But were fast becoming slug brunch. Working along the line they were. Might have to get some standby modules sown. Now I remember why I don't sow direct ! Thinned the survivors and surrounded them by a ring of animal friendly pellets and put the fleece back over.
Got the bean trellis up. Cheated and used the one from last year that I'd taken down intact. Slung some cardboard up the centre as a mulch to keep the weeds down.
All the Sutton broadies now germinated.
Beetroot has avoided being munched so far.
Planted out sweetcorn and peas and surrounded them with fleece wall to keep off the chill. Covered the whole bed with the remains of the multipurpose compost with JI as a mulch.
Tatties only just coming through. The ones on the plot are still bigger by far.
Uncovered another of the beds intended for the courgettes. Gave it a bit of a fork and turnover. One bed left to work on. The comfrey plant at the back of the plot is growing nicely, may steal a few leaves to sling in the bottom of the courgette holes along with a handful of manure.
Got a hose rigged onto the tap and filled the butts.
Had a bit of a weed round everything.
Garlic doing ok but a bit yellow at the edges.
Sunflowers starting to germinate under their cloches. Chard not put in an appearance yet.
Painted plot number on watering can and wheel barrow in an effort to remind the people that want to borrow them where to bring them back to. Lost two sun tunnels now and a watering can. You don't mind if people want to borrow, but at least have the decency to return them after they've finished. Got to buy myself a new watering can for the plot now !
Weather was overcast and large amounts of drizzle and blooming cold. Sun is out this morning but there's a 10k race on which will prevent me getting into the site until after lunch. That will give me chance to do some watering on the plot ............ and to go and get a new watering can ! The beauty of the drizzle was that nothing needed watering. Don't suppose the rain got very far down though.
Had a trim round the front edge flower beds and have promptly knackered my wrist again. Need to build some arm strength up. Got the salt out for the slugs which was fun ! Poor pansies are more or less stumps !
No idea what I'm going to plant to go over the arch this year as I didn't sow any sweetpeas until very late, and those that were donated by a lady at work have gone on the plot.
Have got nasturtiums (hey - arch idea ?), poached egg plant, turnips, marigolds still to plant out that are sitting back at home, along with the courgettes and beans. Had to resow some purple teepee dwarf beans as the majority had refused to germinate. May sow some extra runners direct as well (busily searching out packets now) .............
Hi ho, Hi Ho, it's off to B&Q I go.
xx
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Saturday, May 10, 2008
James Whale
Don't know if you've ever listened to the man but if he does anything he speaks his mind. He's just been sacked from Talksport for doing just that.
You may or may not agree with what he says but you should fight for his right to say it.
There's far too much censorship in this country these days.
Freedom of speech ? Don't make me laugh.
Want to find out what's going on ? Visit his website at http://www.jameswhaleradio.com/
and do just that.
Get on your soap box before it's too late.
You may or may not agree with what he says but you should fight for his right to say it.
There's far too much censorship in this country these days.
Freedom of speech ? Don't make me laugh.
Want to find out what's going on ? Visit his website at http://www.jameswhaleradio.com/
and do just that.
Get on your soap box before it's too late.
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Sowing direct scares me
but today I took the plunge.
As the M-I-L turned her nose up to turnips and wanted swedes instead, I've sown a row of Best of All swedes and chanced a half row of Beetroot Albina Vereduna and Wodan.
As the soil is still pretty heavy, I'd raked the bed, formed a couple of channels with a hoe, filled them with compost and sowed the seeds in there. Covered it with a fleece hoop network for some reason. Primarily to keep the scorching sun off as the babies pop through, but also to protect from the night chill. No-one else on the plot has done it, so I'm thinking "overkill", but like I say in the title, sowing direct scares me and I don't want to find a couple of rows of compost in a few days time and no bloomin seedlings !.
Perhaps already mentioned, where this bed is sitting, was where the cow poo was initially dumped last autumn before spreading it over the other beds. We'll see what incredible hulk mutant roots appear.
Water is running out. Down to half in both butts now, but had to give the broadies another soak - more of The Sutton germinated now.
Had another rake of the 5x5 and stuck all the big lumps which wouldn't break down, around the sunflowers leaving the rest of the bed looking pretty even but very dusty.
Possible showers tonight ........ I'm wanting a good heavy load !
Never satisfied ? Moi ?
Au revoir les jardinieres (made up word, probably wrong but you get the idea).
xxx
As the M-I-L turned her nose up to turnips and wanted swedes instead, I've sown a row of Best of All swedes and chanced a half row of Beetroot Albina Vereduna and Wodan.
