Sunday 11 March 2012

Making a start

So I've finished the digging, sown a few seeds, planted out some new strawberries. It's nice to be getting cracking again.

Butterflies!

Hard to believe there was snow on the ground just a month ago.

Comma
White
Tortoiseshell

Friday 9 March 2012

Cherry plum blossom

First of the blossoms!


Purple sprouting

After the mild winter the purple sprouting broccoli is ready for picking about a month ahead of usual. It actually started producing flowering shoots in the late autumn; those first shoots got damaged by the cold but now there's plenty of side shoots ready for picking.


Sunday 4 March 2012

Records 2012

Records 2012

Ammi Majus (Bishop's flower) - Sown direct 21.4, 2 short rows.

Broccoli "Early Purple Sprouting Red Arrow" - Sown 31.3 in greenhouse, small modules x10. Potted on to 9cm pots 28.4. Moved to coldframe 15.5. Planted out 25.5 x3 75cm apart.

Brussels Sprout "Cascade F1" - Sown in greenhouse 31.3, small modules x20. Potted on to 9cm pots x15 28.4. Moved to coldframe 15.5. Planted out 25.5 x11 60cm apart.

Cabbage "Hispi F1" - Sown in greenhouse 3.5, small modules x20. Moved to coldframe 23.5. Potted on to 9cm pots x12 26.5. Planted out 30cm apart 16.6.

Cabbage "Durham Early" - Sown 25.8, 15cm pot in coldframe. Potted on to 25cm pot 13.10.

Cabbage "Spitfire F1" - Sown 1.3 in greenhouse, 15cm pot. Moved to coldframe 19.3. 13 planted out, 16 potted on to 9cm pots and moved back to greenhouse 7.4. Moved to coldframe 22.4. Planted out 30cm apart 3.5.

Cabbage "Spring Hero F1" - Sown 25.8, 15cm pot in coldframe. Potted on to 25cm pot 13.10.

Carnation "Giant Chabaud" - Sown 24.3 in greenhouse, small modules x20. Potted on to 9cm pots x19 3.5. Moved to coldframe 23.5. Planted out 1.6, 30cm apart x17.

Carrot "Amsterdam Forcing" - Sown 12.5, 1 row. Gaps resown 9.6.

Carrot "Autumn King" - Sown 9.6, 1 row. Poor germination, resown 8.7. And again 21.7.

Carrot "Early Nantes" - Sown in trough in greenhouse 20.3. Moved to coldframe 30.4.

Catananche "Coerulea" (Cupid's Dart) (HP) - Sown 24.3 in heated prop, 1/2 seed tray. Moved to greenhouse 31.3. Pricked out to medium modules x20 28.4. Moved to coldframe 23.5. Potted on to 9cm pots x16 1.6. Planted out from 30.6.

Chives (saved seed) - Sown in greenhouse 15.4, 9cm pots x7, sprinkling of seed per pot. Moved to coldframe 23.5.

Cleome Serrulata "Solo" - Sown in greenhouse 24.3, small modules x20. Potted on to 9cm pots x7 1.5. Moved to coldframe 23.5. Planted out 9.6, 40cm apart.

Climbing french bean "Blauhilde" - Sown in greenhouse 28.4, medium modules x24. Moved to coldframe 17.5. Planted out from 21.5.

Clover (white) - Sown 25.2 for path. And some more 9.3. And some more 31.3. And again 13.4. And 7.7.

Cosmos "Candy Stripe" - Sown in greenhouse 24.3, small modules x20. Potted on 21.4 to 9cm pots x15. Moved to coldframe 11.5. Planted out from 21.5.

Echinacea Purpurea (saved seed) - Sown in heated prop 5.4, small modules x10. No germination, moved to greenhouse 21.4 and more sown in 5" pot in coldframe. Still no joy.

Foxglove "Sutton's Apricot" - Sown broadcast in top corner 25.8.

Garlic (saved cloves) - Planted out 2.11, 2cm deep 20cm apart, 2 short rows 30cm apart.

Kale "Cavalo Palmizio Senza Testa" - Sown in greenhouse 31.3, small modules x10. Potted on to 9cm pots x7 28.4. Moved to coldframe 15.5. Planted out from 26.5.

Leek "Musselburgh" - Sown in greenhouse 13.4, 15cm pot. Moved to coldframe 8.5. Planted out 9.6 20cm apart, 1 row.

Lettuce "Lollo Rossa" - Sown 5.4, small modules x10. Potted on to 9cm pots 15.5. Moved to coldframe 23.5. Planted out 9.6 30cm apart.

Lettuce "Salad Bowl Red" - Sown in greenhouse 21.4, small modules x10. Poor germination - potted on to 9cm pots x2 17.5. Moved to coldframe 23.5. Planted out 1.6.

Meadow mix - Pictorial Meadows Pastel Mix - sown direct 13.4, 16m2 at 3g per m2 (50g). No germination.

Nepeta Mussini (HP) - Sown 21.4, 1/2 seedtray in coldframe. Pricked out to medium modules x12 26.5. Potted on to 12cm pots 22.6. Planted out August.

