Traditionally, the first grass mowing only happens after St Patrick's Day on March 17 and it is also an ideal time to start sowing most vegetables, flowers and fruits, and even your shamrocks.<br /><br />This is because half-hardy or tender seedlings will need a good six to eight weeks before they are ready to be hardened off and planted outside in May after the last frosts have passed, or for those slightly hardier plants which can be direct sown, to give them a chance to slowly germinate, acclimatise and take root so they are well established and used to their surroundings before the soil warms up and they take off in earnest.<br /><br />With the spring equinox now having arrived and the 12 hours of daylight marker having passed, it's a good time to get going, and with a few days off this past week and some lovely spring sunshine I've been sowing a few dozen different flowers, herbs and vegetables indoors and outdoors.<br /><br />This week I’ve been sowing some fresh rainbow carrot, fennel, runner, french and broad beans and winter squash seeds. I've also got four seed potato varieties I'm starting in grow bags. #seeds<br />#carrots<br />#gardening<br />#potatoes<br />#gardeningwithbrendan<br /><br /><br />
