Jane's Delicious Garden Blog

Although it is cold and wintery, it is time to sow seeds in seed trays ready for your spring garden. I have about four trays already sitting in front of a sunny northern window. I’ve planted a selection of tomatoes, eggplant, basil, capers (first time I’m trying them!) Chinese cabbage, savoy cabbage and various summer squash. I still, after all these years of sowing seeds and watching them germinate, get such a thrill when those little green leaves spring up out of the soil.
Don’t forget to spray your seedlings with chamomile spray to prevent fungal diseases. I find the easiest way is to mix up a strong solution of chamomile and keep it in a bottle in the fridge. Each time I fill my mister spray bottle, I add a dollop of chamomile from the jar.

I am trying a new thing with my tomatoes this year. Earlier this year I scavenged eight large wooden boxes from a local nursery that was tossing them. I had no idea what I would use them for – they just looked useful. Sitting planning my spring planting, I thought about how much space my toms take up and decided to put the boxes to good use for them. I have positioned them on warm paving, which is in a full sun and retains that warmth much later into the night than my veggie garden. I have created a cascade of boxes and lined them with black plastic. I will fill them with a compost and topsoil mix from Jacklin Organic I am going to erect a selection of tripods, which will hopefully create a wonderful tomato tower! Will post pics as soon as I take them.