Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Rain at last!
The Easter weekend was fairly overcast and blustery and today, Tuesday, the clouds have finally burst. Just as well as the rain barrels were getting low, the soil dusty and the radishes pretty much too peppery to eat!
I did surprisingly do a little work this weekend, despite the bad weather. I planted a redcurrant bush (thx Caroline for that gift from your garden!), sowed rocket, and more leeks, and planted out a few lettuces under cover and the Chinese Cabbage which were big enough it seemed, Hopefully planted out they will develop more quickly. My bulbs arrived so I planted out the dahlias and 2 arums, hopefully they will look pretty in the summer. My neighbour had dug up a big clump of dahlia, and he gave me a couple of tubers off it. Truth be told, I don't really have room but it was kind so I shoved a few extras in where I had planned the dahlia bed.
Weeded the garlic and onions again, picked probably the last of the sprouting broccoli and looked at the leeks wishfully (they really need to come out, be washed and frozen) but it started to rain so I packed up shop. Next week I am on holidays and away so don't know what it will all look like when I get back!
Next jobs will be to dig over the old compost area, remove a little compost for the new plants (sweet peppers like a little compost in their planting holes) and cover it in paper and black plastic ready for planting the courgettes and cucumbers there. There is well over a sq metre so there will be room for, I hope, 3 courgettes and 2 or 3 cucumbers. Then time to sow the beans and during my May holidays plant out the summer plants (tomato, peppers, aubergine, squash).
I did surprisingly do a little work this weekend, despite the bad weather. I planted a redcurrant bush (thx Caroline for that gift from your garden!), sowed rocket, and more leeks, and planted out a few lettuces under cover and the Chinese Cabbage which were big enough it seemed, Hopefully planted out they will develop more quickly. My bulbs arrived so I planted out the dahlias and 2 arums, hopefully they will look pretty in the summer. My neighbour had dug up a big clump of dahlia, and he gave me a couple of tubers off it. Truth be told, I don't really have room but it was kind so I shoved a few extras in where I had planned the dahlia bed.
Weeded the garlic and onions again, picked probably the last of the sprouting broccoli and looked at the leeks wishfully (they really need to come out, be washed and frozen) but it started to rain so I packed up shop. Next week I am on holidays and away so don't know what it will all look like when I get back!
Next jobs will be to dig over the old compost area, remove a little compost for the new plants (sweet peppers like a little compost in their planting holes) and cover it in paper and black plastic ready for planting the courgettes and cucumbers there. There is well over a sq metre so there will be room for, I hope, 3 courgettes and 2 or 3 cucumbers. Then time to sow the beans and during my May holidays plant out the summer plants (tomato, peppers, aubergine, squash).
Labels: leeks, lettuce, radish, rain, spring
Monday, March 05, 2012
rain stops play
A miserable weekend, grey and rainy. That put paid to any ideas of planting more spuds. Still, no frosts, so can't complain too much. Signs of spring are present - daffodils, crocuses, and the wild cherries are getting blossoms.
I suppose I should have checked up on the radishes and turnips, but since it's been warm then rainy, I figure that they are probably doing all right by themselves! I will pop down one morning to empty the compost box and have a mooch...
Days are getting longer too... it's light till almost 7pm now...
I suppose I should have checked up on the radishes and turnips, but since it's been warm then rainy, I figure that they are probably doing all right by themselves! I will pop down one morning to empty the compost box and have a mooch...
Days are getting longer too... it's light till almost 7pm now...
Monday, August 08, 2011
Still raining
The summer is a total washout. The weekend again was filled with rainy skies. So what does one do in that case? You bag up your onions! :-) I went to fetch them (during a brief non-humid period) and discovered that something (probably the bloody vole)had been rifling through them and a couple were even nibbled! The cheek! So the shed is not rodent proof (note to self). Still not too bad, I filled 3 5kg spud bags with brown onions and 2 2.5 kg bags with red onions and 5 small bags of echalotes. That's plenty to see us through the next year, especially as I have lots that are slightly damaged that we will eat over the next few weeks.
Incidentally the bloody rodent has been chewing the beetroot too. For once I got some decent size roots and they have big chunk taken out of them! So I lifted them scrubbed them and cooked them, we will just have to chop them about a bit. Maybe before the late harvest it will have breathed its last or been eaten by something.
In a rare moment of lucidity, I also planted out a doezen small lettuce plants - it subsequently drizzled all day which is a great way to start them off!
