Clairesallotment's Blog

The last 2 weeks have been rather windy, and it’s got nothing to do with what I’ve been eating, although Mark may disagree with that. With the strong winds I’ve been very concerned about spending any length of time in the greenhouses. You don’t want to be anywhere near glass that gets shattered by the wind.

Now that the weather has calmed down considerably (finally) and it’s also warmed up again, it’s wonderful to be able to get back into the greenhouse and do some work.

Everything has been growing really well and now I’m starting to prick out all sorts of seedlings. Today I pricked out loads of Tomatoes. Some are germinating better than others, so I’ve prick out what I can, and then put the tray back, and will wait patiently to see if any more appear. Sungold seem to be eager to get out of bed, but the other varieties seem to want a lie in.

My Emir Melons are growing brilliantly, and I have 12 strong seedlings, and 3 little tiny ones. Hopefully they’ll continue to grow well and I’ll be harvesting some lovely fruits in the Summer. I won’t say I’ll be able to show you my lovely pair of melons soon, as that’s just childish….ooops!

I also pricked out a load more brassica seedlings. Kale is doing brilliantly and I have 2 varieties this year “Smoothie Mix” and “Afro”. I’ve also pricked out Broccoli “Lancer Mixed” and Brukale, as well as a few odds and sods.

I also pricked out my French Marigolds which have been growing really well.

March is also the time to start sowing a load of flower seeds, so I’ve sown the following: Poppy “Maanzaad” and “Shirley Single Mixed”. Some Cornflowers “Tall Mixed”, Clarkia “Choice Double”, Gypsophila “Monarch white”, Nigella “Persian Jewels”, Candytuft “Fairy Mixed“, Linum “Bright Eyes”, a Cottage garden mix and finally a mixture of seeds from Kew gardens. They’re all perfect if you want to create a cottage garden feel to your garden.

Phew, that’s all for today folks, I think I need a cup of tea now.

Melons are one of those fruits that we dream of growing in cooler climates. I’ve tried and tried for many years to grow a wonderful pair but they seem to prefer warmer climates….That is until now!

Emir are the perfect Melon variety for the cooler climate, so this year I’m giving them a go. Come and see how I harvest mine.

Now we’re into March the weather has warmed up nicely and it’s time to start sowing your Chilli Seeds. I have both sweet, mild and hot chilli seeds this year.

What ones are you growing this year?

Here’s how I sow mine….

Because I’ve already sown some brassica seeds, I’m not showing you how to sow any more, because you need to sow them in exactly the same way.

The wind is blowing outside and it’s drizzling with rain, so I shut myself away in my greenhouse for a little bit of “me time”. It’s a lovely place to go when you need a little bit of time to yourself.

I’ve just sown the following brassica seeds, but don’t worry I’ll keep you updated on their progress.

Let’s start with Kale “Smoothie Mix” and “Afro” which are good for adding iron to your diet, something I need especially when giving blood. Broccoli “Lancer Mixed” I love these, and “Stemia”. Cauliflower “Chinese” which look very interesting. Then finally lots of Cabbage, because everyone likes a cabbage, “Greyhound”, “January King 3”, “Advantage”, lastly “Kilmaro”.

This should keep us going for a while and fill up those 2 cages I made to protect them from the butterflies and birds.

If you’ve never sown Flower Sprouts, Kalettes, Brukale (all the same thing) before why not sow some this year.

They are a cross between Kale and Brussels Sprouts and are absolutely delicious. They are very easy to find now and are available from most of the large seed companies.

Why not give them a go this year, they are wonderful and in my opinion best sauteed for about 5 minutes with a little onion. When I have time I’ll make a video and show you.

Freshly harvested Tomatoes are just the most wonderful thing ever. They have so much more flavour that the watery, tasteless shop ones. You can always find space for at least one tomato plant, so why not try and grow some this year.

There are loads of different varieties out there to try, so why not try something different this year. The varieties I’m sowing are “Sungold”, “Bloody Butcher”, “Indigo Blue Berries”, “Aunt Ginny’s Purple“, “Green Sausage”, and finally “Black Cherry”.

Here’s how I’m sowing mine this year.

February is the perfect time to sow your Broad Beans. The variety I am growing this year are called “The Sutton”. I’ve grow these before and they grow really well. They not massively tall plants, but produce a lovely amount of fruit.

You can either sow 2 beans per 3 inch pot, but I prefer to use half toilet rolls. So start saving now for next year.

Here’s how I sow mine….

People always underestimate the difference in the taste of home grown lettuce. It really does taste so much better than shop bought. I like to sow a variety of different colours and shapes, that way the salad looks much more interesting.

Make sure you sow your lettuce seeds “in succession”, which basically means a few every month. That way you’ll have a wonderful supply all summer long.

You can so directly into the soil, but I prefer to sow mine in a seed tray. Here’s how I sow mine.

If you want to grow big and strong, there is only 1 vegetable you need to eat, and that’s Spinach. The variety I’m sowing this year is called “Trombone”, which I grew last year and it did really well. It’s great wilted with onions and garlic, and makes a great addition to a casserole or a pasta dish.

Now is the time to start sowing your seeds, and this is how I sow mine.

Last year my Aubergines grew really well, and so again this year, I’m growing 2 different varieties some from Spain, and a UK variety called Rosa Bianca.

February is the time to start sowing, so here’s how I so mine.