SPRING PROGRESS

[Compo]

It' a while since we did one of these I know. But I thought it might be a good idea to hear what folk are up too on their plots.

I have planted out my first earlies, international kidney. Also my first batch of onion sets about a month ago. The purple sprouting is at last producing and we have had three crumbles from the rhubarb. The winter gem lettuce in the greenhouse is trying to bolt, and did not heart so I am not sure about it's success yet. Does anyone else have experience of this?

I have sewn parsnips in the ground 'gladiator' and the countess parsnip seeds in toilet tubes are doing well. Broad beans are about nine inches high and looking very nice, as are the overwintering King Richard Leeks.

A lot of the beds are dug and rotavated to a tilth, the greenhouse is full of trays in various stages of growth. This is a mega buy time and thankfully we have fine weather and now light nights so it really is exciting!!!!

How is everyone else getting on?

CoMpO

[The Grock in the Frock]

ooooh! i can feel your excitment,its fab isnt it.I have my onions and garlic in the ground,but thats about all,its a bit colder up here at the mo, but the green house is full of lots of little things pocking their heads through the soil,i have onion seeds,spinach,sweetcorn,tomatoes,chillies and lots of tadpoles in my pond it was a really sunny day up here in the old pool on sunday,but i had to do some cleaning in the house as the family were in danger of catching the plague,i spend too much time down the plot!
i wanted to grow some butter nut squash and went to B&Q and they wanted nearly £4 for 10 seeds,so i thought sod that,happened to go into Wilkinsons on sat and paid for 2 and got 1 free for £1 something,so i will be trying butternut squash this year

[jane E]

Very busy and exciting. I hardly have time to go to work and am spending many nights pricking out, planting etc. I have 2 electric propagators going with seed - mostly flower; a 'hot' greenhouse which is jammed full and a cool greenhouse with hanging baskets hanging from the beams and tubs on the floor as well as all my grown on plants quietly growing on. The trouble is - I know in about 2 months time family and certain friends will say ' have you got any spare....?' If I don't do them now I won't have any spare..., will I?

[Colin_M]

i wanted to grow some butter nut squash and went to B&Q and they wanted nearly £4 for 10 seeds

I can send you a few seeds of other squash varieties (that's if you have room in your garden for any more):
- Bon Bon
- Marina di Chioggia
Just drop me a PM with address details.

[AdeTheSpade]

I too have had a brilliant day at the allotment - planted my Jerusalem Artichokes, and all my first earlies, in the lovely warm sunshine. Already got broad beans, onions, garlic and shallots happily growing in the ground, as well as fruit bushes, and apple and plum trees, and the rhubarb's coming up nicely as well!

In the greenhouse, got 1st earlies coming up in a big pot, lettuces which we're already eating, leek, rocket, beetroot, radish and parsley seedlings, carrot seedlings in a large pot (I find them much easier in a pot than in the ground!), cosmos and sunflower seedlings, and mange tout and sugar snap peas hardening off in the cold frame! Absolutely loving it, and doesn't the weather just make it!

[Fat Andy]

Well so far, I've got

Carrots (Flyaway)
Parsnip (Gladiator)
Broad bean (Masterpiece green longpod)
Early spuds (foremost)
2nd earlies (Saxon)
Maincrop (Pentland Crown, Maris Piper & Desiree)
Onion sets (Centurion)
Shallots (Golden Gourmet) and
Garlic (can't remember the variety)

all sown direct into the ground at my allotment.

In my greenhouse, I have sweet peppers, chilli peppers (can't remember the varieties), tomotoes (sweet million, alicante & ailsa craig), courgette (patriot, I think), strawberries (Elsanta) and blueberries (3 varieties).

I'm looking to get a few more bits & pieces in this coming weekend and then another few over Easter.

FA x

[oldherbaceous]

I just love the enthusiasm Spring brings to us all.

[Westi]

Was down at Lottie today and it was fab - 17c!

Finished planting the brassicas and making great
progress peeling back the black plastic and attacking
the couch grass. And the first earlies have popped
their little leaves up already. Even had to water the
overwintering broadbeans which are in flower.

Best of all I harvested rhubarb, leeks, cabbage, chives,
tarragon, rosemary - and ASPARAGUS!!!

Definately SPRING! (But have a headstart down south)

Westi

[Johnboy]

Hi Westi,
A completely different story here. I am waiting for the Nettles to rise enough to partake of some of Alan's Nettle Soup but they have yet to rise more than 2". This is quite strange because everything else seems to be normal. The difference between Dorset ans NW Herefordshire is very marked. There is nothing but over wintered cabbages on the menu at present and we must lag behind you by at least a very long month.
Mind you I have only just picked the last of the Brussels Sprouts last weekend and composted the plants.
JB.

[Monika]

You are in good company, Johnboy. We are not sowing anything outside yet. Any potatoes planted now would most likely be touched by frost in late May or early June and any small seeds sown now would probably rot in the ground before germinating!

Having said that, we have had beautiful weather the last four or five days with early mist and then clear blue sky with the temperature up to 16 (61 in old money) and just a gentle southeasterly breeze, so it's very tempting to get sowing and planting, but I know very well that it can still get really nasty. On the allotment, we now only have the overwintered onions and garlic and lots of rhubarb and the shallots, planted last week. At home in the vegetable garden (which is much more sheltered) there are some broad beans, a few peas and more garlic in the ground and the following waiting to go into the ground (presently being hardened off): kohlrabi, early caulis, summer cabbage, onions (grown from seed), beetroot, parsnips, sweet peas and several hardy annuals, mostly in roottrainers.

And the first chiffchaff called today!

[Malk]

Hello all, the spring bug has brought me out of hiding as well. I've been busy at the plot, both preparing for the season and playing with the boys.

Potato bed is ready, planted tomatoes, peppers, early sprouting broccolli, butternut squash, calebrese, leeks, salad leaves. With my oldest I've planted sunflowers, peas and beans. His plantings are doing better than mine so far.

best of the season to everyone.

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Malk, may i just say how nice it is to see you on the forum, you have been missed.

Yes i am still here.

[Malk]

Thanks OH, nice of you to notice. It's lovely to hear from you.

[Primrose]

Carrots, Swiss Chard, Onion sets and Cavalo Nero sown in veggie plot and covered with cloches. Peppers, Chillis, Aubergine & Leek seedlings about five inches high. Celeriac 1" tall but looking healthy. Tomato seedlings for outdoor growing about 1" high - possibly sown a little early but I have individual giant square mineral water bottle cloches to protect them if they need planting out to prevent them getting leggy
Have tried sowing kohl rabi in modules this year instead of direct into the soil and have a dozen healthy seedlings so will sow another batch shortly.
Generally ahead of myself this year. If it rains over Easter I won't feel too guilty settling down with a good book!