OVER EGGED

We’re feeling a little over-egged at the moment - the hens are all into over-lay and the only eggs my children are eating at the moment are of the chocolate variety.  It’s so frustrating that anything in abundance is so often rejected - hold onto that thought if you are sowing courgette plants this year ...

IN THE PINK

A flock of flamingoes hasn’t just visited us; the photo was taken at London Zoo.  I should dearly love some flamingos - we do have a pond after all, but I’m not sure what they eat - I think it’s shrimps, and we only have tadpoles and dragonfly larvae.  We might have to stick with moorhens for now.

Almost as lovely as a flamingo are these ‘China Pink’ tulips - a lily flowered type that’s fairly reliable.  It’s very annoying when tulip flowers don’t come back the following year; the bulbs often  split and decrease in size rather than bulk up and spread about like bulbs ought to.  The more exotic the tulip, the less likely it is to show it’s face again.  Conversely, the closer it is to the species, the more reliable it is.  ‘China Pink’ reappears about half of the time, which isn’t too bad.

Tulips like free draining soil and absolutely detest sitting in the wet.  They are from a drier climate than ours - indigenous in countries like Turkey and  Iran - they spend most of their time waiting under the ground for the brief spring rains.  I know how they feel.
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FROM TINY SEEDS

I think I feel about sowing seeds how some people feel about Christmas shopping.  A panic comes over me - starting slowly in late February, but reaching it’s peak any day now.  I rush about rashly tipping whole packets of seeds into pots and trays on a daily basis, piling them up in the greenhouse until I can barely squeeze myself in to water them.  Rationally, this evening from the safety of my computer, I say to you - do not do this - seeds of most things keep for ages, and how many brussels sprouts/lupins/whatever do you need, or, more importantly, have time to pot on and nurture to maturity?  Following the logic of this, in my case the answer’s probably 3, but as with any obsession, it’s hard to know when to stop.

I think I’ve just never got over the pure magic of germination - that something so minute and seemingly lifeless can be induced to turn into a plant without much help from me is a complete miracle.  The children are momentarily excited by the sowing of seeds too, but a week goes by more slowly for them, and unlike me, they take the wonders of nature in their stride.  But just like me, have to tip the whole packet out all at once, and that can get very expensive.  If you can be organised enough to collect seed at the end of the season and then find somewhere dry to store it over winter you will get double the satisfaction - and plants for free.