Allotments 4 All

Richard - my sweetpeas took about two weeks to come up. I cut them slightly with a knife (forgot to soak and was too eager to get going!)

Hmm perhaps i am being a little impatient. Unfortunately i cant remember how long they took last year (didnt make notes -naughty me!  >:( ). Also whilst the others are 'on heat' the SP's are not and it has been cold so there we are. More patience required!  :D

So far I have 4 types or tomatoes plus some 'tumbling toms' for mum and dad. They dont have a garden but love toms in a few large pots on the back yard wall.  Dad feels dead 'agricultural' when he goes out to forage for a few for a salad. :D Just pricked out my nicotiana seedlings yesterday and marigold 'glowing embers' are pricked out and thriving.  The cosmos is well on its way too.  Have hundreds of fuschia cuttings all rooting nicely. Havent started on stuff for the lottie as yet as the ground is still inpenatrable.  But roll on Saturday when the digger man comes. ;D
Yippppeeee just got my 'Jacaranda mimosaefolia' seeds I bid for on e bay.  Got them for about £1.50.  So I can get started on them. :-*Dontcha just love this growing lark. ;D

What the hell do you do if you havent got a greenhouse ?? :(

Fingle you made it back :D.  I actually have very little growing in the green house.  Just some sweetpeas and a few rooted cuttings of fuschia and geraniums. Oh and my agavae and some callas and pineapple lilys.  Ok   sorry yep you could do with a greenhouse. However I still have every available windowsill and table top covered in plantpots and seed trays. Even though I dont yet have my busy lizzie plugs yet. OOoo errr  Mrs.   where am I going to put them? :-\ When the time comes to put them all out I feel  not as though I have planted out but more that I have gained my house back.  Wouldnt have it any other way though.  Good job I have The BESTEST hubby in the world :-*, and he is very understanding and loves to see me having fun.

Fingle - I don't have a greenhouse. I use the living room windowsill to start things off and then move them into the kitchen when they are establishing (it's a little cooler in there). The other two windowsills in our flat are too cold and don't get enough light for much else.

Harder things (mostly aquilegias and wildflowers) are started in my plastic greenhouse. I'm also going to make a coldframe to harden things off in.

The trick I've found is to use square pots as they take up much less room than round ones. Soon I may have to start using the kitchen worksurface as well - I'm rapidly running out of room!

Everytime my husband comes home from work he mutters the obligatory 'bl***y plants, I can't see out of the windows for bl***y plants'.  The dining room table has now been pushed up against the window and is covered, as well as every windowsill in the house with seed trays and pots.  I'm hoping that the oft repeated words - "if only I had a greenhouse" will eventually take their toll!  

Re sweet peas - I am growing the bush variety (saved seeds from last year's plants).  I put them in an envelope and then into a plastic container with all my other collected seeds and put them in the fridge.  When I took them out of the fridge they had already started germinating, so planted them up and they are now about 2inches.  Anyone know anything about bush sweet peas.  Do you have to pinch them or will they bush automatically ??? :)

Alas, the girlfriend isnt so understanding.
She would have a blue fit if i started to put pots on the sideboards and everywhere.

I guess il have to build something down the plot.

bum

:-[

More advances from Aqui's windowsills...

Last night I spotted two Delphiniums that have come up. Out of two 3-inch pots that I sowed, the two seedlings have emerged right next to each other (initially I thought it was one plant!) Another one (in another area) had popped up this morning.

Leeks have started coming up. But no sign of the chives yet.

Verbena is definitely doing something. Tiny roots emerging from the seeds.

Just started off the jacaranda seeds.  They have to be 'scarified' apparently which involved soaking in just cooled boiled water a couple of times.  Then an overnight soak in warm water and then place in a small bag of vermiculite in the propergator.  Stand back and wait............ ;D

On Tuesday I sowed (indoors)
tomato
cucumber
broad beans
peas
watermelon
broccoli
bell peppers

the broad beans (I presoaked them for a day) are sprouting already !

-B_B-

Hoorah, aubergines at last, altho still no chillis  >:(, purple caulis, brocolli, sea kale and yellow swiss chard.  Lots growing now, gotta do some potting on over the weekend  ;D

I have.
10 Toms "planted out in pois 3in high
30 broard beans "showing
30 runner beans "showing
20 cabbage "planted out in trays"
20 cauliflower     Dito
20 sprouts         Dito
50 onion sets "all showing"
20 lettuce Webbs " planted out in trays"
20 garlic just showing
40 pots chitting
Planted  today
10 pepper
2 trays of Leeks

Not to bad for abeginner (with your help)

Blimey, runner beans already  :o, now I am impatient, but I am not that early.  Don't let them catch a cold.

Don’t worry EJ they are all kept in my green house, if it gets to gold I will put the heater on,  ;)

more news...

more leeks are showing and some of the bigger ones are unfolding.

more Delphiniums are up.

more toms up (I think all the seeds I sowed have germinated - now have at least twice as many plants as I have room for - would have no trouble eating them all, just don't have room for the plants!)

Also sowed this weeked:

bronze fennel
more Delphiniums (this time butterfly mix)
lettuce, rocket and radish in a pot outside (with protection)
pre-germinating carrots and parsnips

We are all sowing away, but have any of you thought about the dreaded pricking out time?? Or am I the ONLY one who absolutely DETESTS  doing it! >:(

DP - I can't wait. I love pricking out. It's really soothing and I go all Zen doing it. Hoping to do my tomatoes this weekend.

Can I send mine up to you Aqui?!! ;D