What I Did Today (Undercover)

[SarzWix]

Being über busy in the back garden, I've not done anything in the tunnel for a few days, but called in earlier to harvest a bit of calabrese and was really struck by how much warmer it was than outside, and how much the over-wintered brassicas have grown I think this is the start of polytunnel Spring

[Newton]

I'm going to try melons this year in the GH. Can anyone recommend a good variety for our lovely northern climate?

[VirginVegGrower]

Newton, the melon "Sweetheart" is mentioned in my book as an easy grower but it's F1. Not sure if you that's OK.

[VirginVegGrower]

Seems a tad optimistic! Probably early April for me, they get too big very quickly to be indoors for long, and even with fleece I wouldn't put them out before late April up here.

Maybe late March then and if we have a heat wave

[VirginVegGrower]

Citrox cleaned the polytunnel on its lower bits and enviromesh panels as green in places. Absolutely shattered.
Sown various Sarah Raven flower seed packs into trays. Can't remember names. Watered polytunnel. Moved all potted bulbs to greenhouse steps in sun. Trimmed up all herbs and brought them out of the polytunnel for the day. Actually got the roll ups "up" on the poly, it was so warm.
I like this weather - please stay.

[Darwin.]

For the first time in about three years I purposely missed a Newcastle United game. I did it so I could go out and weed another bay and a half in the tunnel and measure up for wooden edging. Thankfully I have enough wood in the pallets I have to do it.

[Lisamcflisa]

Today, I totally cleaned the inside of my greenhouse, removed my rabbit and guinea pig who have been taking advantage of a warm place through the winter, I've dug out all my modules, trays and little pots and adjusted my staging so this week I can get planting... cant wait, love this next few months outside is the job over next few days, make sure the glass is gleaming

[SarzWix]

I've just planted out a dozen broad bean plants (Seville from HSL) a dozen Oskar and a dozen Celebration pea plants. The over-wintered onions are looking good, and the calabrese and cabbages are looking a bit more jaunty too

[maljackson]

I'm going to try melons this year in the GH. Can anyone recommend a good variety for our lovely northern climate?

I bought some grafted melon plants for my polytunnel last year. Alas, I had no idea just how BIG these damn things grow, and ended up with carnage on a plantastic scale.

If I was to do melons again, I would make some sort of structure for them to go up and over the inside of the tunnel. Or, even better, work out how minimal in size I can keep them.

Mal.

P.S. I didn't get a single melon.

[SarzWix]

Nightmare Mal! Perhaps keeping the plants pruned might force them to flower/fruit? I tried them one year climbing up some netting in the greenhouse and didn't get any fruit either, but wasn't fussed enough to try again.

[Potstubsdustbins]

I have made my start today, 16 containers of 1st earlies, and sown some garlic chives from seed saved last year.

Just holding back a little due to the weather forecast.

Potty

[Thelma Sanders]

Sowed the first salads - lettuce rocket and a mix

[VirginVegGrower]

Sowed salad too. Into modules in the greenhouse. Also sprouts and kale. Aired the poly. It's getting quite wet inside. Greenhouse too. Pricked out celery and potted on.

[Thelma Sanders]

Potted up some chitted Lady Christl spuds, 3 littlies to a large tub.

[Thelma Sanders]

Potted up my early toms, some peppers and some chillis - all still on the windowcills