LolaLayla Posted March 24, 2012 Share Posted March 24, 2012 I have a lot of seedlings growing-tomato, courgette, sprouts, broccoli and cosmos. Last autumn I put in garlic and onion and they are coming along nicely. OH helped me put in peas and potatoes and I hope this lovely weather will help those along. The garden is usually my area but due to back/leg problem OH is having to help and yesterday we tackled the grass! He also helped me clean the greenhouse with Jeyes fluid (I love that clean smell, am I odd ). However he managed to trigger his tennis elbow. We are only in our early 50's I cannot believe how we are crumbling The grass looks nice though-we reseeded it last year as rabbits and chickens had taken their toll Happy gardening everyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted March 26, 2012 Author Share Posted March 26, 2012 Well over the weekend we knocked the allotment into shape and managed to plant all of the of the onions, shallots and garlic and all of the spuds, happy days. We also planted out our broad bean plants and were warned by a neighbouring allotment holder that deer have been coming ontot the site and eating newlly planted or germinated beans, so we have put a barrier of canes and video tape around them, it looks like a dinosaur pen from Jurassic park It was so lovely to outdoors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 I got loads done last week,as the weather was amazing & I had a week off Poppies,Stocks,Carrots,Radish,Spring Onions,Potatoes,Red Onions,Sweet peas,Peas,Courgettes all in either in the beds or on windowsills. The Tom-Toes have sprouted now,which always cheers me up. I love this time of year - it is so optimistic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 made a start on my tomatoes sown 7 varieties only another 10 or so to go also sown my clubroot resistant brassicas plus some calaloo and linseed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillybettybabs Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 I have got my early carrots in one of my big barrels and potatoes, I have some peas growing away nicely in the conservatory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 My Sweet Peas need potting on - they are quite tall, but still a touch of frost about - so can't go out yet. Will get hubby to help me fill some pots with compost later & I can sprinkle some more seeds of stuff. Everything on Window sills this year, as no greenhouse or poly tunnel as yet. Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Its getting to be a real juggling act isn't it I have stuff to go out, but I know its still very cold at night and anyway the ground is parched, I'm worried about the amount of watering I'll have to do for the young plants. I dug over a bed at the weekend and by the end of the day the topsoil was dry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redhotchick Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 I'm really keen to get sowing, but holding off a few more weeks yet. It's a bit too dry, I haven't got time for watering every night, I hope we get some nice soft rain soon! More to the point, in this area, I fear there may still be some frosty mornings to kill off precious young plants. I might risk some sowings this weekend, I wish I'd taken the "risk" 3 weeks ago. My biggest garden pest is a chicken! closely followed by my cat! Beetroot and broadbeans this weekend, maybe some mixed leaves. Anyone got any other suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 Early Carrots,Radishes & Parsley have gone into the ground here - everything else I am starting on the windowsills to plant out when they are big enough & hopefully when the frosts have ended. Might get some spring onions in too,as it says from February for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted March 30, 2012 Author Share Posted March 30, 2012 I have got spring onions, leeks, radishes and some mixed salad leaves all up outdoors, we are forecast a frost next week, we are away so I won't be able to cover anything.i am thinking of asking my pet carer to light my large pillar candle in the greenhouse in the late afternoon on Tuesday, I think that it would burn for 24 hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddie Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 We (DS and me) went up to the moor this pm and stole some mole hills, to mix with compost, put into guttering, and plant with peas... We can move them in if it's looking frosty:) Raspberry bed is done, in, watered and cuddled... Roll on summer. We do seem to have a lot of slugs here though, New garden, new house(to me), new infestations.. oh joy. there has been no veg patch here for nearly 20yrs so soil should be ok.Fingers Crossed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 My gooseberry bushes are growing like mad & the raspberries too. Today, Sid potted on the Sweet Peas for me - they are already very tall. I'm really pleased with them this year. They are only from a Poundland grow kit. Today I planted up the marigold grow kit & the cucumber grow kit. Tomorrow I'll do some of the rest of the seeds I haven't started off yet. Can sit at kitchen table with a load of newspaper & do that I should think. Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted April 7, 2012 Author Share Posted April 7, 2012 I am so glad that my tomato seedlings have survived the colder weather whilst I was away, I emailed my pet carer to light my giant pillar candle, she lit it on Wednesday afternoon and it is still burning in the greenhouse and all is toasty. I did feel really bad though because my OH said to ask her to put the heating on for the cats and I forgot that bit and it was really cold in the house when we got back yesterday. I was forgiven as soon as I lit the woodburner though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 My Sunflowers got planted out yesterday by Sid. He'd been listening to Terry the gardener bloke on radio 2. He'd already got his sunflowers out on he hillsides of Wale, so Sid said to get mine out! Sunfowers that is! Cucumber seedlings are mega strong on the window sills, as are the marigolds. Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 sown another 14 varieties of tomatoes, 36 pots of sweetcorn,18 sunflowers another 3 pots of sweet peas not doing to good with them this year germination is really poor plus 2 trays of flowers potted the last of the onions on plus a pot of brasiccas, dahias and basil on Friday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted April 9, 2012 Author Share Posted April 9, 2012 I have struggled getting some sweetpeas to germinate this year too, despite pre soaking them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 I stopped presoaking peas and sweet peas a long time ago after very bad germination rates Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillybettybabs Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 My early carrots and potatoes are just starting to come through, I'm unsure if it's to early to put my peas out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 My Peas are about 3 inches high now in cell trays,but I think I am going to leave them in the unheated Greenhouse for at least another week yet,just to be sure. My Sweet peas have done NOTHING Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted April 12, 2012 Author Share Posted April 12, 2012 I hadn't really grown sweetpeas before last year, I presoaked them because it suggested this on the packet and they came up well, I have eventually ended up with quite a lot this time too, but they took ages to germinate. With the recent rain quite a few of my seeds have come up, another row of radishes and some lettuces and spring onions. My first radishes will only be about a week before they are big enough to eat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillybettybabs Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 Shame that the weeds have grown too, I was out in the rain pulling them up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 I'm always lucky with SP, this year has been excellent too. In case it helps anybody for next time, I sow in February and put 2 or 3 to a 3 inch pot, (I used to nick and soak them but I don't anymore. I notice no difference between the methods) on top of wetted general purpose compost and cover with a thin layer of vermiculite. I put the pots into a propagator (no bottom heat) with the vents virtually closed until I see signs of germination, then I start to open them. I take the propagator lid off when the plants touch it. I leave them in the conservatory so they get lots of sun but no articifical heat and then harden off. I'm just going to plant them out, I would have done it weeks ago but it was so dry here My first early spuds are poking through, and my garlic is catching up from a very very late planting, although I'm not sure if it will bulb up properly. I have cheated and bought some in as well I have also managed to germinate 8 out of 10 tomatoes, but I am going to give them away as every year, despite good advice on here, I fail to get decent crops. Does anybody have problems with bugs or slugs or something eating their young sunflowers - I get them to germinate but once I plant them out I find they get attacked and I'm left with nothing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 I noticed yesturday that some of my sweet pea pots that had had a very good germination have a few new ones comeing through I think it's down to the cooler temps. I'd sown them when we had the really hot weather I've alreay lost at least 6 spuds to frost I'm just hoping that they re-sprout Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 My sweet peas have gone mad. They are on the bathroom window sill. I didn't pre soak my seeds either. They were bought as a little kit from Poundland & have come on brilliantly. They really need to go out soon or else they will become triffids in my bathroom. But there is still a risk of frost. Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue_F Posted April 14, 2012 Share Posted April 14, 2012 Planted peas, mongetou and fennel today. The soil is lovely, I'm saying it's the chicken p but I don't think my Dad agrees Katy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...