The Cottage Smallholder


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Update on the young: teeny winter salad leaves sown under fleece and Beatyl our diminutive baby cockerel

Winter saladseedlings. One week old

Winter salad seedlings. One week old

When the dogs stopped playing with the fleece, things progressed very quickly with our winter salad leaf seeds. They germinated within a week.

I also realised that the mini poly tunnel ‘self waters’ the two rows of leaves that it protects when condensation builds up with the heat exchange. It drips onto the soil morning and evening.

The seedlings are so young that I was concerned that they might have been knocked on the head by the heavy frosts last week. Apparently, seeds sown mid September should have grown into robust plants by January. As our seeds went in a month late, it might be February for us or not at all.

I went down with a torch when I got back this evening and discovered that they had survived. I still haven’t had the time to set seeds in the greenhouse but the outdoor results are so encouraging that I think that it’s definitely worth a whirl. It would be a valuable insurance if the seedlings sown out on the chilly kitchen garden plains don’t make it.

When I closed the doors of the hen house and the Emerald Castle I had a peek inside the castle walls. Beatyl and Mrs Boss were snuggled up tight with Beatyl lying under Mrs B’s warm breast. His head was out peeping up from one side, his tail from the other. They’ll both enjoy sharing the salad leaves when the time comes.


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5 Comments

  1. Dear Mrs. Boss, she always does the right thing, this must have touched your heart when you looked in. x

  2. Jane aka:aromatic

    Glad the winter salad is okay! Also very glad to hear that Beatyl is been well looked after by her Mum and Mrs Boss is doing what Mums do best…. giving lots of love!!
    Jane xxx

  3. Kelly the City Mouse

    I’m thrilled to hear Beatyl is getting some quality cuddle time!

  4. samantha winter

    Sounds such a sweet scene, Mrs Boss seems to be a good Mum.

  5. good for you with the salad leaves they look strong! We went over the allotment on saturdays and ploughed it all up.

    Raspberry canes and other fruit coming this week… Pray for a good weekend to come!

    Ahhhh, bless Beatyl and Mrs Boss… Cute

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