Got around to planting the sweetcorn seeds this afternoon. Until last year we never had much success with sweetcorn, but last year we discovered Lark, a F1 hybrid and they gave us a great crop of sweet tasting cobs, so we're planting the same variety again this year. Planted forty seeds in pots and after a good water they went in propagators on the shelf in front of the shed window.
Another trip to the allotment yesterday meant that I managed to get the main crop potatoes (Desiree) planted.
I also did some repairs to a couple of the raised beds. Lin spent her time tidying the strawberry bed, weeding and planting some wild flower seeds. She also lifted some leeks and we brought home the last of last year's shallots.
The other good news is that both varieties of chillies have started shooting eight days after planting.
Ten days after planting the first of the aubergine seedlings are appearing in the propagator.
This morning I planted two kinds of chilli, firstly some hot Tabasco which should take about ten days. The second variety was Jalapeno which are a little bit milder and take seven to ten days to germinate. I took some specialist advice and soaked the seeds in a little warm water overnight, hopefully this will increase the number that germinate.
Then we went to the allotment and planted the first early (Maris Bard) and second early (Charlottes) potatoes. We had hoped to get the main crop Desiree but sadly rain stopped play.
In the first photograph you can see a seed potato with some nice healthy shoots on, compare this with the photograph on this post that was taken before chitting.
Just four days after sowing them, the mixed salad leaves are popping their heads up above the compost. It seems as though the heated propagator was money well spent. The basil is starting too, but no sign of the aubergines which take longer to germinate.
We recently bought a heated propagator and today I planted the first seeds in it. Some mixed salad leaves, basil (Sweet Genovese) and aubergine (Black Beauty). Last year we didn't have any luck with the aubergines, they got as far as flowering and that was it. We are hoping that the heated propagator will give them a bit of a head start this year.
Beautiful warm day today and we made the most of it, planting the onions, shallots and broad beans. Now for the next couple of weeks it's going to be a battle between us and the birds, can they pull the onions out quicker than we can replant them? Birds see the dry onion tops and think it would make good nesting material so pull it out of the ground, only to find that there's an onion attached to it and drop it back on the ground. Once the sets have taken root they are safer.
