SPRINGTIME COLOUR AT HOME

"Blue Tit" Azalea

Apple Blossom

Blossom on Crab Apple

Our Two Crab Apple Trees

Chillies In Greenhouse

Tomato Plants

Greenhouse In April 2015

Such a pretty time of year outdoors in April I think.
Our garden is also very colourful at present and most of the blossom is out, but still some to come out later, such as the other Apple Trees. The Crab Apples are currently in bloom.
The Tulips have looked great and now our rockery is beginning to show signs of colour.
In the greenhouse there is lots going on and most of the sowings are now completed.
Soon the Tomato plants will start to be hardened off outdoors, for planting out in late May.
There are loads of Peppers and Chillies this year in there, which should be going in the polytunnel over on the allotments.  I have some bedding flowers too, but not as many as in previous years.
We've mainly tried to grow hardy perennial plants which come up each year, to save time and money. But always enjoy planting a few Rudbeckias and Gazanias and of course the Sunflowers, which will be on the allotment this summer. I've done some Dahlias in pots as well, for putting outside later on.

Pumpkin Sowing Time

Young Pumpkin Plants

Pumpkin Seedlings

Now is the time of year to sow Pumpkin and Squash seeds.

We usually do a lot for planting on the allotments and they store very well during Winter in a cool dry place, usually indoors somewhere. Easy to grow too.  You just put a seed, which are quite large, into a pot of compost with some perlite added for drainage, planted on its edge, so it does not rot off. In a couple of weeks they should emerge given plenty of light in a warm location under glass. Protect from frosts and do not plant them out till late May or early June in the UK.

Plant apart about a metre away from each other, as they do spread a lot. Keep well watered especially in drier weather.

Then usually in early October they are ready to gather, when the plants are dying off. Always best to keep pumpkins and squashes off the soil, by placing some wood or something flat under them, to stop them going rotten.

Seedlings To Pot On Now.

Tomato Seedlings

Various Chillies and Pepper Seedlings

Broad Bean Plants

Bedding Plants

Spring Planter

A busy time in the Greenhouse lately, with loads of young seedlings to pot up into 3 inch pots, such as Tomato's and Chillies and Peppers. These will eventually go to the allotment and either be planted outside or into polytunnels, where the extra heat will bring them on much better in a tropical climate. We are trying a few Chillie varieties this year. From quite mild to very hot , but the actual Chillies look quite attractive and in different colours and shapes as well. The Broad Bean plants will be planted on the Allotment and be supported by canes with twine tied around to add extra support as they grow bigger and get heavier when the pods form. We have lot of Tomato varieties this year too, from tini sweet ones to very big sizes.

I expect we will eventually have over 100 Tomato plants on the Allotment again.