also had a nibble on my chitting potatoes so they are obviously on the hunt for food. They usually eat all my hard work chomping through the stalks of small seedlings leaving the leaves on the ground, very frustrating!
We have had a very long winter here too so I haven't put anything in the ground yet. The growing season is so short here that I don't plant much from seed, for onions we always use bulbs. We have a local lady at the market who sells most of what we sow as little plants, it's more expensive this way but I don't fancy a polytunnels chance here with my kids, and most definitely no glass green houses!!
ReplyDeleteWe also have trouble with mice and rats eating potatoes and carrots and the deer who seem to like anything cabbage like, sometimes I wonder just who we plant this garden for!
Totally on another subject - I'm half way through Unconditional Parenting, my goodness what an eye (and mind) opener!!
I'm glad you wrote this post, I'm relatively new to veg growing and was worried I had left it too late to plant my seeds last weekend...........just hope the weather warms up now, luckily I don't have any mice problems.
ReplyDeleteKim
Good luck with your onion starts! I might try that next year once I've got some more garden beds built. As for the mice...maybe you need to get yourself a hungry cat!
ReplyDeleteI've started basil, cilantro, broccoli, cauliflower and kale all indoors...more to follow! Unfortunately it's not safe to put anything in the ground until the end of May/early June, so we've got a ways to go yet!
I'm glad to read that your seeds have been slow to germinate because mine are being very slow, too. I replanted a few things that were sown in march before all of that snow as I gave up hope of them doing anything. It's great to be talking about growing again, isn't it?!
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