Kicking my heels

As I'm not going to be getting back home until the end of the Easter weekend, I thought I'd better get on and sow something.

I'd got the other half to bring me down a few seed packets on his most recent trip, so off I trotted to my favourite shop in the world and bought some seed compost and a new cheapo leccie propogater (always thought I should get a second and now I have!).

So on 27/2 I sowed some Totem and Sub Arctic Plenty toms. After last years debacle with the toms, I decided to limit the number of varieties grown this year. I grew Totem the previous season and was pleased with the results. Not an astounding quantity, but then what am I aiming for ? Feeding the street ? I think I prefer bush varieties, being more easily kept under control so Totem is underway. Sub Arctic Plenty caught the imagination, setting easily in colder weather, which will suit me down to the ground back up in Glasgow. From memory (see packet is elsewhere as I type and blowed if I can remember where I've put it !) they are a bush/tumbling variety which will lend themselves to my topsy turvey bucket idea if I ever get it off the ground. If not, they can go on some staging in a black bucket.

My only cordon variety this year will be Gardeners Delight basically because they were my heaviest cropper last year.

Upon the recommendation of someone who memory escapes me, I decided to try some Gypsy peppers this year. So they are in the third container in the prop.

So that's me started !

Also done this week was to pot up my Aquadulce Claudia broad beans sown on 21st (?) December which are still stuck down south. I have 6 very healthy plants, one of which is reaching for the stars. I've pinched them all out hoping to keep them to a reasonable height for transporting home dans la petite rouge voiture neuveau. I carefully separated the roots and have stuck each of the loo roll inners in individual smallish pots. Obviously this is an experiment borne out of necessity. I'm hoping that by the time I get them back up the road, they will have got a nice little root system that won't mind being transplanted.

I hate to think hoe my second sowing (oop north) are doing. Poor wee things were all leggy when I left. I really have noticed the difference in light levels/temperature between the two regions and the effects it has on my babies. Perhaps there is a good reason to move back south !

I've still to sow The Sutton bbs, but hopefully I'll still have time when I return home.

Mum gave me some hyacinth and allium bulbs last autumn which are in a pot on the patio down here. The blue and pink hyacinths are coming through nicely, with one blue one having a double bloom.

The forsythia is beginning to bloom down here and I'm wondering how my cuttings are getting on at home. They really should be in the ground already so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

I'd like to get going on some more sowing, but the poor car would object, so I'm having to keep my hands in my pockets ....... for now !

Right, that's the mobile's battery about to chuck it, so better get this posted.

xxxx