What I Did Today Archive 2009

[wellie]

With tomorrow (Trousers's 48th Birthday) allegedly being the best day to sow Tomatoes and Cucumbers, according to my Biodynamic Calendar, I've disinfected and readied the seeds, widgers, pots and labels. I managed to buy some last-year's 'Ferline' Tomato seeds at a third of the price from Graham, my trusty local garden-store bloke down the road, which having very good blight-tolerance for outdoors, will be put into pots (the tomatoes, not Graham, obviously...!).

[sewer rat]

Today I cleared my onion and shallot beds of any tall weeds (mainly OSR) with the strimmer as I am now beginning to get ready for this years slurry application and ploughing.
Ran out of two stroke oil - and was getting bored anyway - so I sowed 150 chilli peppers (Cayenne and Jalapeno), 150 mizuna, 150 rocket and two large trays, one with celery, the other with celeriac. Just wish the seed wasn't so small as I absolutely detest pricking out

[Hazel at the Hill]

Put some parsnips seed saved from last year on damp kitchen roll to see if it germinates or not.

Sowed a pot of leeks. I love seed swaps - the seed was sent to me by Mrs Dobby two years ago from self-seeded leeks on their (at the time) new allotments, and the leeks have been great for two years running. I let one of the plants go to seed last year, so I hope that my saved seed is as good!

Prepared pots all ready for the first sowing of broadies, but remembered as I was about to pop the seeds in that it's a good root sowing day, but not a good day for sowing broad beans, so I'll hold fire for a few days.

[helly]

Good news bad news today.
Bad news first get it over with, found out I need planning permission for my polytunnel so that will be a set back for at least a month or 2.
Good news will get access to the paddock the farmer has promised ,so it will be ploughed and rotovated this week. Seeds arrived this week so lots of sowing off to pick up my tatties 2mor and my strawberries should be on route to me soon.
Phew enough to keep me busy ...

[sewer rat]

Good news bad news today.
Bad news first get it over with, found out I need planning permission for my polytunnel so that will be a set back for at least a month or 2.
Good news will get access to the paddock the farmer has promised ,so it will be ploughed and rotovated this week. Seeds arrived this week so lots of sowing off to pick up my tatties 2mor and my strawberries should be on route to me soon.
Phew enough to keep me busy ...

Helly
Are you sure that it is actual full planning permission that you require. When I applied for my tunnels (I have one at the moment but have permission for a second one that has to be in place withnin 5 years of the application), I was told that full planning wasn't necessary and that all I required was what is called "Prior Notification". This entail lodging your intentions with the Council, including scale drawings, proximioty to other buildings, boundaries and water courses etc. This is then posted by the Council and if you hear nothing from them within 28 days, you can go ahead.
Prior notification is often used for agricultural / horticultural buildings, and as you are not actually changing the use of the land from agriculture (they might argue the point but I had no problems). I also built a 12ft x 24ft shed on the site using Prior Notification. Full Planning Permission would be required for this if I was selling other peoples produce but as it is only my veg that I seell from here, and other than a cursory hose down or trim, it is not processed, the Council said that Prior Notification was all that I rewuired.
I don't know if the same applies in England and Wales, but definitely worth looking into.

[Two_Sheds]

My (supermarket) chickpeas have germinated on kitchen towel (quicker than normal peas) so I will pot them up today.
My onions have germinated on a cool windowsill (no heat needed)
The hyacinths are growing about a cm. a day (outside). Spring is coming!

[gojiberry]

Fresh fall of snow last night and snowing now so won't get any work done outside today.HSL seeds arrived this morning the lucky dip was a packet of french climbing beans, looking forward to them. Am going to spend the afternoon in the greenhouse sowing seeds and tidying up.

Ian

[sewer rat]

Today was box day, so after venturing into Inverness to collect my organic fruits and cheeses, which took a lot longer than normal due to the snowy stuff and traffic not moving quick enough to help the grit do it's job properly, I spent the afternoon picking veg and making up my boxes which this week contain potatoes, carrots, onions, parsnips, beetroot, kale then some, all or none of the following depending on box size - spinach, chard, swede, leeks, cabbage.

[pigletwillie]

This morning I watered the seed trays ad found that the cauliflower and red cabbage were already poking through, they will be ready to prick out early next week.

More seeds rooted out to sow tonight.

[selfraising]

Today I have sown:
Pepper Salad Festival
Pepper Purple Beauty
Chilli Anaheim
Grill Pepper Yellow
Grill Pepper Red
Pepper California Wonder.
Went down the garden, too much snow to do anything so went into the shed to check on my potatoes. Am now going to draw up a growing plan for my raised beds this year.

[MaureenHall]

Spent the morning sowing loads of seeds!
Purple podded pole bean
Crimson Flower Broad Bean (thanks Sarzwix)
Broad Bean Express
Chilli de Cayenne
Climbing French Bean Cobra (saved seed)
Pea Carruthers (thanks Sarzwix)
Pea Onward (saved seed)
Pepper F1 Gypsy
Tomato Black Russian (saved seed)
Tomato Cuor di Bue
Tomato Ruby F1

Also used some lentils and chickpeas that were sprouting, put them into individual loo rolls (only 3 of each) just to see what the plants look like

[Flobalob]

Today i have sown. Autumn Mammoth leeks. Sweet Jumbo peppers.
My cabbage sown last week has all sprouted.
Geraniums i seeded three days ago have also started to sprout.

[FionaH]

Today I have sown Autmn Giant leeks and spring onions, white lisbon

[Flummery]

Sowed some 'long season' stuff this afternoon - aubergine and 3 types of pepper.

[hansaplatz]

Today I have acquired (with the help of a relative) 3 fruit trees from Lidl. £4 each - stella cherry, victoria plum and a red pear of some sort. I was astounded that they're not saplings but 6ft things!