Spring: Green fingers set to stun

I’ve really enjoyed watching the delicate pink blossom of the cherry tree at the bottom of our garden unfurl over the last couple of weeks. The coming of the blossom is really a sign that spring is on the way and now that the delicate petals have begun to drift to the ground, and the clocks are about to go forward, I have really made a dedicated effort to get out in the garden and get what will hopefully be an amazing crop of vegetables sown.

Be-cloched aubergines

I had already started some seedlings off in trays in the kitchen a few weeks ago, so today I planted out the tiny carrots, chillis (some in the border, some potted on for the greenhouse), leeks, onions and even my special hope for this year, the aubergines. I had a number of cloches in the shed that we picked up for 75% off in Wilkos out of season and also a few cut off coke bottles that do precisely the same job so even if we do have another frost (which is by no means outside the realms of possibility) then hopefully some of the precious seedlings will survive. I’ve also added some quick growing radishes and spring onions to the raised beds in the hope that we will get some early salad treats before the beds really get put to use on my big hope squash crops. The first lots of courgette seedlings are nestling on my kitchen windowsill already, but today I put a few extra seeds in the greenhouse, just to be sure. What would summer be without an endless supply of courgettes?

For the greenhouse

I’ve started off a few more seeds today, those that need a warmer start – my cucumbers, pumpkins, butternut squash, peas, beetroot, thyme, marjoram and for a splash of colour and tasty snacks, some sunflowers. I’m sure there’s more even than this that I have forgotten to mention, but that will be a  surprise for both you and I when the season comes around!

Onions and Leeks (they are still very small)

Carrots