I harvested some more tomatoes, a yellow courgette as well as a bagful of mint which is currently steeping to make mint cordial, and lots of sage and thyme for drying and a heap of rocket for salad. Lots of cucumbers on the vine but still very small. I hope they will be ready when we go on hols at the end of the week. There are plenty of peppers growing, and a few aubergines (not the best harvest this year). I also brought home the first Turk's Turban pumpkin, beautiful creation in dark orange and green stripes. Striking.
I also cut a bit of grass, hacked down a few weeds, so it didn't look so untidy, but I fear that the plot is going to be in less than pristine condition when I leave it.
Incidentally the bloody rodent has been chewing the beetroot too. For once I got some decent size roots and they have big chunk taken out of them! So I lifted them scrubbed them and cooked them, we will just have to chop them about a bit. Maybe before the late harvest it will have breathed its last or been eaten by something.
In a rare moment of lucidity, I also planted out a doezen small lettuce plants - it subsequently drizzled all day which is a great way to start them off!
I harvested some more tomatoes, a yellow courgette as well as a bagful of mint which is currently steeping to make mint cordial, and lots of sage and thyme for drying and a heap of rocket for salad. Lots of cucumbers on the vine but still very small. I hope they will be ready when we go on hols at the end of the week. There are plenty of peppers growing, and a few aubergines (not the best harvest this year). I also brought home the first Turk's Turban pumpkin, beautiful creation in dark orange and green stripes. Striking.
I also cut a bit of grass, hacked down a few weeds, so it didn't look so untidy, but I fear that the plot is going to be in less than pristine condition when I leave it.
Labels: beetroot, onions, pumpkin, rain, red onion, summer, vole
Friday, August 05, 2011
Unpredictable weather
The weather is just stupid right now. Rain, then sunny periods then grey skies and cold winds. All in one day. Freaky.
So maybe now is a good time to make Mint Cordial! A friend gave me her recipe. It's really refreshing in cold water and probably nice in cocktails too! It doesn't have that sickly chemical mint taste (commercial mint cordials are like drinking toothpaste, erk) but is more like the taste of mint tea. I have loads of feral mint growing around the sides of the shed, sounds like the perfect time to hack it all down and put it to good use.
SO:
300g fresh mint, washed, which is basically several big bunches
1 litre of water
1.2kg sugar
(Yes you can reduce or increase quantities proportionally).
Chop up the stems of mint roughly and bruise it.
Boil the water and pour over the mint in a bowl, and steep the mint in the water for 24 hours, covered.
The next day, wring out the mint getting all the drops of juice out.
Dissolve the sugar into it then boil for 2-3 minutes.
Cool and bottle.
So maybe now is a good time to make Mint Cordial! A friend gave me her recipe. It's really refreshing in cold water and probably nice in cocktails too! It doesn't have that sickly chemical mint taste (commercial mint cordials are like drinking toothpaste, erk) but is more like the taste of mint tea. I have loads of feral mint growing around the sides of the shed, sounds like the perfect time to hack it all down and put it to good use.
SO:
300g fresh mint, washed, which is basically several big bunches
1 litre of water
1.2kg sugar
(Yes you can reduce or increase quantities proportionally).
Chop up the stems of mint roughly and bruise it.
Boil the water and pour over the mint in a bowl, and steep the mint in the water for 24 hours, covered.
The next day, wring out the mint getting all the drops of juice out.
Dissolve the sugar into it then boil for 2-3 minutes.
Cool and bottle.
Tuesday, August 02, 2011
Change in the weather
Last night, after a day of very hot sunny weather I was rushing down to water the vegetables, including the pricked out lettuces that were looking decidely shrivelled under their fleece (I have more if I have accidentally killed these). Today it is warm but overcast and it definitely looks like it will rain for most of the week. There is no justice.
The tomatoes are starting to ripen, I picked 3 reddish ones yesterday and there are several others that are looking quite yellow. But I am rather hoping that many will be ripe before my hols, in a fortnight's time... There really are some splendid toms this year, if I may say so myself. There is a large fruited-variety (it is probably Marmande I think) that has a truss of 6 huge fruit, tightly packed around the vine and dark green so far. A great outcome, as last year's fruit were healthy but quite small. I think the July rain was obviously a big factor.
I also dug up a few kilos of spuds. As predicted, the red Rosabelle second earlies are very good. About 6 or 7 spuds per plant of a good size, many 8 or 9 cm long. I hope the Desiree mains will be just as good - their foliage is almost completely dead now so underground they will swell for another week or so, I guess.
It was a quick visit, just time to water, and rip out a few weeds here and there. It does need a pretty good cleanout before the holiday break, but if it rains, will I be able to do that in time?? Ah, always something getting in between me and complete vegetal victory.
