Seeds in greenhouse

I am not blogging or commenting as often for some reason – I do apologise.  I could blame The Web Designer and his wife J who moved in with us while looking for a new house. They have found one but it needs a lot of work so naturally they prefer staying on in more comfortable surroundings.  In truth it is lovely having them here as they have taken on a share of the cooking (hurrah!) and J has shown a talent for making scrumptious muffins (yum!).

Nor can I make much progress in the garden this coming weekend as I have been tempted by the garden bloggers’ get together at Malvern. The Digger and I are looking forward to the Malvern Spring Show and meeting people who have so far only existed in cyberspace.

I have a plan of campaign.

• I will not buy too many plants
• I will learn something about garden design that I can apply to my own garden (extremely unlikely but I live in hope)
• I will not obsess about expensive garden features and sculpture that I cannot afford
• If I take my sunglasses the weather will be sunny

Ready for the Show!

Plants brave the open air

I then started potting up tomato seedlings and noticed that the pot in the centre had six seedlings instead of the expected three. Hmmm! Then  I found I was missing a pot for my Tomato ” Black Sea Man”. Where had those seeds gone? I was sure I had planted some.

Tomato seedlings

Gardening blooper number 1 – Oh no…I had planted two varieties in one pot. Duh! Now I won’t know which is which until they grow bigger.

Do we really need any more?

Seed catalogues and Seed packets

Probably not – but we will be getting some anyway. The temptation is too strong to resist.

Greenhouse

It has an electric fire to keep the temperature above freezing and is lined with plastic bubble wrap for extra insulation. As you can see it is rather crowded.

Greenhouse

I have two dwarf Chilli peppers still bearing fruit.

Chilli pepper 'Apache F1'

And many plants are still flowering happily.

Abutilon in front of an Aeonium

Some of the Pelargoniums seem to flower for ever and ever.

Pelargonium 'Shannon'

Pelargonium sidoides

Pelargonium (pink)

This shrub is native to New Zealand. It is hardy down to -5C (23F) but I still keep it under cover during the winter. It is supposed to flower in March but the extra warmth has given it an early start.

Sophora molloyi ' Dragon's Gold'

Finally some young Agaves grown from offsets off my larger plants.

Agaves

They are all bedded down for the winter. All warm and cosy.

Thanks to Katarina at Roses and Stuff for hosting Blooming Friday.

Visit her to see more Blooming Friday contributions.

I will buy the occasional cucumber over the next few months. As usual I will temporarily forget that shop bought ones  are tasteless during the winter months. I get cucumber amnesia every year so I’m sure this one will be no exception.

Last of the cucumbers

On a more cheerful note there is the Digger’s success with red cabbage. Usually they refuse to heart up so for us so we are very pleased. Have you notices that a half a  red cabbage, finely sliced, mysteriously expands to twice the size of the original. I think this must be why cabbages evolved a tightly folded solid heart – otherwise they would grow to be the size of a small bush.

Cabbage 'Marner Early Red'

The garden is looking wet and miserable at the moment. It forms a gloomy backdrop to some of my planting mistakes. What was I thinking when I positioned this fern in front of the garden seat. The popular name of ‘King Fern’ should have hinted that it would grow fairly large.

When I planted it I had a picture of the fern brushing my ankles as I strolled to sit down. Now it’s more likely to tap me on the shoulder. In addition Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’ has leaned over and blocked the tiny gap I might have squeezed through.

Dryopteris affinis 'Cristata'

I wonder if “Think before you plant” could be my New Year’s Resolution? As if that would ever happen.

Carrots

Look at this beetroot.’ Long, dark red cylindrical roots’ was the description. Obviously this one found a stone in the soil and took a left turn. Any longer and it would have been boomerang shaped.

Beetroot 'Forono'

The Digger also takes the credit for these potatoes. He likes to try unusual varieties. Now I need to find recipes that will do justice to their colour. Will their lovely red tint  survive cooking I wonder?

Potato 'Highland Burgundy Red'

It is just as well that most of my recipes begin with ….’Take a chopped onion and add to….’

Onions hanging in the garage

Stringing up onions is surprisingly satisfying.

Climbing Pea 'Stenu'

So here I am sitting in the conservatory peacefully podding peas.

Podding Peas

It is very a very relaxing task. Most of the pods look like this.

Seven Peas in a pod

Eeeek…what’s this. It’s the dreaded Pea Moth caterpillar. What a cheek, chomping on my perfect peas. The moth lays eggs on the foliage and the caterpillars bore into the pods after hatching. Oddly enough I can never see any holes on the outside of the pods. Perhaps they beam in, like on Star Trek.

A pesky pest

Disclaimer: No caterpillar was injured in the making of this post. They all ended up in the compost heap along with the pea pods. They can take their chance with the wildlife that lives in there. Serves them right.

Vegetable harvest

While picking I got to thinking:

• How come 8 large French Beans can hide behind one leaf?
• Why is a giant Courgette/Zucchini invisible until you trip over it?
• How do Runner Beans (planted a month later to avoid a deluge of beans) always catch up with the French Beans….resulting in a bean mountain?
• Why do tomatoes stay green for absolutely ages and ages….one ripe one appears, making you all warm and fuzzy….then two days later there are bucket loads?
• How do Cabbage White butterflies manage to squeeze through the netting onto the Cabbages?
• Who would have thought that Cucumbers could give a gardener mild concussion while hanging from the greenhouse roof?
• Why are there no recipes requiring a wheelbarrow load of vegetables….that result in a meal for 2?

Answers on a postcard please.

I’ll have a ‘Bloody Butcher’ cut in half.

Tomato 'Bloody Butcher'

What a name for a Tomato.

Tastes very nice though.

Peas and Mint

…accompanied by Courgettes fried with olive oil and garlic.

Courgettes

Meals are now dictated by vegetables from the garden. It’s a delicate balance.

One slip and I could be drowned in a sea of produce.

Eeeek!