The peas I planted in a gutter some weeks ago have finally emerged and the broad beans I sowed in Roottrainers are also stirring. The sweet peas are begging me to plant them outside, but I need to prepare their bed first.

The recent cold weather means that germination has been very sporadic, but finally, this morning seeds trays are showing signs of life, salad is germinating and the tomato seeds I sowed earlier this week in the heated propagator are coming through nicely.

I’ve sown the first gutter of peas in the greenhouse.  With a couple of brackets fitted to the front of the shelf it can be slotted in to position while the peas germinate undercover, well away from mice and other marauding pests.

I’ve moved some of the pots of Iris reticulata from the coldframe to the greenhouse to bring them in to flower a bit earlier. The prettiest will have pride of place on my desk.

Gabriel Ash Greenhouse

It took until early afternoon for the gate through to the greenhouse to unfreeze so that I could take a look at how everything is faring in the greenhouse.  So far so good, but just to be sure I have put some vulnerable plants into polystyrene boxes with lids (polystyrene is a fantastically efficient insulator).