Planning

Whist the rain hammers outside, I have been sorting my seeds, I have a good mix, but I will need more, I am looking for better quality veg seeds as I don't want to have too many failures. I won't have huge harvest, but I hope to have a little of the things we both love. I will see what grows well to help plan future years, cucumbers and tomatoes will still be grown in pots.

As I have not grown veg for years, I thought it prudent to work out what needs planting and when, most will go into the raised beds, I am planning to cover the empty one with a soft plastic, which I have had for years, in hope the ground warms up quicker. Some seeds will be started in my greenhouse, most of my bedding plants will be purchased as plug plants and grown on, I get a good mixture doing it this way at a good price. I hope to get some veg plug plants for items that I only want to grow a few of. I have made a list of what I am missing.

I got these seed inner trays, the normal size packs I got in a shop in the village, the ones for longer roots I got on line, these are for my runner beans, every thought is now on the forthcoming growing season, I am always itching at this time of year to start, I can wait, it's pointless starting anything this early in the year, I have compost and seed trays. 

My broad beans are growing well, the wind and rain have not beaten them down, I can see the onions in the middle growing, this bed is very pleasing, I am hoping once the beans are harvest I can use the space for later root vegetables. I do need to put another higher level of string around the broad beans, in hope of a nice harvest in the coming months. It was great to see things growing in this bed, but I'm not sure I will grow early broad beans again, I sure I will find something different to grow throughout the winter months.

I would love to take away the frames on my raised beds, but the cats would be on there, and I do want to keep them away from the veg beds. I have been looking at different solutions, but can't see anything to keeps the cats out other than cages, I'm looking for something which looks nice, I do like the solution I started with, but the sloping sides won't work with plants growing upright, and my upright cage whilst it works looks scruffy.

With the dry days ahead I plan to work on my greenhouse, I can move bits outside and then shut the door, and clean and change things around, I want my staging moved to the sunny side, so once I get my seeds in they can be placed in the best spot. I also aim to get rid of loads of things, the lower levels are cluttered, and I want more usable space. I have planted 6 red Sweet William plants, I got them at B&Q for £3.50, half price reduction, they come back every year, so a great plant to have in the garden.