Grow Your Own Magazine

Bex · #**1716** (**permalink**) 29-04-2007, 09:41 PM

Today I dug over the bed where I'm going to put the courgettes and peppers, sowed some florence fennel direct, might be too early but nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Replaced the peas that have had very bad germination or the cheeky mouse that was in my compost bin had 'em.

Found that I've got a huge gooseberry bush at the end of the plot with baby berries on already, I didn't realise what it was as I'd never looked too closely because of the thorns. Not sure I like gooseberries but a home will be found if not. Also sowed a short row of lettuce and radish.

I checked the spuds and I think I might have to 'earth up' next week.

Seabreeze · #**1717** (**permalink**) 29-04-2007, 11:43 PM

Another wonderfully peaceful, sunny day in the garden saw me planting out more tomatoes, moving sweet peppers and chillis on to larger pots, and generally toing and froing.

I planted up another mini-raised bed (a compost bin frame, approx 1m square) with a lettuce mix.

The plan is that by the time the lettuces, runner and French beans, leeks etc. are ready for moving on... I will need to re-incorporate the frames back into the compost bins - due to more 'refuse'. The frames form an excellent de-lineation for seed beds on soil that's not in a proper raised bed. They also help keep snails out, and importantly here, provide some five or so inches shelter for seedlings when the wind gets up.

My watering duties ended today as both sets of neighbours are safely back home.

Catherine and I enjoyed our second batch of greenhouse strawberries this evening - which we devoured with raspberry ripple ice cream!

wellie · #**1718** (**permalink**) 30-04-2007, 12:05 AM

I've had an incredibly productive day, but rather than centering round the Potager, sowing or planting, I tidied out the shed outside the kitchen. And guess what? I found a washing machine, and Tumbly, and loads of dirty washing to be done!
Thinking that Trousers is running out of clean sox and boxers now, I thought I better 'reintroduce myself' and did about 5 loads of washing. All dried on the lines above the Garlic, Sprouts and Caulis. Quality.
But I'm pleased with my day because I've 'reclaimed' the shed nearest the Potager for all my Gardening Stuff, and put all the 'twigs' that he was using as an excuse to claim it as a 'Wood Store' back into the proper Wood Shed. AND I've told him!
Clear as Mud then.....!
Thank you for listening,

JennieAtkinson · #**1719** (**permalink**) 30-04-2007, 12:15 AM

Had a very productive day too. Potted on courgettes (3 varieties), tomatoes (4 varieties) (following Nick's advice of slightly bigger pots etc.), Thai Basil, Green Basil and Sweetcorn. Trampled yet again on the newly formed cabbage bed. Managed to get the lawnmower started and sort of gave everything a first cut.

Did a guided tour (including tasting!) of the herb bed for son No. 2 (newly moved back to his roots) and sent him away with a fistful of fresh herbs for his carbonarra. (He's getting keen!).

Then watered, watered, watered .......... its seems to be neverending at the moment.

shirlthegirl43 · #**1720** (**permalink**) 30-04-2007, 08:47 AM

Couldn't resist picking the first rose to open on my Zepherine Drouhaine - not a long enough stem to put in water and it was about to start dropping its petals so I spent the evening with it sat next to me so I could enjoy the scent.

Mrs Dobby · #**1721** (**permalink**) 30-04-2007, 09:15 AM

Yesterday we got to spend 5 hours on the plot, which was spent weeding and watering! Even Miss D got to digging out the deeper perennial weeds (and some tatties that have started to grow where they arent needed!)

Mr D and I spent a lot of time pulling up / digging out bindweed, thistle and mares tail, of which there seems to be plenty!

We've had 1 spear of asparagus show its head in the asparagus bed so far, so it looks like the weeds that took a hold in there last year may have done for the rest of it, but we'll give it a bit longer before we decide whether to dig it over and replant it next year! (Mind you, it was something we inherited with the plot, so its not as if its cost us anything, but would be a shame to loose it!)

