Saturday 23rd & Sunday 24th April 2022 – Pricking out

This weekend was mainly spent pricking out various seedlings. Some individually, but others in little clumps of 5 or 6 seedlings. When doing little clumps you don’t have to count them exactly, they will just clump in groups naturally, so if there are a more in some clumps and fewer in other, then that’s fine.

I’ll start with the single prickings out first, which was were some more Leeks “Elefant” and Celery.

I’ve grown this variety of Leeks before, but never Celery, Celeriac yes, so I’m guessing it’s about the same. The seedlings on both are looking great, so once you’ve filled the pot with compost, then make a hole in the centre and place the seedling inside. I planted them both a little further under the soil then they were in their seed tray, but not too far. Water from the top to settle the compost around the seedling and then from the bottom so the compost soaks up the water and encourages the roots to grow down.

They’ll stay in the greenhouses for about another 5-6 weeks which will take me to the end of May, beginning of June, when I’ll then plant them outside.

The next load of seedlings I did in little clumps. I’m using up all my flower seeds this year, some will go in my garden, some will go in my client’s gardens and the rest will go in the churchyard. I have California Wildflower Mix, Love in a Mist, Penny Royal and Red Poppies.

Again sow these a little deeper in the compost that they are in the seed tray. Some of these will go out in about 3 weeks time, others will take an extra week or so.

Once all that was done then it was a little check of all the plants in the greenhouses to see if any needed watering and then that was it for the day.

To say the next couple of weeks are busy is a slight understatement, so I won’t