The tomatoes are starting to ripen, I picked 3 reddish ones yesterday and there are several others that are looking quite yellow. But I am rather hoping that many will be ripe before my hols, in a fortnight's time... There really are some splendid toms this year, if I may say so myself. There is a large fruited-variety (it is probably Marmande I think) that has a truss of 6 huge fruit, tightly packed around the vine and dark green so far. A great outcome, as last year's fruit were healthy but quite small. I think the July rain was obviously a big factor.
I also dug up a few kilos of spuds. As predicted, the red Rosabelle second earlies are very good. About 6 or 7 spuds per plant of a good size, many 8 or 9 cm long. I hope the Desiree mains will be just as good - their foliage is almost completely dead now so underground they will swell for another week or so, I guess.
It was a quick visit, just time to water, and rip out a few weeds here and there. It does need a pretty good cleanout before the holiday break, but if it rains, will I be able to do that in time?? Ah, always something getting in between me and complete vegetal victory.
Labels: potato, rain, summer, tomatoes
Monday, July 25, 2011
300 posts!
Woohoo, up to 300 posts! This will be rewarded by some pictures that I took yesterday in the garden.
Here, the weather is really crappy. Cold, wet. This is not really that good for the plants, although the raspberries are huge, as they have plenty of water, as are the tomatoes. Trouble is that without sun, nothing is ripe!
I worked hard yesterday weeding as best I could, actually I got a bit carried away with the time and lunch was late. Oh well. Not too much bindweed, but loads of annoying annuals, toadwort, fat hen, groundsel and bloody couch grass. I filled a wheelbarrow again. Tidied all round the cukes and melons and the tomato/aubergine patch. It does look better I must say.
There was some harvesting to be done yesterday: the first cucumber!
And a few courgettes, still slow on the takeoff. The Serpente di Sicilia have been tied up!
A few rasps and strawbs. The raspberries are very tall this year:
But the tomato harvest is still not forthcoming, even though the fruit is plentiful and swelling wondefully.
These will be the biggest fruit I have ever had. San Marzanos are in huge bunches! The gardener's Delight is laden with long rows of fruit, the MoneyMaker have trusses of 4 and 5 fruit, all round and perky, the Tigerellas are staring to produce big flushes of smallish striped fruit and the Marmande are flat, fat and wrinkled. But everything is resolutely, positively, depressingly green.
There are baby aubergines growing now, at least 3 of them. Including the Red Egg which are meant to give red fruit (but all it has for now is a funny plant shape). Don't worry, the invading grass on photo below is now but a memory.
Actually, I realised that two of the aubergines were completly shaded by the tomaotes, which had grown too lushly. SO I dug them up, rootball and all, and moved them into a more exposed place. I do hope this encourages them, they are tall and hardy but have no fruit yet. I also have several green peppers, which one day may turn red if the sun ever shows its face again.
The melons are doing well, obviously fleecing them was an excellent idea.
And the squash! So much fruit! Hopefully it will all have time to ripen, I have started pinching out the ends of the vines.
Turk's Turban:
Atlantic Giant:
Unknown, although I suspect it's a Qld Blue:
Here is a little overall view, unfortunately taken efore I had tidied it up a little. I find that most has gotten a little out of hand this year but as long as the veg are there it's ok. Left front in the kale, Brussels and the remainder of the spuds (still underground), right front is the squashes and beans,
back left was the onion patch, now has just a pumpkin and some stray tomatoes, back right is the tomatoes/peppers/aubergines/courgettes, with the fruit bed right at the back:
All in all, not such a bad year but now we desperately need some sun!
Here, the weather is really crappy. Cold, wet. This is not really that good for the plants, although the raspberries are huge, as they have plenty of water, as are the tomatoes. Trouble is that without sun, nothing is ripe!
I worked hard yesterday weeding as best I could, actually I got a bit carried away with the time and lunch was late. Oh well. Not too much bindweed, but loads of annoying annuals, toadwort, fat hen, groundsel and bloody couch grass. I filled a wheelbarrow again. Tidied all round the cukes and melons and the tomato/aubergine patch. It does look better I must say.
There was some harvesting to be done yesterday: the first cucumber!
And a few courgettes, still slow on the takeoff. The Serpente di Sicilia have been tied up!
A few rasps and strawbs. The raspberries are very tall this year:
But the tomato harvest is still not forthcoming, even though the fruit is plentiful and swelling wondefully.
