Seed raising in preparation for spring

I have been planting lots of seeds in the last month, in preparation for the warmer weather. I keep them in the shed, in front of the window so they are protected from the cold evenings and mornings we are still having.

This post is a monthly update of what is happening in my garden as part of the Garden Share Collective. You can join in by adding your link at the base of this post. We’d love to check out your garden. This month’s theme is seed.

Seed is a “big ticket” item in our household. I grow almost all of our plants from seed. The majority of the plants I grow are varieties that are included in the Kitchen Garden Box . I also plant some new things that I am testing to possibly include in my products in the future. I have recently released a “Grow More” seed kit that can be purchased to re-stock the Kitchen Garden Box, it contains a set of new seed varieties. I am growing some of these seeds now for the first time – such as celery and a gorgeous variety of radish.

In addition to the seeds that sourced for the Kitchen Garden Box I also like to add some new plants to the garden each year along with our usual favourites. Sometimes these are a success and end up in our regular planting cycle, many do not.  The beauty of growing from seed is that there are many many varieties available to try. Unlike seedlings, that have been modified and bred for certain growing conditions and features you can source heirloom, certified organic seeds of multiple varieties, there is generally one that can be grown in your conditions. This season I have planted some cumin seed. I am keen to see what the plant looks like as it grows. These are the little cumin seedlings below, they have gone into the garden beds this weekend just past.

I find the process of seed raising fascinating. I love watching them lift their heads and emerge from the soil.

Many of the seeds I have planted over the years now regularly self-seed and re-appear in the garden. Over the past few weeks little violas, borage and marigolds have all appeared back in the garden beds. All ready to be enjoyed by the bees, maybe not the violas but they are pretty regardless.

The best self seeded plant this year has been a little tomato plant that popped up in one of the garden beds over winter. I moved it to the Vegepod so it was a little more protected and Sunday I spied the first little fruit developing. We’ve never had a tomato plant make it through winter before so I am curious to see how this one goes.

Winter veggies are finally starting to finally develop and should be ready some time in spring. The kids are keen to try the broccoli. I never seem to plant the winter seeds early enough so I can pull them out at this time of year, having already harvested. I usually get to mid spring and am so sick of the sight of the winter vegetables that I want them gone regardless of how far along they are. At that time, tomatoes are ready to go into the garden beds and space is at a premium.

The peas are going crazy at the minute. They are the longest lasting and tallest variety I have grown. The variety is Sugar Snap.

Planting now:

We have just added quite a few new things to the garden in the last week or two. The following large plants and trees have been added. I am hoping that the pomegranate and passionfruit will cover the ugly retaining wall bricks once they settle in.

• 2 plum trees
• 1 almond tree
• 1 pomegranate bush
• 3 blueberries
• 1 passionfruit

I have also planted the following from seedlings grown from seed I planted earlier this month:

• beans
• bok choy
• chives
• coriander
• cumin
• lettuce
• pak choi
• rocket
• spring onion
• zinnia

Harvesting:

We have been collecting from the garden:

• bok choy
• carrots
• coriander
• fennel
• kale
• lettuce
• oregano
• parsley
• peas
• rocket
• spinach
• spring onion

To do:

Plant out the seeds that are not quite ready yet:

• basil
• celery
• echinacea

I will be adding ginger and turmeric in the garden bed shown above in the coming weeks. The bed was the kid’s sandpit. They are no longer interested in using it so I have added a heap of compost and soil to it instead of leaving it sit idle.