Sow Nurture Grow

The calm of the last few days has been swept away. We’ve weathered storms Isha and Jocelyn but still the wind howls and the rain pummels the windows. Amber weather warnings caution us not to travel.  Sailings are cancelled and I certainly wouldn’t want to fly in this.  

I don’t like the wind, it tangles my hair and jangles my brain

Thankfully, Poly Anna is still standing and I find refuge in the sheltered warmth of my new growing space. The autumn sown seedlings are looking a lot happier too in their zip up cold frame inside the poly tunnel. 

February is seed sowing month, the days are growing longer and the 15th is ringed on my calendar as the day to start sowing.  I’ve sorted my numerous packets of seeds so many times, trying to reduce the number but I know I’m not alone in being tempted to purchase more! The minute a new seed catalogue pops up I’m hooked.

Whilst sorting my seeds I was watching Georgie Newbery of Common Farm Flowers, sorting hers.  Georgie shared a lovely idea, to sow any excess seeds for a plant sale on the 11th May,  the proceeds to go to your chosen mental health charity. 

Sowing and growing is so good for our mental health.  My garden is my bolthole and even in this crazy weather, I layer up to brave the elements. Being out in the garden helps me get things into perspective.

Wednesday is Valentine’s Day.  I hope you’re not given a bunch of red supermarket roses that were grown in Kenya, depriving the local communities of much needed water and then flown halfway around the world.  Instead, look around you. I discovered some double snowdrops in my garden their little drooping heads revealing a ruffle of green and white petals. Hellebores are another favourite and I have mine on the garden table outside our dining room window where I can see them each time I pass. Interesting how hellebores and snowdrops shyly hang their beautiful faces down. Take a moment to look more closely at their exquisite detail.

I’m determined to grow Lisianthus this year and researching the best way to get these prima donnas to germinate is to grow them in soil blocks.  Soil blocking is popular among growers in America and is catching on here amongst the flower farmers. To make soil blocks you need a special bit of kit, the right compost mix and a tray large enough to leave watering channels between the blocks.  

I borrowed the kit from a friend to give it a try and sowed the Lisianthus seeds on the 4th February. I’ve placed the trays on the warm, sunny window sill in my office where I can keep an eye on them and by the end of the week there were signs of life.  Now I can’t leave them alone, checking a couple of times a day to monitor growth.  The only problem is the seedlings look leggy and not at all like the ones in the video tutorial. I’ll update you next time.

Preparation for new growth is a mindful practice.  Washing the trays, blending the compost, sowing the seed according to their needs and placing them in the right environment, is all done with purpose. I expect the seeds to grow.