We've lots of flowers on the strawbs, some of which have even started to set fruit, so we are now looking forwards to fresh strawbs in the not too distant future!

Tatties in 2 of the beds on plot 2 and in the buckets at home are up, and we've trusses of small toms on some of the toms in the walk in plastic greenhouse at home, plus some of our chillies are flowering, and a couple even have small chillies on them!

Now have just 1 iceberg lettuce left, the others seem to have attracted slugs to the point where they've no leaves left, so we've put some organic slug pellets down!

Met another of the new plotholders too, and told them about the Grapevine, think she may be popping along in the near future!

I'm on hols this week, so lots of planting out, potting on and sowing is going to be a happening! Hopefully I'll have some more piccies to post soon!

Sebbster · #**1722** (**permalink**) 30-04-2007, 12:45 PM

During the week have been down several times and erected the covering over the brassica bed and planted 15 broccoli plants and 15 sprout plants. Covered with wondermesh and watered in over the weekend, most are ok although a couple of broccoli's have fallen down in the wind, firmed them in a little should be ok.

Sunday put in 2 more rows of Cara's and weeded the onion and garlic beds. Earthed up my earlies for the second time.

My beetroot leaves are disappearing as soon as they germinate which is annoying so I've put some slug pellets down. Carrots are a little more worrying as my earlies have not germinated very well at all, I wonder if it's been too dry. Watered them to give them another week but will replace if not germinated by then.

Broad Bean pod's have appeared on most of the plants regardless of the bean weevil so happy about that as one of my fave's. I caught a weevil on one of almost every plant so there are alot of them around. My neighbours peas are getting attacked too.

At home the Strawberry's are flowering nicely so will get some fruit soon and the chili plant (I bought) is growing well. None of my chili's germinated. Will try another kind next time and from another supplier. Tomato's fed. Got about 50 Cauli's which are 6inch or so high, will plant some of these out this week and give some away as I dont want that many as they'll all come at once.

Sowing my Runner Beans tonight.

yoanbob · #**1723** (**permalink**) 30-04-2007, 12:51 PM

yesterday, studied, uprooted some wild garlic and transported home, had a fox attack on the girls, went to emergency vet with elsie duck.
today, cried, picked elsie up, made liquid duck food to try and get her to eat, cried some more and felt sad.

Mrs Dobby · #**1724** (**permalink**) 30-04-2007, 09:55 PM

Sorry to hear of the fox attack Yo! Hope Elsie Duck is ok!

Got to the plot at about 11ish this morning, after loading up the car with the biggest tomato plants, some of the squashes and pumpkins (including Audrey Too from our bedroom) and chillies from the windowsills! It was glorious sunshine, but quite a breeze which has kept it feeling lovely and not too hot! Got loads done today, but thats not surprising as we didnt leave until 730pm gone!

Started off by watering everything, including the soft fruits (strawbs and rasps are both flowering, and we've small gooseberries on the 2 goosegog bushes!), and then putting up some pea netting on the inverted pea support we built the other week, and planting up one side with 14 Mange Tout that we'd germinated a couple of weeks ago and that have been hardening off for about a week now.

Next we planted out the first batch of squashes and pumpkins, (fleece is at the ready if the weather goes colder), then moved the self seeded leeks from the greenhouse border into the alium bed, a total of 24, not bad for freebies!

Next it was time to start planting out some of our brassicas, 4 bedford sprouts, 5 each of 2 varieties of cabbage, 4 broccolli and 4 caulies, which we then covered with netting, draped over canes topped with empty drink bottles and plastic cups, looks very much like something Mr Heath and Mr Robinson would be proud of, but hopefully it should do the job and keep the cabbage whites off!

After that we moved everything out of the greenhouse, relocated the shelving unit we are using as staging into a corner, fixed wires across the roof and hung string from them, then planted out 8 toms in there, using the string to support them. Next we planted into the greenhouse border a selection of chillies, peppers and aubergines, passing on 6 surplus plants to the council rep who has a plot on our site.

