In my greenhouse...

Back in June it was all about reacquainting myself with my greenhouse, and trying to persuade my tomatoes to grow - and I managed that, in the end. I think I should have potted them on much sooner, but hey ho! 

i had a bit more luck with courgettes and squashes although no sooner had I planted them out in the allotment, then another one sprung out of nowhere... 

My chillies were suffering the same non-growing fate as my tomatoes, so on our recent visit to Hyde Hall I consoled myself with this pretty purple chilli plant. I've not picked any yet, but am curious to know what they taste like.  

The flowers I have in the greenhouse continue to flower, it seems both those grown from seed and the miniature bedding plants are acting the same way, and both are adding some unusual colour to my space. The one below is a poached egg plant and good for attracting pollinators.  Pretty too.  

Proof that my tomatoes have responded well to potting on. Of course now I'm left with the headache of finding space for them on the allotment, but that's a good problem to have. 

I've also had success with parsley this year. For the first time ever what growing from seed  I know parsley likes it warm to germinate and it seems this year it's playing ball.

I'm also trying starting off spinach, lettuce and beetroot in drainpipe. I know it sounds odd but I think these are the kinds of plant that do well sown direct. But the only problem with that is when the seedlings come through they look like weeds. So my master plan is to give them a head start in the drainpipe and then transplant them without needing to disrupt and interrupt them too much.  

Thats the plan anyway, and of course it's reliant on having somewhere to grow them... 

As well as the pale pink flower above I'm noticing that my blueberry has turned autumnal. I mean, it's a lovely colour but I don't know if it's putting on a show or slowly giving up, I guess I'll find out soon enough. 

It seems that this year though is my year of the foxglove, as not only did I have two flowering foxgloves I've a bumper crop of seedlings too.  

And finally, there's an unusual addition this month, with these solar powered light bulbs sheltering here. It was way too windy for them to be outside, so they're taking a temporary respite until the summer returns.  I'm hoping it won't be long!

What have you been up to in your garden or greenhouse? Share your successes and more in the comments. 

Reacquainting myself with my greenhouse

What with the preparations for our 110th party I haven't had much time to get into my greenhouse, and of course it suffered - and I think I did too a little, so when I found myself with some time to myself last Saturday morning I knew how I'd spend it. Yes, reacquainting myself with my greenhouse.

First up was taming the lemon balm. Usually I chop it just as it starts to flower, not quite the Chelsea chop, but more of a when I remember to chop. And it needed to be first up as it's growing just inside the door.  A fragrant job though.

Once I'd chopped my way in (it wasn't that bad really) I finally got around to labelling the wallflower and sunflower seeds I'd saved. I've sown many of the sunflower seeds and they're doing really well, and I've still got plenty left for next year. It was timely to have found the wallflower seeds, as according to Monty I should be sowing those already, but I haven't just yet. Soon maybe.

Looking around the greenhouse my tomato seedlings were still miniature, which was disappointing. This year was the first time for a while that I've sown them in modules like this, usually I chuck way too many seeds into a seed tray, and most likely would have potted them on by now. So that became my job to pot on my tomatoes. And of course, as is tradition I seemed to mix up the plant labels so once again I'm sure there'll be a surprise when (and if) they grow!

The sorrel had gone to seed. Again. I'm quite partial to a sorrel omelette, but I guess I'll be waiting for it to regrow a bit first.  It's pretty though.  The sorrel and lemon balm were sown the same year, and both have thrived in the greenhouse for a good few years, despite my neglect.

I've still some onions that need to go over the allotment. I know they should be out by now, and hopefully they will be soon. Everytime I water these two toads hop out looking most disgruntled.

And of course now the party is over, the tiny bedding plants have had a growth spurt. I think these are scabiosa, which have tight pom-pom like flowers. Hopefully they'll be a decent size by the end of the summer...

In more free-plant news I've some more succulents on the way. These leaves came off as I planted out a leaning succulent, and you can see teh roots are just starting to grow.

My squash is doing much better and is looking a more usual size. I've some butternut squashes, crown prince pumpkins and little munchkin squashes again. 

They clearly loved the heat, the greenhouse topped 43 degrees, unlike the climbing beans which failed to germinate.  I've only one courgette, and again I've no idea what type!

The tomatoes from dad are doing much better. He tells me they're giant ones, and in comparison to mine they really are. They'll be heading over to the allotment this weekend hopefully.

Given my lack of success so far with courgettes and climbing beans when we were at Hyde Hall on Sunday I bought some newer seeds, just in case that was the problem and quickly set about sowing them to give them the best chance.

