More Winter Sowing

I did a bit more sowing today, all undercover in the potting shed:

• Tomato (Urbikany) x 5
• Sweet Pepper (Kaibi Round) x 1
• Sweet Pepper (Orange Bell) x 5
• Sweet Pepper (California Wonder) x 5
• Chilli Pepper (Cayenne) x 5
• Chilli Pepper (Chilli Shake) x 10
• Cucumber (Marketmore) x 5
• Cape Gooseberry (Golden Berry) x 5
• Brussels Sprout (Evesham Special) x 5
• Broccoli (Raab) x 5
• Sage

I've been growing Urbikany, Kaibi Round, Orange Bell and Cayenne since I started two years ago, so wasn't surprised to find just one Kaibi seed when I opened the packet and I'm hoping this solitary seed will fly the flag for its cultivar this year... no pressure!

California Wonder and Chilli Shake were new for me last year and did very well. The reason I have sown so many shake plants is because you never know what you're gonna get (sounds like a line from a film!)... but you really don't. I think I had 5 different types last year (see my past successes - chillies post) from a very mild large green type to a teeny tiny blow your head off orange type... that's all part of the fun.

Marketmore was also new for me last year and did okay, although not as well as my mini-whites.

Cape Gooseberry is new for me this year, and if I'm honest I think I'm being a bit ambitious, but if you don't try you'll never know. I love eating them, mainly when I go out for meals and it's used as garnish on desserts so I'll be very pleased and impressed if I manage to grow my own.

I attempted both Evesham Special and Raab last year but that was during the brassica failure that I have mentioned too many times on this blog already, so I won't say any more about that.

I've not tried sage before, and this is part of my grand masterplan for Christmas... home-made (and grown) sage & onion stuffing.

I'm still a bit wary about direct sowing outside with this unpredicatable weather, so I'm leaving shallots, onions, radish, carrots and maybe a few early parsnips till the end of the month.