Watered everything again after the sun had gotten a lot lower, then we called it a day! Just munching a pizza whilst checking up on the vine, then a quick shower and start doing a bit more sowing!

Tomorrow we've got to go and get Tax for my MINI, then a quick trip to the GC before getting back down to the plot to do some more direct sowing (and hopefully getting a chance to take some piccies of the plot as it now looks with crops a growing!)

Hope everyone else has had as great a day as we have!!

pigletwillie · #**1725** (**permalink**) 30-04-2007, 10:33 PM

Today was spent in the kitchen and greenhouse at home.

First off a large batch of rhubarb and ginger conserve was made and test eaten, very yummy too. After that it was potter in the greenhouse time, the last of the tomatoes went in the bed along with 6ft canes and two hanging baskets of tumbler toms were planted up.

On the plant front a few boneriensis were pricked out as were rudbeckia and some achilea plantlets were potted on. Some more salad leaves were sown for succession as were modules of beetroot and spring onions.

Back to the kitchen and a cauliflower and a few of the last remaining leeks were made into a fab cauliflwer cheese, topped of with a grand cheese sauce and the last of the overwintered spring onions. Tis good, honest!

wellie · #**1726** (**permalink**) 30-04-2007, 10:55 PM

I could never have envisaged a day going as badly as this in my wildest dreams.... Twenty years ago (ish) I decorated my own wedding cakes. And Top Banana, if I say so myself. Today, 20 years on, and anything that was going to go wrong actually did.
I was very 'grown up' about how badly it went, but the ruddy fondant icing stuck so badly to the surface it was being rolled out onto, and just EVERYTHING cracked and split, and I could have burst into tears. But I didn't..... At one point, I got Leana 'off the phone and into the kitchen' to help. Even the two of us failed to rescue the situation, and we ended up in fits of laughter.

I spent the next two hours, doing my absolute utmost, and I still felt like I had completely failed...

Her Wedding Day is one of THE most important days in her life, and I felt so useless, even though I'd tried so hard.

Between the two of us, we've confidently decided that 'It Will Be Fine...!'

Back at the cottage, I've planted out the Winter Squash plants, because I can 'molly-coddle' them till they don't need that no more.... (First embryonic fruits on some of them, and courgettes a-coming!
And I took the placky bottles off the more mature sweetcorn seedlings, and then Trousers phoned Piglet.
When I'd finished watering and stuff, I got to talk to Piggy too, and I felt ' a little better in myself '?!
I'm getting really excited about Malvern Spring Show now in just less than a fortnight. For Trousers and I, it's a lovely yearly outing, and an excuse for a bloody good picnic, and I'm Dead 'Cited about meting Hazel...

JennieAtkinson · #**1727** (**permalink**) 01-05-2007, 01:14 AM

Oh Wellie - fondant icing - you are brave!

I battled with repotting a clematis, first getting its tendrils off the obelisk, then planting it into its new pot, then trying to get the old obelisk back on again. Just didn't have enough hands! Lost great chunks of the clematis. Dived up to the nursery to see if they had another obelisk - no - then back to try canes and a fancy top I'd bought earlier in the year. That just fell apart on the lawn before I had a chance of getting it near the pot. So back to trying the old obelisk - eventually, got it on and the clematis sort of back, but it is probably now so traumatised it will just keel over. I was nearly in tears too.

Oh well ................ didn't really get anything else done!

greenlung · #**1728** (**permalink**) 01-05-2007, 08:08 PM

Went out to water the allotment before work this morning - mainly the peas, spinach and early leeks which I planted out last week. Sat by the pond, frog watching, worried that the cat's been doing the same.

Someone's stolen a planter, the size of a large suitcase with legs, which a neighbour made and I filled with compost, daffodils, tulips and gladioli corms and placed inside the gate of our back alleyway. Can't believe anyone could be so mean, or desperate. What's worse, it must be someone with a key to our alley: Human slugs !

shirlthegirl43 · #**1729** (**permalink**) 01-05-2007, 08:15 PM

Sorry about that Greenlung, people are so inconsiderate sometimes.