And while we were there, somehow, i left with this purple chilli too.  Funny how that happens, hey?

My last task for this weekend's pottering was to collect seeds from the fading yellow marigolds. They went into two brown paper bags, one for me and another for dad. All I need to do now is remember to deliver them.

Usually by now I will have posted a Sow and Grow post,  but this month I haven't - mainly because I've sown and grown very little - and I'm not even sure I'm up-to-date with my magazine reading. So I've decided rather than beat myself up about not doing this, I'll skip this month, but will return with a July post, and if I get my act together I may have something new alongside that too.  You'll have to wait and see what that is, but I realised it's the sensible way forward.

So the pottering is back on, and so will the quilt making. I'm looking forward to get back into both of them.  How's your growing going? Hopefully better than mine!

Sow & Grow: May

Today I'm sharing my new monthly round-up of what I'm growing right now, and comparing that to the list published in the Grow your own fruit and veg magazine, as well as sharing an allotment update - so quite a functional post from me today, but hopefully useful nonetheless.

At a glance the magazine list looks a little shorter this month - there seems to be bigger pictures than last month - and that's welcome, although I think my sow & grow list is probably just as long as last month. I am starting to make space in the greenhouse though, and I have another 75 litres of seed compost so hopefully there'll be no stopping me - or my seedlings - soon!

Sow

• Broad beans: Yay! Mine are on the allotment, we planted them out in a team effort as our almost-the-last-job-before-we-packed-up-and-came-home on Sunday.  It was a glorious day to spend on the allotment, but there's still so much more to do.  I'm tempted to add another row or two, when we manage to clear a bit more space to the left of this picture.

BROAD BEANS PLANTED OUT ALONGSIDE A NEWLY WEEDED PATH

• Cabbages: A lack of greenhouse space has meant I've still not sowed these yet. They're still on my list, and hopefully once the warmer weather comes along (soon please!) they'll catch up.
• Carrots: I do have a tyre at the allotment - long story, but it's off my car as the wrong size tyre was put on when I had a flat at some point, and rather than leave a hardly worn tyre with the garage, I brought it home for the allotment - so maybe I could use that. Hmmmn.
• Courgettes and squash:  I'll definitely be planting these. I've no idea where I'll put them on the allotment but these are one of my go to crops.
• Cucumbers: I'm getting quite impatient about the cucumber seeds I've planted.  None of the six have germinated yet. Maybe they will soon. Please.
• Florence fennel: I still plan to give these a go, if I have space. My seeds could be past it though, so I'm not holding out too much hope.
• Herbs: I'll be sowing more Basil, Coriander and Chives, as well as a first sowing of Angelica as one of my existing plants is flowering and I suspect that means it will be all over soon.

FLOWERING ANGELICA

• Kohl rabi:  No, not ever. This isn't a vegetable I'll eat.
• Peas: Yes, because you can't beat home grown peas. And some of them may even make it into the saucepan. I've got some lengths of drainpipe which I grow peas in (so I don't disturb the roots when planting on) and I also grow a pot full in the greenhouse which I use as a steady supply of pea shoots for salads. If you like pea shoots you should definitely do this, it's one of the easiest things to grow.
• Potatoes: Phew, I'm glad to hear that these can still be sown, as mine are still out of the soil. We took them to the allotment on Sunday, not so they can see where they'll end up, but to plant them, but we ran out of time and dug space.  Soon though!
• Radishes: I'm in two minds about these - they're quick to grow and the rainbow varieties are such pretty colours, but there's only so many radishes we can eat, and as usual I do the glut thing and they all come at once and I get all radished out. I should look to buy some of those lovely French-style radishes, I think I'd tire of these less quickly.
• Salad leaves: I thought the other night that I don't have any of these on the go yet either, and that I really should. Again moderation and frequent sowings are key, both things that sadly I'm not so good at!
• Sprouting broccoli: still my most favourite veg I think, and definitely something I should grow. We haven't eaten much of it this year as our local greengrocer has started to sell it in packets rather than loose, so I've sort of been boycotting the packeted stuff. If I grew my own then I wouldn't have this problem, would I?
• Sweetcorn: I'll be growing this again this year, despite our mixed success last year. Why? Because the success we did have provided the tastiest, sweetest sweetcorn - and the smaller cobs, well I took the corn off the cob and I've still got some in the freezer, which is great for adding to stirfrys.
• Sweet peppers: I'm still a probably not for these this year, but I would like my chillies to germinate.  I hit on a brainwave of an idea yesterday too, and that's to put my chilli seed tray on the parcel shelf of my car so they can get the heat they need, as when it's warm it's much hotter in our front garden than the back. I'll just need to remember I put them there or else they could frazzle or more likely end up over the backseat if I braked suddenly.
• Turnips: The advice here is little and often, so while I will be growing some, I could struggle with the little and often bit. We'll see.

