Really really - it's spring

Really, it’s Springtime

I don’t really care about when others say Spring is here – not even the old pagan rites for Spring. When I see birds are mating and starting their nests when spring bulbs are flowering, when perennial garden herbs start to grow again, when perennial bushes like Lonicera ( the many varieties of honeysuckle/ woodbine) start to ‘green’ up and especially when I see the crocus bulbs have finished flowering – especially then – I know it is SPRING.

New growth on rhubarb – almost ready to pick

New growth on spring sown broad beans in Poly tunnel

New growth on autumn planted broad beans – outdoors overwintered – already showing early flower buds! And a bit slug chewed but, will do them no harm 

Spring flowers – forsythia on my neighbours plot. I’m not too jealous! I’ll have other stuff later, I keep telling myself :o)

It doesn’t really matter when we think Spring has started in our ‘neck of the woods’. We must look at how early or late plants start to grow in our area. For me, spring has started and I have started to sow seed for the new season. (Well actually, some of my seed were sown in the autumn – see earlier BLOGS).

I started to sow my early capsicum seeds in early February ( see earlier BLOG) but, a major disaster struck – as disasters are inclined to do in the growing world – my propagator, of several years, stopped heating ( the lights still came on, and I thought all was going well) but, I noticed that my cats stopped snuggling in the empty corners and my capsicum ( chilli and pepper) seeds didn’t germinate. And they have to be germinated early – really, March is getting towards being too late.

Well, I had to re-sow. ( Having had disasters with the capsicum family in the past, I was prepared – I kept 50% of my seeds back – just in case! And I needed it)

I bought a new propagator ( I will feed back later on its efficiency etc,) and was able to re-sow earlier seeds.

I’m also trying early growing cauli Romanesco – Celio F1. These are a possible early crop for green cauli. They are delicious if the conditions are right though, only grow a few at a time as they are inclined to come ready at the same time providing a ‘GLUT’.  As they are F1 hybrid seeds and therefore very expensive, I have sown 9 seeds into 9 mini pots in my propagator. I will do a later sowing into a seed bed in my poly tunnel. That said, my autumn planted overwintering caulis are starting to curl their centre leaves inwards as a prelude to ‘hearting up’. I do hope so and will get back to you on the success(or otherwise) of this crop. I have 30+ of them- taking up a significant amount of space so, they really do need to perform.

I’m also trying some herb seeds( in a gift pack) I was given as a Christmas present at the end of 2010. Maybe too early but, I’ve kept some of the seeds back – I will see how they go.

 I went to my allotment earlier today. I couldn’t dig in my ground – much too wet but, I did feed the birds, water my tunnel ( early potatoes , herbs and early sowings), and harvest winter veg. Of course, you must plan for the winter. I have – salsify, scorzonora, brussels sprouts ( a little small now but, I have been harvesting them since October), parsnips, leeks, purple sprouting broccoli and kale. They will keep me going until the new season’s vegetables come on stream. I would like to say my veg. are there all year round and this is what I aim for but, in the last two years, with such bitterly cold winters my allotment has failed me and I’ve had to buy :o(

Now here, I’m asking for advice – It has taken me many years to establish clumps of Ester Reeds and Crocosmia ( formerly known as Montbresia) in my garden. Last year I collected seed from the plants ( the Montbresia/ Croscosmia... that is).  I would really like to increase my collection. I don’t really care if the plants I’ve manage to establish are hybrids or not – they will eventually revert to something I would probably like. But I would like to know when and the best conditions for the optimum success. I have a book ( a present given to me some years ago ,suggests sowing them at 70F, but does not give the time of year or growing on conditions

 Ester Reeds at a later slot – for now I have one root well established so am well pleased.

 I would love some feedback