I have prepared my Cold frame for this years seed propagation by taking out plants which I was protecting over the worst of the winter and moving the frame into the spot of the garden where it receives the most sun. Last year I planted my seeds earlier indoors in February. It was not altogether successful, the short day length and lack of good window space in our small house meant that the seeds became 'leggy' did not grow well. I planted a second batch which I started indoors but immediately moved into the cold frame as soon as they germinated and these did better.
A Video of me planting the first outdoor seeds of the year
My plan this year is to take a different approach. I planted my seeds last year in seed trays, sprinkling the seeds in lines and then dutifully pricking them out and potting them on through the early growing season. It was a lot of work and not all the plants responded so well to being moved from pot to pot. I ended up with lots of Cosmos and Rudbeckia, which did not mind going through this process. By the time it came to flowering the garden was full of these two plants and it looked great, but this year I want more variety. This means planting less seeds per plant variety and more different types of plant.
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| Copyright Robert Widdowson 2016 |
The first batch of seeds in the cold frame
Instead of planting lots of seeds in rows, in trays, this year I have started my seeds by using a small pot for each seed and putting them into the cold frame. Although they may not germinate quickly as it is still not so warm outside, they will not catch frost in the cold frame and when they do germinate it will be more naturally and should result in a stronger plant. Hopefully over the longer term they will be more productive, whether it be in flowering or crop yield. The idea of planting one seed into each pot is that I will not have to pot on some of the plants at all and others less frequently. This means the plant roots are less disturbed and should grow more strongly when put out into the garden.
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| Copyright Robert Widdowson 2016 |
The Crocuses are looking beautiful, especially when the sun shines
I have chosen seven plant varieties which are suited to early sowing; Cosmos Picote, Morning Glory, Sunflower, Chard Bright Lights, Castor, Californian Poppy and Cornflower. I have planted five of each seed, except for the Castor as I only had four remaining from last year. As they germinate and the growing season continues, I can resow any that need their numbers increasing and choose other varieties to plant too. If I can get two or three strong plants from many different plant species then the garden will be a strong and varied mixture of foliage and flowers and hopefully provide interest and look great too.
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| Copyright Robert Widdowson 2016 |
I have tulips in the borders and a few in containers too
This time of year is one of the most exciting times for me in a British garden. It is full of activity, choices and sometimes dramas. You never know quite what the weather will bring and it is great fun choosing what you want to grow and rewarding to see the seeds coming through. For the gardener I think this can be more enjoyable than in late summer when you are reaping the rewards of all your earlier work, when all that remains is some weeding, relentless watering and looking at your triumphs and failures. This experience is wonderful, but for me, by that time the creative spark has ceased and my thoughts are already starting to turn to designing next years garden in my mind.
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