Even though it was still cold, the sun shone today and tempted us to make a tentative start to sowing seeds. It wasn't warm enough to coax us onto the plot - I think we have been absentee allotmenteers for the longest time ever since we first took on a plot - instead we worked in the greenhouse.
Martyn was on seed sowing duty. He sowed leeks and broad beans which no doubt he will blog about shortly. As for me I did some much delayed pricking out.
Back in February, I sowed some onion, celery and celeriac seeds, since germinating the resulting seedlings have been living under a grow light in a spare upstairs room. They really should have been pricked out earlier but this would have meant transferring them into the cold greenhouse and so I have kept putting things on hold. I really couldn't leave it any longer so yesterday I set to.
I don't hold out much hope for the onion seedlings as they have grown rather straggly but I decided to prick them out anyway. They don't look very happy do they? Maybe at least we will get some salad/spring onions from them.
As yet we have never managed to achieve a crop from either celeriac or celery so we have decided to limit the number of seedlings that we are going to attempt to grow on in the hope that we can lavish a little more attention on them and maybe have a more successful outcome.
I pricked out six of each type of seedling into individual small pots/modules which have been placed in an unheated propagator in the greenhouse.
Another six of each have been planted in two small pots and will remain in the house under the grow light for a while longer.
I'm hoping one of the methods employed here will suit the young seedlings but just in case I may even sow a few more seeds to make up for the poor start. Fingers crossed.
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I was first time lucky growing celery, however, last year it didn't amount to anything. I think I'll stick to seeds packs that say super easy / anyone can grow (lol)!
ReplyDeleteWe do Kelli but I think they lie!
DeleteI have to say I'm surprised by your issues with celery as it does well here over winter. Not to cast aspersions about your summer weather or anything but...
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's the weather Liz as whatever the weather we don't seem to be able to get it to grow - not even celeriac that is supposed to be easier. I wonder if it doesn't like our soil so we are thinking of containers this year.
DeleteAh - that's interesting. I have to say I tend to perhaps over concentrate on the weather when as you rightly point out there are many more things that can affect growth and a plants performance.
DeleteMy celery wasn't very successful last year, which I put down to the awful weather. I'm hoping for better luck this year, and warmer weather!
ReplyDeleteWE have tried in warmer weather too Paula with no success but maybe we didn't water and feed enough on those occasions.
DeleteIt sounds like gardeners everywhere can't wait to get on with sowing, pricking out etc. I too feel I can't hold off any longer despite a couple of inches of snow settling briefly here in London yesterday! I really want to give celeriac a go, I believe it doesn't mind damp conditions, could be ideal for my plot!
ReplyDeleteI understand that celeriac needs plenty of water Jill which it certainly got plenty of last year. I also needs to be planted early which is a bit of a problem this year!
DeleteI have a very similar situation! I didn't sow onions or celeriac, but I have some brassicas that urgently need pricking out, and some parsley. As you may remember, I did grow Celeriac a couple of times, but the results I achieved were not worth the effort I had to put in, so I don't grow it any more. I love eating it though, so we frequently buy some.
ReplyDeleteOur problem now Mark is we see it as a challenge that we can't back down on!
DeleteI never have much joy with Celery or Celeriac, either - glad I am not the only experienced gardener to find this!
ReplyDeleteMy onion seeds are all straggly as well - too cold to do much with them other than re pot them for now.
The world of gardening seems to be divided into those who can and those who can't as far as celery and celeriac is concerned Compostwoman.
DeleteOur seed-grown celery was hopeless in 2011 and in 2012 I bought some celeriac plug plants which did pretty well.
ReplyDeleteThis year I'm trying celeriac seed but I'm still not close to sowing them.. I hope they do well. I want celeriac and fennel soup again - first year with florence fennel seeds too - hmmm, we'll see!
Let's hope for more success for all of us celeriac/celery failures, Belinda
DeleteI tried celery but just got some small plants,since then I just grow cutting celery.You don't get the lovely long stems but still have the flavour,Thompson and Morgan sell the seed.Have you grown Cumin from seed before?,was thinking of giving it a go but not sure if it is something that will self seed everywhere in which case will sow it in the garden
ReplyDeleteNo I never have grown cumin Flowerlady - if you have a go you'll have to share your experiences.
DeleteMy celery did ok last year - I left it in the ground and it is re-growing.
ReplyDeleteOurs is regrowing too Elaine - I wonder should we leave it?
DeleteLots of my seeds have become leggy too from being indoors for too long, I'd normally have them in the cold greenhouse by now but it's just been too cold. I've just resown lots of things as they were just too flimsy!
ReplyDeleteThat is the problem, JO we can start the seeds off but it's where to put them. WE have bought another grow light as we are not going to spread the seed sowing out as much as usual.
DeleteYour onions look rather like my shallots, but fingers crossed we will both be pleasantly surprised. The celeriac seedlings look strong and healthy too, like you I have had problems with these in the past, so my fingers are crossed, mine look similar to yours though they are now in the little greenhouse.
ReplyDeleteThe onions and shallots seem the have got going now, Janet so I hope I can soon plant them out
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