On the 17th April I decided it was time to sow the beans and corn. I'm aiming for around 20 runner bean plants and 10 Cobra French beans so I was able to use a single set of 32 deep root trainers. Along with the Cobra I'm planting runner bean Firestorm, new to me, chosen because they are supposed to be self-pollinating. I used the other deep root trainer pack for the sweet corn, Incredible F1 that usually does well. I used all the seed I had and will plant as many as germinate as I have the space.(Pic - black Cobra French Beans in deep root trainers).
Yesterday, the 18th April, I was at the plot sowing Detroit beetroot and Nantes 5 carrots direct. The beetroot was sown in a simple line as normal but for the Nantes I created a slit trench by wiggling a spade back and forth then filling it with a sand-compost mixture and sowing the seed on top. This worked well for me last year, providing a surprisingly large number of finger carrots to eat throughout the summer while the main crop Sweet Candle carrots grew to their large size.
I was in the greenhouse today sowing this season's Winter squashes. I'm doing three varieties this year, not including the pumpkins which have already been sown. I've sown a dozen Hunter Butternut F1, ten Crown Prince (which are new this year) and finally ten Turks Turban. The Turks Turban will be used as space fillers as I'll be concentrating on the Butternut and Crown Prince. The latter two were put in the electric propagator to help germination and the Turks Turban left in a the greenhouse, covered with a cloche as there was no room. (Pic - ten Crown Prince squash seeds sown).
A quick mooch around the greenhouse showed me that everything is proceeding well. There are more flowers on the tomato plants; the sprouts have really come on; the Primo II cabbage are getting floppy because they are so large; the Kale has large true leaves and; the first Marketmore cucumbers and Defender courgettes are beginning to show through the compost. Hardening off outside are the perpetual spinach, leeks and some flowers - nasturtiums and sweet peas. (Pic - Defender F1 courgette appearing).
I've had the lettuce hardening off outside for a few days but, as cold weather is forecast for the weekend, I thought I'd get the lettuce in the ground for a few days of sun to settle. The lettuce are Mazur which did well last season, these are a frilly type that are cut-and-come-again. Lastly, I sowed a couple of rows of radish, French Breakfast. (Pic - Mazur lettuce planted out with a couple of rows of radish).
The majority of this year's seed is either growing or has been sown. The only things left are a few swede and kohl rabi which I will sow direct when I put the brassicas out under nets next month.
That's it, bye for now.
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