Creating a cutting garden

Monday, February 22, 2016

Growing a cutting garden
Last year I had visions of growing flowers at the allotment by the hundred, I was psyched up for it in January but when March came around all my enthusiasm had turned to exasperation and my drive was for spring cleaning, not planting seeds. Last year we grew no flowers. 
This year is the year I create a cutting garden.

We have the use of my grandmother's greenhouse nearby which is particularly useful and C has used it to start off seeds each year and grow tomatoes and chillies in over the summer. I'd not spent more than a minute in there at any one time for a long time. A curious feeling crept over me as I stood in the cold greenhouse of suddenly feeling close to my grandfather. He had spent so much time in there over the years and all the residual chattels were his. Indeed both grandfathers had been keen on growing plants and enjoying pottering around in the greenhouses, sheds and gardens over the years; as I little girl I can remember being showed around to look at the plants. It brought back happy memories.

Faced with a partially empty greenhouse and loads of stuff, I felt distinctly lost as to how to start. I had to tidy up initially so I could separate old things from my new trays and compost. There were a couple of trays of bean pods that C was drying out and a few random things.

Growing a cutting garden
I decided to use teeny plug trays and some seed and cutting compost in which to plant my seeds but we found the compost very wet so mixed it with some older dry stuff. That felt much better. It was a painstaking process of putting a seed or two in each plug, some of the seeds were very small. My total mishmash of flowers is exactly what I want. Plenty of colour, all shapes and sizes, an eclectic mix. I know that many varieties may be completely unsuitable for cutting (and popping in a vase) but we shall see. 
Growing a cutting garden
I tried to keep the labelling consistent so I can keep track of which is which. I've planted about half the varieties in about five trays, the rest would either prefer to be sown later or direct into the ground. We covered the trays with some insulating and left them. 
Growing a cutting garden
I'm feeling proud I've taken my first step. Grow my pretties!
Sophie

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