Monday 14th January 2013 – Snow this morning and then did some sowing.

Well, we woke up to a dusting of snow this morning, a few more flurries later on, but now it’s sleeting. Don’t get me wrong, I love snow as long as it doesn’t affect me or anyone else getting to where we need to go. Still really cold though and getting colder. This afternoon I started my January sowing. I’m very excited as I’m sure you can imagine. I sowed the remaining aubergines (seeds left from last year. I brought then in Spain I think.) They’re small yellow/green ones. Hopefully I’ll be able to show you later on in the year. Also some Cress. A favourite with the little people as it’s very fast. Some cauliflowers which are all year rounders. And Goji berries from seed. I then came inside and are trying to grow some brown mushrooms and some Shii-Take ones as well. I have grown white ones before and they worked really well, the brown should be about the same, but the Shii-Take look a bit complicated, so I’ll keep you posted on those ones. Inside now and warming up with a cup of tea.

This entry was posted in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink.

9 Responses to Monday 14th January 2013 – Snow this morning and then did some sowing.

paul says:

January 14, 2013 at 3:52 pm

HI Claire happy new year ! i watched your vid on leeks i am to grow some this year not done so since allotment days i am growing musselburgh as these are recomended for gardens would you sow them in trays or pots ?

- clairesallotment says:
  
  January 15, 2013 at 4:23 pm
  
  Aah yes Musselburgh are great. I’ve grown them many times before. Very reliable and can stay out in all weathers. I’ve still got some on the allotment, I really must dig them up soon. I tend to sow them in seed trays and grow them in the greenhouse, then when they’re about 6 inches tall and look quite robust I pop them outside in the soil. When you sow them in the seed tray make sure they have room to grow.
  
ianmiddleton99 says:

January 14, 2013 at 4:10 pm

Don’t you have to drill holes in logs to grow Shitake mushrooms? How did you do the others though? Always wondered about growing my own mushies but I eat industrial quantities of them and I thought you needed a very specialised environment.

- clairesallotment says:
  
  January 15, 2013 at 4:20 pm
  
  It depends where you get them from. I got a box from Homebase and all the instructions are on the box. I’ve seen others from sale in various places and they’re in logs. It’s very difficult to make a film about them as there are so many different ways to grow them. I grow mine in the cupboard under the stairs and they seem to do really well. They just need a place where the temperature doesn’t change much. I’ve got no pipe under there and they seem to like it. When they come up, I’ll take a photo and put in up for you all to see. Generally they like to be warm and moist.
  
Kim says:

January 14, 2013 at 5:06 pm

Well done xx
We too had just a dusting of snow which was gone by lunchtime because of the rain.
I really need to get some potting compost in from the garden to warm it up before i start sowing.

- clairesallotment says:
  
  January 15, 2013 at 2:39 pm
  
  Pop it in any frost free place and it’ll be fine. To be honest I’ve just opened a brand new bag, and it’s one I brought 9 months ago. It’s been sitting outside all this time.
  
  - Kim says:
    
    January 15, 2013 at 4:15 pm
    
    Thanks i’ll bring the bag closer to the house 🙂
hometaughtchildren says:

January 17, 2013 at 7:52 am

Hi Claire! I am new to allotmenting, I recently got mine and really really looking forward to growing anything. The aubergines you sowed, did you sow them on the actuall allotment or indoors ? Can you sow them in toilet roll holders like broadbeans then plant them out. Sowing into toilet holders then taken them out to mee seems easier than in modules then having to life the plant out. I have bought aubergines seeds and waiting to sow them next month, but you sowed yours this month?

- clairesallotment says:
  
  February 22, 2013 at 5:27 pm
  
  Welcome to the most addictive thing you’ll ever do. Gardening is a bit like a drug, and at this time of year I start to get a bit twitchy. I want to get started and the spring is just around the corner, but it’s either too cold, or a little early for much of the sowing. The aubergines I sowed and grew in the greenhouse. They need the heat to grow, and generally outside in the UK is too cold. If you live in a warmer climate then they can grow outside. My parents live in Spain and they grow theirs outside. I wouldn’t sow aubergines in loo rolls as they don’t mind carefully being moved when they’re small. I just sow in a small seed tray in multi purpose compost. Transplant into 3 inch pots when they’ve got 4 leaves and when they get too big for that pot move to a 6 inch pot where they’ll stay. I sow mine in February, but March is fine also. I just need to sow something early otherwise I’d get twitchy. Broad Beans plant in loo rolls, as they need to go outside and if they’re in the loo roll they’re protected more.