These will be the biggest fruit I have ever had. San Marzanos are in huge bunches! The gardener's Delight is laden with long rows of fruit, the MoneyMaker have trusses of 4 and 5 fruit, all round and perky, the Tigerellas are staring to produce big flushes of smallish striped fruit and the Marmande are flat, fat and wrinkled. But everything is resolutely, positively, depressingly green.
There are baby aubergines growing now, at least 3 of them. Including the Red Egg which are meant to give red fruit (but all it has for now is a funny plant shape). Don't worry, the invading grass on photo below is now but a memory.
Actually, I realised that two of the aubergines were completly shaded by the tomaotes, which had grown too lushly. SO I dug them up, rootball and all, and moved them into a more exposed place. I do hope this encourages them, they are tall and hardy but have no fruit yet. I also have several green peppers, which one day may turn red if the sun ever shows its face again.
The melons are doing well, obviously fleecing them was an excellent idea.
And the squash! So much fruit! Hopefully it will all have time to ripen, I have started pinching out the ends of the vines.
Turk's Turban:
Atlantic Giant:
Unknown, although I suspect it's a Qld Blue:
Here is a little overall view, unfortunately taken efore I had tidied it up a little. I find that most has gotten a little out of hand this year but as long as the veg are there it's ok. Left front in the kale, Brussels and the remainder of the spuds (still underground), right front is the squashes and beans,
back left was the onion patch, now has just a pumpkin and some stray tomatoes, back right is the tomatoes/peppers/aubergines/courgettes, with the fruit bed right at the back:
All in all, not such a bad year but now we desperately need some sun!
Labels: courgette, cucumber, pumpkin, rain, raspberry, summer, tomatoes
Monday, June 20, 2011
Quick harvest
As the rain which has stayed so long away has now decided to come back with a vengeance, there was little that could be done this weekend, except watch the allotment get greener!
I pottered for half an hour, picked a few green beans (the first! - but noticed that the stems have been wind damaged!!! Luckily there are more sowings to come), the last pens, broad beans, a few raspberries, and the first lot of gooseberries! at least a kilo! Small this year but sweet. I will have to get some sugar and get the jam cooking!
While I was picking them, I heard a rustling in the mulch, and suddenly, right near me, a tiny snout came up, then two bright eyes! The vole! Well, I don't doubt that it's not the same one... but I had noticed a few tunnels here and there. As I am one of the few that mulch, obviously my plot if a great attraction! She was under the raspberries, so probably picking up the windfalls. I noticed a few opea pods that were close to the ground, had been nibbled too. Oh well, She's so tiny and cute, I can't begrudge her a few veggies. She looked at me for a while then scurried back under the straw.
The tomatoes and peppers are going great guns, and the pumpkins are just going absolutely mad (I just don't actually know what some of them are! I am guessing butternuts but am unsure)! Courgette plants are growing quite well, some male flowers but no females yet, but the largest plant is starting to grow a dense interior section, with flower buds, which usually means that fruit will soon be on its way. I tied up one of the cucumbers, it is now about 30-40 cm high, and I think will soon be flowering. The melon plants are quite vigourous now, they are in flower. Wonder if we will get fruit though??
The garlic is dying back, soon be harvest time, when there is a sunny period. The onions this year are magnificent, and no bolting at all! Terrific!
New tasks for this week, if it stops raining long enough: pull up the dead pea plants and sow more green beans for the end of the season. Weed and feed the strawberry beds and tidy that general area. Hoe away the weed seedlings that are growing like mad... Last post before the official start of summer....What a strange spring it has been.
I pottered for half an hour, picked a few green beans (the first! - but noticed that the stems have been wind damaged!!! Luckily there are more sowings to come), the last pens, broad beans, a few raspberries, and the first lot of gooseberries! at least a kilo! Small this year but sweet. I will have to get some sugar and get the jam cooking!
While I was picking them, I heard a rustling in the mulch, and suddenly, right near me, a tiny snout came up, then two bright eyes! The vole! Well, I don't doubt that it's not the same one... but I had noticed a few tunnels here and there. As I am one of the few that mulch, obviously my plot if a great attraction! She was under the raspberries, so probably picking up the windfalls. I noticed a few opea pods that were close to the ground, had been nibbled too. Oh well, She's so tiny and cute, I can't begrudge her a few veggies. She looked at me for a while then scurried back under the straw.
The tomatoes and peppers are going great guns, and the pumpkins are just going absolutely mad (I just don't actually know what some of them are! I am guessing butternuts but am unsure)! Courgette plants are growing quite well, some male flowers but no females yet, but the largest plant is starting to grow a dense interior section, with flower buds, which usually means that fruit will soon be on its way. I tied up one of the cucumbers, it is now about 30-40 cm high, and I think will soon be flowering. The melon plants are quite vigourous now, they are in flower. Wonder if we will get fruit though??
