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Back in January, I did a blog post, Stumped, about the amaryllis I was growing. I've never grown one before, and this was a Christmas present. It took it's time growing, but it's eventually bloomed. It's a beautiful red colour, and I blogged about it on A Waiting Game post on my Through The Keyhole blog if you'd like to see it.
Some say it's traditional to plant potatoes on St. Patrick's Day, other's say it's traditional to plant on Good Friday. We've had snow again this week, and it's still trying it's best to snow again today, though it isn't settling, so I don't think that my potatoes will be planted for a while yet. I'm growing the majority of my potatoes in containers as I always seem to have too much slug damage when I grow them at the allotment, but Flighty left me a comment on a previous post saying that the red skinned Desiree potatoes seemed to do well in the ground with little slug damage, so I thought I'd try them at the plot. I bought a bag of ten tubers for just £1.49, so it's definitely worth a try. I've set them out to chit, so I just need the weather to cooperate now. The weather over the Easter weekend looks set to be cold, but it's a case of waiting to see what else it throws at us.
Those Pot Marigolds will look great! The weather is thwarting my efforts too. It will be a while until I plant potatoes.
ReplyDeleteBut I also spent £22 on slug busting nematodes, currently in residence in the fridge! They need the temperatures to be above freezing and there's no sign of that yet on the Met Office chart.
I'm looking forward to growing the pot marigolds, I've never grown them before, and they always look lovely on Flighty's blog. I hope the weather improves soon so that you can get the nematodes in the ground. They're not cheap so I hope they're still ok to use.
DeleteI have some of Flighty's seeds too. It will be lovely to see each others photographs this summer. I am planning to plant mine with my potted up fruit trees.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure they'll look lovely with the fruit trees. I think I'll have some in the garden as well as on the allotment.
DeleteCold here, too. I planted onions and sowed seeds for carrots, radishes, and lettuce, but have been keeping them covered at night as temperatures go below freezing.
ReplyDeleteSomewhere I read that Marigolds would help keep pests away from tomatoes, so I always plant some alongside my tomatoes. Can't tell if it makes a difference, but they are pretty growing there!
Have a wonderful day!
Lea
Lea's Menagerie
I've got a few seeds sown but I'm holding back on the majority of things until the weather improves, it's so cold. Yes, Marigolds are good companion plants. I may grow some around my tomatoes.
DeleteJo many thanks for this mention and link. I hope that you enjoy the pot marigolds when they flower, and I look forward to seeing them.
ReplyDeleteI checked my seed potatoes this morning as I want to start planting soon, but not until the ground is a bit drier and warmer. I won't be planting the Desiree until mid April, or even later. xx
You're welcome. I'm looking forward to sowing the seeds, though I'm holding off a while yet. I think it will also be a while until I plant my potatoes. The allotment tends to get very waterlogged and boggy so we need a bit drier weather before I risk it.
DeleteIsn't it wonderful how Flighty's seeds are spreading....mine how now sprouted and as long as the slugs stay away I should have some wonderful blooms.
ReplyDeleteI've heard about planting tatters on good Friday, but there's little chance of that this year as it's still snowing here and freezing cold. I heard on the radio that the cold patch may even last though April....what a terriyfying thought!xxxxx
I'm really looking forward to seeing the pot marigolds bloom this year, it'll be fun watching everyone else's bloom too. I've had enough of this weather now, it's so cold and trying to snow again. I can't face the thought of it lasting through April.
DeleteI have some of flightys favourites seeds to add colour to my allotment and garden and looking forward to sowing them soon.
ReplyDeleteOh no I hope Snowbird, above, is wrong about the cold spell lasting through April. That will be a nightmare.
I think Flighty's seeds are going to be blooming all over the country this year, how lovely. I'm really hoping that the weather warms up soon, I feel as though I'm behind already and it'll only get worse the longer the cold spell lasts.
DeleteEvery year I decide to mix more colour in with the veg but I still haven't cracked it. Either the veg gets too big and smothers the flowers or the other way round. One day.....
ReplyDeleteIt can be so beneficial growing flowers amongst the veg, but as you say, you don't want one swamping the other. I think I may edge some of my veg beds with flowers, I think it might be easier to keep them in check this way.
DeleteMr P has bought extra Desiree too as he had good, disease free results last year, but doesn't think he planted enough as we share our allotment with our daughter.
ReplyDeleteNothing much will get done in the allotment at the moment with the blanket of snow and ice not melting.
I'm hoping that the slugs will leave the Desiree alone. I've grown all my potatoes in containers for the last couple of years as they come out so clean and free of pest damage. We've had a little sunshine this afternoon but it's still bitterly cold and there's still some snow hanging about.
DeleteThis coming weekend ought by rights to be the busiest of the gardening year for UK Gardeners, but I suspect it won't be. Round my way it is still far too cold for planting. I'm debating whether it will be worth sowing some more Broad Beans, since my first lot still hasn't come up. Are they even alive still, I wonder???
ReplyDeleteI think garden centres will see a slump in sales this weekend, which is usually very busy for them. I think it's a case of damned if you do and damned if you don't with the broad beans. Sow them again and the first lot are sure to germinate as soon as some warmer weather arrives, yet don't and it'll end up being too late to sow them when you eventually realise that the first lot aren't going to make it. I think I'd sow.
DeleteThank you for the link, that'll give me something to read over Easter (since I won't be pending much time at the allotment by the look of the weather!) I grow flowers at the allotment as I do not have a garden and I do love colour and it helps the bees xxx
ReplyDeleteThe weather doesn't look too bad here today, though it's still very cold, but we've got other plans so a trip to the allotment isn't on the cards. I'm hoping to get more flowers on the plot this year.
DeleteOur potatoes won't be planted Good Friday either! Nothing good about this Friday!
ReplyDeleteAt least it's been dry, though I haven't managed a trip to the plot, I've been busy with other things today.
DeleteOh Flighty's marigolds will surely be a bright splash of colour before long Jo. I always think that the saying about planting potatoes on Good Friday is questionable as Easter is not a fixed date and also because the weather conditions can vary so much year to year. I watched GW last night and Monty's advice was that it's certainly not warm enough yet to get them in the ground so mine will continue to sit on the windowsill for a while longer :)
ReplyDeleteI'm so looking forward to summer and all the colour which it brings after the dismal winter we've experienced. I haven't watched Gardeners World yet, it's taped to watch later, but I think Monty's right, my potatoes won't be going in the ground for a while yet.
DeleteHow especially lovely to know that, when your marigolds are blooming, they'll remind you of a good friend. I love the way blogging creates internet friends and seed sharing becomes possible. Over the Easter weekend, I was determined to make the most of time off for some gardening; at times the cold nearly drove me indoors but I persevered with regular tea-stops and managed to get a fair bit done! Broad beans went in on Easter Sunday but I think we might be a bit warmer here in the South.
ReplyDeleteI've made so many new friends through blogging that it's hard to imagine never having started a blog. Well done for getting something done over the Easter weekend. I didn't manage much, but I was busy for much of the time.
DeleteWhat a lovely gift! I grew a ton of marrigolds on my plot last year and just loved them so I'm sure you'll love them too. I planted two potatoes in sacks this weekend, just out of sheer frustration that I can't do anything else out there!!! I staked my broad beans too but am resisting planting anything else in.
ReplyDeleteMarigolds are such feel good flowers so I'm sure Flighty's Favourites will bring a smile to many faces this summer. I planted up a couple of containers of potatoes a while back. They're in the greenhouse covered in fleece, but they don't seem to be doing much. I think I was a bit ahead of myself.
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