The video above is a very short and simple time lapse of a giant pumpkin rearing its shoots for the first time. I had to go out and drill some holes in a wall, so set the camera up and left it running. Needless to say, I didn't drill through a wall and put the drill down on a carpet, only a true cowboy would do that.

Pumpkina has showed her first leaves!

Pumpkina has finally broken the surface and is showing!
Some more are being germinated inside and will be joining this one later.

Weeding is nearly done

Pumpkina is in the soil (well manure really)

Underneath this pile of horse manure is a pumpkin seedling who shall be known as "Pumpkina". It is protected from a vicious gang that patrol these parts, Tufty, Nutty and their friends, who use the street name of "Fluffy tailed rats" will not be getting anywhere near this little one!

A bit of water, a covering with a polythene cloche and an inspection daily should produce a healthy pumpkin plant. It is possibly a little early for them but the patch was getting cleared of weeds and if this one fails there is still time to do one more.

Pumpkina is germinated!

2 Giant Pumpkin and 2 loofah seeds were put on moist kitchen paper in a butter container and placed in warmth, less than a week later, one of the pumpkins has sprouted!
Its still a bit early really but it has been such a long and cold winter I couldn't wait much longer.

No sign of life from the otehr 3 at the moment, but the first one has been planted.

Part 2

The weeds have come back, they'll be dug up again and for the final time (hopefully) before planting, the area will be cleared. It needs a tidy up, but its getting there. Rain is forecast for the next few days, but it shouldn't take long to dig up the final remaining weeds at this time of year.

You can see my helper in this photo (a rare sight) . This bed contains carrots and parsnips and some other things, the polythene is to stop Carrot Fly getting in there. Apparently as flies go this one is a bit rubbish, but it lays its eggs in soil and the worm eats carrots.

End of March update

Spring is coming, the clocks go forward tonight.

The Tulips are coming along but haven't outgrown the cover just yet:

The Daffodils which I thought I'd dug up are out now. Word in the gardening circles is that they are smaller and generally later than in previous years due to the cold and longer winter.