The 'What I Did Today' Archive - 2007

[nick the grief]

Today I took the Natch for a bit of a stroll - Foto's to be posted elsewhere. Then when we had fed and watered (and snoozed) back to fitness I went down the lottie to do a bit more clearing ready for the tatties to go in at the weekend ( hopefully) and surprise surprise I have two rows of carrots coming up woooo hooooo. they've only been in a couple of weeks as well.

[Two_Sheds]

I sowed LOADS of stuff...calabrese, sweetcorn, tomatoes, chillies, sprouts. I dug out a couple of buckets of well-rotted compost too (I was so proud of it I took a photo, but will post tomorrow when I'm more awake)

[Seabreeze]

Oh dear, things are getting seriously sad here. Well I must be getting sad, when I take such delight in the composting. More of that below.

After supper I took Mrs SB out on her regular tour of the veg plot, remembering today to make sure the paths were free of soil before trundling her wheelchair through it... and later around the house.

First port of call was the broad beans. Now in flower, but not particularly tall, I haven't nipped the tops yet, but am keeping a careful eye-out for flies. Dangerous living, I know, but it adds real excitement in this village.

Next, into the greenhouse we went, stopping to show her the strawberries, some of which now must be an inch and a half / 4cm long - which were positively dripping from the pots on the shelf above her. It does seem a shame to pick them, but the first few have been promised for the weekend. I have been feeding them every few days with Tomato food. I have never done that ever before, and what a difference it makes! The leaves look so healthy now too. I will definitely feed the outdoor strawberries the same way very soon.

The other day I moved the two wooden compost bins to a different site to make room for one of the new raised beds, and this evening, I don't know why, but I just had to sieve some. Then, standing before one of the bins I proudly held up a huge glove full of absolutely perfect, black compost, letting it trickle through my fingers and back into the box... all for Catherine's benefit, well that's my story. She 'seemed' to like it at least. I'm so glad!

Well, I sieved and sieved: a couple of plastic boxes full, and to the resounding din of a female voice wafting out over the motionless waves, from the tannoy on a navy frigate that passed by close offshore, in the mist.. I duly scattered said compost firstly around the broad beans, and thence onwards, some here, a little there, relishing every moment...

I kid you not, the compost is giving me just as much pleasure as the strawberries. Next summer I might give up 'gardening' altogether... and create a huge 'sand' pit, in which to muck around therein.

[inca'smum]

Spent a glorious day in the garden sowing seeds, splitting some perennials and generally tidying up. Noticed we have some frog spawn in the pond. We went or a walk tonight as it was still warm after dinner, went to a local nature reserve, the pond was FULL of toads ,the kids were amazed they havent seen so many at one time.....come to think of it neither have I. All in all a great day.

[TonyF]

Spent the whole day getting to and coming back from hospital with my chum but did manage to get into the garden centre for a few bits and bobs (including a second myrtille (blueberry) bush) plus some lettuce seeds (lollo rosso and other green/red and just green/yellow/white, going to try a Joy Larkham idea with different colours this year.

The warm ambient temperature and rain is really bringing the seeds on, second and third sowing of peas and haricots coming through as are a lot of my chum's veg and flower seeds for their revamped veg garden, unused for at least the last 5 years.

So today I'm off to their veg garden, weather permitting want to get their new soft fruit bushes, rhubarb and strawberries in so a whole day's garding in store I hope.

[pigletwillie]

Today was broad bean planting day, some 90 Witkem Vroma broad bean plants went in along with a dozen Rose de Rofcoff onions that were started in the greenhouse in 6" pots. They have grown splendidly and have lots of root so hopefully will go to seed and supply me with lots for sowing next year.

So early in the season yet the space is disapearing at a startling rate.

[RogerL]

What not to do...

Went to he allotment with great plans, manged to stab myself with my pen knife in the palm of my hand at the base of my thumb.

Today's date...Friday 13th April.

Oh well


I guess there will be another day...


Rog

[johnty greentoes]

Made 3 large planters for a tiered herb garden on the patio.

