Sowing nasturtiums and sweet peas

It was that second pot of tea feeling; I was still in my pjs in front of the fire looking out the giant window of our living room and wondering how I was going to spend my day.  The sky was inky black, and it was roaring with stormy gusts of wind, driving rain and little birds flying erratically about the terrace trying to land near the bird feeder.

And I must confess I was watching the cricket on TV.  Australia v England, always fun to watch.

So nothing much to do with gardening then. But I eventually climbed into my work clothes and raced up to the potting shed dodging the rain.

Artur was, amazingly, happy to see me.  I guess even old cats can get bored with sleeping night and day. So with a lot of lap sitting and affection, I decided to keep the old critter company by sowing some seeds.

Here is the only action shot I managed. He has his paw up. I have no idea why.

There really isn’t much one can do this early in the year.  But I recall that I am always behind with my nasturtiums; and I cannot be sure the sweet peas will self sow in the potager again this year.  Last year was exceptionally mild, and I had quite a fantastic crop.  But it has been a bit colder this season, so I have sown some I collected from last October and hope to get a few choice plants.

I gave up growing garlic a few years ago as I just can’t get the watering perfectly accurate. And besides, we can get so much garlic from our weekly market stall holders – plump and juicy – that I haven’t been bothering to plant.

But you know how it is when you are mooching past the garden centre and they are having their half price bulb sale.  I was tempted. And came away with a few cyclamen bulbs, garlic and two rhubarbs, all for a fiver.

I was more interested in watching the antics of a grey squirrel that had worked out how to get to the bulb display and was busy stealing the sale produce and racing back up the decorative trellis than really shopping.

But I need to add more cyclamens to this garden.  And I think I can plant the rhubarb in the duck pond area where I can be guaranteed moist soil.

Oh, and I started a tray of broad beans. I have sown some directly in the potager, but I dread to think how they are faring in the cold.  The variety is Aquadulce which are possibly hardy.  But this driving cold rain might batter them to the ground.

So as an added bit of insurance I have started the next batch indoors.  I could just be sensible and wait until spring and plant them out like everyone else; but I was itching to get started.