I hearby declare ...

That Spring is here. Taking nature as my lead we have started sowing seeds for Spring and Summer planting and harvests.

In our little corner of England we have had a very mild winter, one scattering of snow and only a few frosts. We had a period of quite cold days, and frosty mornings but nothing like the Winter of the last 2 years, or what other areas further north have had.

We had things flowering still in December that really shouldn't have been - lavender for instance was still flowering. We've had snowdrops, daffodils and other spring flowers popping up much earlier. So early that many have been and gone and it's only February still. So much for the saying about snowdrops appearing for Imbolc or Candlemas day, they were out in all their glory here early in January. Some have gone, however there are more popping up now too. Crocusses are colouring our world and Daisies have been aplenty this week!

The greenhouses were cleared recently ready to temporarily host over 100 fruit trees, which have now almost all gone to their new homes. Amogst them is an apple tree for ourselves, this year we are adding an Egremont Russet to our fruit collection. So the permanent beds in there are ready to take some new crops and the trays and pots are ready to go.

Tender seedlings

Tomatoes and Chilies

Tomatoes and chilies  have been sown to germinate indoors in the windowsill, our greenhouses aren't heated so it's still a bit too cold at night for them out there. Not too cold for other seedlings though and as our soil is far from wet having had very little rainfall recently, the ground is ready.

So, other sowing going on this week are:
Broad Beans (didn't do an Autumn sowing last year, gone for Spring this year)
Lettuce and Salad leaves to top up and replace hardy winter varieties
Sorrel
Beet leaves and some early beetroots
Chards
Spinach
Peas for planting on and pea shoots
Kohl rabi and early brassicas
Turnips (I think I saw some seeds in the tin)
(and probably others I've missed!)


Also perfect time for carrots, cucumbers (indoors), radish, leeks, parsnips, sprouts and many herbs. We are growing some of these, but not sowing all just yet. Obviously some of these would need frost protection still if sowing directly outdoors. Also good time for getting potatoes ready if growing them - we don't as our conditions just aren't the best for spuds. We will however be planting the Oca again but not just yet.

Other garden work this week has been some pruning of our monster Kiwi plants in preparation for being dug up and taken up to the allotment where there is more space for them. Freeing up the beds in the back garden that were somewhat lost to the shade of the kiwi last year.

Perennial bed - onions, perennial leek, sorrel and sea beet

red veined Sorrel

One of the square beds has already been planted up previously with some perennials that have overwintered well - some perennial onions I was given by a wonderful permaculture teacher and expert, a lovely red veined Sorrel and another green leaved Sorrel. I have now planted some Sea beet that we had in a pot last year, and also a recently bought Babbington Leek perennial plant. Yes, this bed is a perennial veg bed. More to be added to this as the year moves along.

Wasabi

Also bought recently was a Wasabi plant that Alex wanted. They apparently like wet and shade, and because of it's size we are going to put this in a larger pot somewhere shady otherwise I fear it would be lost in the garden.

And last but by no means least, we also recently bought another Fruit Tree. Alex was rather pleased with this acquisition and I have to agree. We dream one day of an orchard of them. Oh go on then I'll tell you what it is, it's a Medlar! I've often talked about medlars here since discovering their wonderful attributes a couple of years ago, they really are wonderful and I cannot wait to see fruit on this tree.

Medlar tree

 (excuse dirty hands, no I don't often wear gardening gloves!)

I love the onset of Spring, so many more lovely things to start sowing and growing. Looking forward to recording progress over the year, and to seeing what others are up to in their gardens and plots. So what are you growing or planning at the moment?