Sowing Alliums, Preparing the Brassica Tunnel, Electric Problem

Trying to get jobs done outside at this time of year is not easy. When the weather is holding back, time to jump in, quick. So, a fine sunny day on Wednesday – albeit cold – was an opportunity to take advantage of. Things were going so well, right up to the end.

Seed Trays Stacked in the Potting Shed

The first job was my potting shed. I’m getting some water penetrating through the wood and, although it’s not started rotting, it can’t be good for the wood. Before treating it, I sprayed with Algon, as I’ve some algae patches growing on the wood. Algon is a safe organic cleaner. I got it from First Tunnels for the polytunnel, but it’s great for stone, wood and glass as well.

I’ll leave that be for at least a week and then treat the shed with Cuprinol Shed and Fence Protector. After that has had a week to dry, two coats of Barrettine All In One Decking Oil Treatment. Not a cheap task, I won’t have much change from £160. But, that’s nothing compared to a new shed.

Preparing the Brassica Tunnel

Whilst the smell of the Algon evaporated – it’s a very vinegary smell – prepared the brassica tunnel for the year. Started by taking off the weed matting, through which I plant.

Then run the Mantis over, breaking up the top few inches of soil. Next, a layer of the sheep manure I was given, a few inches thick. I tried to Mantis it, to break it up. It hasn’t rotted down enough, unfortunately, and kept wrapping around the tines. So, tamped it down and then spread growmore fertiliser over at a good handful per square yard.

The manure will be taken in by the worms when the soil starts to warm, and the fertiliser will add to the manure’s fertility. Brassicas are very productive, which is why they’re such hungry plants and need feeding well.

Sowing the Alliums

Mixing Potting Compost with Vermiculite

Next to the potting shed, which no longer smelt like a chippy. As I was sowing into modules, I mixed up six parts of multipurpose compost with one part of medium horticultural vermiculite. The vermiculite will improve the compost, holding water and nutrients for the seedlings.

Then I filled two Bustaseed trays, 70 modules in all, and sowed around three Bulgarian Giant leek seeds per module. Pressed into the compost, then covered with a couple of millimetre layer of fine grade vermiculite.

Filling Bustaseed Modules

The next two trays were sown with Zebrune banana shallots. I’m think they’ll store well, which is a problem we have with onions. Because we’re between the sea and Snowdonia, the wettest part of Wales, the air tends to be very humid. Hence, onions rotting in store.

One tray of Red Baron onions and one tray of Ailsa Craig were duly sown. Ailsa Craig, especially if the onion bed is treated to some sulphur, are extremely strong flavoured. They’ll blast your taste buds like a Naga chilli on a bed of hot mustard!

Finally filled some larger modules, 12 to a standard seed tray, and sowed White Lisbon spring onions.

Popped the lids onto the trays, and headed up to the smaller surviving greenhouse. Ideally, I’d have tidied up the greenhouse ready for the season. Do as I suggest, not as I wish I’d done!

To the Greenhouse!

Since the light was beginning to fade, quickly moved things around and set up two large heating plates. Connected the thermostatic controller and nothing. No power. Now the power comes from an outside socket into the greenhouse via an extension cable. Checked everything was switched on, but no power.

Changed the fuse in the extension cable’s plug to no avail. Then I realised the neon indicators in the outside socket weren’t on, so checked with a know good light. The socket is dead.

The circuit runs inside our utility shed, keeping the freezer powered and the washing machine. Thence through the wall to the back of the socket. I know things are OK in the shed so the problem, by deduction my dear Watson, must be the outside socket.

A replacement was quickly ordered from Amazon. It’s excellent, easy fitting and easy to wire up. IP66 so it should be weatherproof, even here. Prices seem to have dropped for these, just over a tenner and delivered next day for that (prime). If the rain keeps off for an hour, I’ll have it fitted and, fingers crossed, working over the weekend.

The seed trays are stacked in the potting shed, which is marginally warmer than the greenhouse. Not the 15ºC I’d like to germinate them quickly, but they will pop up eventually without heat.