Spring is (sort of) in the air

The warmer weather this last week has got me thinking of Spring and for the first time this year I've been considering what to plant in the garden. My garden is a yard so every Spring and Summer I fill it with as many containers as I can and it makes it feel like a proper garden, especially when the veg starts to grow. I've been pondering what to plant and so far have decided on a few old favourites but am now excitedly choosing what new things to try. The ones I plant every year are spring onions, garlic, salad leaves, cherry tomatoes, sweet peas, nasturtiums and marigolds, wildflowers (good for the patch of stoney ground and the bees love them) plus some herbs on the kitchen window sil. My first experiment is...



...mushrooms. From Poundland, believe it or not. I've wanted to grow them for a while but the big kits are quite expensive and I just didn't want to grow that many. This one's very small but good for having a go with. Mr CB hates mushrooms and is a little disturbed by the idea of having them growing in the house. Even more so when I suggested putting them under the bed for the first 6 days because they need somewhere warm to get started, and the bedroom's the warmest room. Maybe I shouldn't have started by saying "How would you feel about me putting the spoors under the bed to germinate?"

I've started the mushrooms off and sewn parsley, coriander and basil. I'm investigating the possibility of growing butternut squash in a very large container and have got some seeds for mini bell peppers, tomatoes and spring onions. All seeds in Wilkinsons are 3 for 2 and in my experience they're good seeds. I'd forgotten how much I enjoy planning it all and sewing seeds.

Spring - bring it on.

Comments

  1. We have all our seeds now - some from Wilkinsons , but most from Lidl where they are 49p and 59p per packet depending on pack size. We bought some red shallot sets today from Wilkinsons. The shop at the allotment was burnt down a few weeks ago- we normally get everything from there.Do you like French beans? They will grow in a tub and give you some height in your yard. Courgettes grow ok in tubs too but they and the French beans like plenty of manure/ fertiliser to begin with as they are greedy plants.

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  2. Hi, I cant wait to see how the mushrooms turn out! Never thought of growing them myself. I do grow a lot in pots but its a bit of a bind having to keep watering and pampering them.Worth it in the end though.X

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  3. oh will have to look in our poundland to see if they have the mushrooms
    nto
    x

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  4. I'll add an update on their progress here when (or if) they start to grow, my fingers are crossed. I've only ever had seeds from Poundland before, never a kit, and they have rose and fruit root ball things too (the ones where it's roots and a couple of twigs that you plant, I can't think what they're called).

    I didn't know that Lidl has seeds, at those prices I'll have to check it out if I can. I grew French beans the year before last and was pleasantly surprised by their abundant pretty flowers, so I think I'll give them a go this year too. Courgettes broke my heart the same year as they got powdery mildew just as they were starting to fruit, but I've found out since then that a mixture of 1 part milk to 9 parts water sprayed onto leaves clears it up.

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  5. I'll be interested to hear how the mushrooms do for you, I've heard mixed reports about the kits, but getting it from Poundland isn't a huge outlay to give it a go. It's exciting when it's seed planting time again, roll on spring.

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  6. You might need a large area for butternut squash. My friend grew them and they took over. My sister only had a very small back yard. She grew everything in tyres stacked on top of each other (2) to give her depth. She then painted them white. Looked good and were very productive!

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  7. I've got a massive square sack that was originally for peas, I'm going to try growing the squash in that. Hopefully if I water and feed it well, give it plenty of TLC and generally spoil it, I'll get a plant with a few fruits. But time will tell...

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