Grow your own

loopy I have a boiled wool jacket that I have had for years.

I’ve got out the propagator and set up with trays of compost. It’s in the greenhouse.

It keeps a temperature of about 21c I think.

I shall switch it on on New Year’s Day and start sowing from Monday 1st week of January

We had leeks today (leek and potato soup). Garden - bowl in about an hour.

Yesterday we had home-grown French beans but they were from the freezer. Is that cheating? Oh, I did pick and use sage.

So that’s leeks green beans and sage?

Mine is none☹️ But I haven’t had a year yet only autumn.

Yesterday was lettuce and beetroot.

Good isn’t it? And fun.

Bean sprouts: I bought the seeds online and grow them in a large instant coffee jar, using 2oz of seeds at a time. (This doesn't look much, but they will certainly grow!) The seeds are soaked in water (in the jar) overnight, then the next day I drain off the water, using a piece of muslin or fine net, secured over the top of the jar with a rubber band. Keeping this net on the jar, it's then a matter of rinsing and draining the seeds within the jar, twice daily; the seeds do the rest! When they have sprouted so much that they fill the jar, I take out the sprouted seeds and rinse them well in a strainer, to be used straight away, or to be stored in a plastic box (with lid) in the fridge. (I find they will keep fresh for a day or two.) We add the sprouts (raw) to a green salad, or cook them in a stir-fry. Sometimes we mix them (raw) with cous-cous, for lunch. (You can add a tin of tuna to this.) I should perhaps mention that one of my "nets" (to go over the jar) was originally a net laundry bag, used for washing delicate items in the washing machine. The zip broke on it - but it's perfect as a net for bean sprouts.

That’s something I intend to get my head around this year- bean sprouts

Yes, although some years we grow nothing if we go away. We've grown more this year than in many years.

However, all a bit late because of the wait for seeds and then many failed to germinate.

I've got four 3 foot square raised beds and a couple of troughs (the long plastic ones that come with a plastic lid). At the moment I have kholrabi, chinese cabbage, purple sprouting broccoli and pak choi in one raised bed, each in their own square and covered with a home made frame and old net curtains. They seem to be doing well, but the slugs have made some inroads on the cabbage and pak choi! In another bed, I have planted shallot sets which are coming along. I do have a greenhouse, 6x6 ft but it is not heated, except in the coldest weather with a paraffin heater. WWM I dream of having an electricity supply in there. My heated propogators will come out next month to start off my tomatoes, chillies and peppers. I absolutely love my little mini-allotment and spend hours out there once the season gets under way. The two GC also have a trough to grow things in - they enjoy sowing and watching things grow

Callistemon

Yes, although some years we grow nothing if we go away. We've grown more this year than in many years.

However, all a bit late because of the wait for seeds and then many failed to germinate.

Yes! We didn’t start until about August, but germination was poor. We also had difficulty in getting any seeds so late in the season. We never used to have such trouble getting seeds when we had the allotment. We’ve ordered most seeds for this year, but we had difficulty getting some varieties. We usually order from Marshall’s

trish do you square foot garden? That’s what I’m trying.

That sounds very organised!

Callistemon

That sounds very organised!

It’s a tradition started when we had the allotment, and feeling frustrated at not being able to get onto the ground, so to cheer us up we used to always sit between Christmas Day and new year and plan and order seeds.

Just picked up the mail from the front porch.

Browns catalogue
Sarah Raven
Marshall’s
And Sutton’s

That’s me sorted for the day?

I order from Simply seeds, they’re inexpensive and reliable, that reminds me, need to get onion sets!

RHS app. My tasks for January. This is just the app. Tasks, I do have other early showings to try for my SFG scheme.

Aubergine- sow seeds in small pots, water with tepid water.

Harvest bay only lightly, as the plant is not in active growth.

Plant garlic and cover with fleece to prevent birds pulling them up.

Prepare soil for sowing lettuce.

Sow mizuma under cover for cut and come again salad.

Prepare soil for planting onions

Time to start chitting potatoes in a frost free unheated room.

Prune autumn raspberries.

WWM yes, in one of the beds. I'm definitely going to develop that method next year as I've just had a book about Square Foot Gardening in my Christmas stocking this year!

Today I’m going to switch on the propagator and sort out my seeds.

A couple of years ago I planted peas in a tub. When they were ready I asked my grandchildren if they would like to pick and eat them. It kept them busy for over an hour.

Could I raise awareness to anyone who has lung problems about the dangers of compost. We had an allotment with a compost heap and of course had plenty of compost at home to raise the seedlings. I had a sort of non-contagious TB (NTM) which was probably caused by compost and had seven antibiotics every day for eighteen months.

Loopylou I can recommend Briers comfi snugz for gardening in (horrible name I know). I hate wearing Wellies, these look like Ug boots, with furry lining and a suede effect outside, they are really warm, non slip, easy to get on and off, and completely waterproof. They are about £30 I think, so not expensive either.

Tomorrow I am going to wash my electric propogators down, warm them up (indoors, as I don't have an electricity supply in the greenhouse) and go through my seed stocks to see what is still viable. Can anyone advise me on the best time to sow leek seeds? Indoors or in a cold greenhouse? Heated propogator or not? I always seem to get the timing wrong and they either don't germinate at all, or they all come up fine but then I have a bed of leeks that take up so much space for most of the growing season!

Broad beans went in in November. They are already six inches high. They will stop now in this cold snap and really take off in the spring .

Sowed

Broccoli Kabuki
Cabbage Regency
Cauliflower Igloo

In propagator and for 1 square each. Thread seeds for one plant.

Trisha I am hoping to start my leeks this week in the propagator.

Saving used toilet rolls - 1 plant per roll.

I can plant 9 leeks per square foot and want to plant 2 SF , so only got 2 rolls so far?

I think that you have plenty of time though.

In September I planted a small variety of carrot, in a huge pot, which I put in a sheltered spot. They’re doing very well and I expect to harvest them in a months time.

Has anyone used the Planting by the Moon method?

www.allotment-garden.org/gardening-information/lunar-gardening-planting-phase-moon/