Grow Your Own Magazine

I was out early to beat the heat and I added fresh compost on all of my garden beds, planted corn on the fence and a row of beans along the fence....Got out all my seed containers so that I can organize my seeds.

Finally had a dry and warm day yesterday so off to chums - they open this weekend and I wanted to get veg garden finished.

Everything really romping away, put in some more seeds as catch crops, did a bit of weeding, finished the inventory of the fruit trees - found another 5 apple trees they had forgotten they had - and started to pick their cherries.

Just about worked right through yesterday so in the evening I took myself out to a local rather posh eatery for a nice dinner.

If the weather holds today - after I've been off buying more water butts - may lay more castine this afternoon and probably start strimming the grass.

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TonyF, Dordogne 24220

Had a very pleasant few hours at the Hill - sunshine and showers - and I:

• weeded, weeded, weeded
• sowed black turtle beans (thank you Wellie!), french beans, carrots, lettuce, radish, parsnip, sp onion
• picked rhubarb, carrots (first ones, hurrah!), potatoes, lettuce (another first!), spinach and radish
• put coloured balls on all the canes which caused much comment and smiles all round (thank you again, Wellie!)
• cooked the rhubarb in a sponge, ate the salad with potatoes
• updated the blog

Happy days!

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Hazel
www.hazelandjanesallotment.blogspot.com
update Thu 28/08/2008......Disaster Strikes!......

Picked my first ripe strawberry off the allotment!! Cos there was only one I had to share it with my granddaughter. Went by the old rule - one cuts, the other one picks, so we had exactly half each.

Isn't it lovely, eating your own home grown produce, tastes so much better than supermarket stuff. Granddaughter dipped her half of the strawberry in the sugar bowl (with Mum's permission) but it really didn't need it - it tasted superb. Just need to beat the birds to the rest of them.

Big coincedence that..so did I! Sat in the greenhouse and nibbled round the edge of it first, just to make it last!

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My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)

Let the dogs and chooks out.
Levelled off the molehills in the lawn.
Made an attempt to rescue the gooseberry bushes from the jungle of grass and weeds growing around them.
Planted out some Snapdragons and put out some sunflower seeds (called Teddy Bear) that only grow to 15".
Filled in the holes in the lawn where dogs had dug up flattened molehills.
Thought about planting out runner bean plants, but decided not yet.
Finally fixed fence to keep doggies off veg plot.

earthed up potatoes and jerusalem artichokes. pulled stray potatoes out of arti patch - leftovers, slugs had got em, but havent touched the ones I put in this year, wonder why?
removed at least half of compost from dalek for new raised bed.
took plastic off 2nd raised bed area and dug for grubs for chooks - none, and very little ant activity, v. different from other new bed, just 2 feet away.
went to school PTA quiz - WE WON!

Yesterday I potted on most of my courgettes to their morrison buckets (the taller ones). Went to poundland and got some more fleece and some plastic wire for tying up plants (using it for peas to hang onto).

Today I hope to sort out the grass, earth up my main crop potatoes and thin out my arcoat turnips and plant the thinnings into the large brassica bed. If weather holds I might get my cauli seedlings into the small brassica bed if not I am off for four days next week and weather permitting will catch up with all the jobs I need to do.

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Kim



http://kimbos-veggies.blogspot.com

Yesterday we counted out the bean supports for them to go out next week. Dug over one of the raised beds which has had seaweed on it since the winter. Looks really good soil now and loads of worms so hopefully the beans will be happy in there.

Oh and sat in the sun and drank tea from the thermos while we discussed what else needed to be done!! Also we noticed the pigeons in their sniper positions around the plot waiting to decimate anything which is planted out which reminded me that the only answer is to net net and net again!

Updated the daily blog, picked the first radishes of the season! Yay!...and ate them with some rocket, spinach, and a little lettuce from the garden. The broad beans are coming on nicely, as are most things...apart from the cucumber that died, and the sweetcorn that doesn't seem to want to grow!

