My Tiny PlotSowing Broadbeans
I sowed some Broadbeans (Aquadulce) a couple of days ago. In the photo you can see that I’m also being wuss-pants and I had my camping heater on to keep me warm! I know, I know. If I was a true gardener and all that. But hey, I don’t want cold fingers and you just can’t sow seeds with your gloves on, can you?
In to the coldframe they go. In the photo you can see I’ve got quite a few things growing in the coldframe. On the left is my Cauliflower (Avalanche) that I sowed in the Autumn and on the right are two varieties of over wintering Lettuce (Winter Gem and Winter Density).
I’m really pleased with my seedlings in the coldframe. They sat through the snow and all the harsh frosts we’ve had. They’re a bit spindly but I’m sure they’ll toughen up once the light levels increase. I have high hopes for some early Lettuce and a Cauliflower crop!
What’s in your coldframe – if you have one?
I could have done with that heater yesterday, mental note to self to buy one. I planted broad beans direct in one of my raised beds so fingers crossed. Also planted winter density last November outside and it’s survived unprotected, hopefully it’ll come good now I’ve finally got round to putting the plastic bottle cloches on!
Nice blog! Just found it. I have garlic growing nicely, and peas and beans are going to go in this week, for an early start. Going to plant them directly in the raised bed and put the cold frame over them. See what happens, might be totally foolish, but trying is half the fun!
forgot: have potatoes in planters and replanted strawberry plants.
When in the fall did you plant your cauliflower and lettuce? I’m stunned at how tiny the sprouts are in mid February. I stumbled to you via Chiots. This is most interesting to learn gardening in different environments.
I WANT your cold frame! Really bad!
*sigh* Three more months of winter for me, so nothing planted yet.
I don’t need a cold-frame in my location (shade for the vegies in summer would be more useful!) but wanted to mention that I will be growing Aquadulce myself in a month or two.
oh my goodness all you allotment/veggie patch bloggers are so organised! I am still only at the doodling allotment designs and ordering seeds stage – eeek.
I don’t have a coldframe, but sowed my first batch of seeds at the weekend which are in the propagator on the windowsill.
I would love a cold frame. I keep saying I will make one, just a wooden box frame is needed as someone gave me two double glazed windows that I could just pop on top. (note to self, get it done !!!!) The amazing thing about broad beans is that they germinate quite quickly. I moved my little onion seedlings on into bigger trays today, I had more than I thought. They should be nice and sturdy by the time they go into the ground.
We’re still buried under about 4 feet of snow. haha.
We’re building a coldframe this year with our old windows since we’re replacing a few for more efficient ones. Can’t wait to see how yours works out this year!
I sowed some broad beans a couple of weeks ago in pots in the cold greenhouse but no sign of life yet. Mind you, it has been truly cold up here!
Last year was a fiasco with 400 broad beans sown in 4 attempts. The final attempt was to plant individually in modules on the garage window cill in early April, and leaving them for three weeks.
I went a different route this year. I soaked them overnight in water and then chucked them in a freezer bag indoors on 24th Jan with some compost. One week later showed most had taken with good shoots and roots so transplanted on 30th. Checking them today shows most are showing nicely in the mini greenhouse in modules so by the time they’re ready to go out in a few weeks they’ll have a much better chance!
I might try the same route later since I had similar problems getting French Beans to germinate.
Regards,
Richard
Aha! My caulis look like yours so I’m really pleased about that. I sowed my broad beans outdoors on the plot in October and although most look ok some have taken a battering with the very cold winter so I am going to drop some seeds in the spaces and see what happens. I couldn’t get my winter lettuce to do anything except shiver so I gave up on those. My early spuds have been chitting since December by the kitchen window in the light and cool, and will be going out on the plot next month. I am optimistic that it’s going to warm up a bit by then! My spring cabbages were put out in October and they’re looking healthy. I covered them with a net tunnel just to keep the snow and pigeons off. The sun’s out here in the WestCountry so I’m off to the compost bin to see how that’s coming on.
Hey Gillian, thank you for your encouraging pictures, after seeing the progress in your cold frame I’ve decided to be brave and seed into the ground (in my polytunnel), I hope it’s ok with you, that i link to this post from my site.
may 2010 be filled with happy vegetable gardening and lots of good home grown.
xx
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