What Preps are you doing this week? Part 9

[Arzosah]

Oh my god, what are you building for yourself but he's ❤

[jansman]

Bags of compost are warming up in the greenhouse now. It’ll be about three more weeks before I start seed sowing in the propagator. I have cold frames within the greenhouse, so I can minimise the fuel used to get the plants through late Winter/ Springtime.

I am continuing to scope out fuel wood sources - successfully too- and local , which is important, as it saves literal energy. Any errands are being done that way too. No more nipping out to fetch stuff. Instead it’s on the way through on another journey. Tomorrow I am fishing and shooting at a farm near me. Not only will I come back with some edibles, but I get my poultry feed from there too ; and the farmer also gets me sacks of rabbit concentrate ( feed) for me through his feed supplier. Saves me a copper or two. Top bloke.

We are generally keeping supplies topped up , and a weather eye on rising prices.

[jennyjj01]

[jansman]

Bags of compost are warming up in the greenhouse now. It’ll be about three more weeks before I start seed sowing in the propagator. I have cold frames within the greenhouse, so I can minimise the fuel used to get the plants through late Winter/ Springtime.

OMG.
You will no doubt have your correctly timed sowings outgrow my early birds. Dang it! My windowsill tomato seedlings are a bit long and skinny. I plan to bury them 'up to the neck', when the time comes. Amused every morning to see them bend towards the sunlight, as I turn them round to make them realise that life is hard.
My tomato seedlings now just starting to form first true leaves. My onion seeds have the teeniest, tiniest little shoots and baby leaves. How in gods name a fist sized onion can ever grow from one of those grains of dust, just amazes me. I'm probably nurturing weeds, thinking they are onions. Didn't use new compost.

Speaking of compost, my plastic composter is half full, and I'm nurturing that, too. It's better fed than Mr J.
Some critter has been trying to burrow in, under it. Rat? cat? I dunno. If it gets in and helps chew up the hard bits, I may be happy to let it stay. Hope it's a hedgehog and not a rat. Might set up a critter cam. It seems to visit frequently.

Be prepared to sow more tomatoes.Also,the compost dweller is likely to be a rat. Best to dig it out,which will evict it,and start again. It’s a common problem when a compost bin is in an out of the way place.Vermin don’t like disturbance.If it is a rat,or mice,then your bin is a food source,and the vermin ( likely) to be living elsewhere. I keep my bins out in the open now.

[jennyjj01]

[jansman]

Be prepared to sow more tomatoes.Also,the compost dweller is likely to be a rat. Best to dig it out,which will evict it,and start again. It’s a common problem when a compost bin is in an out of the way place.Vermin don’t like disturbance.If it is a rat,or mice,then your bin is a food source,and the vermin ( likely) to be living elsewhere. I keep my bins out in the open now.

So, sounds like you forecast the demise of my babies
There's another pack of ten seeds on standby. Incidentally, my two sachets each had EXACTLY 10 seeds, I expected some nominal number greater than 10. They must have found it worthwhile to invest heavily on precise counting.

A question about the onion seedlings.... Do they really have roughly round tiny <0.5mm baby leaves? I had one seedling with long 5mm grass like leaves still wearing a seed husk like a hat. I wondered if that sole one was a weed imposter, or the other dozen or so tiny tots.

Rat? Hmmmm it has twice burrowed a couple of inches under and each time I just filled it in. I think I'll let it burrow right in and make itself at home, till I get it on ratcam. It's not yet my enemy.

Your onion will sprout with a black seed husk attached,and then split into two leaves. Your tomatoes need - from germination- constant ,strong growth in 15 c minimum temperature. Like you ,I have tried to start toms early,but they rarely flourish.Unless you can provide constant heat,and a greenhouse with heat,if that early sown.I can do that,but now we are looking very energy - constrained from here on in,I am sowing layer to save fuel.

[jennyjj01]

[jansman]

I see tomatoes.

[jennyjj01]

[jansman]

I see. You said you reuse compost? Weeds then.