Lifting Spirits With Winter Growing

Now isn’t the obvious time to be sowing seeds but with so much gloom around I decided a bit of winter growing was needed to lift spirits. Spotting the first shoots is always a magical moment and never fails to make me smile.

I’ve been given some pea shoots to trial by Suttons so decided to give those a try. Pea shoots are ideal for windowsill growing and ‘Anubis’ is suitable for year-round sowing.

Not wanting to take up too much room on the kitchen windowsill, I chose a small pot. It will produce only a small number of shoots and a bigger container would be needed for a larger crop.

Sowing is simple: peat-free compost in a pot, add the peas – they can be closely sown as they won’t be making big plants – cover, water and wait.

I didn’t need to wait long and in just a couple of weeks the first shoots were showing. They are now big enough to harvest and use on salads etc.

The biodegradeable seed tray and growing mat from Haxnicks.

My second stint of winter growing was using equipment given to me by Haxnicks to trial. The seed trays are made from a mix of bamboo fibre, rice starch and resin rather than plastic, and are biodegradable and compostable.

The trays are sturdy – Haxnicks says they will last five years – and can be used as a reservoir or have the drainage holes pushed through.

I used it with growing mats made from hemp fibre and natural latex. These come in a set of three and, again, are biodegradable and compostable.

Micro veg – a mix of coriander and beetroot – have been sown on the top. Now, it’s just a question of keeping them watered.

Growing an amaryllis in a vase is new for me this year.

This year, I decided to grow an amaryllis in a vase without soil. Instead it’s sat on a bed of pebbles with water almost to the bulb.

The first signs of growth have appeared and I’m hoping it will flower in the New Year to give colour when the Christmas decorations come down.

I was forced to start the narcissi as they were shooting.

The same method has been used with paperwhite narcissi. I delayed planting these for as long as possible as I want them to flower after Christmas as well.

In the end, I was forced to plant them up as the bulbs were shooting in the bag.