I germinate seed of perennials naturally in a cold frame in the garden. They then germinate when they are ready. Due to much travelling in May, I hadn’t got round to potting on any of the seedlings that had germinated outside… Luckily it has been very cool all of April and May, so that most of the seedlings were still in good condition. However, there were more seedlings than I had bargained on and I finally finished at 10:45 last night after 10 hours potting on some 160 species in the garden!
The cold germination frame in a normal winter – the top is covered with Enviromesh so that precipitation can pass through and it doesn’t get too hot.
A view in the cold frame before germination starts
160 new pots was the result of yesterday’s work. But, where will they all go when big enough?
Osmorhiza – seed from the woods of Woodstock, Vermont last autumn!
Canadian wood nettle (Laportea canadensis) seedlings from New York
So far so good, excellent germination outside of Persian shallot (Alium altissimum) – they had germinated some time ago and the young bulbs are already clearly visible. Planted out yesterday at different spacings to see how quickly they grow!
With plenty of rain and a maximum temperature of only 16C so far in May with no frost, it’s been perfect growing conditions for my perennial vegetables. My Udo (Aralia cordata) is nearly as tall as me already!
Ostrich fern and Udo (Aralia cordata)Udo (Aralia cordata) is up to my shoulders!Aralia californica… Blanching: when the bucket is lifted off the ground by the plant it is ready to harvest!Rheum palmatum is already blooming!Forest garden view….apples, Aralia elata, Aralia cordata, redcurrant, blackcurrant and ostrich fern (the lowest level is a carpet of lesser celandine, over a month ago!)
I just fell in love with a picture of a dandelion from the Caucasus, Taraxacum haemanthum, in this picture from page 76 of the Scottish Rock Garden Club journal “The Rock Garden” (Jan 2014). For a minute I thought the leaves at the front belonged to the dandelion, but they don’t. Just hope it really is that orange!
Akebia quinata has is now flowering out of my roof about 8-10m up! It’s been in flower for a month, but won’t produce fruit (if it ever does) until my second variety flowers. I also have an edible house!
I hadn’t planned any more talks this year, but I was tempted and have accepted to give a talk at the Walled Kitchen Gardens Network 2015 Forum at the Mansion and Kitchen Garden at Croome Court in Worcestershire, UK on Saturday 3rd October! The participants will be walled kitchen garden gardeners!
I will be among kindred spirits, having my own walled garden (my ex- greenhouse) ;)
I don’t know what this perennial kale is, but it’s the only one that has survived the last 3 winters outside here, so worth keeping. It is coming into flower….
Edit: It seems that this is a Helgoland Wild Kale. I received seed from a German seed catalogue a few years ago!
Perennial vegetables, Edimentals (plants that are edible and ornamental) and other goings on in The Edible Garden