Lovely flowers, cold weather

Now spring is really going, there are new flowers out daily it seems.  Suddenly all of my fruit trees and shrubs are in bloom or, in the case of the almond, already finished.  And my eclectic collection of ornamentals are also having a good show too, including the flowering currant, flowering quince and gorse, pictured.  I've got bulbs flowering, herbaceous perennials, shrubs, trees, even a vine.  What a lovely time of year.

Pinks and yellows and greens, March 2024

But it's still not consistently warm--yesterday for instance we didn't make it to 10C, which in my book is pretty cold for spring.  Not a bad temp for winter mind you, but not the kind of weather for encouraging my little vegetable seedlings to grow.

We call it the burning bush, March 2024

Over the weekend we had one cold day and one warm day, so I did what I could while I could;  I transplanted some kohl rabi seedlings from pots to ground in the kitchen garden and extended the insect mesh to protect them from pigeons and ducks (the first several rows have the other end of the mesh, put in place last week).  I also planted out a few more late-emerging broad beans at the allotment, and used the newly emptied trays and pots to start some more snap pea seeds;  the first tray of these from about two weeks ago are now just sprouting up.  I also sowed a few more packets of older seed into large pots en masse, hoping at least some will sprout;  these I will prick out individually.  As I did with a pot of lettuce seedlings at the weekend.  

And as a fun aside, we are down to five squashes from 2023's harvest of 21.  Plus about a 2 pound wedge from the sixth squash still in the fridge, hoping to finish within the next day.  Those squashes take a lot of eating, but to have them hanging out in the living room for six months and still be just as good as when we picked them really is something.

The Big Push (of seeds)

Wool underneath, crushed eggshells on top, March 2024

I've had two weeks of mostly uninterrupted garden and allotment access, due to our Easter break from work and school.  The weather has not been nice, up until the last few days!  But that didn't really stop me from doing the Big Push for seeds.  In fact, I pushed so hard I ran out of trays and pots before I ran out of seeds.  

Luckily I can sow direct with most seeds in my kitchen garden at home (not possible at the allotment because of intense pest pressure).  I've got a specific list of which vegetables I will grow at home (mainly parsnips, kohl rabi, cabbages, zuc, with a few intermediate/late season things like lettuce and radish), and at the allotment (beets, beans/peas, squash, corn, cucumbers, tomatoes).  So far I have direct seeded all the parsnips (though there were fewer seeds than I thought), some kohl rabi, and some cabbage. 

Cauliflower fortress against marauding pigeons, March 2024

I'm also gradually transplanting the still-emerging broad beans, sown back in February in individual pots and paper tubes.  Only one paper tube has sprouted, and I'm beginning to lose hope for those other 35 or so.  But I'm still holding out for the 50ish little pots that may still pop up, as I've been finding one or two from each tray every other day or so.  The first ones to transplant at the allotment have continued growing with no evidence of transplant shock: they look green and healthy and a little taller every day.  As I mentioned previously, I put a little fluffy wad of sheep wool in the bottom third of each pot, put a bean on top, then covered it over with a layer of soil.  As they grow, the roots go into the wool so when I plant out they have a good firm grip on it;  they can keep growing in the wool as they find their way into the new soil--thus preventing transplant shock.

We're back at school and work now, but the sowing of seeds is not done--as mentioned I'm out of pots (until stuff grows big enough to transplant), and also it's still just a little early for the warm season things like squash and zucchini.  I'll get to them nearer the end of the month.  However, the clocks have gone forward so there's more light in the evening, and it's a little warmer (though maybe not drier);  I will hopefully be able to get them all sown in good time.

Chickens and eggs

A bit of free range, March 2024

In the days leading up to the weekend, I let the chickens and ducks have regular free range but that has now stopped as I've begun sowing seeds in the kitchen garden.  The ducks have been locked back in their large yard and the chickens have been taken to the allotment until further notice.

However, I do plan on planting up their yard at the allotment with vegetables later this spring so they probably won't be there too long.  But we'll see;  plans are still a bit fluid.  The yard at the allotment is full of grass and weeds and bugs, so the chickens have had an upgrade from their yard at home at least.

The kitchen garden has gone through periods of being fenced with temporary fencing over the years;  fencing plus supervised free range is my preference for our feathery friends.  I may try to rig something up later on;  the two ducks in particular are pretty easily foiled by fencing (unlike chickens who can jump).  Or I may fire up the chicken tractor once more, focusing on the lawn rather than the veg beds.

Action shot! March 2024

It's definitely spring if the chickens are laying this much--even two of the oldtimers are making an effort.  Not the other two though;  however those two venerable hens celebrated their seventh birthdays yesterday.  For the sake of mathematical ease, we mark all our hens' birthdays on the first of April, but for Rock and Cookie, it's their actual birthday/hatchday--I can hardly believe they actually made it to seven years old!

Hoping for some warm weather for seeds

Warm then cold.  But consistently wet!  It's spring all right.  The start of our two week Easter break at the weekend was sunny and dry, but yesterday went cold and rainy again.  On Sunday the kids and I went to the allotment--lovely sun but biting wind--for some sheet mulch of course, and to fill up a few more of my planters with compost.  The son (age 14) went home after this but the daughter (age 4) was having so much fun making mud pancakes and playing with bugs she asked if we could stay for longer.  So while she was busy I hoed out some rows in expectation of broad bean transplants, hopefully by the end of the holiday.

Last week there were about five sprouting up (of 160+);  this week I'm up to about 30 emerged broad beans. I've begun taking the seedlings up to the allotment, one tray at a time.  They are still only just a little sprout with two leaves;  I need them to have a little bit of root poking out the bottom before I feel confident of transplant (a few do).

