Update from weekend of the 8th/9th April

Okay, here's what I did last weekend.

Saturday morning was pretty nice so I got out in the garden to try and get a few more things done. I planted some second earlies (Charlotte) in old compost bags (three tubers in each) and checked the Duke of Yorks. The tubers in one bag have some leaves coming through but not much happening above the surface in the others. I then planted out a Passiflora by the name of Harvey, given to us by someone we know who is moving. It's supposed to be a fast grower but I need to get a trellis for it next weekend.

I pricked out some tomato seedlings (Brandywine and Gardener's Delight) from my first sewing. These are the ones that were distastrous first time I pricked out so I was a bit worried that I wouldn't be able to keep them alive. Three days later they are all still alive (there's about 8 of them) but some are looking a little bedraggled. However, the three or four strongest seedlings that had second leaves are doing very well so I think that I may end up with a few plants. Stupidly I mixed up the varieties in pricking out so I don't know which are Brandywine and which are Gardener's Delight!

My second sewing of tomatoes are coming on great guns. Some already have second leaves coming, but I'm going to leave them in the seed tray for a bit longer to make sure they don't die when I move them. I also made a third sewing, this time of Tumblers, but I've done them in individual pots so I don't have to prick them out and disturb them. The seed pack was stingy, only 8 seeds so I can't afford to lose any of these plants. That's all my tomato seeds sewn so I'll see how we go. I may buy some tomato plants just in case I don't have much success from my seeds.

In the greenhouse, my strawberry plant (Cambridge Favourite) is looking good with some flowers on it. My lettuce and spinach is germinating and growing slowly - it'll probably pick up though when the whether improves. No signs of life with the other seedlings in there. I sewed a few seeds in the greenhouse - broccoli, courgette and something else (can't remember what but will double check!).

On the windowsill, my peppers are looking good. I have a few very strong seedlings and some that are still quite small but doing okay. My strong ones have second leaves on that are nearly as big as the first leaves now. My rosemary still hasn't germinated but not sure how long it's supposed to take - I gather it's hard to grow from seed so we'll just have to see how it goes. The other herbs are okay but the dill is a bit leggy - it keeled over in the sun on Sunday so had to move it to a different part of the room, but it soon bounced back. It's starting to get sprigs on it as well. One or two nasturtiums have germinated and a cabbage peeked through but seems to have disappeared. No sign of catmint germinating yet though.

Think that's about it for last weekend. It's the weekend before payday so I was too skint to go to the garden centre, much to my other half's relief. She even roped me in to help with decorating the bedroom, although my assistance only really amounted to applying some masking tape!

Next weekend is Easter weekend and I shall be trying to sort out the path around my beds. Going to put down weed-suppressing membrane and then some gravel or pebbles. Also, am checking the weather forecast reguarly to see if we are finally going to get some warm weather as it's been pretty cold the past few days.