2022 - What I did today

Now that the bamboo has been cut down there's a lot more light in GH No 4 (the leanto on the house wall). This means that I can grow more plants and not just use it for overwintering and junk! So I had a little shuffle around in there.
Moved all the strawberry runners (some in flower) together.
Put a planter of DFB's on the shelf and staked them.
Cut down the scented pelargoniums and took cuttings of them all.
Emptied the pots of dead plants that hadn't survived the winter - the Avocado, Banana, African blue basil, and some sort of house plant.
Split the cineraria into 6 and potted them up.
Went out to collect 2 Guelder Rose plants that will be planted out tomorrow.
Came back and started sorting out GH No 3  (the biggest but shadiest one) where I do sowing and potting up. Took off the dead leaves on some plants and did a stock take of what could be planted out (dianthus, penstemons, a solitary hollyhock, some herbs) but that's a job for a warmer day.
Had an "idea" of growing easy plants from cuttings and swapping them for other plants. The penstemons and hollyhock were last year's swaps.
Took cuttings of Apple mint to start with.

Sowed some more Bunyard's Exhibition broad beans
Pricked out the gaillardia and salvia salvatore flowers from the seed swap and transplanted them into modules to grow on
Potted up the perennial kale

I have done a quick run to Wilko and B&M for small plant pots for potting on. I also picked up some gravel trays, and some slightly larger pots, and posted some seeds to a friend who is getting into growing.

Um, some poppy seeds and an intriguing "pineapple lily" bulb may have also fallen into my hands before I hit the checkout

The plan is for lots of potting on, planting out, and sowing today.

Bit sad today the Mrs Elderly nextdoor has been told she has heart failure and has likely only months to live. She and her hubby are understandably shell shocked. I've been supporting where I can and sourcing and buying a new oven light bulb which I'll fit when it arrives. Every little helps.

Bit sad today the Mrs Elderly nextdoor has been told she has heart failure and has likely only months to live. She and her hubby are understandably shell shocked. I've been supporting where I can and sourcing and buying a new oven light bulb which I'll fit when it arrives. Every little helps.

That is sad Jen from previous posts I know you go above and beyond to help them, do they have children?

Nope, I'm the nearest they've got to children, which is sad as I can't wade in and ask questions of authorities as I'm not a relative. There is a niece some way away who will visit this week thankfully.

Nope, I'm the nearest they've got to children, which is sad as I can't wade in and ask questions of authorities as I'm not a relative.  There is a niece some way away who will visit this week thankfully.

God bless you and them Jen

I checked in on my seedlings and my perennial spinach seems to be ok. Slow growing, but pretty
   

I did a mammoth potting-on session with all the plant pots I bought today. Worryingly, I have now run out of plant pots again and I haven't potted everything on yet! However, all my tomatoes, tomatillos, zinnias (first sowing), watermelons, and cucumbers (at least the ones sown so far) are now potted on. I sat outside to do it, and it was lovely when the sun was out but icy cold every time it went in - there was even a flurry of snow at one point, which I did not enjoy!

I also planted a few things into my first (rather messy and unimpressive looking) bed: radishes (some of which I've left in module trays for too long so will probably only be good for flowers and pods) and three kinds of mustard (also sown a bit early and therefore kept inside too long). Let's see how many of them survive the slugs!

I sowed a few things that needed to be started indoors: sunflowers, sparkling fountain grass, Consolidia misty lavender, thyme, and pansies. I was going to sow some things into modules outside too (including turnips and beetroot) but I decided it was too cold and I'll aim to do it tomorrow instead!

All in all, a fairly productive day. I've used half of my compost though and have only made two small beds (plus lots of pots). Definitely going to need a whole lot more!!!

Do you not have a garden centre that recycles plastic pots nearby? Ours has an area for customers to dump pots - but also allows cheapskates like me to help themselves. It keeps down the costs for them of having the pots taken away, but also reduces “single use” plastics. I reuse my pots over and over until they are beyond use. I haven’t bought any new pots for yonks!