Nicotiana Mutabilis "Marshmallow" - Sown in heated propogater 21.4, 1/2 seedtray. Moved to greenhouse 28.4. Pricked out to medium modules x24 17.5. Moved to coldframe 23.5. Potted on to 9cm pots x 23 2.6. Planted out 45cm apart 16.6.

Ox-eye daisy - Sown in greenhouse 15.4, 1/2 seedtray. Moved to coldframe 23.5. Pricked out to medium modules x12 26.5. Potted on to 9cm pots x10 14.6. Planted out 7.7.

Pea "Early Onward" - Sown 1.3 in greenhouse, 9cm pots x36, 3 seeds per pot. Moved to coldframe 19.3. Planted out 24.3. More sown direct 31.3 to complete row and another 1/2 row.

Pea "Feltham First" - Sown 31.3, 1/2 row.

Pea "Onward" - Sown 25.5, 1 row.

Pea bean (saved seed) - Sown 1.5, medium modules x4. Moved to coldframe 17.5. Planted out 25.5 x2.

Potato "Pentland Javelin" - 2kg bought in for chitting 9.3. Planted out 7.4, 15cm deep, 30cm apart, 1 row.

Potato "Maris Piper" - 2kg bought in for chitting 9.3. Planted out 14.4, 15cm deep, 40cm apart, 1 row.

Potentilla dark red (HP) (saved seed) - Sown in heated prop 5.4, 1/2 seedtray. Moved to greenhouse 14.4. Pricked out to medium modules x24 7.5. Moved to coldframe 23.5. Potted on to 9cm pots x21 8.6. Planted out in orchard 45-60cm apart from 30.6.

Runner bean "Enorma" - Sown in greenhouse 28.4, large modules x36. Moved to coldframe 17.5. Planted out from 21.5.

Salad leaves - Sown in greenhouse 31.3, 15cm pot. Picking from 28.4. Moved to coldframe 8.5.

Salvia Farinacea "Strata" - Sown 24.3 in heated prop, small modules x20. Moved to greenhouse 31.3. Potted on to 9cm pots 3.5. Moved to coldframe 23.5. Planted out 9.6 30cm apart.

Scabious "Beaujolais Bonnets" (short-lived HP) - Sown in greenhouse 21.4, small modules x20. Potted on to 9cm pots x14 19.5. Moved to coldframe 23.5. Planted out from 22.6 45cm apart.

Scabiosa caucasica "Perfect Blue" (HP) - Sown 21.4 in 5" pot in greenhouse. Poor germination, only 2 potted on to 9cm pot 18.5, short row sown outside plus x10 in small modules in coldframe same day. No germination, pots planted out 7.7.

Strawberry "Cambridge Favourite" - 12 plants planted out 9.3, 1 row 40 cm apart.

Sunflower (saved seed from Jenny) - Sown in greenhouse 24.3, small modules x20. 5 potted on to 9cm pots 13.4 and more sown - medium modules x30. Pots moved coldframe 28.4. First ones planted out and second ones moved to coldframe 16.5. Planted out 25.5 x5.

Sweet Pea "Royal Mixed" - Sown 1.3 in coldframe, 9cm pots x8, 1 seed per pot. Pinched and planted out 7.4.

Sweet Pea "Giant Waved" - Sown in colframe 14.10, medium modules x24.

Sweet William "Messenger" - plugs bought in and potted on, planted out September.

Tomato "Gardeners Deleight" - Sown in propogator 31.3, small modules x10. Moved to greenhouse 5.4. Potted on to 9cm pots 28.4. Planted in growbags x4 27.5.

Verbena bonariensis - Sown in greenhouse 31.3, 1/2 seed tray. Pricked out to medium modules x24 10.5. Moved to coldframe 23.5. Potted on to 9cm pots x24 2.6. Planted out from 16.6.

WILD FLOWERS

Bladder campion - (saved seed) - Sown in greenhouse 15.4, 1/2 seedtray. Pricked out to medium modules x24 10.5. Moved to coldframe 23.5. Potted on to 10cm pots x15 28.5. Planted out 16.6.

Field Scabious - Sown in coldframe 11.5, small modules x50. Only 10% germination - 5 potted on to 9cm pots 8.6. Planted out 8.7 30cm apart.

Hemp agrimony - Sown in greenhouse 11.5, 1/2 seedtray. Moved to coldframe 23.5. Poor germination - 1 pricked out to medium module 2.6. And another 3 9.6. Potted on to 12cm pots 1.7. Planted out September.

Sainfoin - Sown in coldframe 14.10, medium modules x30.

Tufted vetch - Sown in greenhouse 11.5, medium modules x30. Moved to coldframe 23.5. Planted out in orchard 9.6.

Yellow rattle - Sown in coldframe 7.10, medium modules x50.

Vipers bugloss (HB) - Sown in greenhouse 11.5, 1/2 seedtray. Moved to coldframe 23.5. Pricked out to medium/large modules x24  27.5. Planted out from 22.6 30cm apart.

Wild basil - Sown in greenhouse 11.5, 1/2 seedtray. Moved to coldframe 23.5. Pricked out to medium modules x24 2.6. Potted on 7.7 to 9cm pots x23.