These are Hellebore seedlings.
As you can see, they are still very tiny - some of the seedlings are only just emerging from the soil - but I'm pleased that so many have germinated. These ones were sown on 25th June. I had expected them to take another three months or so to germinate, because I thought they needed vernalization. Maybe they just think it is Spring already (which would be easy to understand).
The Rhubarb also evidently thinks it is Spring:
Last Winter I moved my (2) Rhubarb plants to new quarters in that big deep container, and I didn't harvest a crop from it during 2015, so it has had a bit of time to get itself settled. This coming year I plan to take a few stems from it, though probably not a lot, so that it has the opportunity to build up its strength in time for a big harvest in 2017. Being a gardener requires a lot of patience, you know!
Elsewhere, my potted Hydrangea has also recently produced a lot of new leaf buds. I have left the old flower-heads on the plant in order to give the new growth some protection. This last year a lot of the new growth was damaged by frost and cold wind.
The weather here today is definitely not good gardening weather, though I'm conscious that we are getting off lightly compared with many folk who are being battered by storm Frank. I'm spending the day baking a Sourdough loaf and cooking a Mexican meal, about which I shall probably write tomorrow. Jane has been cooking Bread Sauce, Cranberry Sauce and Sage-and-onion Stuffing, in preparation for our New Year's Day meal.
Having spent Christmas with one daughter in France, we are hosting the other daughter and her family here for a special meal on Jan 1. It will be what we would normally have on Christmas Day - in other words, Turkey, Brussels Sprouts, Potatoes roasted in Goose fat, etc, etc.
I was just going to say that your New Years meal sounds a lot like our Christmas meal! Yes a gardener's patience - it's tough but the results are more than worth it.
ReplyDeletePatience is definitely one thing a gardener needs. I guess you're going to need it with those hellebore seedlings, they will take a while before they're strong bushy plants but once they properly get going, you'll be well rewarded. I think all the family will still be here on New Year's Day so we'll be having all the timmings again too.
ReplyDeleteI noticed that the rhubarb in the fields near to us is starting to shoot and produce small leaves. The growers will not be happy about that.
ReplyDeleteThe hellebore seeds taken from your own plants? Ours produce lots of self sown seedlings but I've never gathered seed and groown them on in pots etc. I wonder how long it will take to produce flowering plants?
The weather everywhere has tricked a lot of plants that are probably going to regret it. We usually have a ham on New Years because for good luck you are supposed to have something that roots ahead, not scratches backwards.
ReplyDeleteYour New Year's meal sounds so good!
ReplyDelete