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Vegmonkey and the Mrs. - vegetable gardening in a small space in Cheltenham at www.vegmonkey.co.uk

It's a cool and overcast morning here...will probably burn off shortly but I got out and did some hand weeding, and I picked the spinach and a bunch of radishes...I am so late this year that is all I have so far in my garden that is ready to be eaten......

After hail stopped play yesterday and scuppered our plans to get the beds planted , we woke to a fine morning and decided to seize the moment. And boy am I glad I did!

Today I mostly sowed:- parsnips, purple and orange carrots, corriander, mixed oriental leaves, rocket, calabrese, brocolli (Romanesco), peas, cabbage, bright lights swiss chard, beetroot, spring onions, leeks, salad bowl and lollo rossa.

I also planted:- onions and yellow zucchini.

I've watered/fed everything and am hoping to get the net on the beds before the day is over as we have some hungry blackbirds and a pesky cat (ours) who's discovered a handy shortcut through the beds.

Now I just need to plant my cosmos, sow the nasturtiums and buy some marigolds for all the companion plant benefits.

I feel very proud of myself and will take a photo to post, along with a 'before' picture so you can see what we've done with our small front garden.

Looking forward to hearing what other people have done.

SD

Yesterday Little'Un & I went up to the lottie and weeded, mulched, sowed a few carrots & beans, and set up 3 bean & sweet pea wigwams.

Just as we were finishing, my next-door neighbour (who's on the commitee) mentioned that someone's had to give up their plot on doctor's orders, and they want someone to take it who'll look after it (plot is clear of weeds apart from docks around the edges, and newly sprouted annuals from the last few weeks.)

I had a think about it overnight, and decided to go for it - as this is my first lottie growing season, I don't know how I'm going to get on, but if I decide I need more space next year, I'd be kicking myself if I let a well maintained plot go now. So I paid the rent on it this morning, and am now the proud owner of 2 plots!!! This one has a really good shed, paving and a knackered old wood framed greenhouse full of junk - I think I'll keep the door locked until I can face dealing with it!

I'm planning to use it as an overflow for some stuff I haven't had room for on no. 1, and also to try to grow some cutting flowers for the house.

Vik

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Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes

http://viks-garden.blogspot.com/

Good for you geordieVik! Welcome to the two plot holders guild! Not as exclusive as the mile high club but still quite popular!
I found I couldn't grow everything I wanted to grow on a single plot, but should hopefully be quite self sufficient on veg,fruit and flowers with my double plot.

I have a shed cum grrenhouse in which I have planted the greenhouse up but have yet to tackle the shed part!

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My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)

Had a busy day today;

• earthed up me spuds!
• purchased two growbags & planted cucumber & tomato plants (keeping nice & warm in my greenhouse hopefully).
• planted up hanging basket of tumbling tomatoes; will be keeping this in my greenhouse until nights warm up a bit.
• fertled for weeds, slugs, snails in amongst the radishes
• kept on top of weeds in between my veggie rows
• constructed wigwam & planted french beans
• picked lots of mixed lettuce leaves & rocket for a light lunch (had to wrestle a few radishes away from the slugs but I think I'm winning!)
• for

fun: planted some coneflowers raised from seed.

Today (& yesterday) I tidied the little greenhouse up a tad Planted the last of the Toms ( Cream Sausage), a row of Webbs lettuce and got it ready for a new path way ( My neighbour is having some ready mix so I'm having a cubic metre at the same time!!) with this in mind I thought it was time to reclaim the bottom of the garden as Chez Grief as it wasn't done last year due to the greenhouse erections so it's bee two years and I've got a lovely crop of Blackberries growing!!

So I've marked out where the Paths will go, given No1 son distructions of where to to dig the paths and now sit back and wait for it all to happen.

This was all carried out under the expert supervision of The Natch

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ntg

Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic

http://grief-encounters.blogspot.com/

Had to work this weekend, but we went down to the plot as soon as I got home tonight at 6pm!

Had a good look around, lots of newly germinated weeds everywhere after the rain of the last few days, but also plenty of things growing away well too!

