New Year bits and bobs

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Elle, all i have done is as much as you did at the end of last seaon, except i'm putting them into damp compost instead of dry. They are in a frost free greenhouse so i can get them started a little earlier than some people. Starting them early also gives me the chance to take cuttings if i so wish, instead of just planting the tubers out later in the year.

It might pay to leave yours another couple of weeks, unless you can protect them from frosts, as once they come into growth they soon make rapid growth, especially if we get a lot of sunny days.

I'm glad you like Dahlias too.

[Monika]

Sowed the first cut-and come-again salad today in a growbag in the unheated greenhouse. The temperature in there rose to nearly 20 degrees but it's dropped down to six already, so they are covered up with double bubble plastic. and so are the chitting potatoes (Nadine, Kestrel and Anya).

We picked some excellent sprouts this morning and the last spring cabbage which had not done so well. But all the overwintering onions and the garlic are now sprouting well.

[Westi]

Monica - you are so lucky to overwinter you onions and garlic. I sowed about 50 more onion sets today to cover the failures and we are fairly mild down here in Dorset by the coast. Did you cover them?

All my garlic made it through except one that ended up in the swede bed - God Bless the wee birdies.

Westi

[Monika]

No, Westi, they were only covered by wire netting to stop the birds pulling them up when they came through. The onions (Senshyu) were showing in January and the garlic (Solent Wight, which I have found is the most suitable one for our area) are just coming through, and both seem to have survived 100%. The bed is well drained but not very sunny during the winter, having a dry stone wall to the south which keeps the sun (if any!) off until afternoon and evening.

Our temperatures on the allotment went down to minus 14 this winter and the bed was covered by snow for a long period because the snow had drifted against the wall.

[Ian in Cumbria]

The covering of snow might have protected the bed from the worst of the cold.

Regards

Ian

[Elle's Garden]

I'm glad you like Dahlias too.

Dear OH,

I love them, they are so varied and pretty. My particular favourites are the double petal ones, but I stuck to singles last year as I read (on here I think or may be the magazine) that the doubles don't have the same pollen for the bees. In my very first garden we had a long narrow (about 9 inches wide) bit of earth at the foot of a fence. A friend with a greenhouse gave us a load of dahlia and nusturtium seedlings which I threw in alternately. They gave the most wonderful show all summer with the dahlias growing up over 3 feet, and the nasturtiums spreading all across the patio - they made the border look a good 2 feet wide! And of course, every plant was different - I have loved them ever since although I stopped growing them when we moved here because of the slugs. But now I am controlling those better, I can grow them again.

I will do as you say OH and leave them a while!

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Elle, if they are in very dry compost, just check the tubers haven't started to shrivel up at all, if they are still nice and plump they are fine, if not give them a little water, but keep them cool.

I'm sure a couple of different varieties mixed in with the singles would look nice.

[Elle's Garden]

Thank you for the advice - I will check in the morning.

And yes, you are probably right - one or two won't hurt will they??