Seed sowing and a Queen Wasp

The weather has become very changeable lately. Sun then rain, warm then freezing cold, and windy too. Just the sort of weather to put me off going outside for any length of time. I get changed into gardening clothes, sort out the tools, bend down to some job or other and down comes the rain or the wind rips the seed packet out of my hand. Irritating. To avoid all this the Digger I decided to use the potting area inside to sow some seeds. The trays went into the cold frame or greenhouse.

We sowed:

• Artichoke “Green Globe”
• Early Sprouting Broccoli “Rudolph”
• Brussels Sprouts Darkmar 2
• Cabbage “Greyhound”
• Kales “Nero Di Toscana” and “Westland Winter”
• Kohl Rabi Delicacy Purple”
• Leeks “Bandit”, “Colossal” and “Monstruoso De Carentan”
• Lettuce “Bionda Lenta A Montara”
• Endive “Blond Full Heart”
• Spinach “Monnopa”

I also sowed some Snap Peas “Zuccola” under a cloche. Hopefully the weather will be much better by the time they get too tall. They only reach 2 feet so should be easy to support. I generally only grow climbing peas so these are a change.

I was alone sowing away, radio on low, when I heard a droning sound which turned out to be a Queen Wasp coming out of hibernation. I grabbed my camera - she’s much more interesting than picture of a boring tray of seeds. She briefly stopped for a wash and brush up then flew outside. She obviously hadn’t listened to the weather forecast on the radio as it’s going to be cold and miserable this weekend. (Click if you want to see a bigger picture).