As can be expected for the start of the year, the weather has been cold with regular ground frosts since the beginning of January. Temperatures have fallen to -3 some nights and I expect things to get colder.
There's still a few bits and pieces on the allotment though, leeks, Winter cabbage, kale, parsnips and sprouts. In store I still have potatoes, masses of onions, a bit of garlic, Crown Princes squashes plus various beans and carrots in the freezer. (Pic - the allotment in Jan 2018, enveloped in a hard frost).
So, with January's cold and gloom, it's nice to think about Spring with the arrival from Thompson & Morgan of my Sarpo Mira main crop potatoes. I ordered them just before Christmas for delivery this month and a small parcel was here on the 13th. I say 'small' as I'm planting far less potatoes this year due to downsizing, main crop and earlies will be sharing one bed this year.
I've gone for my usual Sarpo Mira main crop spuds, they are blight resistant and do very well every year for me, producing numerous large tubers. I've laid them in a seed tray, 'rose' end up to chit and have placed them on a frost free windowsill. They'll stay there until it's safe to place them in an unheated greenhouse as they need good light but no frosts.
I've gone through the same chitting process today (18th) with my early Rocket potatoes. I buy my earlies from my local Wilko store as they are much cheaper there than ordering them from a major seed supplier and paying postage on top.
I've gone through the same chitting process today (18th) with my early Rocket potatoes. I buy my earlies from my local Wilko store as they are much cheaper there than ordering them from a major seed supplier and paying postage on top.
In addition to the potatoes I've bought my usual Sturon onion sets and some garlic. For the past few years I have been replanting my garlic but I decided to refresh my stock this year. I've gone for Germidour again as the variety is cheap and reliable. For tips on planting garlic in the early Spring see my post here. Again, both onions & garlic were from my local Wilko store.
Finally, I've sown my cheap Alicante tomatoes today. They will go into a heated propagator until they germinate then they will be molly-coddled indoors on a bright windowsill until they can be moved safely onto a shelf in the greenhouse at the end of March/early April. After a few 'potting-ons' they will be planted out in the bottom of the greenhouse.
Finally, I've sown my cheap Alicante tomatoes today. They will go into a heated propagator until they germinate then they will be molly-coddled indoors on a bright windowsill until they can be moved safely onto a shelf in the greenhouse at the end of March/early April. After a few 'potting-ons' they will be planted out in the bottom of the greenhouse.
That's it for now. Bye.
No comments:
Post a Comment