Sh[t, sh[t and more sh[t (and a sore back)

I made several attempts to get out of work early last week but all futile. So on Friday, ran out the door at 3.30pm on the dot and fled up to the lottie.

Manage to get all of the screws fixed into the last bed (remember, I ran out of juice?), and installed the final netting support posts.

Most exciting of all, two of my comrades told me a load of muck had been delivered, so went to have a look and sure enough a 5' high pile of cow poo was sitting in the midden. That was Saturday sorted then !

Yesterday, crack of dawn plus an hour and I was up there, wellies on, fork in hand, borrowed barrow and shovelling sh[t! Nearly lost a wellie at one stage, but the thought of putting my wellieless foot down for balance gave me the encouragement needed to regain my balance and tug a bit harder at the wellie ! Took as much as I could/was able to/allowed to(? ) and started loading up the beds. Greenhouse John said "is that your pile?" in a "that will never be enough" kinda way. I knew this but my back was breaking. I did go back and get a few more barrows later though and what I've left, he's going to go back on Sunday and grab ! Early birds don't just get worms on our place, they get poo too!

It's about 6 month old cow poo so I've been told, so consensus was get it forked in! Of course, my wee pile soon went down, so will go back today to procure a few more barrow loads for the bean bed that isn't quite ready yet.

There were loads of wee flies though, one went down my throat ! and my forehead is full of wee bites this morning. Just hope I don't get blue tongue disease ! Blue nose - aye, but blue tongue ? Nah - will give that a miss thanks.

Hence the covers over two of the beds to try and limit fly activity. Rather handily, the plastic sun tunnels fit exactly across the beds, so that will mean two rows germinating and once they have, move them on to the next newly sown rows. Successional sowing here we come.

I've also now cleared all the bean trellises and tee pee. There weren't many beans left on the vines, which were looking pretty frost ravaged anyway. Pulled the last of the chard and beetroot as they were in my way ! Have had to start another compost pile to the side of the darlek so covered that in black plastic.

The bed of green manure mustard is doing well and filling out nicely. There are patches where they were slower to germinate that their next door neighbours, but all in all, doing well.

More break ins had been discovered but the only damage to my plot that I could see was a bent and broken swede (which got lifted and brought home for some soup). Dug up a couple of the bigger looking leeks for the pot too.

Also brought home Ahmed's Bosnian which I left to the OH to attack with the largest knife we've got. A quarter of that is also going in the soup. I was quite pleased with AB, being my first ever pumpkin !

Only one fruit off 5 plants though, not a very good return and they take up acres of space. I suppose if I'd paid them more attention (aka known what I was doing) rather than just leave them to their own devices, they might have produced more !

When I decided I couldn't barrow, dig or even stand up straight any longer, I dropped to my knees and cleared the flower beds by the arch and put in mum's primroses.


So the photo is of the primroses, not the path ! :-) I said to a couple of people that if I couldn't get up again, I may just sleep the night in between the beds. lol


Another lovely John gave me a bag of apples, so I had one for lunch. He was wandering around with a bare rooted pot marigold given to him by one of his other wimmin ! He's such a lad.

Lots of birdy activity today. Saw a robin and some chaffinches, sparrows etc but all were quite busy flying about and chiripping lots.

Came home and immediate ran a hot bath, which must have done some good as I have actually been able to get out of bed this morning without too much difficulty.

Next weekend is a right off what with my brother coming up to say his goodbyes before disappearing to Spain to live, so I must get a load more done today just incase the work thing gets in the way again next week.

I hope to get at least one more bed built today, two if possible and more shifting poo.

I love my lottie !

More frost expected tonight grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Right, first of all, Sunday/Monday.

OH came up with me on Sunday to continue with the fence. A quick tour of the locality didn't provide the last two pallets required, so he just put up the last one we had. We're on the home stretch though and it's all standing pretty solid.

I meanwhile, created a bit of a flower bed over by the water butts. Raked out a load of surplus to requirement annuals and (mainly) weeds, chucked on some home grown compost and planted some tulip bulbs that OH's grandpa donated to the cause, and some of the pansies gifted by my Mum.

Then it was a rush back home to watch the football.

Yesterday, I had a bank holiday, so off up to my favourite place at 9am. Started on constructing another raised bed, only to run out of juice with one screw to go. Fuzzem fuzzem. Still, managed to clear the bed where it was intended to protect, dismantled the trellis by pulling it out of the ground in one. If it fits the 8'x2' bed, I'll not bother dismantling it, just leave it laying in the nature reserve over the winter.

I thought that I'd got the beds pretty parallel to the back kerb wall. How wrong was I ? They're on a good slant (which only just leaves me enough room to clamber over the back of the furthest bed), never mind, they're not all getting dug back out now !