Have laready got romemary, lovage, bronze fennel, lemon thyme, chives, lavendar, lemon balm ready to go into it tomorrow.

Crappy cold and overcast weather today in E Yorks.

Also made 24 newspaper pots and transplanted sweetcorn and purple squash into bigger spaces.

[heebiejeebie]

Forked and weeded another (small) part of the far plot. Prevented the demise of another robin with a well-aimed clod of earth then watched as two of my moggies were outwitted by a mouse. Forked in some blood fish & bonemeal to the bed I've cleared over the last couple of days, treaded it down a bit then transplanted the leaf beet that has been overwintering in a growbag on the terrace. Added some of the spent growbag contents to the compost bin. Heeled in some leeks that were "in the wrong place".

Back on the terrace, spent a while pulling up the weeds from between the paving slabs - a very satisfying job for some reason!

[kirsty b]

Went to East of England Garden Show today with the intention of seeing if there was anything related to veg as well as flowers, there wasn't which was a bit disappointing.
BUT....
Have got some new flowers for my front garden, 2 minature roses, 4 chrysanthemums (white) , 3 button daisies in white, light and dark pink (Laurens) another lavender, a Dianthus and a Celosia caracas (?) which Lauren also chose cos she liked the flower spike on it.
Sat down to observe a gardners question time type thing in the indoor bit, got sme advice from a lovely chap called John Negus and ended up winning some lovely prizes in a question competition (book by Prince Charles about organic gardening, book about Chelsea flower show, Hessayon houseplant book, loads of houseplant food, 2 packs slug pellets, small bag compact compost, some mushroom plugs, loads of Miracle Gro stuff) Dead chuffed to say the least.

Thanks
Kirsty

(this is Lauren's bit below and she's writing it by herself)

I went in the show and i bought some flowers. Iwon some kidy seeds.
thanks
Lauren.

[Mrs Dobby]

Spent the day at work, worrying about Mr D (who's in hospital for some routine surgery, but I had to work so couldnt be there for him), until I spoke to him when he woke up after lunch!

Called at the plot on the way home and watered everything, looks like some more radish are almost ready to pick, so I'll be tucking into them at the weekend, hopefully after picking Mr D up and bringing him home tomorrow!

Planning on also spending a bit of time on the plot, planting some more seedlings that need to go out and then do some more propogating, methinks I need to start the squashes, sweetcorn and pumpkins off very soon, especially if this weather stays as it is!

[TonyF]

Weather yesterday was miserable, warm but raining so if you do anything energetic in the garden, you start to steam a bit. And not enough rain to stop working either, just enough to be a bloody nuisance.

Anyway, chumlette had weeded and half dug her beds to managed to redig a small part, put down some slabs - the guy is a real hoarder and has this area in their woods which is full of recyclable kit and I've been told to help myself for this bit of the garden and for my garden - used some welsh type roof slates to confine jerusalem artichokes, got the raspberries first lot of JAs and loads of strawberries in.

If it hadn't been raining would probable have managed another couple of hours but back next week for another day. But was out for dinner last night at local restaurant so probably best I went home and showered and changed and still got home in time for Gardener's World, being an hour in front here sometimes has it's advantages.

My garden is now seriously crazy with seed trays bursting with littlies all over the place so going to weed a couple of my beds this morning and try to get some of them in the ground. Speaking at a dinner fundraiser this evening so knocking off garden at lunch time to make sure I have a vague idea what I'll be talking about.

[pigletwillie]

A quick visit to the plots this morning on my way home from work to open up the greenhouses and pick spring onions, lettuce of varying kinds plus cabbage and carrots as we are having a family bbq this afternoon.

Later on I intend to sow sweetcorn, squash, pumpkins, melon, courgette and cucumbers for planting out in Late May.

[BayViewPlot]

Still doing an Easter tour of T'North and can't wait to get back to the lottie... in the meantime reading posts and creating a myspace page..

http://www.myspace.com/bayviewplot


Good luck to all on their lotties

[dexterdoglancashire]

Planted a few more seeds after laying mice bait and cleaning out the tool shed!
Bernie aka Dexterdog