Grow Your Own Magazine

Congrats Dobbies!!!

Well, I have slowly been emptying the 'heather bed' as it was and it is now nearly done. Might actually get the fresh compost in there tomorrow and get the lettuce plants (bought at the Sunday market as mine got munched by slugs) in there. Also been battling the old bramble patch to extend my veggie patch at the rear of the garden. Got another 5 foot or so dug. Determined not to rake, level and plant in any of it until I get the lot dug this year. Made the mistake of raking and planting up some last year and gave up on the digging and clearing.

All the seedlings are hardened off and ready to go in the ground as soon as it is ready for them. As I got a huge box of goodies from some very kind grapes I now have to have a re-think on what will get planted out where.

Yesterday we got my 3 old ponies moved to a lovely field right where my dad has his office (where I help him with emails and filing) so now I will have less driving about to do to check them. This should, hopefully, leave me a little more time for the garden.

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Happy Gardening,
Shirley

http://www.honeyjukes.co.uk

Today I filled about 200 x3" pots with compost to transplant the brassicas into and had a BBQ and a couple of beers. What more can you ask for

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If it ain't broke, don't fix it and if you ain't going to eat it, don't kill it

Today I plnted some annuals in one of my lottie beds. I already had the fine tilth - my version of it anyway, and marked out wobbly bits with sand in a bottle. I chucked in Godetia, Cosmos (2 kinds) big Marigolds, little french Marigolds, Nigella and Cornflowers. In the middle of the bed I built a wigwam for Sweet Peas which are coming on at home and nearly ready to plant out at the weekend.

Then I pulled up all the Purple Sprouting Broccoli that the pigeons had left me (OK for a stir fry), raked over and went off to my cousin's lottie to pick up some bags of cow poo to trench in for French Beans. (Should Beans follow Brassicas? Never mind, they are going to). Then I went home exhausted.

A Tired Myrtus

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~ What do I think of Western civilisation? I think it would be a very good idea ~ Gandhi

Put the old garden table into the allotment (next to the plastic planthouse) so there is somewhere to put plants that are ready for "proper" outdoors. It is full now so there is space in the PP for more sowing.

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You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
Max Ehrmann, Desiderata

blog: http://allyheebiejeebie.blogspot.com/ and my (basic!) page: http://www.allythegardener.co.uk/

Got my hole dug last night!

The hole to take my bath that is and henceforth my wildlife pond! Kept the topsoil seperate to make some potting compost and managed to get the bath in situ. The bath is white so covered it with black weed suppessant membrane and tucked in the edges.
Got a few strange looks as I was digging the grave sized hole!

I might see if I can tidy up the surrounds and make it look 'not like a bath' this weekend. I did contour the inside with clay I took from the hole and have a gentle slope out of one end leading to a plateau mid way then sloped down to the bottom. Hopefully any small creature that falls in by mistake will be able to make its way out.

Took the details of a couple of prospective new plot holders to put on the waiting list. They may be out of luck though as I think we already have three names and only two plots available!

First allotment association committee meeting at 2 pm today so my secretarial skills will be scrutinised!

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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)

Went down the lottie "just for a look, honest" and...

... rehydrated the coir brick "growing medium" that has been taking up space since I decided I didn't really need it for a raised bed last year.
... sowed seeds: mixed spicy salad leaves, basil, rocket, swede, caulis - sunset and grafitti (all gone now - didn't get many in the packets!), PSB, florence fennel, kohlrabi (in a big plastic box) and parsnips (in the coir in an even bigger plastic box).
... planted out 3 courgettes - zuboda, black beauty and one ball
... dug out the JAs that are coming up in the wrong place
... dug out a few volunteer potato plants that were growing from bits of peeling in the compost
... lifted the fleece over both lots of beans & peas, weeded and watered, replaced fleece
... potted on 4 aubergine seedlings and several moneymaker tomato seedlings.
... got the hippobag out and filled it with the junk that can't go on the bonfire in the autumn. Collection booked.

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You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
Max Ehrmann, Desiderata

blog: http://allyheebiejeebie.blogspot.com/ and my (basic!) page: http://www.allythegardener.co.uk/

removed netting from emerged seedlings and replaced with cloches,refilled beer traps.sown some marigolds,replaced week pea plants with strong ones,also planted out some more french bean.repotted on chilli plant and tomatoes.sown chives and thyme in own pots.and sown some mizuna in herb trough,got garden furniture out of shed.

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joanne culyer

Potted on 3 Red Robin Tomato plants, 2 Hot Mexican Chilli plants, a handful of basil seedlings and about a billion Ikarus Sunflower seedlings (not sure where i'm going to put them all when they're big!). Edged my 2 veg beds and my Rhubard patch which was beginning to look a bit swamped with grass - i really must get round to creating the raised edging on them. Ooh, also sowed my Purple & White Sprouting broccolli seeds (aquired through seed swap thread - thank you both!) and some Canton Dwarf Pak Choi.

