I tweeted that recently, and it seems an apt summary of how things are at the moment. As ever, some things are growing *too* well - mostly unwanted plants like nettles (I won't call them weeds, as they are too useful), although also some crops that haven't yet got a home. It feels cruel to sow a seed and then let the plant linger in a pot or cell that is too small for too long, but I'm managing to move most on before they get too root-bound, and in my experience, many plants simply go into a state of semi-dormancy in that case - just don't leave them so long that they either die or try to set seed.
Do they look bigger? I think they are - roots are already starting to show through the pot bottoms.
Most repotting/pricking out has gone well. Ornamentals, which this blog isn't really about, such as cosmos (50-100 plants?), calendula (at least edible, though I'm growing it for its appearance and pollinator-friendliness), and more exotic things like Scabiosa 'Black Knight' - but also most of the veg. I have been cheered to see that the brassicas, that were not happy a couple of weeks ago, have started to grow rapidly once potted on. I'm not sure about some, like the brussels sprouts, but the red kale and red cabbages may yet thrive (see photo above). The second sowing of lettuces (see photo below), done in dense rows in a tray following Charles Dowding's method, were half pricked out a couple of days ago, and are already settling in, and yesterday I did the third sowing. The first ones, incidentally, are fewer in number but now almost big enough to pick - and thanks to being cosseted as individually-potted plants in a mini greenhouse, they are pest-free so far.
More 'Mottistone', ready to be pricked out into modules.
Yesterday I picked my first radishes, and today some more. I sowed some in a tray and stuck it in another mini greenhouse, but the soil was probably too poor (seed compost) and too shallow, and they wanted for light - they are only just starting to swell. But outdoors I also sowed some as a catch crop between onion sets, and these are now reaching maturity. Small but perfect, and very tasty - the whole plant is edible, so there's no waste. 50g so far, which is pitiful, but the start of good things.
'Red head' - white beneath the soil, pink where they're exposed to the sunlight.
Unexpectedly, the broad beans planted into the polytunnel - the first sown, but long since overtaken in size and vigour by other batches - have started to flower, even though they're very small. I don't expect much of a crop from them, but it was a rescue job, and the space will soon be needed anyhow, as I have a lot of very vigorous sweetcorn, courgettes, melons, cucumbers, tomatoes and the like that will do better there.
On the upper patio, I've started erecting new planters that once again I would not have chosen, but which weren't doing anything, and I need as much space to pop in small plants as possible now. Spring onions, turnips, beetroot, spinach beet, as well as some ornamentals as it's an area viewed fom the house (foxglove, sweet peas, and later calendula and nasturtium).
Mostly summer and winter squash, some French beans and sunflowers too - repotted and waiting to be covered with a cloche overnight.
It's been dry, if not always warm and sunny - yesterday was chilly and grey for the most part, and today started that way too, although both ended fine - and dry plus fast growth means a lot of watering. Up till now I've used watering cans but for the next few weeks I will use a hose. I intend to set up some water butts (much overdue), but even they won't provide enough. Thankfully, this is generally a very wet part of the world, so I don't need to feel too guilty about using irrigation when it is dry. But watering takes such a long time - a thorough soaking of everything may only need to be done once every few days, but it takes a couple of hours, and this is before lots of much thirstier crops, like cucurbits and tomatoes, get planted. Oh well.
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