Positive signs of shoots already
Several bulbs have started the journey to spring flowering
Groups of daffodil shoots emerging in the garden confirm that outdoor bulbs are ready for growth given the slightest encouragement. The brief surge in temperature to a record double figures Celsius helped, and of course we take it as read that there will be frosty weather in store, but such positive signs encourage thoughts of early seed sowing.
Several other bulb types, snowdrop, and aconite for example, have also started the journey to spring flowering, and soon the most frequently asked question will arise; “Will they suffer when frost or snow arrives?” The answer in my experience is a resounding “No.” Nature has provided them with a system triggered by falling temperature and driven by chemical reaction, to survive frost, and a deep covering of snow offers bulb shoots the duvet effect.
Despite this early reaction from our spring bulbs the land remains wet and cold, presenting conditions in which precious seeds are more likely to rot than germinate.
So I’m keeping the packets closed a while longer but fixing the covers in place on the veggie beds for a few weeks to encourage soil warmth prior to sowing salad crops.
Meanwhile, as I feel a need to satisfy tingling fingers that are longing to get started, indoor sowings come to the rescue. The subjects are nutritious, rapid salad crops, grown in small amounts, in a relatively short time. Try some yourself!
Bean sprouts are my favourite. Mung beans are tasty when eaten raw or in a range of cooked dishes, germinate within three days of sowing in an environment of 20 Celsius, and are ready to eat in one week. Also try spicey fenugreek and alfalfa.
As the name suggests, fenugreek adds a touch of fragrance and heat to a dish. Conversely, alfalfa shoots have a sweet taste reminiscent of the micro-leaves we harvest from recently germinated garden peas. Each of the above-mentioned costs less than £3 per packet with enough seeds to support second sowings.
I’ve cultivated them in various growing chambers. A large jar with muslin lid held in place by an elastic band works well, as does a standard seed tray with transparent domed top. Line the tray with moistened sheets of kitchen roll and scatter the seeds onto that.
Encouraged by this successful activity, the next step is to browse seed displays and catalogues in search of further sowing challenges.