On reflection, this year’s spring weather is better then last: there is enough rain to encourage seeds and seedlings and when the sun shines it is good growing weather. But the daily swings of temperature between 4 and 25 C are making it tough for plants. In the greenhouse the range can be much higher with peaks in the high 30s. This shows through in the slow growth of chillis and tomatoes which look healthy enough but will not shoot onwards until night-time temperatures rise. It’s a time to be patient. Putting on the paraffin heater overnight helps – not so much by warming the greenhouse but by raising CO2 levels. I’ve read somewhere that this stimulates photosynthesis the following day. Well, they do raise CO2 levels in horticultural greenhouses to increase tomato crop sizes.
I’ll confess to finding being patient difficult, but this year have held back planting out the leeks and courgettes until things warm up. In the past, the new plants have sulked a bit in the cold soil and that increases the risk of slug damage. I have them hardening off outside at present and have noticed that the early leaves are being replaced by smaller, greener and tougher ones. They should gallop on when the warm weather comes this week. I’m growing a mixture of Green Bush and a white Italian variety this year and will be looking to do a swap for a couple of yellow plants. Yellow zucchini make a great salad if sliced using a mandolin (which is a French cooking term for thumb-slicer) and dressed with a sharp vinaigrette.
Saturday’s rain was really torrential and the most obvious consequence is the washing out of a newly-emerged line of turnip seedlings. I’ve never had that happen before, must have been lucky in the past. I’ll re-set the seed because turnip seed is very small and tends to come all together. The chard in the row next to it was also affected, but there will be some later germination and I can transplant instead of thinning.
My last job before the rain was to hand weed the strawberry bed. A bit of a back-breaker, but necessary because my last lot of compost had too much grass seed in it and it was spreading everywhere. The heap mustn’t be getting hot enough – I think because it dries out quickly. This year’s plan will be to wet it regularly – from the water butt and not as Barry-next-door waters his. I think he believes he can’t be seen peeing. While Bob Flowerdew recommends this as a way of adding nitrate, I’ll stick to using a watering can.
This year I have replanted my asparagus with a dozen new roots. The general opinion on our site is that the ground doesn’t drain well enough for health plants, so I’ll have to see. If they don’t take well, I’m tempted to create a raised bed. There’s always something to do.
growingandreflecting 