This Season's Progress Reports

[sunloving]

It's definitely a change in the day length or something! I just feel happy planting things, checking the propagator each morning for little summer hopes. It's such good therapy.

Thankyou for turning my photo! Direct posting of photos is new since I was last here and brilliant once I get the hang of it! I pad seems to make upside down pics?

I stock piled fruit trees in the lidl offer two weeks ago how they could do big named fruit trees for less than a fiver is beyond me! and I was hoping that aldi would have those packs again of currants and gooseberries.but they aren't doing them this year.  As they were really great for bulking up the fruit beds at my last place.  I took what was said though from the fruit thread and if I encounter anyone with fruit bushes I'll be begging for cuttings!  But I've not met a single Irish person with a garden as such yet it's all hedges and lawn really. I wonder if there are any other Irish members on a4e?
I'm going to have some long paths that some cordons and fans would do well on and I have my mitts on a peach tree my dad is chucking out to go inside the poly and I'm dying to get started. Tunnels coming on Monday.  Yippee! Happy sowing everyone! X sun loving (Barbara I wish!,)

[sunloving]

[daveyboi]

Hope the tunnel arrives and is as expected today Sunloving
That will really get you going I guess.

[galina]

Started my chillis in january but nothing else yet.

Are these in jiffy pellets?  They look very healthy and bonny, clumsy   

[sunloving]

  hooray it's tunnel day ! I'm so excited! The picture shows the humongous tunnel 18 x40ft frame just nestling in the corner, it's brilliant to have such a big space after years of tiny gardens. Just want to dance around it in glee, but this would scare the workmen!!

[clumsy]

Hi galina yes the chillies are in jiffy pellets. I find them a lot easier to use plus they are a great space saver for me.

[galina]

clumsy,  always wondered whether they were just too small for them, but obviously not!

A bit of progress here also, the first tiny lettuce plants have just sprouted on the windowsill.  And just one of the tomatillo plants.  None of the peppers in the propagator yet, but hopefully any day now. 

The leeks are still a no-show, but they are in the cool conservatory so likely to take a bit longer. 

So pleased there are some small little shoots.   

[ancellsfarmer]

Hi everyone, I'm a bit over faced really. I moved to my new place in jan it has just under an acre and there's so much to do! I've been busy clearing a site for a new polytunnel ( a very exciting 40ft x 18ft) which has been complicated as I've had to fell some very tall pine and spruce (50ft) so today I've been in the ditch clearing some of the trees and when the showers came have been happily pricking out some leeks and statice.

There was a horse loose on my road overnight they are out on the nearby bog normally and so I went out in the car to scoop up some brown gold got a whole 80l bag full!,  and naughty I cut down a number of election boards ( it's the Irish general election in two weeks) and have used then as th base for my new compost heap,, don't tell anyone about this local crime will you!
It's exciting and over facing

[sunloving]

Ive had a happy day today in the sunshine, putting up shelves and sowing seeds in the polytunnel. Ive finally got around to sowing goodlifes oldambster wierbloom broad beans amongst other things , its so satisfying to see rows of newly sown seed trays and know that  I will have the space and time to plant them out (just the small matter of the bed digging to get through first!!) We are definately on the cusp of proper spring weather now.

[daveyboi]

Would  be interested in a picture of the completed tunnel when you get a chance please.

[sunloving]

I've been sowing seeds and trying to get the first of the beds done and manures but it's a long old dig when the bed is 40ft long! . 

[BarriedaleNick]

Total polytunnel envy!

[galina]

Total polytunnel envy!

and here too   

[sunloving]

I am very proud, since the tunnel is bigger than most of the gardens I've ever had!!  had a sleepless night last night as storm jake was feirce I was imagining plastic tatters and went out to look in my jamas a couple of times.

I'm excited to be sowing new tom varieties lately what is everyone else sowing this year? I doing sun gold ( obligatory) yellow and red pear , gardeners delight and brandy boy. Come on the summer! X sun loving

[daveyboi]

I would not worry about the wind as long as the doors shut tightly and can not blow open they can stand a good storm when properly installed and the picture shows the polythene nicely taught.

I also now have envy lols but I am sure before  long you will be running out of space and need another 

[BarriedaleNick]

I'm excited to be sowing new tom varieties lately what is everyone else sowing this year? I doing sun gold ( obligatory) yellow and red pear , gardeners delight and brandy boy. Come on the summer! X sun loving

I may not do any Sungold this year - gasp!!  They seem to have got less tasty but I could be imagining it!  I have sown Red Alert which are an excellent early variety.  Sub Artic Plenty is on the cards as well for an early but very mixed reviews.  I am going to try some Black Russian, Harbinger and maybe Amish Paste. However my house is in a right state due to builders so I may be a bit late getting going this year..

[sunloving]

I had a key day today sowing the first seeds into the ground of my new place, it was some kelvedon wonder and early onward peas. Feels great to get the first lot in at last.

Barridalenick what kind are Amish paste sounds intriguing, I  found Black Russian were blight magnets and stopped growing them, but they do add a lovely colour to your salads!
Picked up ten bags of manure and am going to try to dig my raspberry bed tomorrow. See what the weather is up to though! What's everyone else up to?

[squeezyjohn]

Amish paste have transformed my tomato growing life since I started growing them two years ago ... great strong outdoor plants that produce huge flavourful tomatoes (admittedly they're all kinds of funny shapes!) - inside they are nearly all flesh with not much juice and seeds meaning they're great sliced in a sandwich - but also make the most delicious tomato sauce or passata to cook with - a zillion times nicer than shop bought tinned tomatoes - I try freezing it - but there's never enough - it's too nice.

[galina]

Squeezyjohn,

Agree with you on Amish Paste, a big plum tomato that tastes so good that it is as yummie in a salad as it is in a Bolognese sauce.  However, mine have always been similar shapes, not all sorts. Maybe it depends on the seed source 

[galina]

Picked up ten bags of manure and am going to try to dig my raspberry bed tomorrow. See what the weather is up to though! What's everyone else up to?

Good luck with the weather tomorrow Sunloving.

Well here it is very much still just propagator, windowsill and conservatory.  As we are still having quite sharp frosts, I haven't dared to put the newly sprouted lettuces into the greenhouse yet.  But this is where they will go soon because I need the space in the conservatory.  Peppers and the first tomatoes have gone from the propagator to windowsills, but the pots are still inside thin plastic bags to protect them from drafts from the windows. 

The first peas are up (they don't need so much mollycoddling, but I still sow in the conservatory and transplant).  The first broad beans are also showing. 

Tps (true potato seeds) have sprouted as well as the first tomatillos.  It is nice to care for some little plants again. 

[galina]

I had a key day today sowing the first seeds into the ground of my new place, it was some kelvedon wonder and early onward peas. Feels great to get the first lot in at last.

I remember so well when I sowed the first seeds here, very important day.  Good luck!