Being a bank holiday, it obviously rained ! The early good start was soon replaced with showers (some heavy) and a persistant drizzle. Got another wee fire going in the grate, although newspaper soons burns out and has to be replaced ! Good job I've got a years supply of Evening Times handy ! In the end, it was obvious the weather wasn't going to let up, so I finished off the wood painting in the shed. So that's everything had one coat now.

Another committee member stopped past for a chat and it was Jean that warned me about the frost that we're due midweek. After some more consultation with Fuchsia Bob at work, I decided not to bother with fleecing the Gigantes and picked as many as I could instead. So I've now got a spare room full of beans ! I've found a tasty looking recipe so will give that a go at the weekend.

Also stripped the Blue Lake and runner bean bare. There's still some wee stragglers but if the frost gets them, I'm not too worried. I'll definitely find a patch for some more Gigantes next year though. Some of the pods look huge and if they dry OK, then they'll definitely be a winter staple from now on. Thanks Supersprout !

I've wrapped Ahmed in newspaper until I can get back up there again. I just didn't have enough hands to carry everything I wanted to bring home tonight.

Still, there's always tomorrow. :-D

We've had the first frost !

First thing that hit me yesterday was my poor pumpkin ! I thought someone had gone berserk with the weedkiller.

Then I was told that it was frost damage ! I knew it had been cold during the week, but I didn't realise how cold ! So poor pumpkin was given a bit of a haircut and hopefully will manage to ripen a bit more.

The tops of the Gigantes got it too but mostly they are looking fine ! I popped a trial pod and the beans are huge. I've got to read up on them and see what I have to do now.

I managed to turn the skinny bed round so it looks like it's in about it's final position. Trouble is I won't be able to get in there and sink it properly til the cabbage and swede have been lifted. Gave them both a haircut(to improve air circulation or just to make it look neater - I don't know :-D). And look at one of my lovely swedes ! About the size of my fist I guess.


The skinny bed is for runners next year and I'm thinking I can actually get two rows in there. Being extra deep, and going to fill it with loads of WRM when I ever get round to getting some, there should be sufficient nutrients to house about 14 plants. I'll have to move it forward a bit to get round by the fence to pick, but I think I can do it.
I screwed the fixings in for the cane/hoops supports. Quite a good trick I read somewhere and was praised by one of the gurus. He liked my weed suppressant paths too. Said they were neat !

Got to get some more pvc tubing but here's one bed ready to be filled with soil. I chucked a couple of bags of leaf mould over the base to pad it out a bit and will start filling it with spent grow bag and pot compost.

It was a lovely day, and really warm. Did some more panel painting and had a good hoe about. I want to get the front flower beds done over the weekend. I've got loads of spring bulbs to plant, and get some of the pansies and primroses in.

I got some more posts cut for bed legs and had to start another new compost heap as the fat darlek is full again - as are the water butts. I got rid of the remainder of the broad beans and pulled the rest of the Brittle Wax beans. Will definitely have to consider whether or not to grow them again next year.

Picked another carrier bag of Blue Lake and runners and I could get another cut or three off the chard. The bed of Mustard for green manure is filling out nicely now. All the seeds that I though weren't going to germinate have now. Oh and I had a go at burning some weeds in the grate in the shed. Even the newspaper I tried to light the fire with was damp so not much got burned ! Have left a load of stuff in the grate to dry out and will have another go today!

Looks pretty miserable out there at the moment, so I'm hoping the rain stops soon !

The rain dance worked

So it was rain stopped play up at the lottie. Wouldn't have got much done even painting inside the shed as it leaks worse than a leaky roof on a raining day.

See Plot blog for Sunday's action.

Another full shift

spent painting and building the raised beds. Only three to go now. My sawing needs a little bit more elbow grease. I'm sure it shouldn't take 10 mins to get through a 2"x2" post !

For the past month or so we've had precious little of the wet stuff. That's all changed now probably because it's the weekend and the big man knows I've got things to do ! Still can't complain, everything needed it.

Filled the compost bin............... again ! Tidied up my corner of the shed and the OH took all our remaining rubbish bags up the tip, so we are progressing.

I can see bumps in the Gigantes beans so I just hope the howling overnight wind and rain has left them intact. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the metal fence as well. Clever neighbour has dug and weeded right up to the foundations of the posts leaving them really loose. Should have concreted them in. Just hope the wind blows the fence his way rather than mine !

Picked another bag full of chard, Blue Lake climbing beans and broad beans although this may well be the last picking of the BBs as rust seems to have got hold pretty badly. The Brittle Wax dwarf french beans are doing nada ! Some were eaten (by others) to the point of destruction, so I pulled a few and composted them.

