Sowing the seeds of 2011......

...Yes its that time of year again - Hooray!!  I was very excited that the weather had clouded over and it had been forecast to rain for most of the day today - the reason for this joy of the news of bad weather you ask?  Simples - it means that I have a jolly good reason to stay indoors and sow some seeds to get the Allotment 2011 season off to a good start.

So in preparation, I make sure that I have all that I need

and organise the space I have to work in - which isn't very big!

Here there are 6 varieties of Sweet Peas, 3 Tomato (Cherry, Moneymaker & Roma) and some Sweet peppers

I need to get some Pea, Broadbean & herb seeds in.  I did sow some Coriander and some Basil Minette, but I was surprised that I didn't have more herb seeds from last year.  One herb that I do not need to grow is Chives, as I have noticed that it's popping up in the pot that it was growing in last year.

I planted 4 seeds to a pot.  If the all come up then I am a lucky girl, if only one or two work out then I will still have plenty.



Sunday's Efforts on 144.....

It was too good, weather wise, to stay indoors after a two hour stint at the Trading Hut, where brisk business was made as the sunshine brings the allotmenteers to their plots!

So I decided to pop home for a quick cuppa, and a warm up - my toes were frozen - and then head straight back to do a few little jobs on 144 like.....

Tidying up the Greenhouse

Sowing some leeks and peas

Then I weeded and de cloched the 3rd raised bed - it has Leeks and even some Spring Onions remaining!

I weeded the middle bed and wanted to rake it over but I forgot my rake head in the shed

at home (it's one you attach to a long handle)

I then went on to weed raised bed #1 where the broad beans are growing

I staked all the broad beans too - I looked that bit up in my book that I keep in the

Greenhouse as I wasn't 100% sure they had to be staked, but then I remembered doing it last year, so best to double check as the cold air was mushing my brain a little!

Just in case you are thinking 

 "oh no, it can't be warm enough overnight in the greenhouse for seeds to germinate?"

Well I am lucky enough to have been given

a paraffin heater

Which has been tried and tested by good old Arthur, our delivery boy a the Trading Hut.

It's a double wicked one and is ready to go

so I will pop down there a bit later on to set it alight

and will go down there in the morning to turn it off & hopefully it will do the trick

as the frosts have not left our part of the world just yet.

So another hour, or maybe two, but lots done, and on my return home my lovely husband had

repaired my hail storm damaged cold frame that's in the garden....

.....with a piece of left over poly carbonate sheeting from the greenhouse

I was thrilled that he had done this and it looks ever so smart!