Sowing Time in 2013 #1: February Gets Busy

I guess you can start your seeds earlier in southern England than we can here. Good luck! If those ‘best by’ seeds have been kept wrapped good they will probably come along ok.

I have no idea what could have taken your parsnips! Very disappointing. :(

-- 'To plant a Garden is to believe in Tomorrow'

That’s what you get for being on an allotment. A bit sad.

-- Desktopgem

oh dear :( How frustrating re: parsnips. No idea what would have nibbled them all away.

As for seed planting – sounds like you are off to a great start. I’ll cross my fingers for the old seeds!

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

After going to the plot today in search of the odd parsnip I found one and I think there are more after all. The ones I planted last year lost all their foliage but new foliage has sprouted so I must have got it wrong where I planted them? But I do think some are missing. I did dig up one and it broke but it is a decent size for one meal. So glad I haven’t lost them all I I thought.

I picked my first lot of sprouts and that’s not a huge amount either. Take a look. These are ones I have taken the outer leaves from and prepared even if there wasn’t much to prepare. I really must do something to improve the soil! Then hopefully next year they will be bigger but this will do for me to add to my meal tonight. I hope they are tasty. I have other sprout plants so will get a few more I think.

-- Desktopgem

yippee re: parsnip. congrats.

Sprouts: I’ve given up on trying to grow some, although I don’t often find them in the store, to buy in bulk

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

These were quite substantial even tough they were only small.

And that parsnip was very tasty. Unlike so many of the same flavour from the shops.

MsDebbieP how come you cannot grow them?

-- Desktopgem

no idea. But then I’ve had challenges in the garden for the past couple of years—it might just be one of those things.
Maybe this year will be better!
Of course, Rick doesn’t like brussel sprouts so that’s a factor re: my determination to be successful.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

I sowed a lot of seeds on Saturday instead of spring cleaning the kitchen. I would have undone a lot of work if I had of done it the other way round:

Seeds sown:
Parsnip ‘Hollow Crown’
Pepper ‘Sweet minimix’
Sprouts ‘Evesham special’
Pepper ‘Jumbo’
Spring Onion ‘White lisbon’
Rocket
Radish ‘Cherry Bell’
Beetroot ‘Sanguina’
Lettuce ‘Jack Ice’
Tree Cabbage
Kohl Rabi ‘Azur’
Leeks ‘Long de Mezeirier’
Spinach ‘Grow Sure’
Plain Parsley
Chives
Bunching Spring Onions
Tomatoes (various)

Chives sown on 18/02/2013
Cabbage ‘Premiere’ 18/02/2013 I can’t find these, maybe I didn’t sow them after all, lol.
I think it was broad beans and peas, not cabbage. I better get to sowing this cabbage.

-- Desktopgem

I don’t know what tree cabbage is. please enlighten me. Is it something like brussel sprouts?

-- jroot ....... Southern Ontario .......... grow zone 5A ...................."Gardening is an exercise in optimism." ....... . . Author Unknown

jroot, tree cabbage is a cabbage that grows in a tall stem, it has huge leaves. Next time I am up there I will take a photo and you will be able to see it. I do think my soil needs some nitrogen though as it is looking a bit pale in parts.

-- Desktopgem