Seed Sowings in March

I am going for 95%+ use of module planting this year. About 75% of seeds in the greenhouse were planted this way last year and I still managed to not get seedlings sown in trays pricked out on time. So have invested in a few more modular planting trays

.... and then sowed:

21st March in the greenhouse

Vegetables

• Perpetual Spinach - last year sown direct but ended up with no spinach due to slugs so starting off in greenhouse this year.


• Flat leaved parsley


• Lettuce various


• Kale 'Scarlet' (T&M) needs protecting this year from Cabbage White butterfly


• Purple Sprouting (Suttons) - ditto re Cabbage White butterfly

Flowers all new (ie haven't tried these before) annuals/half hardy flowers all of which are for planting out after last frosts:

• Cerinthe major purpurascens - a hardy annual with blue-green foliage and bracts that, in theory (haven't grown them before) appear through the summer. Height is 12-18inches and they need to be planted out 12 inches apart. 10 seeds in the packet (from T&M) so ideal for my module planting only resolution!


• Canary Creeper (Trpaeolum peregrinum) - yellow flowered annual climber. My plan is to cover the trellis around the oil tank with yellow flowers (promised summer - autumn). Long germination time for these seeds of 21-30 days. Plant out 12inches apart.


• Chrysanthemum 'Summer Festival' - mix of colours and double/semi-double/single flowers. Good as, and my reason for growing, a cut flower. Gap between plants 6 inches min. Meant to be sown in situ, but sown in modules in greenhouse as slugs would adore the seedlings.


• Cosmos All Sorts Mixed - half hardy annual that will grow to over 1m (40 inches) tall. Germination 7-14 days. Plant out 12-18 inches apart. Plan is for these to grow in the bed at the base of the Leylandii hedge.

31st March in the vegetable patch

Parsnip F1 Albion. Germination is long (10-28 days) and seedlings should be thinned to 6 inches between plants. In practice I sow thinly and thin out plants so gaining some baby parsnips.

In between the parsnip rows - from the RHS:

one full row of Radish Cherry Belle. I will thin seedlings as the thinnings are good added to salads. Thin to 1-2 inches between plants.

Two half rows of Rocket. Thin to 8 inches between plants. Needs watering frequently

'Bottoms Up'