On seeding

I started seeding in early February, a few days after I came back from the Netherlands, planting a dozen or so packets of herbs and flowers given to me by a long-term friend who ALWAYS wins the prize for the best kept volkstuin (allotment) on his plot.

I started a steep learning process.

Within a week  the wind ripped out two thirds of the paper signs telling me which seeds were which.  Instead of companion planting I would have to opt for speed-date planting.

Two days later torrential rainfall inundated all the recycled water bottles I was using as plant pots.  YES, I forgot to drive holes into the bottoms  of the pots.  They were completely waterlogged and the corks at the bottom of the pots that I was using as soak-away had floated to the top of the pots.  I spent a long afternoon in the bathroom punching holes in all the bottles and picking the corks off the surface.  I soon learned to bring my seed trays in if rain was imminent.  (Did I tell you it rains a lot on the Basque coast?).  I later found covers for the trays, held down by bricks in tempestuous times.

The survival rate of the first batch was about 40%, though some of the seeds were a couple of years old so that   might have accounted for some of the failures.

I did not foresee that having nursery beds and a kitten might pose some management problems.  My kitten prefers my nursery beds to his litter tray, so the first time  I planted out herb seedlings I found them scratched up, pissed on and shat on.    The second time I tried covering them with a wooden tray. 'Great' thought Laptop (my kitten): 'a covered toilet'.  I have since covered them with chicken wire, but don't plan growing anything edible in them until I change the soil.

Moving on.. In March I received an assignment of heritage seeds from Caroline Miguel. I acquired two proper seeding trays and kept a eye out for the weather every night.  I built an excel spread sheet telling me which lines of seeds were which.  The majority of those seeds are now germinating so I am moving to stage two: building a cat proof nursery bed: recycled, large, plastic drinks containers.  They are too small for Laptop to be scratching in and I have some chicken wire to protect them.

One of my friends In Hendaye said I could try barbed wire or electric fencing.  I hope he was joking.