The garlic is dying back, soon be harvest time, when there is a sunny period. The onions this year are magnificent, and no bolting at all! Terrific!
New tasks for this week, if it stops raining long enough: pull up the dead pea plants and sow more green beans for the end of the season. Weed and feed the strawberry beds and tidy that general area. Hoe away the weed seedlings that are growing like mad... Last post before the official start of summer....What a strange spring it has been.
Labels: beans, courgette, garlic, peas, rain, spring, vole
Friday, June 17, 2011
Soggy week
Well the much needed rain we were all hoping for has arrived. It has been raining off anf on for most of the week. And good rain it is too, not torrential just mild steady showers on and off. Good for soaking into the ground but not running all over the place.
Hope I don't find to many weeds on teh lottie this weekend! I can't help thinking though that this will give an excellent start to the root veg I sowed last week, and encourage good growth on the courgettes and squash and tomatoes. Guess it will do the maincrop spuds good too, although probably a bit late for the earlies whose vegetation has already died off.
Hope I don't find to many weeds on teh lottie this weekend! I can't help thinking though that this will give an excellent start to the root veg I sowed last week, and encourage good growth on the courgettes and squash and tomatoes. Guess it will do the maincrop spuds good too, although probably a bit late for the earlies whose vegetation has already died off.
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
Brief reprieve of rain
On the weekend we finally had some showers but I would say that it is not nearly enough to help with the drought situation. Still, enough so I don't have to go running with the watering can!
I tidied up the garden a little over the long weekend. but not nearly enough to satisfy me. There is a lot of bindweed, and I really need to sow late beetroot and autumn carrots. Still, I planted out the kale, and some more broccoli (hope springs eternal), and sowed late French beans (Safari and some yellow wax).
I dug up a few kilos of early spuds too. Actually they are not all early. I did plant a few random Ratte type - they are really too small right now but I need the space for other things! We ate them regardless. The Belle de Fontenay are small but delicious. I will do them again next year, with hopefully a bit more rain.
The big surprise is the onions. They are doing extremely well, some bulbs are looking mighty handsome. I can't believe how well they have grown with nearly no water except a few bits of hand watering.
I tidied up the garden a little over the long weekend. but not nearly enough to satisfy me. There is a lot of bindweed, and I really need to sow late beetroot and autumn carrots. Still, I planted out the kale, and some more broccoli (hope springs eternal), and sowed late French beans (Safari and some yellow wax).
I dug up a few kilos of early spuds too. Actually they are not all early. I did plant a few random Ratte type - they are really too small right now but I need the space for other things! We ate them regardless. The Belle de Fontenay are small but delicious. I will do them again next year, with hopefully a bit more rain.
The big surprise is the onions. They are doing extremely well, some bulbs are looking mighty handsome. I can't believe how well they have grown with nearly no water except a few bits of hand watering.
Labels: beans, potato, rain, spring
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
At last some rain
And well needed it was too!
I had a week off work and did some amazing progress in the garden, thanks to my brother and his good digging technique! My neighbours were amused, as he speaks no French, I said I have hired a foreign labourer to help and they all giggled.
So I got the tenders planted - about 15 tomatoes, 7 or 8 aubergines and the same of sweet peppers. Also went in 5 melon plants given to me by a workmate. I have fleeced those, I find melons so dodgy, I don't know if they will take but they were free so no grumbles. The climbing beans are in, Cobra saved from last year and too from a seed swap, yard long beans and some other climbers whose name escapes me.
I sowed more squash, two or three courgettes including a Serpente di Sicilia, and beetroot and parsnip. The plot got a good kicking, the whole tomato patch was turned over and weeded in a couple of hours, I have just got the courgette patch left and that is covered in cardboard so will be a doddle.
The plot is beautiful just now - I harvested a pound of delicious strawberries and later in the week we will eat our first artichokes and peas (kelvedon).
The sage is in flower and for the first time I got irises! Gorgeous.
There are flowers everywhere:
red roses,
chive flowers,
purple honeywort,
brilliant orange california poppies,
white thym and what is called apparently "Honesty", or money plant, which in French is called the Pope's Money. It's a lunaria in fact, but gave purple blooms and now the strange translucent pods good for decoration indoors. That took 2 years to grow from some seed sown!
I can honestly say that despite the lack of rain, the plot this year is looking tip top, loads of fruits on the bushes, squash has germinated fine, and the beans and peas are in great shape. Will I get carrots? Who knows, but the seedlings are abundant and healthy for the first time. And yes this is getting slightly obsessive.
