Seed Sowing

This week some of the summer bedding annuals, (Dahlias and Lobelias) we sowed in the propagator in the conservatory have started to show little shoots.

So we have sowed some more vegetable seeds. Including Tomatoes (Alicante and gardeners delight), Chillis, Capsicums and Aubergine black beauty’s in seed trays. Also, some more herbs. We have tried Basil, Dill, coriander and oregano in deep pots and put them in the conservatory 

The Dahlia (Dahlia bishop of Llandaff) Tubers that our learners propagated are going from strength to strength. 

The Daffodils (Narcissus Tete a Tete) and Grape Hyacinth (Muscari Armeniacum) are starting to flower. 

The bulbs in tea cups are a little slower but showing strong green tips.

Also we filled two boxes of salad leaves, all grown from seeds sown by our learners. 

Raised Beds at WESC

Before preparing the new site for the raised beds, we sourced some old scaffold planks and built three different height boxes to enable different levels of accessibility.

We measured out the new site for the beds using a linear measuring method, and marked it with flour.

Then we cut and lifted the turf using a lawn edger and a turfing iron. We reused the turf to patch the area where the old beds were and took the opportunity to naturalise some more Daffodils (Narcissus Dutch Masters) underneath the turf.

The next stage was to clear and level the area, edge with batons and then put down landscape fabric.

We then placed the beds and started to cover the landscape fabric with bark chippings sourced from site.

Once all three beds were in place we lined them with more landscape fabric, to protect the timber and reduce the soil leaching.

The next stage was to prepare the soil we decided to use the lasagne method… 

More to follow.

Warming up at WESC

This week we thinned out some of the vegetable seeds we had sown over winter including Dwarf blue curled Kale (Brassica oleracea) and Spinach (Spinacia oleracea).

And we potted on some Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) and Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus) that we grew from seed.

 

The Broad Bean seedlings (Aquadulce Claudia) that we planted out last week are doing well so we put in the first line of support, and watered thoroughly. Next Week we plan to direct sow some more Broad Bean seeds outside in the new raised bends.

The Dahlia tubers (Dahlia Bishop of Llandaff) are really going great guns in the conservatory.

And,the Daffodils (Narcissus Tete a Tete) in tea Cups are showing green tips.

Good news, Exeter college students will be volunteering for a day next week. We have big plans!

Apologies the pictures of the WESC raised beds will be in next week’s Blog...

Watch this space…

Propagating Dahlia tubers

Following on from last week, the Dahlia tubers (Dahlia Bishop of Llandaff) that we have been propagating in heated seed trays, in the conservatory, have already started showing green tips. 

So we decided to divide and plant some more. Also, we found that  the Tuber was a good size and perfect for some of our learners to handle.

A heads up for next week’s blog. We have just finished designing, building and conditioning the soil for the raised beds. Pictures to follow…

Planting Broad Beans

This week some of the Daffodil bulbs (Narcissus Dutch masters) that we naturalised in drifts in the woodland area in the autumn have started flowering.

 The Broad Bean seeds (Aquadulce Claudia) that we sowed before Christmas and overwintered, were ready to be planted out in the poly tunnels. We prepared the soil and planted then in two rows of six. 

Making sure to give them a good watering!