FEBRUARY

We seem to be having a ‘proper winter’ after many years of mild winters. The temperature overnight was down to minus 4c which is by no means the coldest we have ever experienced here, but add on the wind chill factor and all in all it’s pretty cold out there. This gardener doesn’t get deterred by that much in the way of weather, but generally extremes of temperature are what keep me inside, so this week has been a bit of a non-gardening week. Other than a brisk walk with the dogs first thing each morning and feeding the chickens each end of the day I’ve not really done anything in the garden other than attending to the greenhouse and placing horticultural fleece over overwintering pelargoniums each night. In truth the ground is absolutely rock solid so there is a limit to what could be achieved.

However it’s seed sowing time! That can be achieved inside, the propagator is set up in the utility room and I’ve got a supply of pots and trays washed, and a bucket of seed sowing compost also inside so I can do my gardening indoors! I’ve spent some time organising my seeds, both vegetable and flowers, into month order of sowing. Many years I find time just runs away from me, I get left behind and end up forgetting to sow so many seeds. This year I will be organised! Although I have to bide my time, I’m very impatient and have to remember that once these tiny seedlings appear they don’t really want to be thrust straight outside into an unheated greenhouse. Later sowings often catch up quickly and are easier to care for during their first few weeks. There are however some that do need to be planted now, so I will happily get on with that.