Now we just need another few heavy downpours and we will be in business!
I had a week off work and did some amazing progress in the garden, thanks to my brother and his good digging technique! My neighbours were amused, as he speaks no French, I said I have hired a foreign labourer to help and they all giggled.
So I got the tenders planted - about 15 tomatoes, 7 or 8 aubergines and the same of sweet peppers. Also went in 5 melon plants given to me by a workmate. I have fleeced those, I find melons so dodgy, I don't know if they will take but they were free so no grumbles. The climbing beans are in, Cobra saved from last year and too from a seed swap, yard long beans and some other climbers whose name escapes me.
I sowed more squash, two or three courgettes including a Serpente di Sicilia, and beetroot and parsnip. The plot got a good kicking, the whole tomato patch was turned over and weeded in a couple of hours, I have just got the courgette patch left and that is covered in cardboard so will be a doddle.
The plot is beautiful just now - I harvested a pound of delicious strawberries and later in the week we will eat our first artichokes and peas (kelvedon).
The sage is in flower and for the first time I got irises! Gorgeous.
There are flowers everywhere:
red roses,
chive flowers,
purple honeywort,
brilliant orange california poppies,
white thym and what is called apparently "Honesty", or money plant, which in French is called the Pope's Money. It's a lunaria in fact, but gave purple blooms and now the strange translucent pods good for decoration indoors. That took 2 years to grow from some seed sown!
I can honestly say that despite the lack of rain, the plot this year is looking tip top, loads of fruits on the bushes, squash has germinated fine, and the beans and peas are in great shape. Will I get carrots? Who knows, but the seedlings are abundant and healthy for the first time. And yes this is getting slightly obsessive.
Now we just need another few heavy downpours and we will be in business!
Labels: artichoke, beans, digging, drought, flowers, peas, rain, spring, squash, strawberry, tomatoes
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Spuds again!
Ah lots of hard yakka this weekend. Saturday was gorgeous, although the air was heavy with the promise of rain. SO in went just about all the Desiree maincrop potatoes, all except about ten that I forgot in the kitchen :-D I noticed that the earlies I planted end of February have tiny leaves peeking up. The mild March weather has done them good. The shallots and garlic and onions are all putting out shoots: this week is pretty rainy and I think a good soaking will boost them on no end.
Peas were also the star of the weekend. I filled in the gaps of the Kelvedon Wonders and planted out some samples I was kindly given in a swap - Half Pint and a Golden Mangetout variety (never got those to work before. Hopefully if there is not a lot to eat I will at least be able to save some more seed for next year!
The spinach is sprouting, excellent news - I sowed a new row of early Nantes carrots, mixed with a few spring onion seeds for fun. The plot is looking reasonably tidy (although that will change, with the rain) and spring is definitely pushing everything up. There is not that much to be planted in April, except some more sowings of beetroot, broccoli, kale, brussel sprouts and spinach and some flowers, so I will spend my time mostly tidying, weeding and edging the paths (a pretty big job!). It is starting to look OK, with some new pathing and I am keeping a check on the grass and weed, as far as possible.
Indoors, I repotted the aubergines and peppers. I am a bit disappointed with the germination rate to be honest, but I think there are at least 6 or 8 little plants of each which will be sufficient. the tomatoes are not all big enough yet to be potted on - there too I have had poor germination, I don't really know what the reason is. Perhaps not enough heat, not enough water, very mysterious.
Raining outside - fill up my rain barrels please!
Peas were also the star of the weekend. I filled in the gaps of the Kelvedon Wonders and planted out some samples I was kindly given in a swap - Half Pint and a Golden Mangetout variety (never got those to work before. Hopefully if there is not a lot to eat I will at least be able to save some more seed for next year!
The spinach is sprouting, excellent news - I sowed a new row of early Nantes carrots, mixed with a few spring onion seeds for fun. The plot is looking reasonably tidy (although that will change, with the rain) and spring is definitely pushing everything up. There is not that much to be planted in April, except some more sowings of beetroot, broccoli, kale, brussel sprouts and spinach and some flowers, so I will spend my time mostly tidying, weeding and edging the paths (a pretty big job!). It is starting to look OK, with some new pathing and I am keeping a check on the grass and weed, as far as possible.
Indoors, I repotted the aubergines and peppers. I am a bit disappointed with the germination rate to be honest, but I think there are at least 6 or 8 little plants of each which will be sufficient. the tomatoes are not all big enough yet to be potted on - there too I have had poor germination, I don't really know what the reason is. Perhaps not enough heat, not enough water, very mysterious.
