Hobbit Allotment!

[Sanjo]

All those modules, and you don't do counting, Hobbit...!
I fear not much of the UK does do anything mathematical, myself included, and it is a grievous omission which stifles our inventiveness badly.



I feel your pain Sanjo, I was labelled an "academic underachiever"...they really were clueless about dyslexia in those days, never mind ADHD. Lack of exam results screwed my life up good and proper... Oh well, I am much better educated for it !

Believe it or not I was in the top stream, having just missed out on the 11 plus. Thankfully I have never had problems with dyslexia although it runs very strongly in my family, from my father, two of my sisters, many cousins and to my grandchildren, however numbers and me do NOT go well together. No that's not really true. If it's imperial then I can just about manage and I did get much better once I was married and had to manage my housekeeping budget so learnt very quickly how to add up and subtract in my head, but when we went metric my brain fried. I just cannot remember it. Going Decimal was bad enough. Where are my pounds, shillings and pence now eh!

[horticultural_hobbit]

Hmm. Shall take a look at the beetroot. Not quite sure yet. Definitely not big enough to transplant; I'd like a bit more leaf.

Have modularised some more runners and peas today. Think I'm going to build me runner thing next week. What are they called exactly? Just need some more canes. Will probably do it myself and stand on a plastic stool. This was meant to be a job grandad mike wanted to supervise, only he's just had a double hernia op

Can safely say, that aqua dulce Claudia are odd creatures. Talk about hobbit sized. Less than a foot and flowering. Walking up and down my Alliuem patch-smells alpine fresh crossed with garlic and it's all right! Cos of the mulch-I don't think much of the electric onions. They've been bottom of the class since they were to be sown, to be honest.

[snohare]

I don't do maths either!

All those modules, and you don't do counting, Hobbit...!
I fear not much of the UK does do anything mathematical, myself included, and it is a grievous omission which stifles our inventiveness badly.

No wonder I always had the blackboard eraser thrown at me.

I feel your pain Sanjo, I was labelled an "academic underachiever"...they really were clueless about dyslexia in those days, never mind ADHD. Lack of exam results screwed my life up good and proper... Oh well, I am much better educated for it !

[horticultural_hobbit]

I don't do maths either!

The modules are currently sat in the 4TB so I might start hardening them off. Yeah, I did read somewhere about brassicas being more cold resistant-think it was Zazen. Just need to work out where I want them to go.

[Sanjo]

Thanks Snohare. I have read your first sentence about 6 times and I'd forgotten what it said by the end!! No wonder I always had the blackboard eraser thrown at me. English I was fine. Anything else and I struggled.

[snohare]

I think you will find that an inch is 2.4 centimetres, Sanjo. (I think the only reason I remember this is that it's a multiple of 12, same as a foot is with inches ! ) So they are about the same size.
Anyway, I would fear to give advice for your latitude Hobbit, but if you harden them off - you know, the whole giving them fresh unsheltered air for a couple of hours, several times, increasing the length of time, until the cuticles of the leaves have thickened to avoid too much moisture loss - then I would expect they will be hardy enough at the end of that. Aren't they a member of the brassica family, and therefore usually quite resistant to cold ?

[Sanjo]

I've already put my greenhouse sown Boltardy beets in the outside salad bed Hobbit and then it is all covered by fleece. They were about 2" high. (Sorry - don't do this modern metric stuff so can't visualise 5/6 cm!!) Can't find a ruler either!!

[horticultural_hobbit]

... brassicas like a REALLY firm soil. They tend to get knocked sideways by any wind unless they're really in firmly

Cabbages, kohl rabi et cetra as well as sprouts? Have yet to sow the kohlrabi but everything else is still small and in modules. Having to be patient before I transplant everything.

Another question, if anyone can help. Bonel, boltardy and cylindra beetroot currently in 4Tb in modules. Baby's are five six cm high. When can they go down to the lotment?

[Two_Sheds]

I would like to know is what the stamping up and down is for

... brassicas like a REALLY firm soil. They tend to get knocked sideways by any wind unless they're really in firmly

once the tatos are submerged and covered with dirt; do I need to cover over with a fleece?

No. It's the foliage that gets damaged by frost: you only need fleece once you've got foliage to protect

[horticultural_hobbit]

Dear Two_Sheds, thank you for that magic spade recommendation. Couldn't help but think of you as filled my wheelbarrow with mulch for the onions and things. It may have been an effort, and I took my time doing it; but the spade helped and will be earnings it's keep. It's not my spade. It's your shovel that makes things happen.

And, who was it, that said something about stamping up and down their brassica bed, think they migh have mentioned sprouts. Well, tomorrow after school, I'm tackling it. With the two_sheds magic spade and the hobbit fork. Plan to dig it over, but what I would like to know is what the stamping up and down is for. Before I pull out me cabbage netting and sink the slug traps.

