Veg to plant in March and things to do.

[Deleted User]

I have re-sown a few hispi cabbages as they are too leggy for my liking and they will be germinating outside. I must have been slow off the mark re moving them to the light outside. I have some which look good and sturdy but I know when something is not quite right

Really warm out at the back today, 21.8 and 20.4 inside as we had some of the solar shading in action ie partially drawn blinds. It will be very very warm iat the back as the sun gets higher but that is when the verandahs at the back do the business ie shade the house. I have to say that we live in an eco house and use very little energy eg the 2 solar panels have been heating the whole tank to 54 recently

We so need rain here but not a drop in sight. My problem is going to be hanging onto all the plantlets until allotment conditions are suitable ie wetter. Positive weather solutions are saying a very dry may all round

annie123

kittie wrote: »

Really warm out at the back today, 21.8 and 20.4 inside

I take it that your thermometer is in the sun rather than the shade? If not I want to move to where ever you are:D

It's been chilly in south east london and cloudy all day:( only managed 11c here in my south facing garden and its 14c indoors so the heatings going on now

[Deleted User]

no annie, the thermometer is in the shade. The back garden is a complete sun trap and the 3m high walls which retain the surrounding orchard (not our orchard) absorb and reflect the heat back into the garden, which we have gravelled in different shades on the tiers. I have to go with the flow ie dry and hot. Dh was making planters dressed in t shirt and shorts and I used fleece to shade my plantlets. We had lunch in the garden. Netweather gave 13 for our area but we are in a micro climate

annie123

Oh Kittie, you have no idea how jealous I am........goes off sulking:(

EDIT; The more I think about your new place, the more I want to live there.
Can I ask how you went about finding your home. Hubby and I will be moving out of London in 4-5 years time and have already started researching home ideas. Would love an underground house but that is way beyond our budget....Sorry I'm waffling now, I'll go and make a cuppa instead!

[Deleted User]

by accident, being eco conscious forever. Saw it on net, put our house up for sale at huge discount. Sold in 2 weeks and here we are (poorer but happy so what the heck) but not underground. And having to adapt quickly to gardening with dry conditions, fortunately allotment, which goes with the house but is 5 min cycle ride away, is normal local temp but whole area is dry as in the lee of some hills. Very windy all round here and very different to s wales. Good job I am a fast learner

redlady_1

I am currently half way through this thread but thought I would share a little trick ref leeks. Toilet roll inserts! I cut them in half and plant a seed in each, let it grow and then plant out in the toilet roll as it will just rot away. No dibbing or mess or disturbing of roots.

P.S. Anyone know how to stop my flipping cat eating the cabbage seedlings??!

ausmummy

redlady_1 wrote: »

P.S. Anyone know how to stop my flipping cat eating the cabbage seedlings??!

I'll add to that - How to stop a toddler tipping out your seed pots to make mud pies with??? or the "Me help, me help - oops, sorry". Got to love em.

radiohelen

Ausmummy I feel your pain. I lost some tomatillos to the toddler the other day and a couple of peppers are looking the worse for wear. "Pick mummy, pick. Look I help." These are the danger words in our house.... everything now up in the air atl (above toddler level) and I have had to explain that the four tier tardis is not a space rocket and "no, you can't go inside".

Finally my leeks appear to be germinating, some peas are coming up in trays (Sally's carpet tile method). I've planted the beetroot a la Monty in Friday's GW... although I now fear that may be wrong but I only did one tray - still got seeds left. There's salad in and all the tomatos have germinated. Things are progressing. Just a shame it's so damn cold!

malkypaul

Hi Everybody

Message for everybody but especially Kittie, when saving seeds never store them over winter in Plastic bags 6they will sweat and rot, always use paper bags, i use A4 envelopes cut into quaters and tape the edges to form A6 size envelopes, and if you are worried about frosts try cloches ( a sheet of roofing polycarb and tie a piece of string around it to form a D shape, hold down with tent pegs (identify with a piece of bright tape around top so not to loose it):T

Malkypaul

[Deleted User]

I planted a big piece of rhubarb crown called grandads favourite, it sounds good although I had never heard of it. One of my little stockbridge arrow crowns failed and I wanted a quick replacement. More peas sown in carpet tile fashion, thank you Sally. Now just watching and waiting and moving plantlets twice a day and being ever watchful for frost