Know your onions

Onion sets planted today 4 April - variety Hercules F1. Soilimproved with Miracle-Gro Fruit & Vegetable Plant Food. Enough sets for two rows followed by 2 rows of shallots and a row of garlic. Soil is still cold, but it must warm up soon. Picked up some seedlngs of Primo cabbage from my brother. They need pricking out into individual pots. Perhaps get time for that tomorrow Easter Monday.

Camellia - Donation

Pink Camellia 'Donation' in perfect condition today 31 March. It's cold but as there have been no frosts, the blooms are in beautiful condition. The plant was originally grown in a pot, but when we moved 2 years ago it was given a new home in the shade of a wall. It obviously loves the position, although the soil is not naturally acid.

Last summer fed with Miracle-Gro Azalea, Camellia and Rhododendron Slow Release Plant Food, so leaves rich dark green. The only shame is that most of the flowers point downwards and hide their faces.

First seed sowings

Yesterday planted out ready germinated seeds of parsnips on the allotment. After 10 days inside sealed Tupperware box the seeds were just germinating on damp kitchen paper. Weather, late March cool but damp. Covered with 2cm of soil.
Also planted out first early potatoes. 10 sets of chitted Orla in one row - soil improved with Miracle-Gro Fruit & Vegetable Plant Food at handful per square yard. Also one row of Red Duke of York. Not the best of potatoes for boiling but a great one for roast potatoes as insides go floury and outsides crisp easily.