There was a time when I could do a day’s work on the plot and then write it up in the evening. Nowadays I find I’m more likely to fall asleep on the couch than make it into the office. – So, a belated, brief catch-up on the last couple of weeks.
I started by sowing the rest of my Karmazyn broad beans in rootrainers to fill in any blanks from the outdoor sowing. Any that aren’t needed will be tucked in somewhere. One of my favourite vegetables, broad beans are so easy to grow and harvest with their only real problem being blackfly, which are easy to deal with if they strike.
Tomatoes
A little later than I wanted, end of March, sowed my tomatoes under heat in the propagator.
- Sungold
- Nagina
- Crimson Crush
- Indigo Rose
- Purple Cherokee
- Heartbreaker
Tomatoes and Peppers in Propagator
Germination Surprise
All are fresh seed which means germination should be good, except for the Heartbreaker and Nagina. The Heartbreaker should have been sown seven years ago! Would they show? I doubted it, but for the cost of a small pot full of compost, felt it worth finding out. I estimate I got 70% germination from the Heartbreaker, which is just amazing.
The Nagina were purchased a year ago and had a ‘sow by’ date of 2026, yet the germination rate was 60%. Luck of the draw, I suppose.
Incidentally, one of, if not the longest, scientific studies started in 1879 when Professor William James Beal, who developed hybrid corn thereby much improving yields, decided to find out:
The length of time the seeds of some of our most common plants would remain dormant in the soil yet germinate when exposed to favourable conditions.
See How long can seeds in the ground remain viable
Taking Casablanca first earlies started in pots to plant out.
Potatoes
Two six metre rows of Sarpo Mira and one of Sarpo Axona went in by the brassica cage. Gary rotavated the ground with the Merry Tiller first, so the soil is lovely and light. Drew a trench with a sort of manual plough attachment from my Wolf tool set, then my grandson popped the tubers in with the aid of a measuring stick for spacing.
The Casablanca first earlies started in pots went into one of the two raised beds left in the field plot. There was some space left at the end, so four Axona got planted there.
I’ve still got some Axona left but there’s no rush. I’ll see where and if, I have some space.
The Bulgarian Giant leeks are doing really well in the Bustaseed modules, they’ll be planted soon.
Leek seedlings in Bustaseed Modules
I remember going to lectures by Sherwell Cooper at Arkley Manor to learn about no dig in the 70s. So, as you say, it is not new.