Shallots and lettuce leaves

As we had just harvested the potatoes, we were on a roll so decided to see what the shallots looked like. We first of all had to trim back the lettuce. It looked lovely, some red and some green but all very healthy.

We then cleared round the shallots and laid them on some newspaper. I had already perused several articles to see what to do with them and this seemed to be the generally accepted idea. This was the yield from 4 bulbs

I waited for the soil to dry off a bit then brushed them clean and laid them out in a row. Not bad for a first attempt. Now I have to go back to the books and find out what I do with them now as they can’t stay here they are.

Once I have found out the next step then we can harvest the other pot which just has shallots in with no distractions.

Shallots and salad leaves

In one pot is just shallots, planted in a nice circular design. In the other there is a cross of salad leaves with shallots in each quadrant. This was fine while the plants were small but now the shallots are so big, the salad leaves are hard to harvest as they are hidden. Even so we have had three cuttings so far and they tasted wonderful.

I would like to sow more like they recommend but i simply don't have the space. Once the patio is cleared then i will be able to expand.

Slushy compost

I have been fretting over the last few days that i have two tubs of slushy compost. One that should have carrots in and one which should have shallots in. Then yesterday morning when i was watering the pots, Lianne noticed that there was greenery in both pots. I was so excited i nearly fell off the balcony!!!. You have to look really hard to see the carrots but they are definitely there

The other exciting thing that happened yesterday was that we made parsley sauce with fresh parsley from the appotment. It wasn't very parsley ish as the recipe wanted four tablespoons of parsley and it is only a small plant but it was still wonderful.

Lianne seems to be getting converted to the idea of gardening so we spent a couple of hours at my mums sorting out their front drive. They have loads and loads of pots so we took some home. We still have 15 left at Mums to fill so if she is well enough today we might take her to the garden centre.

Planting from seed!!

I managed to get my three big pots planted today while the laundry was drying at the launderette.

In the first pot, i have put a cross of lettuce with four red shallots in the quadrants. I have no idea about how to space these things or on how thinly to sow the seeds so it is pure guess work.

The second pot has two lines of carrots and the third pot has a ring of shallots with one in the middle.

When i had finished planting, using my acquired little gardening tools, i came to the conclusion that i am not a seed gardener. I like to see instant results so i think i will be buying small plants in future so i can see something other than soil.

Lettuce - salad bowl mixed (oak leaf).Seedlings usually appear in 7-14 days. For continuous crops sow every 2-3 weeks. Growing on - for baby leaves, thin to 2 inches apart and for mature plants, 10 inches apart. Keep moist. Can have 4 cuts of baby leaves for each plant.

Carrots - amsterdam 2-amice. Seedlings usually appear in 14 - 21 days. For continuous crops sow every 2 - 3 weeks. Growing on - When harvesting select young carrots alternately from row or pot allowing the remainder to develop fully. Keep well watered.

Red shallots - no instructions so i have just planted them with the tips showing and hope that they will be OK