Doesn’t this winter seem longer than usual? Conditions are unpleasantly cold and it’s so wet that I can hardly stand upright on any sloping surface in the garden. The sky is grey, my toes are turning rigid in my boots and the rain is hammering down, but my thoughts are turning to the Mediterranean, and summer holidays. I like to imagine what I’ll be growing and eating in the summer: masses of zingy tomatoes, sweet and crisp peppers, juicy cucumbers and buttery salad leaves. Oh, and warm ratatouille on a bed of brown rice.
All of these thoughts prompt me to engage in some therapeutic seed sowing. Sowing seeds is almost as comforting as eating the final result. After a few hours in the greenhouse sowing yet more peppers and chillies, including some of those gorgeous, elongate ‘Romano’ types, a pot or two of basil and some mixed salad leaves, I start to feel better.
For a completely home-grown ratatouille I’ll also sow aubergines and courgettes. I like to start the courgettes off early under cloches.
Until the weather improves this activity raises my spirits. I even wonder if I should start growing that brown rice myself…
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Too cold to even contemplate seeds! Monty’s video on planting courgettes is all well and good but Lancashire is still in deepest winter – roll on some sunshine.
Can anyone help – I have just planted onion seeds in a heated propogater and can find no guidance on when to take the plastic top off. Do you take the top off as soon as the seed has germinated and starts to show signs of growth or do you leave the top on until the seeds have grown 2-3 inches or so. I have never done this before and confess to being completely befuddled.
That’s very funny and so so true. I’ve gone one better, it’s the window ledge for me, I like to watch my seeds grow from the warmth of the kitchen. Enjoy!
Can anyone please help and tell me how to prune blueberry bushes. I haven’t found any info anywhere.
Thanks.
Like Pippa I am cheering myself up by sowing seeds in the greenhouse, warmest place to be. I’ve sown onion seeds, aubergines, bacopa, tomatoes and dahlias all in propagator. Dahlias already sprouting but I usually leave onions until they are aroung 3/4 inches. Don’t know if that is correct but it works for me Lesley, then put out into the greenhouse. 2 degrees here today in freezing Scotland.
I would be a nice addition, to Pippas article on sowing seeds, to show what can go wrong, what things look like and importantly how to corrct them
I agree it would be nice to see what the seedlings are supposed to look like mine just end up long & limp, not enough light I assume…
The winter has gone on too long. By the time it is warm enough to plant sunflowers, they won’t have time to grow erectly and fully.
I have grown all of the ingredients for ratatouille for several years – except that I bought the olive oil and salt and pepper. The last couple of summers have really been a challenge. The tomatoes have got blight and the peppers and aubergines didn’t ripen – even in containers on the terrace. And even the onions and garlic got some kind of white rot last year, so didn’t store well at all. At least the courgettes were reasonably successful.
Never mind. I will persevere. To produce a ratatouille – so fresh and from your own grown produce is worth it all. And don’t forget the herbs too – bay and thyme or oregano/marjoram and basil
Who knows what this summer will bring – I’ll still be growing my own ratatouille.
carruthers you do not prune blue berry bushes except dead wood or diseased wood.
Lesley you don’t use d head propgated for onions. as for the dome you take off after seed germinate to prevent damp off.
Can I cut back the frost affected bottom leaves of my two large phormiums without harming them.
can anyone give me any information on how to grow hearbs why is there no information at all
Ynot,
The last couple of years have been awful for blight, sadly I find that a greenhouse is the only pretty well fool-proof way to avoid it! With your onions or garlic, make sure that you avoid growing these crops on the same spot as if you do have white rot, once in the soil it lurks in wait for the next suitable host!
Hi, i’m new on here.
I have a question on blueberry bushes.
I recently bought a blueberry bush. It started growing nice green leaves and has now got several flowers appearing. However, the leaves have started wilting,going brown and falling off. The flowers are still blooming. Can anyone tell me what the problem is?
how do i rune a aubergine plant
I have grown tomato plants from see and now planted them into black tubs which are sat on manure in my greenhouse just as I did last year and had a great crop. However this year they haven’t grown any taller, the leaves are curling up and some are brown around the edges. I haven’t over or under watered them what can I do?