More sowing

I have just dug up my bluebells as they are all Spanish ones. Also removed all daffodils I no longer want. I now have just dwarf and a few beautiful ones that I really want to keep.

Today has dawned cool but sunny and I have already been out on the patio with my back to the sun, sowing yet more seeds. I am trying to grow my own annual flowers this year rather than buying them. I have become fed up of the boring choice, the same year in year out selection of annuals at garden centers. I began sowing back on 12th March. Most of those are now up. A succession of sowing every 2-3 weeks is seeing my little collection grow.

They live outside under some perspex (which I remove each morning) inside one of my raised beds. This morning I have sown a second lot of leeks 'Bandit', day and night stocks, night phlox, french marigold, calendula and something for my hanging baskets, 'Nolana', which I have never heard of it so hope it will be okay.

At Aldi yesterday, doing our weekly fresh food top up, they had herbs in containers for 54p each. I bought a mint and have potted it up for use later on.

 

I'm glad we chose to sift the compost we bought yesterday. It was good value at £6.25 for 125 litres but is was compacted and very rough stuff. Derived from wood chip and green waste it had an almost manure kind of smell. I'm not sure how it will work as I haven't used it before. It had better be good otherwise I'll go back to the slightly more expensive stuff. Anyway, it is now sifted, rubbish cleared out of it and stored into more bags around the back of the garage. They will have to be removed once the council delivers our water butt.

We decided to buy it from the council as it is a 190 litre one, has a child locking lid, comes with a base and the water diverting kit required to connect it to your drainpipe. I think that is good value for money for just under £39. Also, if you buy one you can get another for half price. We only bought one as we already have 2 plus a dustbin and haven't got room for anymore around the back of the garage. 

Check out your council web site, maybe they do something similar. Years ago, we also bought our compost bins from them.