Raining outside - fill up my rain barrels please!
Labels: aubergine, carrots, peas, peppers, potato, rain, spinach, spring
Monday, November 22, 2010
Cabbage!
OK brassicas to be precise. No pics because we ate them too fast but I actually managed to produce two decent heads of broccoli! I am so proud of myself. And there is another one still developing. They were delicious too.
And we ate the first brussels sprouts which I also found to be fine and dandy. There are loads of those still growing, I harvest them right through the winter.
Unfortunately here it has just been totally disastrous weather, rain rain rain, the plot lloks like some kind of bog. The weather is now clearing but they say it will now get fearfully cold. I have not yet planted the garlic and really feel as if I should. Maybe this week it won't be too late, if I surround it with lots of manure to keep it warm???
basically i still have to dig over the whole plot, pull out the last of the summer installations and dig in the manure that was delivered...Piece of cake...
I was down the gardens at 9am on Saturday morning anyway, in the rain, to listen to a complete load of twaddle. A couple of gardeners had anonymously complained to the council and to the association president about "serious anomalies" in the functioning of the gardens, and cheek of all, had signed in the names of the whole group! To cut a long story short, we are one group in an allotments association who work land rented to us by the local council. Their gripes were that certain people had put things outside their sheds that they didn't agree with, that they had no map of the plot with everyone's name on it (why? so they can go complain about aforementioned sheds??) and that the guttering had not been repainted often enough, well and other associated bullshit. The association president and the council rep called a meeting.Most of us were appalled that time had been wasted like this, especially as we had no idea that this letter existed or its contents. Most of the people on our site are friendly and tolerant and I feel on teh whole it is well run, the site manager is often present and I find him very apporachable. It was agreed on that this was a complete waste of time and if people weren't satisfied, they should see the site manager and if not, well, just leave if you're not happy with it! At least it gave me a chance to chat to some other plotholder's, whom I don't always see that often, and to see that 2 plotholders are giving up this season and are having drinkies next week. One is a rough-edged old lady who is now 80 and it's too much for her, the other I suspect is one of the letter writers....
So no tears there!! Except when I go and look at the huge piles of sodden manure hanging around my unkempt plot :-(
And we ate the first brussels sprouts which I also found to be fine and dandy. There are loads of those still growing, I harvest them right through the winter.
Unfortunately here it has just been totally disastrous weather, rain rain rain, the plot lloks like some kind of bog. The weather is now clearing but they say it will now get fearfully cold. I have not yet planted the garlic and really feel as if I should. Maybe this week it won't be too late, if I surround it with lots of manure to keep it warm???
basically i still have to dig over the whole plot, pull out the last of the summer installations and dig in the manure that was delivered...Piece of cake...
I was down the gardens at 9am on Saturday morning anyway, in the rain, to listen to a complete load of twaddle. A couple of gardeners had anonymously complained to the council and to the association president about "serious anomalies" in the functioning of the gardens, and cheek of all, had signed in the names of the whole group! To cut a long story short, we are one group in an allotments association who work land rented to us by the local council. Their gripes were that certain people had put things outside their sheds that they didn't agree with, that they had no map of the plot with everyone's name on it (why? so they can go complain about aforementioned sheds??) and that the guttering had not been repainted often enough, well and other associated bullshit. The association president and the council rep called a meeting.Most of us were appalled that time had been wasted like this, especially as we had no idea that this letter existed or its contents. Most of the people on our site are friendly and tolerant and I feel on teh whole it is well run, the site manager is often present and I find him very apporachable. It was agreed on that this was a complete waste of time and if people weren't satisfied, they should see the site manager and if not, well, just leave if you're not happy with it! At least it gave me a chance to chat to some other plotholder's, whom I don't always see that often, and to see that 2 plotholders are giving up this season and are having drinkies next week. One is a rough-edged old lady who is now 80 and it's too much for her, the other I suspect is one of the letter writers....
So no tears there!! Except when I go and look at the huge piles of sodden manure hanging around my unkempt plot :-(
Monday, November 15, 2010
November floodout
Well, all the best laid plans - I had planned a day off to really sort out teh garden but work commitments saw me cancel it. That was last week. It turned out to be quite a good day, and fairly dry. After that there was a long weekend - where it utterly poured the whole time. So I STILL have not planted the garlic or spread the manure or turned over the soil :-(
Hopefully I will take another day off in the next two weeks and see to it then before it gets too cold.
I have been spending my time cooking mostly! A friend gave me quinces, and I cooked them up into a jammy purée with apples to serve with meat, paté or foie gras. Delish.
