Fixing and transplanting

The recent blowy weather knocked over my mini-greenhouse and put a huge hole in the side of it. After a week, I finally managed to get myself to a shop to look for replacement or repair options. Of course, it was the nicest weather this weekend which meant that the gardening centre was hopping and most supplies were stripped bare. No replacement cover to be had and I didn't see the point in getting a new, smaller mini-greenhouse (never mind the more expensive aluminium ones). This meant that transparent repair tape had to do. To be fair, vastly cheaper and it'll do for now. Can hardly tell where the hole once was... ;) Now the bottom of the greenhouse is weighed down with a brick and my garden implements. Hopefully, that should steady it.


Once that was sorted it was on to transplanting the seedlings. They were doing almost too well on the window sill. Everything came up nice and strong -- except the patty pan (only one germinated) and the cucumber "Crystal Lemon" (there seems to be movement on one of them but I am not that hopeful overall). Probably the seeds were old as they were left over from last year.


Have to have a peek at the rest of the seeds soon as lettuce, etc can be sown out in March and April. Time is moving on!

Time is marching on, garden isn't much

Things have moved on quite a bit and most of the seedlings are doing well, even though they were forgotten for a while after transplanting.


The greenhouse has proved its worth, only one loss - a cucumber seedling bit the dust. I have just sown three more so should end up with enough in the end.


The winter squash is coming along nicely, and so it should because the slugs will be at it as soon as it goes into the ground.


I have finally outlined some beds and then realised that I don't really have enough space to grow everything comfortably. I readjusted the original plan and now beans will share a bed with the winter squash. Everything will be "cozy" - not ideal but best I can do. Even as I was doing the beds two cats hung around, staking out their favourite pooing place. Need to get some more bamboo kebab sticks to secure the ground against furry marauders. Made some teepees for the beans and cucumbers to climb on and now it feels ready for planting. By now I should have planted the beetroot and rocket but just not enough time recently to do that. Hoping to do that this long weekend.

Don't look a gift horse in the mouth

I usually stay away from growing tomatoes from seed. I tried but they all turned out spindly, weedy and small. Moreover, I usually ended up with too many yet felt unable to kill off the runts. Last year I had great success with just buying plants from a nursery (grape tomatoes for container-growing). This year I was going to buy plants for my plot.

This intention has been nixed (or at least been reduced in scale). I just got some tomato seedlings from a colleague at work. All were second leaf and in need of further transplanting. Apparently, her boyfriend, never having had a garden, has commandeered their bedroom and turned it into a greenhouse. I think she is glad to be rid of a few of them, however, that means that they are my responsibility now.

Varieties are Momotaro (mid season, indeterminate, two seedlings), Early Girl (early season, indeterminate, two seedlings), Black Tomato (dark purplish colour, indeterminate, four seedlings) and Gold Nugget (yellow cherry, determinate). Let's see how they are going to turn out.

Garden Clear-up

Remember how I said that spring has sprung? Well, not so much this week... Yesterday there was an Earth Day event at Overlook Park to which I cycled through hail. Good outcomes though: ended up with more free seeds (corn, borage, sunflowers) and other free swag (little thermos!).

Which brings me on to my first update on seeds. As I reported a couple of weeks ago, I saved some seeds from a store-bought squash to see if it would be usable. It is!


Now I have to figure out what to do them until it is time to plant them in the garden...

Today was the community garden clear-up (early 9am start - ugh - but new thermos came in handy). Usual suspects turned up to do some work and we managed to clear a path of weeds before turning to our own projects. Another clear-up is scheduled for beginning of May, with more volunteers (hopefully). Apparently all plots have been allocated and there is now a waiting list. Two more people turned up when I was leaving, they were the garden's Produce for People coordinators and have commandeered the raised beds - usually reserved for disabled people but not claimed this year - for growing stuff for the program. They used to be at Reed (famed and fabled for being nice and huge and then being closed to make way for student dorms) and seem very organised.


Before leaving I was checking over my plot briefly. Removed a few weeds but now it's easy if I can keep on top of them. Strawberries are still liking it. Arugula Roquette has germinated - yay!


There is no clear sign of the other variety of arugula yet but I'm hoping there will be soon. I think the broccoli was starting to peek through too. Sowed some chives and another row of broccoli.

Came home, had some breakfast/brunch, and then nerdishly made a list of seeds and a planting calendar. Now I'm feeling sleepy and I need a nap...

seed gathering

I'm currently trying an experiment: I got a Kabocha pumpkin last week for eating and wondered if the seeds were any good. They may be duff of course or not come true but it is worth a try. I just planted some today and will see if they at least germinate. Will post about the outcome...