Now is a tricky time for delicate seedlings
Caution was the operative word recently as we approached the Easter break and traditional start in our gardens. Not only because this moving feast came earlier in the calendar than usual but there was also the weather forecast predicting a long weekend of two extremes. Not the best time to be sowing precious seeds in the great outdoors and run the risk of them rotting in cold, wet conditions.
And it came to pass. The first half, warm and encouraging, leant itself to diverse gardening activities, the second, an icy blast from the North, froze our garden pond and any soft plant tissue in its path. Thank goodness the first early potatoes were planted just a little deeper than usual. This buys us precious time, say two or three weeks before the tender shoots break surface, then frost management can be extended by earthing them up.
This cautious approach applies to half hardy ornamental plants currently on display at garden centres, destined for summer bedding and containers. It’s oh so tempting to purchase them early while there’s plenty of choice but do ensure you have a well-lit frost-free environment to help maintain their steady growth
until planting out time in late May.
We’ve been sowing vegetable and ornamental seed as if there were no tomorrow, but thankfully not in the garden. The propagating box has been working overtime in the unheated greenhouse, with a rapid turnover of cell trays soon after the contents have germinated.
The thermostat is set at 16 Celsius (61 F), enough to encourage most subjects going through it into early growth. Once all the seedlings have emerged and there’s no frost forecast, it’s time for their reality check on the greenhouse staging and the start of a toughening-up period. A combination of protective fleece and transparent domed tops for the seed trays is brought into play when evening temperatures dip significantly.
This system works for me, reference the sturdy plants currently filling up bench space. Runner and French beans are potted. Sweet corn, courgettes, perpetual spinach and chard ‘Bright Lights’ are ready for potting. Carrots and parsnips have just germinated. This is a tricky period for the young tomatoes in pots. One cold night can result in blue-tinged leaves next morning so, we need to be alert with the fleece to prevent a check in their growth.