Today I have decimated a gorgeous old honeysuckle as we need to clean the patio and put up a new trellis for the honeysuckle to grow on. It got a really serious haircut but I have left one long 'branch' so that I can try to get rooted cuttings to replace the parent plant with when we re-do the patio (anyone able to advise best way to do this and how long it will take for me to know I have viable plants?)

Also gave my rambling rose a severe haircut (darned thing bites back though) and started weeding my heather bed which I am considering removing to make a space for herbs and salads to grow (heathers were planted there to catch the kids when they forgot there is a drop at the house end of the lawn - they are now old enough to suffer the consequences of forgetting)

Still trying to find energy to plant out my peas and sow more seeds.

LostthePlot · #**1730** (**permalink**) 01-05-2007, 08:31 PM

I dug. I watered. I weeded. I dug. I watered. I weeded. I dug........................... now I know we all like a bit of sunshine, but I think it has forgotten to rain!! What with a burgeoning allotment plot getting fuller everyday with delicate seedlings and my garden at home I feel like a slave to the hosepipe/watering can at the mo'!

Mrs Dobby · #**1731** (**permalink**) 01-05-2007, 08:42 PM

Had to run some errands this morning, so didnt get to the plot until after lunch, but we did spend a good 5 hours on the plot today, but dont seem to have accomplished much!

Built the other Brassica mesh supports, so both the brassica beds are now protected with 13mm mesh from the dreaded cabbage whites!

Then we built a cucumber ramp, basically an angled support of mesh for the cuces to grow up, the idea came from a post on here by Geo, quite a few folks came over for a look, and several thought it a good idea!

Next we planted some more 'spring' garlic and onion sets, on offer at the GC today, so thought we'd give them a punt!

Then watered and weeded for a bit!

Did want to do some more sowing of carrots, pickling onions and one or two other bits n bobs, but just ran out of time! (Mind you it wasnt helped by the arroval of two friends for a visit, who stayed for about an hour talking, great to see them, but with weather like this and whilst I'm on holiday we want to get as much done as possible! Ah well, at least there's another 3 days before I have to go back to work!)

Pyewacket · #**1732** (**permalink**) 01-05-2007, 08:50 PM

I am on holiday this week (HURAH!!) so I have spent the last 2 days at the allotment and in the garden.

At the allotment I have dug over the rye grass again, if anyone is thinking of using this as a green manure beware!! it may put nitrogen in the soil but it fights back when you try to dig it over, so far it has taken me nearly a month and it still won't completely die down. Anyway also weeded and hoed till my fingers hurt. There are flowers on the strawberrys and what looks like baby gooseberries and blackcurrants. At last the raspberries have some leaves and dont look like dead twigs stuck in the ground. Thinned the turnips. That pesky mouse had eaten my peas but luckily not touched the broad beans which are growing very quickly now. Also planted out some french beans and gladioli bulbs. In the garden cleaned out the pond and planted a new water lily. The cannas made nice big shoots today, unfortunately the cat thought they made a nice soft bed.
Pyewacket

pigletwillie · #**1733** (**permalink**) 01-05-2007, 11:10 PM

I am shattered after a very productive day on the plots. First off 80 calendula plugs (2" pots) went into our flower beds, the tunnels and greenhouses as companion plants and for cutting. A whole raft of cornflower plugs also went out in an attempt out clear the greenhouses of pots before our hols.

In an attempt to get everywhere watered to the max before we go, the blueberries were well soaked as were the strawberries, the garlic beds and the salads. A brucey bonus was seeing the size of our bloody butcher tomatoes. We will be eating home grown tomatoes before the end of May.

JennieAtkinson · #**1734** (**permalink**) 02-05-2007, 12:52 AM

Prayed for the wonderful weather everybody else seems to be enjoying today.

heebiejeebie · #**1735** (**permalink**) 02-05-2007, 08:09 AM

I've been cropping - the last of the leeks (nearly) and the first of the overwintered broad beans