Seed sowing season

Last week was a complete washout ; I was laid low by a gastric bug which is still causing me some problems. I wasn't even able to get out of bed, and wasn't able to go to work at all this week. I am hoping to go in tomorrow.

Today I spent several hours in the polytunnel sowing 8 varieties of marigold seeds for the plant sale and then went on to sow all of my early March indoor sowings for myself. Seeds sown for my own use included annual and perennial scabiosa, several types of pot marigolds (calendula), parsley (favorit), lettuce (Tom Thumb and Blush), asparagus kale, ornamental gourds, sunflowers and verbena. recording all in my sowing diary. the pepper seeds Mel and I sowed two weeks ago have mostly germinated. Disappointing,so far are the Long Red Marconi, but they may still germinate. Next week I expect to be pricking out the peppers sown two weeks ago. In my (unheated greenhouse) the carrot seeds that I sowed two weeks ago in a 12" pot have started to germinate, but none of the other seeds have started, nor may they ever, as they completely dried out as I was unable to go down to the plot last weekend due to being ill.

This week I joined the gardening BBC message board in order to find out if anyone had any fresh ideas on how to deal with the "rat problem" on the plots. This hasn't proved very useful as people come up with the same ideas we have already rejected. After speaking to June today, it appears that the "rat problem" is not nearly as bad as I thought it was. I thought that rats were really taking over, it appears, however, that it's mainly down to rumour. It is true that Roy was feeding the "mice" under his greenhouse; what sort of person feeds mice on an allotment?

Some folks were shooting a film on the allotment last week, June was keen that they do it as they promised to fix the electricity in the heated greenhouse; however, they have managed to mess up some of my raised beds and have walked over my carefully dug over beds. I am not well pleased as some of my wooden boards have been broken, and my soil , so carefully dug, compacted. I think I will have to get June to do something about it, not quite sure what though.

I will sign off for now but watch this space for progress.