The cycle starts again - seed sowing

 

 All my seed sowing containers are reused again and again. Except the toilet rolls - they each contain one corn seed and the plants will go into the ground in their biodegradable containers.

I did a big sowing of seeds in containers in the glasshouse today and yesterday, following on from what I did two weeks ago (July 31). Some of those seeds (cauliflower, lettuce, beetroot) have already germinated, and the basil is just starting to push through. The bigger seeds that like it warmer will take a while yet, but I know that in two-three months time (with proper care) the sweetcorn, pumpkins and so on will be ready to plant out in the garden.

The advantage to starting one's own vege plants from seed is that as well as being cheaper than buying punnets from the garden centre the range of varieties available is so much greater and more exciting. Below is the list of what I have sown so far – no same old, same old stuff for us at harvest time!

It's a bit early for sowing most things in the open ground (especially with snow forecast) but peas can cope with the cold, so I made my first outdoor sowing of the season with Purple Flowered Snow Peas. I'm already salivating at the thought of eating them again...

My Spring Sowing

Basil                Bolloso Napoletano, Lettuce Leaf

Beetroot          Crosby's Egyptian Flat

Broccoli           Purple Sprouting Early

Cauliflower       Phenomenal Early, Violet Sicilian, Orange Bouquet

Chilli Peppers   Cayenne Long Thin,  Jalapeno

Corn                  Chieftain F1, Honey and Pearl F1

Cucumber       Lebanese F1, Tendergreen

Eggplant         Black Beauty, Black Egg, Long Purple

Gherkin             Homemade Pickles

Lettuce                Buttercrunch, Cos Verdi, Half Century, Merveille de 4 Saisons

Melon                 Hales Best Jumbo, Sweet Granite, Charentais

Onion, Spring       Ishikura

Pepper            Friggitello, Jingle Belles, Marconi Red, Orange Sun,               

                       Tomato Paprika

Pumpkin                  Galeux d'Eysines, Musquee de Provence, Queensland Blue

                               Whangaparaoa Crown

Silverbeet               Margaret's Selection

Squash                 Waltham Butternut

Tomato             Brandywine Pink, Baxter's Early Bush Cherry, Orange Cherry

                        Oxheart, Red Pear, Roma, San Marzano, Scotland Yellow, 

                       Sweet 100, Yellow Pear

Watermelon              Crimson Sweet, Sugar Baby, Sweet Siberian

Zucchini           Black Beauty, Cocozelle di Napoli, Gold Rush F1 

 The first outdoor sowing of spring - the pea tepee.