Plant

• Aubergine: I'm not growing these this year, they're MOH's least favourite vegetable - although he still eats them - maybe these are ones for when we've got the allotment under control.
• Blueberries: My plant is still doing relatively well, the flowers have gone and I'm still waiting to see how many of the fruits develop.
• Brussels sprouts: Hmnn, I never got any sown last month, so maybe these will be off my list this year. 
• Cauliflowers: Oh dear, I think I must have missed the sow these prompt. I had some great success with cauliflower plants last year so maybe I'll pop up the garden centre. Remember the cauliflower as big as my head?!

CAULIFLOWER SUCCESS IN 2016

• Celeriac:  I'm still tempted to give these another go, and I think our new approach to the allotment may help.

As we've struggled to control and tame the weeds, after watching a recent episode of Gardener's World we're attempting the 'no-dig' approach. Well almost 'no-dig'.  We're having a bit of a dig, because it's what we do and then we're chucking in a load of compost to new raised beds, in a "we're-bringing-the-level-of-the-soil-up" kind of approach. I didn't really want to put raised beds into our plot, but equally I don't want to have that despondent feeling of having to start again each time we visit the allotment either, so hopefully it'll help our progress.

Even though we're using some old shelves, it's a more expensive approach, especially for such a large bed. We started as we planted the onions out, not that you can really see it as it's well hidden beneath this netting.

USING THE BLACK SACKS FULL OF WEEDS AS WEIGHTS FOR OUR NETTING

• Celery:  For me, this is on the advanced list. 
• Courgettes and squash: A different sort of advanced list, if I had some already I'd plant them out, if I could.
• Globe artichoke:  Our randomly growing artichoke is thriving under the crab apple tree. I'm not sure it's supposed to do so well there, and I really should take some cuttings from it this year, just in case it doesn't cope with the move I have planned for it well.
• Marrows: I don't dislike marrows, but I don't tend to grow these. Dad usually does though and they're a must for any chutney maker.  Sorry if you're a chutney-lover and marrow-hater and I've just spoilt chutneys for you!
• Pumpkins: Mine are still in the seed packet, but I've plans to grow some so I'd better get a move on.
• Sweetcorn:  I noticed one of my fellow plot-holders already has her sweetcorn out and they're about six inches tall already. No wonder hers were always ahead of mine last year!

Harvest

• Asparagus: I've none to harvest, but I'll happily eat any English grown asparagus.
• Cauliflowers: No none of those either.
• Endive:  I do like these, and we brought some back from our trip to France, but I don't think I can count those as harvested.
• Kale: My kale was finished last month, and we enjoyed that added to some vegetable soup.
• Radishes:  I've already shared my views on radishes earlier in this post!
• Rhubarb: Our rhubarb is done, as is others on the allotment. I knew we wouldn't get much off of ours this year as you're not supposed to cut it in its first year. But next year, I'm going to be all about the rhubarb!
• Salad leaves:  Ooh I wish.
• Spring cabbage:  Again, I wish - I'm rather partial to those hispi cabbages.
• Spring onions: Aha! I found some of these while I was clearing a space for the broad beans. MOH was having none of them because they were red, but they were red because they were the North Holland Blood Red type, we ate them for our late lunch yesterday evening. And their flavour was well developed, even though they were tiny!
• Swiss chard: I still have a few plants on the allotment, and I'd noticed that the white variety seemed to have resurgence. I'm very tempted to pop back over there and cut some of those leaves, and slightly overlook that this is another of MOH's less favoured veg.

So there you go, I told you the list was shorter didn't I?  And I don't feel anywhere near as bad - or as behind - as I thought I might. I am though looking forward to some pottering in the greenhouse sowing some more seeds.  WE've also got some more digging to do as despite getting two seed trays of onions out, I've another four (yes four) to plant out.

Another of my greenhouse successes is my sunflowers. I sowed some from a packet and some from the sunflower heads I saved from the plot, unsure how they'd fare. And guess what? They're doing just as well, perhaps better than the packet seed.  I read somewhere too, can't remember where, of someone that grew sunflowers and cucumbers together, and I'm hoping to do that (if my cucumber seeds germinate), as I can see that working really well.  

That's one for another day though - how's your growing month been?