Stocking Up On the Seeds

I hope none of you mind but I have gone for a larger font for writing my blog as by the time I get home at night my eyes are a little tired from having worked at a computer all day and it makes it easier for me to proof read as well.   However together with the larger pitch and a lot of photos, I pre-warn you this post is a long one.

My plans with the garden this year are to reclaim it from its present jungle.  I have seen some garden furniture that I would quite like recently including a wooden swing with a canopy and I can just see myself whiling away summer weekends in the sunshine, sitting and just gently swinging.  That takes me back to my childhood as my Aunty  Rene used to have a very large smart garden swing decked out in green candy stripe and sitting in the garden with her and my uncle on a summers day is an early memory.  They had a lovely garden and I have memories of very happy times with them.  I have also seen some Triangular pot trellis that you can train plants such as Clematis and Honeysuckle up.  I would quite like to put some paving slabs down and also create a patio area where we can have family over for a barbecue, but I have to get the garden sorted first, then sheds in down the bottom to put the freezers in etc. so that in turn will mean a new fridge and then the dining room will be sorted and the fridge in the pantry can be used as a cave for cheese or charcuterie or that can also be popped into the shed and I can reclaim that part of the pantry which currently has the fridge in it.   Manipulation, manipulation to get things how I need them to be for this particular house.

I have every intention of having a little mini veg garden going this spring whether that be in planters or firmly esconced in the soil.  So I went on a recce at dinner time - I only went on a recce honest did not intend to buy but these just jumped in my basket shouting keep me, keep me!  Don't panic the little white van is on its way for me!  I past redemption and my sell by date!

I know it is cold at the moment  and not really the weather to plant - I do have a couple of mini greenhouses  plus one to come from mum's which needs a new cover but that is easily obtainable and a proper one down in the jungle if I ever get to it but thought it best to have the seeds to hand so that I can plant up and grow from seed when it is a tad warmer than it is at present.  If you have things to hand you can potter at your leisure and do things when you have a few minutes to spare.  I really do love growing seeds  and hope to adopt a better time management process so that I get them at their premium and get them potted on and thus not losing any little plant because of calls on my time elsewhere.  Where I get lost a bit is which seeds should I really sow first and the succession thereafter.  I always end up getting something out of kilter.

I first of all went to the £ shop -  I always if I can get the mixed packets of seeds as they are always such a good bargain at least six to eight packets in one bigger packet for £1.  When I retrieve my propagator from Mum's I will be able to get some of these on the go quite early on.  I will probably get some flowers sorted next time as well.  Old fashioned cottage garden plants appeal as they not onl attract the bees but are so full of colour.  I intend to really set some plants for the bees as they need to feed on pollen and they need a plentiful supply all their working year to be able to put up supplies to see them through the winter months and for the hive to remain live.

Here is a selection of what I managed to get today - I could have bought more home but thought would wait until pay day then I can also get the other bits I am after.

From the £ shop

Wooden Lollypop style markers more natural.  I bought two packs of these.  These should keep me going for a little while.

Vegetable Patch consisting of:

beetroot, Purple Spouting Broccoli, Carrot, Cabbage, Onions, Cauliflower, Brussel Spouts, Turnip Snowball.

Nice N Spicy consisting of:
Opal basil, coriander, oriental spice leaf, sweet pepper, chilli cayenne, mustard greens, chilli habanero and Thai chilli.

Italian kitchen consisting of:
Courgette (ball type), celery, Tomato black cherry, tomato San Marzano, Sweet bell pepper yellow, and Fennel.

Mediterranean Delight consisting of:
Aubergine, Green long courgette, Rocket, Plum Tomatoes, Pepper, Oregano, Beef Tomato, Radicchio.

Pea and Bean Collection consisting of:
Pea Early Onward, Runner Bean Scarlet Emperor (one of my favourites), Pea Greenshaft.

Bean Seed Collection consisting of:
Dwarf Bean Tendergreen, Italian Borlotti Bean, and Broad Bean Bunyards Exhibition.

From Wilkinsons

They have an offer on with their seeds at the moment buying three packets of seeds for the price of two.  I managed to get this little lot for about £5.80.

Spinach

Red Cayenne type peppers I use a lot of these as I dry them and put them in my pickled onions.

Everlasting Perpetual Spinach beet

Rocket

Salad Bowl Lettuce

Mixed Salad Leaves  - thought would start these off on the windowsill.

Sweet Peppers

Early Sprouting Purple Broccoli

Mustard Seed  - I need to find some Cress to go with it.

I also bought a Grow Your Own Garden magazine and there were five free packets of seed in that as well which are:

Red Cherry Tomato

Principe Borghese Tomato a "Sun Dried" variety so I think this might be ideal for the Dehydrator.

Tomato Red Pear

Sweet Basil -  I always grow this with my tomatoes I absolutely love it.

Tigrella Tomato a blast from the past and one I used to grow regularly years ago.

At the end of the month I will be after:

Dahlias, Hollyhocks, Honeysuckle, Roses, Clematis and anything else that takes my fancy on the flower side of things.

Various fruit bushes

Horseradish roots
Rhubarb plants
Ginger plant
Strawberry plants
Garlic
Lavender
Thyme
Chives
Nasturtiums
Wild Strawberries
Couple of Grapes
Figs
Beetroot Seeds - some more as we use a lot
Cucumber Seeds
Marrow Seeds
Squash Seeds
Pumpkin Seeds
Swede Seeds
Herbs - the Herb border needs restocking
Onions
Potatos
Pickling Onions
Some Fruit Trees

And I shall also have a mosey on the market to see what they have available.  They quite frequently have a lot of good offers its just a matter of being there at the right time.

Well that is the plan whether it works out or not who knows but it will not be for the lack of trying.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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