We're on the way!

New year has come and gone and I can hardly believe its now the 9th of January already. Even more unbelievable is that I haven't even switched on the propagator yet. Normally I'd have already got some 'sacrificial' seeds sown. Why sacrificial? Well at this time of year the propagator may well aid germination but as I don't have any grow-lights, many early started seeds just struggle to make robust plants and most just die off. This does cause a bit of a dilemma though. With our shorter growing season getting certain plants like chillies and tomatoes going early, and especially as my growhouse loses the sunlight just at the time the tomatoes need it most, getting strong plants sooner is most beneficial.

Last year I started the Ricinus communis in January and to my surprise the seeds germinated within a couple of days, then they shot up! Of course these non-hardy, mediterranean plants were desperate for more light but it was just too cold in the greenhouse for them to go out, so I ended up having to support a plant with an old paintbrush and keep turning it in the sunroom. The ones I sowed later took around a fortnight to germinate and grew into much stronger plants that overtook the first ones from earlier in the year...lesson learned!

I am way behind with my sweet peas though. These I would normally sow back in October and overwinter them in the greenhouse, but the greenhouse was an absolute mess and I didn't have the will to tidy it. That all changed last week when I dragged everything out, including the box with the giant arachnid in it, cleared all the cobwebs and bined a lot of junk. I have two greenhouses and despite them being just a few feet apart the one closer to the fence does get the sun slightly more. Normally I use the smaller one as a grow house for tomatoes and cucumbers but the toms have been very late setting fruits and just didn't ripen so this year, its all change and the seedlings will be inhabiting the grow house and the toms are going in the bigger greenhouse...we'll just have to see how it goes.

We've finally had a few days of snow and frosts and this time of year may, on the surface, feel like nothing much is happening in the garden but in reality it's just 8 weeks until spring (meteorological). Over the last couple of weeks there has been a rumbling under the soil and many bulbs are already poking their way through the ground. One of the clumps of daffodils under the hedge even has flower heads on already. This year I decided to leave the leaves on the beds again, but I have left bare patches so I can step safely between the plants and as soon as I spot new shoots I pull the leaves back so I can see where the new plants are coming through. So far, it seems to be working, my size fives have not squished any new growth.

I'm really excited at the thought of seeing all of the bulbs coming up especially the new ones. Although I made a 'kind-of-note' where they were going, I really don't remember exactly where I put them so as usual I'm in for a bit of a surprise. The fabulous little crocus 'Cream Beauty' has been multiplying year on year and I think most of them are now by the pond, or the apple tree. I really went to town on the tulips and there are a couple of more unusual bulbs that I can't wait to see. There's more fritillaries, 'Crown Imperial' and an unusual variety 'Persica' a native of southern Turkey that has tall slender spikes of dark plum flowers and 'Uva vulpis' with gorgeous little chocolate bells. I'm hoping that the variety 'meleagris' that I put in last year wil make an appearance again as I hear they can be a little temperamental.

Not all the bulbs have gone into the garden though. The iris tuberosa with its lime green and chocolate flowers and a gorgeous pink Corydalis solida 'Beth Evans' have been planted in pots...exciting times.

With the icy weather I'm conscious of making sure the ponds have at least a small bit that is ice free, Its especially important for the fish, but I've also been amazed when I peek into the pond by torchlight at how many frogs of all sizes are still zooming about in the water. I hope they will be a bit more enthusiastic about keeping the slug and snail population under control this year.

With my foray into exotic gardening last year I bought a couple of young banana plants. The Ensete ventricosum (Ethiopian banana) was always going to be tricky for a novice like myself to over-winter. The experienced growers will dry-store these incredibly tender plants, but my plant was to small to dry store so I brought it into the sunroom back in October. The slightly hardier Musa sikkimensis (Himalayan banana), has been sitting in the unheated greenhouse. I thought I had researched these well enough but even after wrapping the musa with horticultural fleece, one night of frost and it got the fright of its life and I panicked as the leaves turned black. It was rapidly brought inside and I fleeced the ensete as well, but even with fleece the low temps in the sunroom were to hard on it. Both plants have migrated to my living room which although warmer, barely makes it to 20 degrees and the blackened musa leaf has started to unfurl, but without much warning the ensete collapsed and stem turned to mush. It's not looking good but I've chopped it back and I'm going to leave it sitting for a while, just in case it's just the top growth that has died back...I guess only time will tell. If I do have to replace it I'll be looking for Musa basjoo which is a much hardier plant from Japan.

Now the light is starting to return it's going to get manic in the garden. Apart from the buddleias I've not cut anything back soon I'll be racing to catch up. My mind is on warmer days and lighter evenings and quality time in the garden again...I can't wait!