Happy St George's Day!
Yesterday I planted out some onions I'd grown from seed. I've never done this before - I always went for the easy option of sets. However, my friends from Evington Hilltop sent me some Rose de Roscoff seeds and I planted out 44 of them with another dozen pricked out from a second sowing. After a fine and warm morning they are now being gently 'rained in'.
The morning post brought be an envelope from Seahorse. The promised King Tut peas came accompanied by a few Salmon Flowered peas and True Red Cranberry pole beans. They are a very dark mahogany just now but I can imagine they are just like a cranberry when freshly shelled.
I had intended to sow the peas this afternoon but it's absolutely widdling down and I'll get soaked just getting the compost out.
However, the forecast is for it to clear from the west so I hope to get these in later today.
I really appreciate Seahorse sharing her bounty like this - I will grow the peas just for seed this year (well, I might just scoff a pod or two - just out of scientific enquiry, you understand!) and hope by the autumn to be able to offer seed to others. Seed saving is so great, but seed sharing is just the best!
That reminds me, I sent for another book by Sue Stickland yesterday. I love and can read and re-read Back Garden Seed Saving. I now have another Heritage Vegetable book to look forward to.
Last night we went for a walk after dinner along the little lane that leads behind our houses. From up there we saw lots of swallows (so there WILL be a summer!) skimming along the hedges and catching insects. The little dot above the tree in this picture shows one of them. The little beggars just wouldn't pose!
We also saw the white bobbing of a roe buck's tail as he legged it across the field away from us. He had a good set of antlers and was obviously looking for something to tup! 'Tis the season etc!
Edit - done a little internet research into my new acquisitions. The True Red Cranberry bean is one of the oldest North American beans grown by the Abnaki Indians in Maine. The Salmon Flowered pea seems to be what used to be referred to as a 'Crown Pea' which bears its flowers (and pods) all at the top. Endlessly fascinating!
Yesterday I planted out some onions I'd grown from seed. I've never done this before - I always went for the easy option of sets. However, my friends from Evington Hilltop sent me some Rose de Roscoff seeds and I planted out 44 of them with another dozen pricked out from a second sowing. After a fine and warm morning they are now being gently 'rained in'.
The morning post brought be an envelope from Seahorse. The promised King Tut peas came accompanied by a few Salmon Flowered peas and True Red Cranberry pole beans. They are a very dark mahogany just now but I can imagine they are just like a cranberry when freshly shelled.
I had intended to sow the peas this afternoon but it's absolutely widdling down and I'll get soaked just getting the compost out.
However, the forecast is for it to clear from the west so I hope to get these in later today.I really appreciate Seahorse sharing her bounty like this - I will grow the peas just for seed this year (well, I might just scoff a pod or two - just out of scientific enquiry, you understand!) and hope by the autumn to be able to offer seed to others. Seed saving is so great, but seed sharing is just the best!
That reminds me, I sent for another book by Sue Stickland yesterday. I love and can read and re-read Back Garden Seed Saving. I now have another Heritage Vegetable book to look forward to.
Last night we went for a walk after dinner along the little lane that leads behind our houses. From up there we saw lots of swallows (so there WILL be a summer!) skimming along the hedges and catching insects. The little dot above the tree in this picture shows one of them. The little beggars just wouldn't pose!
We also saw the white bobbing of a roe buck's tail as he legged it across the field away from us. He had a good set of antlers and was obviously looking for something to tup! 'Tis the season etc!
Edit - done a little internet research into my new acquisitions. The True Red Cranberry bean is one of the oldest North American beans grown by the Abnaki Indians in Maine. The Salmon Flowered pea seems to be what used to be referred to as a 'Crown Pea' which bears its flowers (and pods) all at the top. Endlessly fascinating!
Later - The rained has eased but it's still murky. I've sown Seahorse's seeds plus my Heritage Seed Library pack of Soldier - a dwarf french bean. Dwarf varieties are said to be a little hardier and come a bit earlier than the climbers so we shall see. I'm tempted to save and grow on the beans with the best 'soldier' - fiddling with the genes eh?
I've also planted out my parsnips. I've grown them in loo roll middles again. Last year I had my best harvest - and no gappy rows, so I've done it this way again.
2 comments:
Oy! I'm behind already :D Hope to compare results later in the year!
Everything catches up!
It will be interesting to compare. And of course, if I've got anything you want I'll send you some in autumn when the seeds are in.
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