...seems to be early but maybe not!
Weather highlights:
The cold snap arrived on Saturday with the overnight temps dropping to 2C and for the rest of the week day temperatures didn't go much above 14C. It was quite windy and rained too! Brrrr! It was back to winter! 15mm of rain this week.
Propagation:
Seeds:
Into spaces vacated by the rapidly germinating Cucumbers, Basil and Melons (Yah!) I have managed to squeeze in some more seeds.
Luffa Luffa aegyptica from The Lost Seed
Gourds Large Mix from Eden Seeds
Tomatoes Black Cherry from Home saved seeds
Potting on/up:
Tomato Stor Gul
Tomato Big Rainbow
Tomatoes Moneymaker
Freebies from the garden:
Lemon Balm Melissa officinalis (division)
Borage Borago officinalis seedlings
Planting out:
Borage seedlings
I first read about this on on Peggy's blog Organic Growing Pains when she mentioned Terry Walton** starting carrots in bottomless peat pots, so thought I'd try with loo rolls. I have since found this article by Linda Woodrow on sowing them in paper pots. I found that link via Jason's Blog Zucchini Island so it looks like a way to get the carrots a) germinating and b) past that crucial stage when the earwigs attack!!! I have started some carrots and they are just emerging. I ll see how they go once the roots hit the bottom of the roll. That will be the time to get them out in the garden.
I'm glad the Melons have germinated as fast as they have, I'm intending to grow some of them on trellises this year and have been encouraged by this post on Trend. Growing melon up off the ground should help with any mildew problems as it increases airflow around the plants. I intend to grow some up the Tomato frame we built into bed 6 last year.
that spring is just around the corner...
...new shoots from the winter dormant Valerian
for new plantings around the garden
Weekly Harvest Tally:
Doesn't include Greens fed to the chooks on a daily basis or herbs picked for use in the kitchen for cooking or tea making.
The highlight this week has been the Verona Purple Savoy Cabbages that had begun to loosen to bolt to seed!! Argh! but they are still delicious.
Cabbage Verona Purple Savoy 2514g
Celery American Stringless/Pink/Celeriac leaves 680g
Lemons 565g made into some marmalade for Doc
Chooks:
Eggs:
21 From the 5 Farmyard Ferals
3 From the 3 Barnevelders (only one is laying)
20 From the 5 Faverolles
To see how the various Garden areas fit on our half acre block check out the newest Map of our place HERE
*Terry Walton is a long time allotment grower from Wales. He is a popular broadcaster and garden writer in the UK.
See Terry Walton's Allotment updates Here