This week has been horrible weather-wise, with two consecutive storms and another one on its way. Fortunately there’s not been too much damage done at the allotment or in the garden – the netting covering the brassicas was blown away, and one of the shed windows seems to have completely vanished. It could have been worse…
Yesterday I pricked out and potted on some of the seedlings sown over the last 3 weeks. They’re all growing well under the grow lights I bought earlier in the year – I’m really pleased with how that’s working out.
The first sowings of tomatoes, Ipomoea, Cobaea Scandens, Tagetes Burning Ember, cucumbers and sweet peppers were all ready to prick out or pot on from their modules so I’ve potted them up and put them back under lights for another few weeks, until the days are longer, the nights are less cold and they’re ready to go out into the grow house.
I’ve done another batch of sowing this weekend, too – all in peat-free multipurpose compost, with vermiculite sprinkled on top after sowing to keep moisture in, deter fungal infection a bit and reflect light:
- Tomato Primabella (seeds saved from last year’s plants), moneymaker, country taste and gardener’s delight
- Celeriac Prinz
- Luffa Cylindrica (aka Loofah) – growing these for the first time this year
- Watermelon
- Pea Serpette Guilloteau – a climbing variety
- Garlic Chives
- Coriander
These are all in the house under lights, apart from the chives, coriander and peas which are out in the growhouse.
The seeds I sowed 2 weeks ago out in the growhouse have all started to germinate this week. I worry it’s still quite cold, damp and dark for them but they look ok for now. I’ve not put any heating in the growhouse yet but will keep an eye on night temperatures and put in the paraffin heater if it looks like it’s going to go below 5 celcius.
Not long now until the days are long enough for it to be possible to do a bit of pottering outdoors after normal working hours. I can’t wait.
Keeping the Plot 