Changing Intentions

[David Nicholson]

Whils Tonyg has set the scene with his warts and all and sackcloth and ashes Blog I thought I might jump on the bandwaggon but without the Blog.

[Maggi Young]

Why not, David.... though for a frightful moment there I thought I read that you were doing this without the sackcloth, and my worst fears surfaced.......

[David Nicholson]

Ah! So that's where it went to. I started to type it, went to look at something, came back and it had disappeared. Just finished re-typing it but much longer, pressed post and the system told me I had already posted. I've now lost what was quite a long post. So, dear readers you will have to wait until the morrow to read this story further-will you sleep tonight

[Michael J Campbell]

David, I always copy every post before I post it just in case anything would go wrong, if it does then all I have to do is paste it. I do the same if the phone rings and I have to leave the computer because it times out after a while and you lose all your work.

[Maggi Young]

Michael's is sound advice, David, though in the event of that happening to you again...it is usually possible to retrieve your post by clicking the back button ( maybe more than once)  to see if the page will show again, then you can copy the text and begin again.

[tonyg]

If my internet connection is dodgy I have used Word to compose and then copy the text into a post.   

As for the sackcloth and ashes - it is Lent.  Perhaps I'll have a tidy garden after Easter!

[Lesley Cox]

Well all of that and we still don't know what the lad's up to.

[David Nicholson]

Well you might think this wasn't worth waiting for!

When I retired and bought my greenhouse I began by growing Pelargoniums. This lead to Fuschias and whitefly farming and a few cucumbers that quickly got covered in some kind of white mould and we never ate them! Then I re-discovered Auriculas. I had first seen them at a Harrogate Spring Flower Show 40 years ago but, with jobs and kids, and moving from God's own acres to the end of the known world, never had the time or facilities to grow them but never forgot them. Quite rapidly the greenhouse filled up and at one time I was attempting to grow over 150 plants. Then, I re-discovered Primulas, and one or two crept through the door alongside the Auriculas.

I really wanted to grow Auriculas well but lacked the necessary dedication to do it properly. If any of you have been to an Auricula Show you will know-you have to be 200% dedicated. So, the Auriculas grew less and the Primulas grew more. Then I discovered alpines. Alpines lead to the Forum. The Forum lead to one J I Young and his Bulb Log and you can guess the rest. Yes! bulbs became the be all and end all.

I've been banging on for a couple of years now about a lack of greenhouse space but I'm my own worst enemy. I want to grow more and more species and I'm utterly besotted by growing from seed to the extent that, in a relatively short period of time, I've amassed nearly 150 seed pots in various stages of development. Now, if you have that many you need somewhere to put them. Well I garden on a steep slope, and although the garden is terraced into two levels flat ground is at a premium. Flat ground is needed for clothes drying, garden seats, things grown in pots etc but frequently gets taken up by more and more of my trays of seedlings-and I'm under pressure! (know what I mean?).

So, with some reluctance I've decided (well I've nearly decided!) that this year will be my last of growing Primulas (I have about 70 pots of various sizes) and my greenhouse will become (very nearly) entirely bulbous. I want to grow more Cyclamen, I want to grow more Irises, and I need to get more species, that don't really appreciate my wet outdoor conditions, under glass. To cap it all I've made plans to dig out a small piece of flat land which will just fit a small (6'x4') greenhouse just for my seedlings. Plans are made, haven't done a lot yet about the implementation stage though! (that's always been one of my problems 9/10 for Planning, 3/10 for Implementation)

A few pics to illustrate the problems.



The greenhouse in all it's glory. You can't see it but the bench at the end has an upper tier on top of the bit you can see. The benching at the end elevation is full of Primulas as is the bottom tier of the bench on the left hand side. Try to ignore the bent section of benching on the end elevation. I had spent an hour on my knees working in the greenhouse and needed to help to get up, the benching gave it.



This lot normally goes on the greenhouse floor and I have to lift it all out when I want to work in there.




Just some of my seed pots that I get into trouble about.



Some of the stuff I need to getunder glass. Note the crazy angle of the plastic grow house-this is my third in two years!

[Maggi Young]

David, this explains the threatening letters, signed by " Hopping Mad Mo" that Ian has been getting.  

It seems to me that you are on a grand path to righteuos gardeneing... in fact, you have seen the light, so here's a tune to cheer you on your way ( Emmylou is in there, by the way )  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHSdloGONtU&feature=PlayList&p=93E095ECD9989673&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=3


 (you may prefer this one sung by Emmylou in 1970, though it doesn't load so well and no video, only Emmylou pix!
   )

[ChrisB]

David,  quite the funniest thread I've read in a while, can't wait for the next episode.  Its almost like when I used to watch Brookside...  Just don't go burying any one/thing under the patio....

[Gail]

Wonderful David - I love the thought of whitefly farming and I'm afraid I really couldn't ignore the bent bit of benching, so good that you had some support in your endeavours.

[angie]

Nice to see how neat and tidy you are.
Angie

[tonyg]

Great start David - I might feel at home amongst all those pots.  Mind you it all looks very neat and tidy (as Angie just beat me to saying!), something for me to aim for  150 pots of seed .... per year? ... that would definitely make me feel at home.
Below is a pic of most of 2009 Crocus seed pots here.

[mark smyth]

someone needs a bigger glass house! I doubled from 6 feet to 12 feetand still need room although right now the green house is 99% empty.

Autumn bulbs now outside getting drowned, winter bulbs outside getting drowned.

'Dead' Pelargoniums need looking at just incase I see a green shoot then they go in the brown bin. All Nerines, or what was left, in compost. Do I or dont I start Pelargoniums from seed?

Sorry I digress. When the rain stops I hope to have all pots with nothing growing in the bin and then hypnosis - no room no buy

[Lesley Cox]

Well done David, in having at last made up your mind what you want to do with the glasshouse, on a permanent basis. My mother used to tell me that the road to hell was paved with good intentions. I know she was right as I've travelled the road several times, and like you I get 9 out of 10 for planning - or having the intentions but 3 for the implementation. I wish you well in your upcoming endeavours.

Just remember, and I'm sure Maureen could confirm, that glasshouse space, or seed space are both like kitchen cupboards. The more you have, the quicker they fill and the more you then need.