The Sowing Season Starts in Earnest

Now that April is here I decided this weekend that I really need to get on with serious seed sowing. We are going away for a few days later this week so I debated with myself whether I should really sow too many in the greenhouse, but decided in the end that I really need to get some going and hope that the lady who comes in to feed the animals will remember to water the seedlings this time! I had already sown some tomatoes, some lettuce, peppers, basil and coriander, so in the greenhouse I added two different types of pumpkin, butternut squash, courgettes, sweetcorn and parsnips (which I have decided to try starting off in toilet roll tubes again). Unfortunately, I forgot to label one lot of pumpkins and the courgettes and now can't remember which is which, and as the seedlings look exactly the same I have no way of telling until they start producing fruit!

Out in the plot I planted the second batch of potatoes (the earlies are in already), the first batch of peas and some leeks. I decided to sow the leeks directly into the ground this year - started them in pots last year, but this wasn't very successful. Whilst sowing the leeks I was somewhat disappointed how few seeds were in the packet - when buying seeds I always look at the price, but not at how many seeds they give you forgetting that they often keep prices of some varieties down by giving you less seeds. All in all, not a bad start. I won't sow any more until after we are back. Earlier in the week I thought I had better get around to replacing the gate to the veg plot which finally fell to pieces over the winter. If you have ever looked at the prices of gates you will know how expensive they are, so I have made my own. I was quite impressed with the result and being as it is higher than the last one maybe it will help to keep the chickens out the veg plot.