Why I’m Med keen for seeds
JUST when you think that there’s no real gardening to do, it’s time to start sowing seeds. And if you like eating Mediterranean-style summer meals then begin with peppers, chillies and aubergines.
They are fun to grow from scratch but it can be a rather drawn-out process, so an early start is essential. Aim for some time during the next month or so.
I know you can buy all of them as ready-grown plants in May but the choice of varieties is quite limited and they are often sold unnamed. When you want unusual or gourmet types, it pays to grow your own so you know what you are getting.
You can choose chillies of varying strength from the mildest paprika to positively volcanic; colourful sweet peppers can be grown in red, gold or chocolate shades and aubergines vary from the usual giant plump black to showy pink, spotted, violet or white varieties.
A good selection of seeds can be found in garden centres and big seed catalogues but for particularly interesting varieties then take a look at the lists from smaller firms such as Simpson’s Seeds (01985 845004).
A small heated propagating case comes in handy for sowing this group of seeds since they’ll germinate best at a fairly constant 21-24C.
Otherwise sow as usual in small pots, one variety in each, on your warmest and brightest windowsill. The airing cupboard is too dark. Once the seedlings come through, wait until the pair of long, narrow seed leaves has opened out and the first true leaf starts to appear, then prick them out.
Give each seedling its own 2in pot, use multipurpose compost and lower it into place by a seed leaf to protect the fragile stem. Water them in carefully then put them back on their windowsill. They grow very slowly so water sparingly to avoid rotting the roots.
Due to poor winter light they can’t help being a tad drawn-up and spindly but don’t worry. In spring they’ll gather pace and start growing stronger and that’s the time to move young plants to 4-5in pots, planting them slightly deeper than before.
They will seem instantly stronger. Turn them round regularly every week so they get light from all sides and when they’ve been growing in the same pot for three to four weeks, start to add drops of liquid tomato feed to their usual water, giving them just enough to keep the compost moist.
By the time it’s safe to plant them outside, they’ll be the same size as the ones you can buy.
Move them out in mid-May if planting them in tubs in a conservatory or in the border soil of an unheated greenhouse but wait until late May to early June if growing them outside on the patio or in a warm sheltered spot.
Then all you need is some Mediterranean weather.
THREE CHEERS FOR THE VOLUNTEERS