Sweetcorn is now ranging from 3" to 6" tall, pumpkins and squashes are doing ok, onions swelling nicely, most of the peas and beans are now up, along with the pickling onions I sowed a week ago! Naga Jolokia chillies are now ranging from 1" to 6" long, Big Jim chillies are now at 5cm long, lots of green strawbs on the strawbs, lots of goosegogs and rasps growing, masses of immature blackcurrants, some more pregerminated parsnips are showing, as are some of the beetroot and carrots, Fartichokes are now at 2 to 3' high, and tatties are romping away too! Broad beans are flowering like mad, but still only about 16" tall yet! The first sowings of carrot (inbetween the onions) are sufferring a bit, something is eating the foliage, looks like random bits have been snapped off, any ideas anyone?

After checking everything I watered the greenhouse crops, then pulled up the 2' tall weeds on the paths of plot2, then started weeding the strawberry bed on plot1! There's a lot of dandelion seedlings, some rasps coming through, a bit of couch, masses of goosegrass, a fair bit of mares tail and a bit of bindweed, almost a full house! lol!

Mr D was itching to do something, so I let him do a little bit of hoeing on some of the beds, which he was able to do without too much exertion!

I'm working tomorrow, then off on Tuesday, so planning on spending most of the day on the plot, lots of weeding and hoeing to do, plus a bit more planting to do, so I think I'm going to be a bit busy!

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Blessings
Suzanne (aka Mrs Dobby)

'Garden naked - get some colour in your cheeks'!

The Dobby's Pumpkin Patch - a blogspot work in progress!
Last updated 10th August 2008 - updates!

No gardening today, apart from watering the greenhouse morning and evening. Went crabbing with the grandchildren instead, first time for years. Dead easy, you buy cheap offcuts of bacon, tie them to a weighted line, throw it in the water, wait a few minutes and then pull out complete with crabs eating said bacon. Crabs are then tipped into a bucket of river water and baited line thrown back. Caught 44 crabs today, all safely returned to river and the only casualty was grandson's baseball cap which he dropped in the water - retrieved via the net but too wet to wear. I think I've caught the sun too, not quite sunburn but not far off.

Sowed 600 Climbing Bean Blue Lake, 3 x 54 cell trays of Pak Choi, 7 x 54 cell trays of lettuce (1 each of Clarion, Amorina, Charita, Red Salad Bowl, Green Salad Bowl, Saladin and Little Gem) pricked out 400 celery plantlets and finished the day off by hand weeding three of my onion drills - had to finish early - first wedding anniversary today !!!!!
Get my van tomorrow so will be able to work longer hours than normal without having to rely on OH not wanting car

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Rat

British by birth
Scottish by the Grace of God

[size="1"]Journal updated Tuesday 5th August

I posted a message earlier on what we did today, and promised a couple of pictures, so fingers crossed this works.

The first was taken on the 14th of April after a hard weekend graft digging up 2 big bushes, lots of weeds, removing all the stones you can see against the fence and digging then leveling the ground.

The second was taken at the end of today after all the sowing and planting. The square beds have been split into 4s for the brasicas, lettuce beets etc with peas and beans to grow up the arch, and the long bed has herbs at the front, salad leaves in the middle then carrots and parsnips along the back.

I have to admit I'm feeling very proud of myself. I don't know about you, but I think the garden looks bigger now.

Hope everyone's week goes well.

SD

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Well done SD, looks good.

I've had an - almost - gardending free weekend. Too wet again (rained Saturday evening/night) so no need to water, just wandering and pondering really.

Went off to brico shed on Saturday to buy seeds for new 'client's' garden, looked for new water butts but sold out - put on list for Tuesday shopping. But managed to have a good seed fix, now have 4 biscuit tins of seeds, all labelled for me/clients. Strange how proprietorial people get about 'their' seeds, especially when they don't know anything about the gardening philosophy of sharing stuff.

Off to chums today to finish the veg garden, just the snagging list really, hope to post some pics this evening.

And the weather is set fair this week, hopefully get the grass strimmed a chez moi.

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TonyF, Dordogne 24220