Sweet peas are still flowering and runner beans have a few measly specimens left. Leeks are at the first stages of rust. Keep trying to cut off the infected leaves. Don't know how they'll end up ! Cabbages look to be eaten a bit, and lower swede leaves are like tea bags. Should really take the netting off and have a closer examination. Swedes are definitely swelling and look more like swedes than last years rotten attempts.

It will be a day in the shed today building again after a quick visit to B&Q. See if I can pick up any compost/manure bargains.

Machine gun turrets and barbed wire will be up next

Managed to drag the OH out of his bit early early today, so we were up at the lottie by about 10am. Of course I'd already fallen out of bed at about 5am so I'd already done the B&Q run to get more fence paint, popped past the office to pick up my mobile that I'd left on my desk (not noticed it was missing until I got up), gone and got petrol and liquid refreshments for the day and swept the rubbish bin commonly known as the street. That's twice in two weeks, I've swept up a black bag's worth of rubbish. I must definitely get the letter written to the council and the school. Trouble is, no-one else sees it, or cares. It would only take 5 mins for each householder (or their partners) to clear their bit of frontage, but no-one else seems prepared to get off their backsides.

Rant over and onto the good stuff.

The OH's grandpa is moving from a house to a smaller flat now that he's on his own. It's a sensible solution really, he'll have a concierge and secure front door, he won't have to bother with the garden (bad mobility) and it's near his club which is where he spends most of his time. So Friday night we went over and raided the shed. Got quite a few hanging baskets and brackets (will be used on the lottie), copious different bottles of feed, weedkiller, slug pellets, cat deterrent pellets, tools (broke the spade yesterday though), some half used bags of compost and top soil (I know exactly where they are going), and got first refusal on the hose and power washer when Gavin has finished cleaning the patio before he moves. It was like Christmas ! Will try and keep him in crops in exchange.

Back to the lottie ..... dug a few more holes for posts and got another three panels erected and painted. It wasn't exactly trouble free, but not much swearing went on and only broke one drill bit. Let's put it this way, I will never be the strongest girl in the world, and the OH will never be a project manager.

The panels/posts aren't entirely level (but neither was the ground so it appears), but at least the posts are straight and reasonably solid. We're one pallet short to complete the side run, but have plenty of posts. Each post will have a hanging basket attached (see Grandpa's shed), Need to get some cross members in to support the canes for next year and once the beans have grown to the top, you won't see that the posts are uneven !

Consigned the last courgette to the compost bin (which had sunk sufficently to refill with the stuff I'd left under some black plastic). Took the hoses up and filled the butts, hopefully that will be the last time I have to do that this year.

Managed not to wreck the tap this time. Gave Ahmed's Bosnian a haircut, tidied up and came home in time for the football. Still loads to do (another four raised beds for starters), but it's definite taking shape and looks something like my mind wants it to be.

Another fuscha exhibition to attend today, so will do a bit of plot watering before we go.

Hope yours is good.

xx

The fence progresses

Had a painting night last night which means we'll be able to erect another three fence panels at the weekend. Everything takes so long though ! I need another few pairs of hands, but swanky fence is looking good.

Actually remembered to take pics of the three beds in a row. You can see the mustard germinating in the bed on the right. Don't know how as there's still been no rain despite dark dark clouds hanging in the sky. Must be a first for Glasgow ! The soil is bone dry and I've run out of water in the butts so will take the hoses up tomorrow morning and get them refilled again. Never thought we'd see a drought here, that's for sure.



Ahmed's Bosnian doesn't seem to mind though, and just keeps growing. Imagine what he'd be like if he did get a regular drink ! He must be a racy kinda pumpkin judging by his chosen reading matter.

I could pick the broad beans now, but am leaving them for a bit longer yet. The rust doesn't seem to have spread and they look jolly good considering they went in so late. I really didn't realise they could feed me all through the summer. The chard could do with a bit of a pick as well. As it doesn't keep in the fridge that well, that has to be a planned picking. The sown in situ beetroot are still tiny, but I suspect the lack of rain has something to do with that.

The donated cabbage and suedes appear to be bug free under their netting. They could also benefit from a good drink as well as everything else. At least the suedes aren't rotting like last year.

Just bought a big roll of debris netting off ebay for a song, so will have to get the sewing machine out to get some channels for the hoops on. I've more than enough netting to protect my lottie and everyone else within half a mile I think ! At least I'll be all set for next season ! All you'll see is beds of green (netting) ! lol

One of the strawberries is producing runners, so am planning on lifting those and bringing them back to the plot to over winter back here.

