Today I’ve sown more peas for shoots, using up the last of the seed from last year, some leeks and green and red basil. I’ve returned the aubergine seedlings that were in the greenhouse to the propagator as they seem to be struggling in the colder nights, particularly after they suffered a slug attack a few nights ago. Whilst reorganising trays to make room I noticed that I now have eleven multi-coloured pepper seedlings and all of the seeds of the two varieties of melon that my daughter sowed on Monday evening have already germinated.
As a counterpoint to the chilly forecast, this evening I decided I’d put some cardboard across the front of the compost bin we’ve been filling since November and rake the composting material level. Initially there’s no front on the bins so we can walk in with stuff and dump it in a pile against the back wall, but the pile is now reaching the front anyhow. To allow us to keep filling it I put a pallet across the front and use cardboard to stop things falling through the holes. The compost seemed quite warm when I moved it, so I put the thermometer in:
I was quite impressed given that bar a couple of unusually warm days the maximum temperature here is hovering around 10C at the moment and it’s dipping close to freezing most nights.