As the soil is still pretty heavy, I'd raked the bed, formed a couple of channels with a hoe, filled them with compost and sowed the seeds in there. Covered it with a fleece hoop network for some reason. Primarily to keep the scorching sun off as the babies pop through, but also to protect from the night chill. No-one else on the plot has done it, so I'm thinking "overkill", but like I say in the title, sowing direct scares me and I don't want to find a couple of rows of compost in a few days time and no bloomin seedlings !.
Perhaps already mentioned, where this bed is sitting, was where the cow poo was initially dumped last autumn before spreading it over the other beds. We'll see what incredible hulk mutant roots appear.
Water is running out. Down to half in both butts now, but had to give the broadies another soak - more of The Sutton germinated now.
Had another rake of the 5x5 and stuck all the big lumps which wouldn't break down, around the sunflowers leaving the rest of the bed looking pretty even but very dusty.
Possible showers tonight ........ I'm wanting a good heavy load !
Never satisfied ? Moi ?
Au revoir les jardinieres (made up word, probably wrong but you get the idea).
xxx
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Bank Holiday Monday
Having spent a couple of days in the garden, thought I'd better get up the lottie to see what was what.
We'd had some pretty terrific rain since I last visited so expected to see my broad beans floating halfway down the street, followed closely by the garlic !
Not so!
Ground is incredibly dry and the water butt I'd used last time still hasn't refilled !
Broadies are doing ok but the one's planted direct don't seem to have taken any interest in the goings on. They're underneath pop bottle cloches but I could only see one germinating. Still there will be enough to go round when everything else starts producing. We have blooms on some but everything does look as if it could do with a bit of a feed which I'll take next time I'm up.
Cleared out my bit of the shed and had a tidy up and sort, collected a carrier bag full of nettles to take home to make nettle tea (not for me - for the plants), think the locals thought I was just a bit mad.
Had a hoe, weed and rake of a couple of beds and planted 16 or so sunflowers just to fill a bit of the backof the 5'x'5' bed. May stick the corn in front of them.
M-I-L has expressed a disire for Swede. As they weren't on the list this year, I had to buy a packet of seeds and I know exactly where I'm going to put them. Only thing is that was where I dumped the cow poo before digging it in elsewhere. Will probably get mutant double headed roots. Will be interesting anyways. The few I had last year were donated and the year before rotted, so this will be my first time of going solo on the plot.
Shallots succeeding in evading the birds and are looking very green and healthy under their cages.
JA's haven't put in an appearance yet, but then I suppose someone took you out of bed and tell you that you're going in another one, miles away, that would put you back a bit too.
Garlic needs a feed too. Going a bit yellow at the ends.
Tatties are not showing atm.
Tulips are windbashed and over, but they still add a splash of colour to an otherwise bare looking plot.
Right, must dash .......... work calls. booooooooooooooooooooooooo!
We'd had some pretty terrific rain since I last visited so expected to see my broad beans floating halfway down the street, followed closely by the garlic !
Not so!
Ground is incredibly dry and the water butt I'd used last time still hasn't refilled !
Broadies are doing ok but the one's planted direct don't seem to have taken any interest in the goings on. They're underneath pop bottle cloches but I could only see one germinating. Still there will be enough to go round when everything else starts producing. We have blooms on some but everything does look as if it could do with a bit of a feed which I'll take next time I'm up.
Cleared out my bit of the shed and had a tidy up and sort, collected a carrier bag full of nettles to take home to make nettle tea (not for me - for the plants), think the locals thought I was just a bit mad.
Had a hoe, weed and rake of a couple of beds and planted 16 or so sunflowers just to fill a bit of the backof the 5'x'5' bed. May stick the corn in front of them.
M-I-L has expressed a disire for Swede. As they weren't on the list this year, I had to buy a packet of seeds and I know exactly where I'm going to put them. Only thing is that was where I dumped the cow poo before digging it in elsewhere. Will probably get mutant double headed roots. Will be interesting anyways. The few I had last year were donated and the year before rotted, so this will be my first time of going solo on the plot.
Shallots succeeding in evading the birds and are looking very green and healthy under their cages.
JA's haven't put in an appearance yet, but then I suppose someone took you out of bed and tell you that you're going in another one, miles away, that would put you back a bit too.
Garlic needs a feed too. Going a bit yellow at the ends.
Tatties are not showing atm.
Tulips are windbashed and over, but they still add a splash of colour to an otherwise bare looking plot.
Right, must dash .......... work calls. booooooooooooooooooooooooo!
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