What I did today 2012-2014

[horticultural_hobbit]

Ably assisted by pops and grandad mike's wheelbarrow, I trundled and pops carried 8 bags of garden waste and leaf mold to the lotment.

Used it to fill up the latest four raised beds; so that all 12 have something cooking in them. Put some of the leaves gathered into the second builders bag.

[VirginVegGrower]

Cleared the polytunnel of the peas and beans. Composted the lot in a new bin. Added some cardboard to it. Harvested tomatoes. Deleafed (outer) the celeriac. Spent yesterday clearing up the allotment. Five out of the six beds weeded and part mulched. Turned the compost. Put chicky in the poly to clear it of bugs - she had a high old time in there with me. Put seaweed from the water butts onto the polytunnel soil.

[Florence Fennel]

Yesterday, managed to plant the sprouts I've reared in tubs out of the way of the snugs. I've given them scouring pad collars as an experiment. They're very colourful to say the least! Hoping it stays fine this week so I can do some more transplanting after work each day. I have cabbage, cauli and PSB all waiting to go into beds.

[jdlondon]

Found one lone alpine strawberry under the dying leaves. Tasted lovely That was the only strawberry I've tasted despite planting a whole row of them.

Tomatoes still going strong, eat two every other day or so and still got some green ones ripening. And it's true what they say, tomatoes taste so much better fresh off the vine. I never really liked them that much until now.

Lemon grass going gangbusters. I really should use them but haven't yet, don't know where to use them, possibly in soup - and contemplating moving them into a pot so they can move inside for the winter. Or should I just risk it with thick mulch and fleece? Am mulling. Same mulling for the taro.

Some spinach and rainbow chard sticking around.

This year has been so revealing and although I planted so much in my raised beds, only a few really succeeded especially since I travelled so much, but I know now what can tolerate such neglect - so, all in all, a great learning experience.

I haven't started sowing anything but will get on it soon. Still got lots I wanna try.

[Loudbarker1]

Back at computer after a fortnight break,.

Over the fortnight I did mostly havesting: runner and french beans, tomatos, cucumbers, lettuce, and a one and only pumpkin, now slowly turning orange in the autumn sun. Watering of soft fruit and a bit of weeding as well.

Tore out the thumb nail of my right hand and chpped top of bone, so more active stuff not really possible - will be at least a month behind on autumn tidying up..

[VirginVegGrower]

Yesterday, managed to plant the sprouts I've reared in tubs out of the way of the snugs. I've given them scouring pad collars as an experiment. They're very colourful to say the least! Hoping it stays fine this week so I can do some more transplanting after work each day. I have cabbage, cauli and PSB all waiting to go into beds.

You and me both Flo, I'm way behind on my brassicas.
I sowed some onion sets into modules, because folk on here keep talking about it and well it made my fingers itch. Stinky seaweed mulch got chopped in to polytunnel border. I'm going to bottle up the resultant liquid feed, fill the water butt and start again with comfrey and nettles I think. Or maybe target the beach this weekend.
I keep looking at the broad beans, thinking I must not sow, I must not sow.

[Florence Fennel]

Turned the water on to the outside tap. Put on my coat and went out to pick some ripe tomatoes. Came back inside. Took off my coat. Turned the water off to the outside tap. Put the heating on.
I did manage to throw some smarties for the snugs who have attacked the sprout plants I put in the other day. Needless to say, the snugs aren't even tickled by the scouring pads Don't worry VVG, we'll get there.

[horticultural_hobbit]

Picked up builders bag courtesy of Freegle. Plonked that one and another one onto plot; now there are a nice family of four sat there on bed five.

[VirginVegGrower]

Took off outer celeriac leaves in order to keep exposing those crowns - I'm going for big this year. More compost onto beds in polytunnel. Mr VVG and I have put in the new boards to edge the path and help hold back all this mulch that I keep adding.
In praise of Flo I have planted some quick crop broccoli into the poly

[Tripmeup]

Cut off the old raspberry canes
Put rotted manure on empty bed
Watered beds with homemade Slug potion

[Gurberly]

Cleared the green house of spent tom plants.

Planted out spring cabbages.

Then as per forecast, the rain arrived shortly after midday so I went inside and wormed the cats. I think they have forgiven me now

G

[Kestrel]

Not being the owner of motorised transport and living 5 miles from my plot, took the advantage of a lift to bring back as much heavy goods as possible. Cosequently, sitting in the kitchen gazing over a mountain of produce on the table wondering what on earth to do with:
- 6 large pumpkins
- 12 Autumn Crown squashes
- a paper sack of 'Charlotte' pots
- 2 bags-for-life of Bramleys
- 1 bag of Conference pears
- the last 10 corn cobs
- masses of cherry toms (Sungold and Losetto)
- a trug of plum and beef toms
- 2 punnets of raspberries
- sundry beans, beetroot, carrots and fennel

I may not be offered a lift again (toms and pears were taken in payment) but I can't stop smiling as I look at all this gorgeous bounty. Now, where did I put those Kilner jars...

[VirginVegGrower]

Not being the owner of motorised transport and living 5 miles from my plot, took the advantage of a lift to bring back as much heavy goods as possible. Cosequently, sitting in the kitchen gazing over a mountain of produce on the table wondering what on earth to do with:
- 6 large pumpkins
- 12 Autumn Crown squashes
- a paper sack of 'Charlotte' pots
- 2 bags-for-life of Bramleys
- 1 bag of Conference pears
- the last 10 corn cobs
- masses of cherry toms (Sungold and Losetto)
- a trug of plum and beef toms
- 2 punnets of raspberries
- sundry beans, beetroot, carrots and fennel

I may not be offered a lift again (toms and pears were taken in payment) but I can't stop smiling as I look at all this gorgeous bounty. Now, where did I put those Kilner jars...

What was it? An HGV?
I laid a path, well me and Mr VVG.

[stella]

What a fantastic harvest Kestrel, well done

[Loudbarker1]

This weekend I harvested a cucumber (there may be one more to come) tomatos, runner beans and french beans. Yet to come are a few more beans, beetroot and toms and lettuce, and then we will be into turnips, swedes, red cabbage, savoys, leeks - autumn is on its way. Further out are overwintering lettuce, perpetual spinage, WSB and PSB.

Also watered soft fruit and did a bit a weeding and clearing. On Sunday I sowed spring cabage (pixie) more perpetual spinage, lettuce (artic king, winter marvel, parella red) in mothre's greenhouseand wathced the autumn rain fall.


Shall I plant shallots, garlic and overwintering onions this autumn in the alium bed instead of leeks next spring? We may have left our current house by next christmas. There will be autumn broad beans in any event.