Greenhouse sowing

Lots of seeds sown under glass today.  Here are this year's St Victor leeks starting off in compost filled toilet roll inserts. I will plant them out still in the pot, which will biodegrade in the soil. A good start.

A tray of summer cabbage (Derby Day), cauliflower (Snowball), Rainbow Chard  and Perpetual Spinach.  This spinach truly is perpetual, as I have been taking seeds from the same packet for several years now and there is still enough for another couple.  I enjoyed the same variety of cabbage last year, but I am never quite ready to harvest it on Derby Day, in mid June - more likely at the end of July, but nonetheless tasty for that. Rainbow Chard is always on the list - I love those brightly coloured glowing stems and large green leaves, but I have never been terribly good with cauliflowers.  No tight white curds here, but open green florets.  This year though, a  new variety, so who knows?

All tucked up under a polythene duvet we have broad beans (Super Aquadulce), curly and flat leaved parsley, more leeks (Atlanta and Pandora), Welsh Onion, lettuce (Red Batavian and Pinokkio), Calendula, sweet peas, and purple podded peas (Ezetha's Krombek Blauwschokker - I just love to say that out loud!).   

I could really be sowing some stuff outside now, but the hen defences are not quite in place yet - look at them scrabbling about there!  For all that, we seem to be quite a bit ahead compared to last year.  James being older and more inclined to do his own thing makes a big difference, and of course John being at home too, means we can work away quite nicely.. Lots of plans are whirling around in my head - including a herb spiral - definitely, definitely this year and much more year round planning. 

And now that the longer nights have arrived, we have more time to be out there.

And more time to gaze at the moon!  Warmest of Spring blessings to you all.