Although out in the garden not very much changed while I was away, it was a different story in the greenhouse where all of the tomato seedlings grew at quite a pace and have now all been pricked out into larger modules and some that I had pricked out before were ready to be put in 9 cm pots. This is the stage I really enjoy partly because at this stage it is pretty certain they will survive.
There were positively forests of seedlings from the saved seeds of tomatoes that I had particularly liked last year; for the rest I had been more restrained in the numbers I had sown as I am always loathe to throw away unwanted seedlings. I will still have enough to give lots away to friends.
All the flower seedlings have been pricked out and are growing on some rather quickly (Cosmos of various types) and some incredibly slowly (all the Rudbeckia).
All the shelving is now getting very full
Tomatoes in 9 cm pots
Cosmos
Still very small Rudbeckia seedlings
Chard, lettuces and excess Antirrhinums
Lettuce, Thai basil and Cleome which have not done well – I’ve never had any success with them so I will now throw the rest of the seed away so as not to be disappointed again next year!
I have potted on into individual pots Cistus cuttings and all the other cuttings I took last end of summer and autumn; the Cistus will be planted out in autumn this year as it is good for them to become acclimatized to being in the ground as soon as possible, I will try some more cuttings from the soft new growth soon too as I really want to build up the numbers of cistus for the slope.
More blossom on the citrus
Above is a blood orange, last year it didn’t produce any flowers at all, this year it’s covered; if they are all pollinated I’ll have to remove some fruit; the blossom’s perfume is divine.
I decided to risk planting out all the Ami majus and dark blue Larkspur as they had outgrown their pots and had grown too tall (especially the Ami). As the Antirrhinums from last year had been in the ground all winter and not shown any damage from the cold weather I decided to plant out these too. I’ve put netting stretched between bamboo canes in the hope they will grow straight.
The cuttings bed already looking rather full, where will I put everything?
Ami majus
Larkspur
The autumn sown broad beans already have flowers, I think the ones that are already in the greengrocers must have been grown in a poly tunnel, they were very expensive too at €3.50 a kg, I’ll wait for mine!
Broad beans and peas are beginning to flower and are already in the shops to buy
I’m linking with Julie at Peonies and Posies for her greenhouse meme earlier this week.
In the rest of the garden, suddenly in the Crimson zone the Anemones are flowering as are the Hyacinths, but more about those next week.
Anemone Sylphide and Hyacinth Miss Saigon
Anemone Sylphide and Hyacinth Miss Saigon
Anemone
What are you growing in your greenhouse at the moment? If you have a greenhouse why not tell us how you use it and join in with Julie ever month?
Creating my own garden of the Hesperides 
Thank you for joining in again Christina – I have really enjoyed looking around your Italian greenhouse – everything is so much further on than we could hope for here! My tomatoes are so tiny despite being sown in early February and I am only just thinking about cosmos. As for your cutting beds – just amazing. They do look rather full though – you still have such a lot to plant in your greenhouse to plant out. I am also very jealous of your broad beans – they are flowering – it will be June before I have a crop. I never buy fresh broadbeans as they are always too large and tasteless in the shops, but when picked small they are one of my favourite veg.
That’s interesting about your tomatoes as I sowed the first ones on 31st January and the others in the first and second week of February so not much earlier than you. Mine are all two or 3 inches tall with their proper leaves, I imagine the light has as much to do with it as the heat, mine are on a propagating tray that is set at 10°C, during the day the temperatures usually rise into the 30’s with the sun, even if it is cold outside. I agree about the broad beans (not that they are my favourite vegetable but my husband loves them). He also like them cooked with the pods, so very young indeed, and they are never like that in the shops.
It will be a while before my greenhouse hits the heady heights of 30 degrees! I have never tried cooking broad beans in their pods – I will give it a go if I get a good crop.
Ahah! I have Miss Saigon in the greenhouse – she is going to be such a gorgeous colour! And Sylphide outside, but I might grow those inside next year after earlier hearing earlier discussions. Your cutting beds looks so practical – and I am sure you can squeeze in rows of everything you are sowing. It is interesting to hear the different issues you have with timings – keeping a record is really going to help, isn’t it? Thanks for sharing all this 🙂
Even though I don’t sow at the same times as you and Julie, I still get a feeling for when I should be doing it. The cuttings bed has space for the dahlias I’ve bought and chrysanthemums I have as cuttings in the greenhouse and maybe the cosmos, after that I might be stealing a vegetable bed!
Blimey, what a hive of activity. I keep on meaning to grow Ami majus – tried seeds one year and failed. Miserably. Dave
My first sowing was too early and I’ve been struggling to keep them going in pots that were really too small! Maybe your seed wasn’t good as I had a good germination rate in autumn and in winter and I’m sure you gave them the optimum chance. The greenhouse is my favourite place with all the seedlings AND the citrus flowers.
What abundance Christina! Your garden is going to be spectacular!
Oh Wow, Christina, I love the insight into your greenhouse and your cutting garden. Very inspiring!
I enjoy the greenhouse so much, it is easy to get carried away.
The cutting bed looks as though it is going to be spectacularly productive. I’m impressed with how many tomato seedlings you have – I’m mid way through harvesting what seems like an endless over-supply from just one plant! But the glut certainly makes the best pasta sauces, though 🙂
I make sugo to last the year so I use masses of tomatoes plus all those we eat fresh or cooked with roasted vegetables. But you are also correct that there are probably too many and I’ll give some to friends.
You could open a nursery!
Yay to larkspur…one of my favs.
What is you fav. Wildflower?
I suppose I don’t consider Larkspur a wild flower. If you mean native I’m still not really sure. Sorry not to give a clear answer Heather.
Your greenhouse is really full of seedlings. I won’t start my tomatoes until next month as I plant them out in mid to late May for our short growing season. I love blood oranges and wish I could grow them here.
In the UK tomatoes would be planted out at the end of May but it is good if the plants are quite large by that stage to give as long a season as possible.
I love Cleome, but noticed, on the packet of seeds, a warning that germination may be spotty. I’ll give them a try anyway. If anything refuses to grow in your set-up, it must be a lost cause.
I’ve read about others growing Cleome successfully. I think it may be something that would be better with really fresh seeds from your own plants; I seem to remember ‘stealing’ some seed from a public garden and they grew well!
So much to plant–and then to eat, later in the year, lucky you! You’re so lucky to have that much room and full sun for all those goodies. Enjoy!
The salad crops during autumn, winter and spring are so little work for a big reward.
I don’t have a greenhouse, but you make me wish for one! I like seeing the “working” part of your garden and what goes on behind scenes. You have such an abundance of seedlings that hold promise for the garden, as well as your dinner table! Happy gardening!
Being almost self sufficient for vegetables, herbs and salads is one of the true joys of my life, Debbie.
Oh I enjoyed peeking into your teeming greenhouse Christina. Mine is bare in comparison. I’ve only just turfed my pots of snowdrops out into the big wide world today so that I can make a start on seed sowing. Congratulations on the self restraint when it comes to sowing tomatoes 🙂
There are still far too many, I was potting on more yesterday and preparing some for friends.
I am so envious of your greenhouse. You must get such a sense of satisfaction every time you walk inside!
Yes, you’re quite right!