Another grey day today, I'm just about to go out and do a bit of rain dance !

Gosh it's getting dark !

I've been plotteying for the past couple of nights, but wanted to get up to the lottie and crack on with things, so went up after work tonight but only for 1 1/2 hours. It just seemed to gloomy and dark after that.

Still I managed to get the panel secured to the posts and give it a coat of paint. Lesson learned = paint before you start putting together ! Much easier. So the next couple of visits will be spent painting !

On the growing front - there's been precious little rain for weeks now and the plot is really dry and dusty.

I gave everything a good soak at the weekend but the yellow wax beans are really doing nothing at all. Maybe one or two pods but that's it.

The Gigantes beans are cropping well. Just hope there's time for them to fatten up and dry.

The last courgette had been slugged and was going mouldy. That's the end of the lottie courgettes, just got the ones on the plot left now. The broad beans are still cropping and growing which is very pleasing. I'll definitely be getting a few successional sowings done for next year. Will sow some Aquadulce Claudia next month, and followed by The Sutton and see how long we can get the season to last.

Ahmed's Bosnian Pumpkin is just going bloody mad. It's definitely grown since last time I was up. Didn't take a pic but put it on a newspaper to keep it off the soil. Found a wee baby slug so hope they've not discovered it !

OK here's the fence, or at least one panel of it. There's another 6 panels/panels to erect. Once the top trough is filled with flowers, I reckon it will look damn nice.
Imagine some bright yellow and orange nasturtiums climbing all over the fence next year.

Fandabi.

A better day yesterday

Managed to get the exploding drill refunded with no argument (well there shouldn't have been one, but you're always surprised when something is how it should be), so went off up to B&Q and got a basic standard cordless variety for less than £8 in the sale. Ok, it didn't come with any bits or a case, but I can raid the M-I-L's for bits and I've got a spare tool box that's going to be half-hinched for the lottie ! Result !

Weather was a bit overcast and drizzly, but I wanted to get up there and bring home my other bag of tools and a couple of other bits and pieces that I'd left in the shed. I'll not be able to get up there on Sunday due to the fuschia show that my good mate Bob is exhibiting at, so needed to get up just for a visit if nothing else.

However, with the aid of the OH, I actually got two fence posts and got one pallet in their final position. I really really like my window box idea even more now that I've remembered I've got dozens of primroses, wallflowers and pansies to find a home for. I collected the box of primroses from the post office early morning and they are resting quietly in the kitchen. Forgot to take pics again doh ! Once everything has had a coat of forest green pain, it will look fabby.

The lovely Betty had been happy snapping in the week and sent me these pics yesterday which was grand as thinking about it, I don't actually have any pics of me on site. I might have been making it all up for all you know ! lol

It looks really windy and rainy out there this morning. Exactly what I don't need for my drive east, but will hopefully have given all the babies a bit of a drink. Let's hope the fence is still standing when I get back up to the lottie.

After 2 good days, you must expect a bad one

Another early start was held back due to well meaning and friendly neighbourhood chats ! One mustn't grumble, but I almost felt like thrusting a drill in their hand and asking them to carry on drilling whilst chatting !

Still, eventually got bed no. 4 completed and in position. Digging the channel round the edge took up as much time as putting the thing together. My wrists are so sore that I was having trouble tightening the chuck though, so ended up swearing rather a lot and two broken bits!

Relaid the weed suppressant paths in between the new beds and down the centre as things were starting to look messy. I've only got 13" paths but won't be needing to get up there with barrows and stuff so I'm hoping that will be wide enough.

Had to give everything a water which took ages. We've not had any rain for ages now and that's the two butts empty which means the hoses will have to go up soon. The ground is really dry a very long way down and some of the flowers were starting to wilt.

Forgot to take a pick of the new bed. It was some effort laying it over the broad beans without chopping their heads off, I can tell you lol.

Had to water everything on the plot when I got home as well, so when I finally sat/fell down it was about 7pm. Stuck the drill on charge again and then lit a fag. Smelt this funny smell like burning plastic. Shot up off the sofa looking to see what I'd burnt, couldn't find anything, sat down again, more smelling, looked up to see smoke pouring from the spare bedroom. Jesus H ! Ran in to find the battery charger for the drill had melted ! So it will be back to the hardware shop today to get a refund. Don't fancy an exchange for a similar brand, so my £17.99 bargain is going to turn into a more expensive outlay. I just knew it lmao. Now that I've found how easy it is to drill with leccy, I don't fancy a manual drill though, so just going to do the banking in a mo and find out if I've got any spare cash for a tried and trusted make. B&Q here I come. No doubt I'll get a bag of compost (or 3) as well.

:-)