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sharon mc
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...temporary setbacks to spring?...

Category: Gardening 2008 | Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2008 11:10 am

We are not having very nice weather here at the moment; the gale-force winds have switched to the north and increased in strength, which has made going outside quite unpleasantly cold.

Before the weather turned more wintry, I'd been spending time in the veg plots. Previously, I'd covered them with black tarpaulin to get some heat into the soil, having got all the weeds out first, so I uncovered 2 of these again and spent a couple of hours raking any stones out and breaking the soil down ready for sowing and planting. I've designated which will house peas and beans (broad, runner and french)but remain undecided about where the other stuff will go.

In the potting shed, the Sweet Peas that I sowed in autumn look fit to burst out of their pots but they can't go out until any frosts have definitely passed; the long-range forecast was predicting a sharp temperture dip in April, so I'm cautiously holding back with outdoor sowing and planting.

After two weeks, the melon seeds that I'd sown into pots were not appearing, so I moved them from my desk into the kitchen and overnight, 2 of them came through; brilliant!

The seeded bush tomatos were getting crowded in their pot, so I potted them on into individual ones and they are all coming on well. The MoneyMaker cordons, which I began in individual pots are all thriving and putting out sets of leaves and I gave them all a drink yesterday. Likewise with the runner and broad beans in their pots.

I put all the 'black' plants (lilies, iris and a 'painted fern')into the ground when the weather was milder and watching the fern develop is really fascinating; it has thrown out little tendrils, which look really delicate. I'm trying to guard it from slugs.

The white foxgloves which I grew from seed last year have really put on a growing spurt, with the recent rain and very warm sunshine, when we've had it and it looks like 4 Hollyhocks have lasted the course. I've no idea what colours these will be; they were from a free-seed offer in my magazine Amateur Gardener. I think a single delphinium might have survived, too.

I started another crop of the pastel Sweet Peas off in the potting shed a week or so ago and they are just beginning to break through the cover of soil and, major excitement, I took delivery of two other varieties: Cream Southborne and Firecrest; I'm hoping I can produce a red and cream background against the fence at the back of the flower beds.

The Twisted Hazel tree is starting to bud properly and its catckins have mainly fallen away now; the 2 dwarf apple trees that are in the veg plot are budding up, too, signs that spring really is trying to emerge!

It was lovely working outside here on Wednesday; light winds and the sun was really quite hot for the time of year although at the beginning of last April at Easter, we had tempertures of 70+ which provided a brief blaze of spring before descending into British summertime with 3 months of near-constant rain.

Hopefully this year, once this weather-cycle breaks, a more predictable pattern will emerge, allowing gardeners everywhere to get out and grow things! Here's Hoping!


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Comments

 

SongofJoy57 wrote on Sat Mar 22, 2008 11:27 am:


Oh my, Sharon . . . it sounds like you have been quite busy! I sympathize with you regarding your weather dilemma. We have had nice weather, but I am reminded that every year after everything buds out we usually can expect a cold frost. Last year the trees had leafed out, and then we had a killing frost. I watched my trees leaf out twice. Here's hoping that your weather will allow you to get on with your gardening quite soon!!




 

SongofJoy57 wrote on Sat Mar 22, 2008 11:28 am:


PS: We hope there will be pictures of all these wonderful things that you have toiled over, once they bloom out!!!! ;~)




 

glendann wrote on Sat Mar 22, 2008 3:32 pm:


I'm so sorry to hear you weather has turned bad on you .It sounds like you are so ready for spring to get
there.You have really got it going on.




 

Droopy wrote on Sat Mar 22, 2008 5:08 pm:


You have my sympathy, Sharon. We've got full winter again too. And here I was, rearing to go... I didn't think the slugs would munch on ferns. So far I haven't seen that here. I'm looking forward to seeing some photos.





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