What I’m Doing This Week: It feels like this week has been a bit of a faffy one, with the main priority being about plans for the coming weeks. Yet more of the tulips continue to go past their best and it’s now high time to decide whether to keep them or buy fresh next year. I said last week that I’ll likely move these while they’re in the green but I’m now thinking I’ll probably not do that and just go for all new varieties next time.
Although it’s only May, some of the pots are giving off serious summer vibes. We’ve got a couple of Senetti of different varieties in pots this year and they’re such happy plants – so many flowers and they’ll just keep coming if you continue to deadhead as you see the spent blooms.
The Lavender cuttings taken last year are doing phenomenally well in the zippy and they’re desperate to go out. So much so that I’ve already planted a few out between the existing lavender along the front of the corner rockery. The cuttings were more from the Arctic Snow variety which are much the same as other varieties but with a frosted tip that resembles snow, hence the name.
What I’m Sowing/Planting This Week: The only sowing this week has been some direct sowing of nasturtiums in a number of pots and troughs that are along the windows or fence. Nasturtiums, if you haven’t grown them before are perfect for direct sowing from now right until July for flowers from June until about October. Dead easy to grow and perfect for a beginner or an expert alike, a good allrounder!
I’ve also been potting on some more cosmos into their own small pots where they’ll stay until they’re ready to go out. Some of the larger plants are really eager to go out and I might just chance my luck with a couple in some protected spots.
Last week I told you how the first early potatoes have been enjoying the warm spell and even though the temperatures have dropped they still seem content in their growing bag home. They’re now earthed up right to the top of the bag and are starting to poke their way through that top layer, it won’t be too long before they’re ready to harvest in about June.
They’re not for everyone but I’ve added some solar lights to the zippy with week. They’re such relatively low light that they won’t affect the plants inside at night but they’re a fun little thing to see when looking out the window at night. I think I’ll probably end up buying some more for a few other places around the garden.
In other news…? Episode 6 of the podcast is now live and if you haven’t heard it already then you’ll want to take a listen!
This episode features Chris Wiley, owner of plant trial company Sow Successful limited. We talk all about the tests and checks that plants go through and also about the future of peat free growing. Chris has some good info about coir that I found really interesting and hopefully you will too.
May is one of those transitional months for me where we really start to think about creeping out of spring with one eye firmly on summer round the corner.
Have a great week and I’ll be back next week with more
View From The Potting Bench 