Spring 2019 - the new gardening season

[Daisy]

I've tried planting in November, but they never seem to do very well - apart from one year. A lovely friend and very good gardener had given me seed from his plants with instructions to plant in November. I did, and the plants thrived. Sadly the friend passed away the following May and his wife wanted garden flowers rather than a wreath. Incredibly his seeds had already blossomed and we picked them on the morning of his funeral. When the hearse was opened at the crematorium everyone was amazed at the beautiful scent of 'his' sweet peas. It was so special and very poignant and something I'll never forget.

[Gemini]

Awww Daisy.

Any sweet pea advice would be welcome here.
My OH grows them from seed each year. The last 2, if not 3 years they have been so disappointing, not producing the abundant flowers we used to get. As sweet peas were one for the crops they grew on her family's market garden (where she worked for several years) she finds this disheartening.
I wonder if she plants them too late, or if it is the varieties or make she chooses.

[Grauntie Mag]

They like the cold Gem, mind you, I live in the S.E! I plant directly in the ground without all the faffing of soaking the seeds or chipping them. This makes for strong plants I find. If you are after show piece blooms you need to pinch them out apparently. The RHS site will have info.

[Clover]

I plant them 3 to a small pot anytime this month or next I cover them with a sheet of clear plastic or glass and put them in the cold porch.Once they begin to show I remove the cover .When they start to grow two or three pars of “real” leaves I pinch out the tips to prevent them getting too “leggy”Then I plant them into the garden when they are about5/6 inches tall.
I’m not saying this is the correct way but it seems to work for me
.

[WeeGranny]

I love sweet peas! My Mother had a hat which was covered in them ( artificial unfortunately) and it was beautiful !

I've just ordered some potatoes that you can grow in tubs, so we'll see how it goes with them. I'm not a very successful gardener because I forget to do things when they're needed....like watering.

[Gemini]

Thanks ladies
She knows all about the pinching out I think, and she starts them in the greenhouse, but although they grow tall flowers have been few and far between. I think she needs to start earlier.
I will let you know what this summer brings!

[Grauntie Mag]

I can’t resist collecting seeds. Years ago I bought Jekka McVicar’s book ‘ Seeds’. It has info about collecting and growing all types of everything. If I was marooned on an island that’s a book I’d take.
Gem, your OH is far better than me. I can’t be bothered with the pinching out. 😬

[Gemini]

Nor me Grauntie 😊

[Mimi]

I sewed some tomato seeds this morning. They are sitting in little pots on the kitchen window sill.

[Daisy]

Mimi - good luck. What variety did you sow? I used to start tomato seeds in February for for several years now Feb/March have had too little sun to push them on and they've been weak and weedy. Last year I bought plants - what a wimp. So this year I' going to start my seeds off in March if it's sunny enough. I have a heated propagator in the greenhouse, but take them out as soon as they've germinated.

[Daisy]

I finally got round to sowing some tomato seeds today! Four different varieties but just a few of each. If they don't geminate (oh, ye of little faith!!) I've got some left in the packets. I've put them in the electric propagator to get them started.

We're seriously thinking of giving up our allotment. It's not an easy decision, but it's getting hard work for me and although OH helps he doesn't enjoy it, even though he loves having the produce. So today I've also planted some of the chitted potatoes into potato grow bags. I've never had much success with them, but I'm trying a different variety this time.

[Gemini]

OH started some tomato and cucumber seeds in the kitchen a few days ago. If not successful she will buy plants again!
An allotment is a lot of work Daisy I think you and OH have done well to have it for so long!
An alternative could be finding someone else to share it with. Half the produce but half the work.
My DD1 has a new allotment. It is close to GS's school. As he is an early riser, they have been a few times before school and he's done some digging
DD3 and SIL gave up theirs when they went to Canada, not sure if they will get another, but I imagine so.

[Daisy]

Gem - it is a lot of work and for the last two years we've shared it with a friend. But he seems to have lost interest and I found it a bit frustrating because I had a good crop rotation system in place and I would arrive to find it had gone wrong! I know there are several crops that just don't do well in our site - carrots, some brassicas, peas for example, but they were the things he was hoping to grow. I didn't want to pour cold water on his hopes, so we ended up wasting space, time and effort for not very much return and then didn't have much space for crops that do well like sweet corn, onions, garlic, shallots, leeks and potatoes. Not glamorous crops but they either store well or stand well in the ground.

It wasn't easy for us to go down there together as he liked to go about 6 am, and there's no way we are up that early!

Time for us to move on, I think.

[Enfys]

A lot of work Daisy, so maybe the time is right for you to give it up. Our garden is pretty low maintenance with gravel beds, lawn and pots and I don’t grow from seed any more.

[Daisy]

Enfys - I'm sure you're right. But it is quite a wrench. I love going down there on a summer evening with the birds singing and the sounds of the Forest all around. It's so peaceful and you feel you can almost hear the plants growing. But keeping it all neat and tidy and staying on top of the weeds is back-breaking work, and for some reason it gets harder as we get older!! We haven't made the final decision yet, but .....