Getting Started!
I went out this weekend and bought a few more seed potatoes. I was looking for a late maincrop when I came across this variety I had never heard of before. Has anyone tried 'Peachbloom' potatoes? Thought I'd give it a go.
I couldn't resist 'Red Duke of York' a stunning colour and a wonderful flavour too.
We've had a couple of relatively warm days recently. My Rhubarb has started to get going. You can see on the compost around them I have been sprinkling wood ash. This time of year you can give your fruit bushes and trees a boost of potash by using the ash from any wood fires you have had. Wood ash only.
I cleaned up my strawberry patch too, sprinkling some more wood ash around the plants and getting rid of old leaves. I dug up this crown and potted it up in the greenhouse. I look forward to an early crop of strawberries a few weeks before the others.
Also in the greenhouse I used an old overwintered growbag to sow a few radish seeds. I should have a small crop of French Breakfast radish in a few weeks. This brings back memories for me, it was the first veggie that my Dad gave me to grow on his allotment when I was very small. I suspect many of you grew radishes at that age too?
I decided to start off some of my tomatoes in a heated propagator too. Varieties here are Black Cherry, Sungella, Sungold, Cherokee Purple and a wonderful Golden Jubilee tomato.
Broad beans Aquadulce Claudia are almost ready to be planted out. The weather will be warm this week, I might just do that.
Still plenty of Cavalo Nero, or Tuscan Black Kale. A true stalwart this time of year.
And speaking of Jubilee tomatoes. As I was sowing a few seeds I noticed that I have far more seeds than I could ever use, so I thought I would give them away. Seeing as we are celebrating a Diamond Jubilee this year in the UK, does anyone want a few seeds to plant? These are a late maturing, golden beefsteak tomato with fantastic flavour. Drop me an email with your address and I'll send you a few.
posted by Matron @ 7:08 PM
13 Comments:
Your garden is looking great, Matron. Thanks for sharing it with us!
Hi matron,I have red Duke of York chitting but they do not have such stalks growing yet, yours are way ahead!
that would be absolutely splendid Matron...I'm in the USA and will be happy to pay the postage!
Have any good tips for keeping squirrels out of the ripening tomatoes? Squirrels run rampant around my little patio!
Your rhubarb looks wonderful!
I have International Kidney potatoes chitting; fingers crossed! Would love to try some Jubilee tomatoes, please.
dandy
No never heard of Peachblossom. I wonder who came up with that name and why? Are the flowers a different colour I wonder?
I wish I had seen this post before I started my tomatoes off. That variety looks absolutely superb.
Nice post today. It is nice to see things like Rhubarb and Broad Beans starting to make an appearance. It's definately all starting to get exciting!
Martin :0)
looking good cant wait for a bit of sunshine now
Your garden is really under way, looks great!
I love the thought of growing my own tomatoes but we are usually short on garden space. So I am going to try growing them in an old 20 gallon trash can after I sterilize it of course. I have heard that you poke some holes in the bottom for drainage and add a few inches of soil, then add the seed potatoes. When they get growing nicely you add more dirt. As they grow upwards you continue this process until harvest time. Then all you have to do is roll the can around and dump it out. No digging! Wish me luck!
Tim, good luck. remember you can only grow potatoes using this method if you use main crop tubers and not earlies. They grow in a different way.
Your rhubard is ahead of mine. Your broad beans look really healthy; I've never grown but surprised they can go outside so soon.
I have planted my red duke of york potatoes. We live by the sea and don't get many frosts (touch wood) but a handy tip is this - if the potatoes have come up and you have a frost then water them with a watering can before the sun comes up and the damage will be minimal. It really works - though I prefer no frost damage!
Your cavalo nero looks good ours has gone to seed but its still very tasty.
Do you add anything to the old growbag for the radish? Also, thanks for the tip re: wood ash - I have a full ash tray waiting to go out and will sprinkle liberally on my rhubarb!
Post a Comment
<< Home