Planting Out and Planting Up

All the wood chipping we have done recently in the woods has revealed quite a few large areas which are clear of grass and weeds. These are the places where we really want to try to create some spring colour we can enjoy before the deciduous trees begin to explode into leaf.

We started with a few bargain wild primroses (ie a bit pot bound and not flowering) along with bunches of bluebells and grape hyacinths relocated from the garden to try to naturalise this little spot. I'm not sure they'll all flower this year but next year they should be established and produce a beautiful spring display.

These are the acorns I collected before we moved house about 18 months ago. They look a bit mossy as they've been in these pots since the autumn but are now ready to go to their permanent homes. I know they are really slow growing but they seem to be doing well so far and I hope they will thrive and eventually grow into sturdy trees.

The seeds have been germinating and starting to grow well and the time has come to start pricking out and potting up. Above is a picture of the second lot of seedlings in the smallest pots I use. These were a little fiddly at first, some look so small and delicate that I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed that they survive.

These little flower seedlings were the first lot in the tiny pots, I grew them on for a couple of weeks before potting up to these slightly larger and deeper pots, they're starting to look almost like proper plants. Pondering over these pictures makes me wonder where on earth we're going to position all these flowers if they manage to grow into full size plants. I may have got a little bit carried away with the seed sowing - oops. I keep telling M that it's ok because lots of them will be going in the cut flower bed!

I've never grow Nasturtiums before so I decided to try by making 2 sowings about 2 weeks apart. They didn't all germinate but there are 8 from the first sowing and 5 from the second. The small ones are 2 weeks old with the larger ones about 4 weeks old.

I have 22 tomato plants so far but have been really disappointed that my Sungold and Gardeners' Delight didn't germinate and so only have one of each of them. The angle of the sun is giving them a rather washed out appearance but despite my poor photography skills they are pretty healthy. I have done a second sowing of Sungold and Gardeners' Delight so we'll have to wait and see how they do. Likewise the jalapeno and sweet pepper seeds have suffered from erratic germination so I'm not sure how many of these we'll have this year.

I'm not quite sure why I've taken this at a rather strange angle but this is our collection of broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower growing on a bit before being planted outside.

This is my lemon tree, well actually my second lemon tree as the first one only lasted a couple of years before giving up the ghost. This one was beginning to head the same way (with no leaves or fruit) until last year when it took up residence in the corner of the greenhouse. Fresh compost and a better watering regime seems to have saved it and I'm delighted to see new leaves starting to unfurl already. You never know we may even get some fruit again.

I always enjoy this part of the year as the seedlings are growing and the greenhouse is gradually filling up before the risk of frost passes and they can be moved/planted outside. The peas and beans are getting quite tall (middle shelf right) and it won't be long until they go to the raised veg bed. That may be a few weeks yet as we are in a period of sunny days combined with very cold nights. As always it is the anticipation of summer, a kaleidoscope of colour in the garden accompanied by a harvest of fresh fruit and veg which drives us on to make the most of each and every day.