The Sun Arrived

A few things to do

The sun came out for the second day and it gave time and momentum to do a few jobs. The greenhouse is quite full so some of the seedings have been moved outside, these are mainly vegetables that would normally be sown direct so they should cope without the pampering.

Seedlings

 

The conservatory was also getting full with the squash and tomatoes. I felt these were strong enough to move to the greenhouse and free up some space.              

Leeks

 

Squash, pumpkins and Courgettes

There is not a lot if anything that can been planted out yet because we are still in April and the last frost in 2017 was April 25th.

One of the main jobs was to transplant the tomatoes to hanging baskets and the main plants to buckets. They are all over 6 inches tall so they should cope with the change.                   

Tumbler Tomatoes

               

Tigerella Tomatoes

Cape Gooseberries were in plugs and would need transplanting when we are away so I completed that and moved them to 3”pots.

               

Cape Gooseberries

The sweet peppers were sown with the tomatoes, they were in cells in the conservatory and have been left behind compared to the tomatoes. The temperature was the main culprit but I have transplanted them to 3” pots and returned them to the conservatory that maintains a more even temperature that the greenhouse.

Peppers

           

Aubergine

       

Parsley and three types of Basil

I thought I was a bit short of courgette plants so i put the last three seeds between wet cloth and placed them in the boiler room. Three days later and they have germinated. They have now been transplanted into 3” pots.

Sunflowers were sown by our grandsons and they have started to put a spurt on.

Sunflowers

I made a mistake when buying french beans. I bought a dwarf variety. I have since bought a climbing variety and they were sown indoors to give them a better start. They are bow just breaking the surface.

Cobra climbing French Beans.

The extra Spring Onions are now showing although the original ones are not standing up as they should.

Spring Onions    

   

Strawberry

The first Strawberries

Today I picked our first strawberries, there was only 11 ready but it is a good sign. Everything else if growing well.

The French beans are steadily climbing the poles.

 

The Crystal Lemon cucumbers have taken and are starting to put a spurt of growth on.

 

With the courgettes the first one transplanted out has some small fruit showing.

 

The Pumpkins for Halloween are still a bit subdued but they are not in the sunniest place and are currently surrounded with ornamental poppies.

 

The three Squash plants have settled but they have a long way to go.

 

Swiss Chard is being cut as needed and also cut and frozen when it out grows our need.

 

The tomatoes in baskets were a bit shaken by the winds last week but no broken trusses so they will pick up. The other tomatoes both inside and out are about at the three truss stage. So far, apart from the peas that took a beating from the pigeons everything appears ok.

 

The first Beetroot is nearly ready to harvest.

 

The lettuce are growing very well now they are protected from the ducks.

 

I planted three potatoes that had chitted indoors into each of four containers. The potatoes were normal eating potatoes from ASDA so I don't know what variety they are but they are growing well.

 

More Sowing and Transplanting

My second lot of peas have sprouted and the germination rate is 100%, they were growing well so I took the opportunity to transplant them to their final position.

Swiss Chard, Leeks and Beetroot are a bit slow but the brassicas have now germinated.

The new chickens have arrived

The others sowings today were French Beans, Courgettes, Squash, Pumpkin and Crystal Lemon cucumber in the greenhouse. They are a little early probably a week but I want to make sure they germinate in case I have to resow like last year and then they were behind, and they did not catch up very well.

Tomatoes, Peppers  and Chilli are strong with a couple of Chilli varieties a bit slower, Paper Lantern and Purple Tiger.

 

I sowed two beds of Broad Beans and one of Field beans, they were doing very well and then the mouse found them. Not a total loss but a bit of a disappointment.

The Strawberries are starting to show signs of life.

The First Sowings outside

Just a quick note to say that the weather was pretty good today so I took the time to prepare 4  1mtr beds. These raised beds do not need much preparing although I have raked in some chicken manure pellets.

I then sowed Broad Beans in 2 x 1mtr beds and Field beans in a 1mtr bed. In another 1mtr bed I sowed my carrots but I must admit there were not many seeds in the packet so I have none in reserve. I feel an order in the making.