Oh No!!! – this I do not believe!!!

Ok, so, a little post earlier this week (Tuesday) I wrote to tell the world we had 20 buds…..

I’ve just spent a hugely pleasant couple of hours in the greenhouse staking, tieing in and removing a few dead leaves.  Oh yes, and watering.

Well, I’m now panicing again – this time because events are moving apace.

The bud count is now 46 – so well over double that meagre 20 in just 4 days.  Also impressive (or worrying!) is the rate at which the spikes run up.

I also had an impressive looking plant that I’ve had to weed out.  When I could see the buds, there they were fat, proud – and hugely fasciated.  Darn – one of my best plants gone for a burton.

But never mind.  Remember the possibles that I left in the old greenhouse?  Well, they’re doing quite well and the combo of liquid feed and a top dressing of Vitax Q4 (magic stuff if you’re a delph) has worked wonders.  I feel sure a few of these plants will make it to Chelsea.

Of course – if a few plants are early and a bit ‘gone over’ for display, some surgical skills to remove the shabby florets should leave me with a bunch of flowers for display on the table.

Better still are the few seedlings that I put in the greenhouse.  I wasn’t too sure these would do much but they’ve progressed well with feeding.  Even betterer is that they were sown after last year’s Chelsea – I feel a small vase next to the ‘Seed for Sale’ sign coming on.

Today’s been one of those days – absolutely fab!!!  I’m now pretty convinced well have some nice flowers for the show and a realisation that we’re building a stand for the world to see at what is, after all, the best flower show in the world!

No pressure then.

Til next time, Mark.

Oh yes, in case you’re interested, here’s a fasciated bud – truly a double header!

By the way – I like lots of other plants too – and here’s a real beaut! Sanguinaria canadensis ‘Plena’