The weather was gorgeous last weekend .. there are buds forming on the peach trees in the orchard, the almond tree is already starting to show a few white blossoms, daffodils are nodding in the breeze and the hyacinths in the orchard are looking pink and pretty. How good is it standing back and observing? Nearly as good as sowing seeds … LOL
I love the latter! No doubt about it. Cleaning the seed tray, setting up the heat pad, sorting through my seed collection, which usually leads to plenty of umming and ahhing. I don’t know about you, but I really enjoy the process of sowing seeds and their daily maintenance. I get so impatient waiting for the first seedling to pop through, which they did this morning. Woohoo .. we have germination! Zinnias and giant spinach have tossed aside the organic planting mix and are up.
So before I get too excited, here’s what went into the tray last Friday ..
Lemon bergamot
Zinnias – mixed colour
Marigold
Shasta daisy
Feverfew
Chamomile
Tomato – Cherokee (a gorgeous heirloom variety)
Cayenne chilli
Thai chilli
Habanero
Jalapeño
Banana pepper
Red marconi pepper
Celery
Eggplant
Giant spinach
I usually sieve the mix to begin with to remove chunky bits, but I didn’t which is very unlike me. Thankfully so far, it hasn’t encumbered those seedlings. Next up, I shall sow the salad and herb seeds that I have chosen, into sieved soil of course as I’m feeling rather guilty. The cucurbit family will get sown into pots in September, and I have decided this year that dwarf and climbing beans will be planted in situ. Fabulous!
I have been busy pruning olives too and wishing that hubby would help! Truth is he hates pruning fruit trees.
Speaking of the hubby, he picked loads of lemons the other day saying that he would like to make a a hot lemon pickle. I looked at him and thought – no, what you really meant to say was “here you go, lemons for you to make a pickle with!”
And as we just adore preserved lemons, look what I have been doing this week. Thanks to our buddy Greg Malouf for his top recipe!
Happy gardening
Guess who?