Kitchen Garden Forum

I sow leeks in plug trays, when they are a reasonable size I line them out in a shallow trench outside (cut it with one edge vertical) then move them to their final position when they get to the often recommended pencil size.
I can't really contribute to the main idea of this thread as I have lots of protected space. I sow almost nothing directly outside (swede, carrot, parsnip, some salad) and most of that is under cloches, mainly so I can use slug pellets while they germinate. I think the key to raising any seeds in containers is water before you sow, preferably a day before, and let the trays acclimatise to where they are going to be used particularly if the sowing compost has been stored somewhere colder.

I sow the leeks in a deep pot like Westi, but have never seen the point in trimming the roots off before planting.

Hi PP!

I can't make holes deep enough without trimming the roots!

Hi,

So, the real seed order arrived..... I'm like a kid on Christmas morning... anyway, I wanted to share this to show just how amazing plants are and the different seeds they produce!

Pawty

Seeds are amazing, aren't they? In that tiny scrap of material, be they flat, round, black, white or whatever, there are the makings of an entire plant with all its roots, stems, leaves, flowers and fruit. Mind boggling.

How exciting Pawty!

None of mine have come yet as I bought through the allotment shop but they can't be too far away. When I get them, then I go and explore other sites as ordering so early & being disorganised I often forget what variety I have ordered. My compost has come, that was pretty exciting. I'm a sad person - just 2 wee bags of compost to leave up in the back room for starting off the seedlings but it is a sign of the growing season.

What's the variety of the big squash seeds you have there?

I made a dibber our of an old brush steel I made the end pointed but short so as the bottom of the hole is all but flat, I made it around twelve inches long so plenty of depth

Hi,

Squash are 'blue Hungarian' - looked delicious and large. Given the size, the question is, how many seeds do I try and start off?? Tempted to double up given the squash germination disaster last year.

The Oca are 'heirloom pink'...... mr Pawty didn't look overly impressed but I can't wait to see how they turn out. This seed originates from New Zealand. Assuming they grow, I'll be looking for recipes.

Pawty

Thanks Pawty.

Not aware of that Blue Hungarian, I know I ordered a mini crown prince type of squash to go with my saved QLD Blue seeds but unfortunately did one of my 'clear outs'! As irregular as these are they re-enforce my angst of minimalism as a style challenge! Mr Westi just shrugs & makes a comment like 'That's nice dear'! when I tell him seed choices but does like to comment on the growing processes, especially the failures! He remains alive as is taller than me & good with fires!

Your Oca could be successful, especially if they grow on the South Island of NZ as temp & climate is pretty much like ours. (Minus the earthquakes obviously)!

Last year I followed PaSnip, even though where I live is warmer than where he lives I suffer wind straight off the sea. Fed up with failures I waited until early June before planting out seedlings and some direct seeds. Direct sowing doesnt work very well here because of the very healthy bank of annual seeds in ground and very invasive perennials. Seeds don't have a chance.

It all worked out fine, also, I stopped planting garlic to overwinter. What works here is for me to plant garlic into warmed soil, keep it covered until it shows strong shoots. Garlic has been my only 100 success though I do still get a few rotted bulbs.

Ricard with an H wrote:Last year I followed PaSnip, even though where I live is warmer than where he lives I suffer wind straight off the sea. .

For goodness sake don't follow me, I'm totally lost.
I had an argument with the woman on my sat-nav over which was best route to take ............... and she won.


I suffer wind as well, but it makes no difference if I'm at coast or inland.

Relax Pa, it was an ethereal-type of following. That made me smile, I don't argue with my SatNav I'm just very rude. It's HER that argues with SatNav. Then, if that's going nowhere she brings in Google navigation which is always right. No kidding.

For two years after my initial apprentice period I had often wanted to suggest, "Are we all trying to sow and plant far too early".

Marketing ?

I never had the courage of that marginal conviction.

Pa, please, farting is ok but not in public and most definitely not in the Royal county.

OK! I'm trying the cinnamon tip as my baby seedlings are starting to come up but there is a wee white bloom on some of the compost - looks more fungi like at this stage but it is not mushroom compost. Taking no chances, but one positive thing the cinnamon has done is stopped the kitten eating the compost & pulling out the labels!

I take back the above about the kitten, but the white bloom has gone.

I'll remember the cinnamon for future seed sowing. I wonder if it would deter sciarid flies as well?