Thursday 16 March 2017

Dahlia Cuttings



This week we continued learning about propagation and took cuttings from the Dahlia Tubers (Bishop of Llandaff) that we had propagated earlier by division.





First we prepared the compost combining with perlite to improve water and air retention. Consolidated the compost and used a board to strike off.



We also collected some more salad leaves and herbs that we have grown from seed. 


Thursday 9 March 2017

Sowing Seed in Coir Discs


This week at WESC we tried sowing seeds into compressed coir discs. 


The benefit of using a Coir Discs is that we wont have to prick out the seedlings (A technique of moving seedlings from where they germinated into pots). Once the seedlings are three to four leaves we will be able to plant them straight out in the vegetable beds.



Before you can plant the seed in the disc you have to leave the discs to re-hydrate in a water bath, they will expand to three times there original size.



While the coir discs were soaking we planted some Leek Seeds into plug trays two at a time.



We used a combination of seed compost and perlite and practiced striking off with a board.




Also this week we had a very productive day with Exeter College students who have been helping to develop the Gardening area at WESC, pictures to follow ...

Thursday 2 March 2017

Spring is here


The bulbs in tea cups (Narcissus Tete a Tete) are flowering, looking good and proving very popular at WESC, particularly as we recently celebrated St Davids day.


The salad seeds (Little gems) we sowed are doing well and need to be pricked out.


Another job we have done this week is chitting some seed potatoes. (Chitting means sprouting the tuber – putting it, most eyes upright, in a light, cool but frost-free place)  This year we will be growing potatoes in bags.



We planted out the peas (sugar snap) that we sowed indoors and enjoyed building a pea frame, wigwam structure.



Also, the broad beans are looking good, soon we will need to put the next level of support in place.



We sowed some leek seeds into plug trays and next week we will try planting into coir discs, which should be fun.


And finally good news, we found a worm in our raised vegetable beds, we must be doing a good job preparing the soil...