Also, tatos. Next week-I'll probably ask again-on thursday after I break up from school; Id like to put the tatos in, with the bulb planter and some fertiliser. My question is, once the tatos are submerged and covered with dirt; do I need to cover over with a fleece?

[horticultural_hobbit]

You'll be astounded & bamboozled then, at how BIG they get in 6 weeks

The triffids, oh yes I learned that last year.



Runners are tender and don't like the cold. Easter is perhaps a little early? When is your last frost?

In may, according to the on line calculator thingy. Have sown scarlet emperor previously, around st patricks day, and they've been okay. Naturally, every year is different, and this year I have a few different varieties.

Compost heap. Hopefully you've put twigs in the cups so you don't drown spiders and beetles too? (slugs can't climb twigs)

Noted have yet to sink the slug traps that will be filled with Pop's beer.

[Two_Sheds]

been dreaming of sowing courgettes ... rather amazed at how quickly they came through...another six to eight weeks before they go to ground

You'll be astounded & bamboozled then, at how BIG they get in 6 weeks

brassica bed is a mess, in that it need digging over and weeding

Just cover it in something like cardboard. Water it all first, that will bring the worms up to start the digging for you

need to get my head around successive growing of peas

I use a monthly divider thingy. I sow peas in March, then put the rest of the pack in April, then in May, and so on

runners ...Will hopefully transplant them with the second batch of peas at Easter

Runners are tender and don't like the cold. Easter is perhaps a little early? When is your last frost?

What shall do I do with the slugs who have been boozed up?

Compost heap. Hopefully you've put twigs in the cups so you don't drown spiders and beetles too? (slugs can't climb twigs)

[horticultural_hobbit]

Getting growing, it's spring.

Well Spring is here, and I need to get myself into gear. I've got my curcurbits started, so that is the official proper kick off for me. I have been dreaming of sowing courgettes and things. Was therefore rather amazed at how quickly they came through. I know that I have another six to eight weeks before they go to ground as it were. Chillies have started to come through, these are the third, fourth, five sowing, I can't remember. Still keeping tomatos on the window sill, though they are getting tall. So I do need to do something about those. Some of them are bush, some of them are vine. One of them is dwarf patio jobbie.

Cucumbers, okra and caulis were sown today, and put into the magic seed grower.Panic not, I will take them out when ready so as to prevent leggy drunken falling over. I have paid attention to Zazen's advice about the brassicas not needing heat. Okra, a bit experimental. Would love to get those from pot to Ma's kitchen. Cucumbers, are for middle sister and her lunches. Caulis, stuffed chappatis.

My cabbage/brassica bed is a mess, in that it need digging over and weeding. It seriously hacks me off! I get rather annoyed looking at it, and do that disappointed shake of the head. That said, my favourtie toy is the hand held onion hoe. Wow, that cuts through weeds. Lost my hand trowel at school, and can't find it. So that annoyed me. Serves me right for taking it in, I suppose.

Carrots are sown, covered with fleece; making me feel a little more on task. Erm, various peas and beans put into modules. Have planted out the first batch of peas. I need to get my head around successive growing of peas. My broadies and runners are taking their time in the modules, and I am not going to rush them. Will hopefully transplant them with the second batch of peas at Easter.

And boy is the plot dry. I don't know how I am going to get it moist, like the cabbage patch; it makes me very cross.

I do like my wendy house. Only one zip works, and it is still there. It gets very warm in there!

I have morrisons buckets, did a small victory dance when I did. So they will be used. Probably for chillies, peppers, okra and aubs.

er...

Lettuce. Pop's don't like Valdor winter lettuce. I have some bubbles and claremont, currently baby seedlings .Cabbage. Hehhehheee. Oh they look pretty lovely as babies in the wendy house.I have procured a proper cabbage net, abandoning the idea of the net curtains. Need to also sink some slug traps. What shall do I do with the slugs who have been boozed up?

I have tulips starting to flower on the plot. I deliberately chose tulips over daffs, just because. The plot is very girly, lots of pinks and reds.

https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.ph...type=1&theater

The hyacinths that I thought had died, have come through! Pink ones, a lovely soft pink. They look fairly mutant before they flower. Was a wonder ooh, moment when I saw the pink splodges.

Toms, i've vaguely talked about. Chillies, aubergines...

https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.ph...type=1&theater

So far, as far as funny names go.

The hooligan pumpkin, is called pumpkin. The BNS this year is being called Dadal. And one of the aubs, if they survive, Nietzche.

Thata's all the for the moment, will no doubt have more as we go on.

[snohare]

I got a couple of wind socks from them recently. Think they are quite cool really.

Yes, but when they fail it will be a real blow !

[horticultural_hobbit]

I got a couple of wind socks from them recently. Think they are quite cool really.