All my seeds have sprouted, today I have been repotting peas, nasturtiams and sweet peas.

I feel like to old woman in the shoes "I have got so many seeds I don't know what to do"!

There are 25 little onions that have sprouted and are ready to go outside, but we have frost at night forcasted for the 2 nights. I have got all these in my conservatory!

Once I get this group of seeds dealt with, that will empty the propogators, so then I will have to start again with a new group. I am coming to the conclusion I bought too many seed packets. If they all go to maturity I will have excess production.

Tonight we had a "Speaker" night, we had a lady who told us a lot about herbs, and then we could buy them! I bought a Rosemary "Green Ginger" and "Elephant Garlic", a packet of seeds for "Parcel" a parsley which tates like Celery.

I am pleased with my purchases, the lady has invited us to visit her Nursery, which we will do when the weather warms up a bit.

My husband has started coming with me, he goes for the coffee and homemade biscuits, so we both enjoy the event.

But the line crashed.
Unfortunately my memory card now thinks its is Japanese. So no luck with the clivias I told you about last week.
So as a booby prize here is a picture of Pleiospilos compactus flowering from the archives. This plant was unfortunately destroyed during one of my house moves. But it shows just how beautiful they can be.

This the only Pleiospilos active at the moment. Previously known as Tanquana Hilmarii these tiny succulents dont get particularly large. This one is two years old. It grows mainly in the winter.

 From the seeds I planted a week ago I have had a very good response. Very suprising. I planted two weeks in front of the equinox deliberately as that is the usual germination time but most are up already. Maybe photos next week with the Clivia.

 I made an attempt at painting the Clivia in water colour so I may post that later. Although it became dark before I could colour the stamens properly. Short days just now eh. Not enough time.

Anyway bye for now and a most fertile earth for you all! 
 

Well todays post is photoless. I loaded my memory card with Clivias and other delights to please you all and came down to Darlington to work.
But this computer spat the dummy out! (Dont want no memory card, not formatted,wrong type, dont like other computer,I am the fairest of them all etc....). Tch Tch computers are so vain.
Anyway..... I planted lots of seeds in the propagator. Many wondorous South African Species of indescribeable names. I hope they turn out to be fun.
Also I went into the garden centre and bought what was left of the vegetables. They were parctically sold out. The TV campaign is obviously working. I hope it continues at alotment gardening is inherently sociable. People lock themselves in thier front rooms and talk to no one these days. People will rediscover thier kindness and thier Britishness. It will be a good thing for all.
So I have planted some curly kale, cabages,chard,leeks etc. Not to mention some cosmos hybrids of which i bought  too many. You can never have enough cosmos. Ha!
Apart from this the Clivia I mentioned last week has amazing flowers which have just opened. Also the Osteospermum in the greenhouse is starting to show purple.
Of the succulents the khadia is now showing buds. I cant show you the photo but here is last years flower photo.

This is Khadia Carolinensis.
Ah well hope yall have a good week.

Now that we are home from our Winter holiday in Spain, it is time to concentrate on my garden.

I have spent the day, which has been sunny and bright, using our conservatory as a potting shed! I have sown seeds all day. In veggies I have set off two varieties of tomatos and cucumber, five different variety of lettuice and a tray of mixed lettuice, some Mange Tout peas. A tray full of "Chocolate" Peppers, which I am excited about, can't wait to see them.

In flowers,two varieties of Nasturtiam, two varieties of sweet peas, some pansies.

In living greens, a tray each of cress, red clover, purple radish and rocket victoria, they should not take too long before they are ready to eat.

Busy day!

Since there isnt much growing at this time of year I thought I would share these photos of Echinopsis 'Rosa Flora'. personally I dont grow many cactus, i am more interesrted in plants from South Africa. I do however grow Rebutia, the crocus of the andes (more on that later) and Echinopsis because of the fantastic flowers. I do also have a few other exceptional specimens that I have picked up.

This is Echinopsis Rosa Flora which is a very prolific and floriferous hybrid. If you want a cactus that performs and also looks good this is a good choice. It makes ofsets regularly and makes buds copiously. I cant remember if this is a Shcik hybrid or from manor farm. Its probably manor farm. Anyway I am looking forward to seeing it flower again this year.

Echinopsis hybrids like all hybrids dont like heat much. They will take up to about 32 degrees before getting too stressed. They will take temperatures down to about 1 or 2 degrees. Freezing only briefly. If they are allowed to freeze or over heat they wont perform so well the following year. They are not fussy about the kind of soil that they use. Keep in a bright green house and water from March until September. Feed once a year. Repot every two or three years.

I like these plants mainly because of the fantastic flowers. On some of the shick hybrids they are huge stunning and very beautiful often only lasting a day. Anyway I hope you like the photos.

For the gardening blog. I am Kfruit. I am interested in botany and natural history especially from the rich flora of South Africa.
Most of the winter flowering SA succulents are finished performing for now. Although they will still be in growth until May. Currently Ihlenfldtia is in ful bloom. Most amazing fresh yellow flowers dificult to capture the colour on film.

It is now the beginning of bud development for the summer growers. Here is Pleiospilos Nelli forming buds very early in February.

I have been breeding these plants. This one has the working title of 'pink flush'. I havent seen the flower colour yet.

Pleiospilos Nelli hybrids ususally have each couloured flowers.

Not much else going on just now. The lampranthus and oscularias have lots of new growth and some buds forming. Also a large Clivia has a nice fat set of buds coming up.
Back later....