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Newbie,
keen but clueless

I've spent 8 hours weeding the front and back gardens! Unfortunately, the back garden was a weed wilderness - nothing like the photo above with Dexter! I've let it go to ruin over the last 18 mtns since I got my lottie!
Everything aches - I ache in places I didn't know existed!
I've also just spent 2 hours in the greenhouse, topping up all the seed potatoes in buckets I've planted, and tying up my beans! Time for a rest..................lottie tomorrow methinks! Bernie aka DDL

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Appreciate the little things in life because one day you will realise they are the big things

Quite a constructive day at the allotment today! Took some sand and the 'works' wheelbarrow in the landie and started making my own brand of John Innes compost.
Before this I had to light my woodburner on a glorious sunny day, just to heat a poker so I could pierce holes in the bottom of my buckets.

Seven shovels of topsoil to two shovels of sand and three sovels of coir based compost. To this I added one shovel full of well rotted screened horse muck and topped it off with a handfull of bonemeal before mixing it all up in the wheel barrow. Did two loads and had enough for ten plants in flower buckets! More to do tomorrow!

Went to an allotment comittee meeting on Jimmy's plot (with half the committee sitting on the edge of the leek trench!)which I had called to iron out a few points. A very constructive meeting ensued and I've just finished writing up the minutes whilst they are fresh in my mind.

Back to the plot after that and I managed to get a good bit of my arbour that I am constructing over the central pathway cut, assembled and erected.
Looks rather good, even if I do say so myself!

The view through the arbour is to my herb wheel with my potted apple tree in full bloom. I must take my camera tommorow and get a piccie as it looks rather impressive with the apple blossom framed by the arbour.

Noticed the tatties are coming through fast and furious now so as long as we have no more frosts everything should be hunky dory!

Still loads to do including a lot of sowing and planting out!

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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)

Well not been online due to falling asleep! I have been a busy bee this week. Planted out courgettes, blue gourds, butternut squash, runner beans, french beans, onion sets.....strawberries, INSIDE, rest of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and gherkins, also potted up pumpkins, cabbages, tomatoes, cobra runner beans...

First earlies are through and the plot is looking great. I am really pleased up to press........garlic, overwintering onions, broad beans are looking fantastic, oh and the shallots........going to take some pics later......my asaparagus is re shooting after being moved off my old allotment last year.

Last night spent 2 hours digging out lemon balm and weeds, so I can create a patio area for summer. I was knackered after finishing and even went to bed halfway through boxing!

Tonight, all being well with the weather I shall continue with the patio area after watering!

Now I am going to play some online games.........and chill........

Well thunderstorm stopped play but I did empty a raised bed (killed loads of ants) re potted 3 aubergines into bigger pots in the greenhouse. Planted into rigid container some caulis/cabbage/brussels (not sure which is which as labels fell off). Cut hedge on one side of footpath and got the chainsaw to the other side, got half way done and the heavens opened.

I hope to get some herbs started in the greenhouse later, as well as some french/runner beans and sow some beetroot if the rain stops long enough

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Kim



http://kimbos-veggies.blogspot.com

Planted out sweet corn babies, planted out polish gherkins in between corn.

Made up 10 hanging baskets, two of which are edible, then discovered i only have 8 brackets available. (bugger).

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I play hide and seek with my cat
http://www.wigglywigglers.co.uk

Planted out goji berry onto allotment has been in a pot since I got it. Only had it just over a week but it has put on so much growth and had some good roots going when I upended the pot I deceided it could go out in its permanent place. The other two are doing well but not as well as the one. Planted out two achocha on the lottie after first making a frame for them to grow up. Also planted out the last of the climbing beans so all the frames are now full. also planted out a selection of chinese vegetables, don't have much sucess with them as they always go to seed on me, no matter what I do.

Ian

Went shopping in town this morning but this afternoon i cut the grass in the glorious sunshine, then hoe'd the weeds starting to sprout in the veg plot. Noted my potatoes are starting to peep through the earth which reminded me to move my tatties in pots from the garange to outside. Walked the dog & met a bloke who was walking a giant tortoise round the local park - not something you see everyday!

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Newbie,
keen but clueless

Glorious weather here today and I was able to work with my shorts on and my shirt off all day.(not a pretty sight!)

Put a few more timber batons on my Pergola and squared it up the best I could. Very pleased with it so far as it frames the path leading to the herb wheel. In the centre is a Sunset apple in full bloom!

Filled my pond from three water butts which already had weed in them so pond looks natural already. Stuck a few rocks and logs around it and made sure the ramp in it was clear in case anything fell in it and couldn't get out.

Planted up a bed of red ham onions and watered them in.

Had a further onslaught on the weeds getting four wheelbarrows full which all went on the compost heap

Showed a prospective plot holder around the last plot availabe and took her details. She said she would have it and would be back with the money. We shall see.

Put more stuff out to harden off and finished the day by watering everything that needed it!

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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)