I also pricked out my tomato seedlings, seen below, into modules;  they are still hanging out in the kitchen.  Not a lot bigger yet but hopefully they'll grow.  I only have two of my usual variety of salad tom this year as most of my saved seed didn't sprout.  The plum and cherry tom seeds I saved were more successful--hope the plants are too.

Twigs dividing the three varieties, March 2024

Also taking advantage of the sun at the weekend, I sowed trays of leeks, beets, lettuce and kohl rabi;  all are wrapped loosely in plastic to protect against the worst of the weather, and stacked on my patio bench waiting for germination.  Even though I start most of my seeds in trays (rather than directly sowing in the ground), I start most of them outdoors;  only a few get the privilege of the kitchen windowsill.  I don't have enough room for them all!  Or time to acclimatize them either.  It means I have a shorter time to get them all going, but at least I have the space for them all.

Life vs gardening: not enough hours in the day

March is a busy month for me, partly because it's the start of the gardening year for my climate.  But my life is also busy with two birthdays, plus work, school, and extracurricular activities.  Often I feel like there just isn't enough time in the day to get everything done; there's just too much to do.

Only two daffodils this year: not enough! March 2024

I sowed my broad beans individually in pots and toilet paper tubes more than a month ago and finally I've seen a couple start to emerge: about 5 from 160+ (so far).  It's been kind of cold for the past several weeks so I hope they've just been biding their time now that it's warmed up to above 12C.  

I do really need to get some more seeds going, but I've held back because of the cold.  This past weekend was the first nice weather we've had for a while, but it coincided with those unavoidable life events (the son's orchestra concert and the daughter's birthday party).  I did at least manage to drag the husband and daughter up to the allotment for an hour afterward.  And then stopped by after work/school with the daughter yesterday.

Almond still in flower, March 2024

Luckily seeds earmarked for March usually still have enough growing time when started in April instead, and our two week Easter break from school/work is coming up very soon.  However, I better get most of it done in those two weeks, or I'll have missed my chance.

At the allotment, March 2024

The son and I have been gradually sheet mulching at the allotment, one weekend at a time.  When are we not gradually sheet mulching, though?  Except in the height of summer, we're always at it.  Winter is the best time for it, but early spring works too.  I've got several large pieces of old carpet I've collected over time which I've laid down on our paths, and this weekend I moved some to the very front of the allotment next to the gravel road.  This is more of a long-term grass control than the sheet mulch, but obviously can't be planted--unlike the sheet mulch.  Instead I'm collecting all my planters and large containers for that front carpeted area this year.  Maybe next year I'll shift it all to a new area and use this area for more sheet mulch and planting.

Lovely leeks, Mar 2024

The only thing really growing at the allotment is the garlic bed, planted out last autumn.  It looks good, growing strongly.  I have a few last spindly leeks and the rhubarb is just sprouting up;  we've eaten both of these within the last week.  I'm ready to get planting but it's still a little cold for most seeds.  Need to wait a bit longer.

I did start 160+ broad bean seeds in toilet paper tubes and individual small pots back in the middle of February but I've yet to see them emerge;  they are still stacked up on my patio table.  These will be the first to plant out just as soon as they show me some leaves.  Hopefully they aren't just going moldy...

The last of 2023's (so sweet) parsnips waiting for dinner, Mar 2024

 

I have sketched out a plan for growing at the allotment this year (in pencil, subject to erasure), focusing on just a few main production crops including broad beans and snap peas, corn, squash, tomatoes, leeks and beets.  Then I will also hopefully get my lettuce and pickling cucumbers in planters and maybe I will get climbing beans in the ground somewhere as well (if not, I'll grow them at home in the kitchen garden).  

I haven't sketched a garden plan as such, but I'm also limiting varieties to just a few, mainly cabbage, kohl rabi, zuc and parsnip;  and then following on with late season/successional crops:  radish, fennel, pak choy.  I can't grow these at the allotment because of pest pressure, but the ducks have sorted that out for me at home.

Feathered friends working (and photos!)

 

The daughter (age almost-4) and the back door

I can go out my back door!  This has been possible since the start of December actually.  And I can take pictures too!  This has always been possible...

The laundry line had to be relocated when the old umbrella-style one broke last year.  Now my laundry sometimes blocks my view of the garden, although this time of year the view is a bit dismal.  Have a look.

The not so beautiful view

On the bright side, the micro-climate of the patio does make the laundry dry faster than when I used to hang it out in the middle of the lawn.  

The chickens tractored the veg beds for me over a week or two (chicken tractor on the right, reflecting light) except the far edge at the left, still growing a couple pak choy, fennel, and strawberry plants. 

Feathery fennel in front, pak choy fortress at back

I've sent those four hard working chickens back into the yard with the rest of the flock;  we started the tractor with the four non-laying oldies, but their work ethic was pathetic so we swapped to the younger still-laying hens who completed the job admirably.  I may let them have another pass before I start planting--it's a little cold for most seeds still, and there are still a few weeds here and there.

Three of the four oldies in their yard

The two ducks have had a good amount of free range, slurping up all the slugs and snails.  I like to have them out on patrol, but they poo so much!  So I lock them back in their large yard for a week out of every three, to give the rain/worms/etc time to clean up.  Incidentally, Boy Duck is obsessed with the new back door:  he comes charging up to it several times a day and pecks it with his muddy beak (Girl Duck has absolutely no interest in it whatsoever).  I should have chosen a brown door instead.

Thank you, Girl Duck!