What I did today 2012-2014

[Bigmallly]

Managed to free the water bubble from under the pond liner....................cleared the last of the tomatoes & runner beans from the poly. Attached horizontal canes & vertical chord for next years toms.

[marcofez]

Bought some bark chippings for laying around my fruit trees. Then it started raining, and it has'nt stopped yet. Will attempt to do it another day.................

[Greenleaves]

Been getting the beds ready for a long winters nap, one more to go then 4 tonne of manure to spread.

[veggiechicken]

After 30 years in this garden with its winding paths that meander through the trees, and make a wheelbarrow journey twice as far as it needs to be, I've been clearing a space through the fruit bushes to create a straight path from top to bottom of the garden.
I'll still use the winding, rambling ones, however - much more ME

[Aberdeenplotter]

Pricked out my show leek pips in the greenhouse. It's a long growing season and every leek bar two bolted last season so I have everything crossed things will go better this time around.

[Two_Sheds]

- burnt all last year's holly prunings in the chiminea, got a bagful of wood ash to use on crops in spring
- severely pruned the massive holly, into a hollipop shape. Stored prunings in gh to dry out, to burn
- cut all the dead areas of grass (dog wee) and planted healthy turf from elsewhere
- emptied the pots of used compost onto the borders, as a mulch to keep weeds down

[Lumpy]

Sat here trying to work out where everything is going to go next year. It always sounds so simple but I underestimate this job every year.
I have 3 very small raised beds - 1 larger, quite deep raised bed - 6 50ltr buckets - rose arch with bottom planters - 5 ex pallet boxes - 4 large plastic planters - 3 old tyres - 6 spud bags (drrrrr thats the obvious one) - gaps between my flowers (look out sweetcorn guess where you MIGHT be going) - various pots & planters.
There are only 2 things I know for sure - spuds in their bags and tumbling toms in the window baskets

And a partridge in a pear tree Tra La La

[Bill HH]

Sat here trying to work out where everything is going to go next year. It always sounds so simple but I underestimate this job every year.
I have 3 very small raised beds - 1 larger, quite deep raised bed - 6 50ltr buckets - rose arch with bottom planters - 5 ex pallet boxes - 4 large plastic planters - 3 old tyres - 6 spud bags (drrrrr thats the obvious one) - gaps between my flowers (look out sweetcorn guess where you MIGHT be going) - various pots & planters.
There are only 2 things I know for sure - spuds in their bags and tumbling toms in the window baskets

And a partridge in a pear tree Tra La La

It's not easy is it, firstly you have to consider what you grew in them last year because idealy you dont want to grow the same thing in them 2 years running (unless you change the soil of course).

Then the beds have to be in the right place for the crop ie Shaded or sunny. Your deep bed would be ideal for roots such as carrots etc. I would start listing what you actually want to grow, then move on from there. You can of course get dual use from some beds, like perhaps a quick crop of salad stuff up until June or July, then leeks. if you buckets are getting new soil/compost that makes things easier, perhaps tomatoes in them. If you are re-using compost I would rejuvinate it with some blood fish and bone or chicken manure pellets.

As for the sweetcorn, dont forget they need to be in clumps so they can fertilise each other, so you will need big gaps between your flowers so you can get several in.

[Lumpy]

Thanks Bill
That was really useful. Up until last Oct we lived in Norfolk with a huge garden, massive veggies beds etc. Then we moved here to a piddley little garden with no room for any decent sized beds so.....boxes, pots, raised whatever have been bought into play.
I did manage to grow some fair leeks in one of those round soft container thingies and parsnips in the bigger version of said bag but moving my thinking from patch to pots has been a bit more of a challenge that I though.
Much of this years stuff has been only OK at best but I still have bits and pieces to eat. I have found that Freecycle mirrors on the side of the small wooden shed does a wonderful job of increasing the light over towards the recently 'taught some manners to' blackthorn hedge.
So I suppose I will carry on, with the Garpes help learning as I go.

[Lumpy]

p.s Bill I hope this makes you smile.
Many years ago when son was about 17 I asked him to pick up some chicken poo from the local garden centre - he went - then had to be served by (in his words) 'an absolute babe' who refused his offer of a date because he had been uncool asking where the chicken sh@@ was.

[Bill HH]

Well he had a lucky escape then. I too have suffered from downsizing, I went from 110 acres to 110 sq yards, quite a drop. but it isnt just quantity its quality and you can grow some fine produce in tubs and pots. The temptation is to try and squeeze more in but try and resist it. I have ruined my leeks this year by planting them to closely together. We have quite a few members on here who get fantastic results from small areas.

[marcofez]

Had a tidy up of all the stuff I couldn't compost or need. This was then taken to the tip. Was becoming a bit of a salvage yard (Steptoe & Son)!

[Greenleaves]

Absolutly nothing, got builders in fitting a new bathroom. Upstairs is a right mess and my study is full of sanitary wear.

Weather forecast looks more promising so might visit the allotment tomorrow.

[veggiechicken]

Absolutly nothing, got builders in fitting a new bathroom. Upstairs is a right mess and my study is full of sanitary wear.
.

Don't you mean Sanitary ware.............

[Greenleaves]

Opps, me no speaky velly good inglish