Brassicas, Tomatoes, Rent Victory

The brassica seedlings are well established, no transplant losses at all – which is nice. Moved them all to the bench in the Eden greenhouse and they’ll most likely go to the coldframes when the weather is a bit improved.

It isn’t the temperatures that worry me, it’s the sheer amount of rain we’re getting. Showers is so much of an understatement when the cloudbursts hit. I’ve visions of the seedlings being washed out of the pots!

Brassica Seedlings in the Eden Greenhouse

Vitavia Greenhouse Rebuild

The Vitavia greenhouse rebuild is basically finished. All that’s left to do is to re-glaze but that is not a job for a wet and more importantly windy day. You do not want to be handling a 1500mm by 610mm sheet of glass in the wind.

Vitavia Greenhouse Ready to Glaze

I had to buy two sheets of glass to replace breakages. The specification is 3mm toughened but I can’t find a supplier for it around here, so 4mm toughened. They’ll fit but getting the capping on may be difficult. If so, then lots of W clips for them. £150.00, kerching! At that rate if I had to replace all the glass it would set me back £3,500 to re-glaze a £1,600 greenhouse.

Back in the potting shed, sowed 10 half-sized seed trays with peas. Used the same compost mix as for the brassicas. That is, multi-purpose compost plus perlite and a little lime. I’ve a template so the peas get sown evenly, 12 to a tray. Thanks to John Carver who made it and gave it to me. A great grower.

Once they’re coming up I can flip them out of the tray into a shallow trench. The roots hold the compost together.

Tall Tomatoes

Tomatoes in Vitopod Propagator – double height sides now.

The tomatoes are generally doing well, had to add another tier to the Vitopod as they are bumping the lid. I only put the lids on when it’s a cold night now. The lights deliver more energy without a lid to go through.

Victory!

You may have read my post about the proposed allotment rent increase for Welwyn and Hatfield. Some good news for a change.. I got this email

People power has prevailed. The allotment holders of Welwyn and Hatfield have campaigned relentlessly since the notification of their 200% rent increase. We contacted our local councillors, local newspaper and 3 counties radio who came and interviewed my self and my other plot holders for their morning news program. The result of this was that at last night’s monthly council meeting the 200% rent increase was overridden and our rents will only rise by the rate of inflation from now on.