I’ve not been to the allotment much while it’s been so chilly but these lovely March mornings bursting with sunshine and fresh air have begun to work their Springy magic on the blooms at the plot.  The first bulb to push it’s way through the soil a few weeks ago is destined to be a heady, fragrant hyacinth (colour as yet unknown).   Some of the irises have emerged, bloomed and frostily withered in the space of a week but while they lasted they were a joy to behold.

On Sunday morning the overnight frost thwarted my efforts to plant more onion sets and I gave up trying to drive my fork into the frozen ground (Pat’s fork actually as mine I discovered has been nicked). It wasn’t a wasted visit as I had a good natter with Keith on the way home and had my arm twisted accepted his invitation to join the allotment committee. I have fresh, young blood to offer apparently – should I be worried do you think! {grin}

Filed under: allotment tales

This ‘double glazing for plants’ is getting these early onions off to a good start at the beginning of March.

Each plant has its own baseless pop bottle for individual cover. Then there is the glass sheet that will keep off the snow and the sink sides to keep out some frost. Intensive care for plants that can be treated as individuals may be worth the effort when our local vegetable show comes around (no wonder I have lost to this neighbour before.)

This is another of the local money free protection schemes where the Leeks are grown in lengths of drain pipe. I guess this helps with blanching  but more importantly extends the cropping season. Talking of Leeks, yesterday I bought some seed of Swiss Giant Zermatt to pick from July as baby leeks and some Blue Green Autumn Neptune for resistance to Leek rust disease.

Fritillaria is a genius genus of over 100 species of bulbs from the lily family with an attractive and graceful habit. They generally grow about 4-12 inches in height and have pendulous bell shaped flowers of yellow, orange, purple, green or white in the spring. they often have a chequered green or brown colouring.

In Germany this handsome flower is also called Lapwing-egg, Chess Flower and Boardgame Flower (in German I suppose) Some common English names include Fritillary, Toad lily, Snake’s Head Fritillary, Guinea hen flower and Crown Imperial.

• If these Fritillaria are grown from seeds sown fresh they will yield more bulbs than one would have obtained from offsets of the old bulbs but they can be slow to produce plants of flowering size.

• Many of the species are suitable for the frame or Alpine house but are also grown in borders and grass (Fritillaria meleagris the Snake’s Head is seen like this in Magdalen College Oxford).

• Other species to look out for include the small Fritillaria tubiformis and its hybrids, Fritillaria verticillata with white bells on a taller plant and Fritillaria camschatcensis (the Black Sarana) with a very dark maroon almost black flower.

• The Crown imperial or Kaiser’s Crown Fritillaria imperialis can grow to an imposing 3 feet and is best planted at least 10″ deep.

• For information on Fratillaria gentneri see the National collection of imperiled plants

Well, I don’t know about you but I’m raring to go with the sowing already! I’ve ordered my seeds, polished my dibber and I’ve even cleared up the leaves. It’s show time. We’re fast approaching the time of year that every vegetable gardener loves, Spring. The weather is sunnier, the garden is calling and it’s all down to you to get to the seeds sown so that you can reap the rewards later. I’m so excited I could pop!

This month’s photo mission is all about sowing. So get out there and take photos that say ‘it’s nearly Spring so get your booty out into the shed and sow my friend’.

Whether it’s a photo of you actually sowing seed,

preparing the pots,

or sorting your seed tags. It doesn’t matter. What matters is that your photo says ’sow’.

Our prize this time comes from the super-cool, urban gardeners over at Seed Pantry. It’s a mega-stylish Window Salads seed kit worth £14.99 each, with eight packs of seed including: Rocket, Radishes, Chillies, Lettuce (Lolla Rossa & Salad Bowl), Basil, Parsley and Spring Onions.

As we can’t send seeds outside the EU winners from outside that area will receive this set of coir pots instead. Still very cool! And don’t forget to sign up to the Seed Pantry newsletter for great hints and tips on how to sow and grow. Again thanks to SP for their generosity and making our competition just a little bit (erm a lot…) more competitive

Send your entries to gill@carsonified.com by Friday 19th March. GOOD LUCK!

About three weeks ago I posted this photo of my coldframe brimming with over-Wintering Lettuce. Since then the Lettuce has continued to grow, albeit slowly. Today, I decided to thin out some of the Lettuce as they were getting a little crowded. So I took out about half the original number. This sadly means I only have four or five of each variety (Winter Gem & Winter Density) but they’ll be bigger and healthier heads now.

The plants that were left I firmed in a little and gave them a little water. They should be all set now for their forthcoming growth spurt. I’m already looking forward to my first Spring salad. I even sowed some Radish alongside them which will hopefully be ready at the same time. Ahhh! It’s good to be back.

I was facing due North when I saw this tree in a local field. It shows how the prevailing wind is blowing from the West and I found it fascinating that other trees had grown in a way that supported the elongated branches.

It is not a garden sized tree, unless you have many acres, but it is a reminder that these great carbon capture devices are to be prized and cultivated.

Growing Winter Aconite Tips

Winter Aconite with Buttercup shaped leaves

Winter Aconite tubers hate drying out so they need to be planted or transplanted “in the green”, while the foliage is still fresh and the plants are in active growth.
The tuberous Winter Aconite like a loose, well-drained chalky soil but will naturalise in a lawn or under a deciduous tree.
The knobbly tubers need to be planted 2” deep and can be divided after flowering every few years. However they dry out very easily, dislike being moved and are best left to their own devices.
Winter aconites are OK in containers as long as they get water and winter sunshine but that is not their best location.

If buying bulbs/tubers go for those sold ‘in the green’.

Picture of last years harvest of belle de fontenay – half a row “5 seed potato’s planted”

My potato bed is now “finally” prepared for planting after spending an hour forking over and adding manure. I don’t trench ” too much like hard work”  after all that prep .. I prefer to use a small pole to make a hole and pop the seed potato in.. I’m  planning on getting them in the ground in a couple of weeks, though if it stays this cold I will delay a little..

I’ve chosen all new varieties this year apart from one..

Belle de fontenay – early main-crop salad variety. I grew these last year and were a big hit producing huge amounts on a single seed potato…

This year I’m trying out…

Sante  early main-crop.. Good for boiling, dry pale yellow flesh that grows well in all soils, so should do ok in my clay soil..

Rooster early main-crop.. Good all rounder red potato from Ireland  with a floury flesh..

Golden wonder late main-crop.. Good for baking, roasting, frying, stores well..