Not much to soeak of garden wise then, with a bit of luck I will get the first Brussel sprouts next time I am down there. Yum.
Hopefully I will take another day off in the next two weeks and see to it then before it gets too cold.
I have been spending my time cooking mostly! A friend gave me quinces, and I cooked them up into a jammy purée with apples to serve with meat, paté or foie gras. Delish.
Not much to soeak of garden wise then, with a bit of luck I will get the first Brussel sprouts next time I am down there. Yum.
Thursday, August 05, 2010
Tiny harvest
Making myself ridiculously late for work, I couldn't help going down this morning to see if there were any more Cobra french bean. And there were! Enough for a whole meal! I can't get enough of them - they are currently winding their way around the trellises I put up for them and are covered in pretty purple flowers. I just hope that the beans come out before our holidays at the end of next week :-S Then at least I can freeze them or take them with us.
I just rushed around this morning picking everything in sight: 2 small yellow courgettes, 2 green and yellow Oz squash, the beans, a small punnet of strawberries and about 4 or 5 small tomatoes. These are MoneyMaker and cherry tomatoes.
Now despite my labelling efforts, I am confused with my small toms. I planted them in a row and it seems that I put in Gardener's Delight, Totem and Pannovy. But now I don't know which is which... One is really a tiny miniature bush (maybe that is Totem) but with great big bunches of tomatoes close to the stem. They may be small but there are at least a dozen toms on each one and they look in excellent condition. But slow to ripen. Good, they will be ready when we get back from hols!
I had a couple of other Gardener's Delight but they are huge! So they don't resemble the other cherry tomatoes at all? Oh well, some of it was saved seed so maybe I just mixed it all up.
Some people say they don't like MoneyMaker but I don't know why - they are early ripeners and are producing numerous small and juicy salad fruit. I find the taste to be quite refreshing and the plants are healthy. I will certainly be buying some more of those next year.
We had a sprinkling of rain yesterday but only enough to just freshen up the ground a little. Not sure it gave any real benefit to the plants...
I just rushed around this morning picking everything in sight: 2 small yellow courgettes, 2 green and yellow Oz squash, the beans, a small punnet of strawberries and about 4 or 5 small tomatoes. These are MoneyMaker and cherry tomatoes.
Now despite my labelling efforts, I am confused with my small toms. I planted them in a row and it seems that I put in Gardener's Delight, Totem and Pannovy. But now I don't know which is which... One is really a tiny miniature bush (maybe that is Totem) but with great big bunches of tomatoes close to the stem. They may be small but there are at least a dozen toms on each one and they look in excellent condition. But slow to ripen. Good, they will be ready when we get back from hols!
I had a couple of other Gardener's Delight but they are huge! So they don't resemble the other cherry tomatoes at all? Oh well, some of it was saved seed so maybe I just mixed it all up.
Some people say they don't like MoneyMaker but I don't know why - they are early ripeners and are producing numerous small and juicy salad fruit. I find the taste to be quite refreshing and the plants are healthy. I will certainly be buying some more of those next year.
We had a sprinkling of rain yesterday but only enough to just freshen up the ground a little. Not sure it gave any real benefit to the plants...
Labels: beans, courgette, rain, strawberry, summer, tomatoes
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Last sowings
Well, in an attempt to have some kind of winter crop, I have made a last ditch effort to sow some seeds. In the cold frame are:
More rain today. The top soil is still dry but underneath I noticed it was rather cool and moist so at least some water has soaked down.
- red radicchio lettuce, winter scarole and some summer lettuce,
- more Monoruba beetroot (the last lot died in the heat)
- Curly red kale
- winter cauliflower (starting to realise why I have never grown it before, it's a bloody pain in the arse!)
- Durham Early spring cabbage.
More rain today. The top soil is still dry but underneath I noticed it was rather cool and moist so at least some water has soaked down.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
A little more rain
finally a little rain this morning. Not a lot, but it was actually running down teh gutters so I assume that the ground at the allotment at least got wet. The ground is really parched so it's certainly very welcome. Not sure it will continue though...
Yesterday morning I netted the broccoli as I am sure they had already been nibbled by pigeons or other birds. bastards.
Yesterday morning I netted the broccoli as I am sure they had already been nibbled by pigeons or other birds. bastards.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Rain!
Yesterday, somewhat spoiling several Bastille day fireworks displays, we finally had a good heavy downpour. I hope that the allotment has profited from this, as it has been bone dry.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Does gardening send us barmy?
I am starting to wonder, as maybe that would explain why I was down the allotment at 6.15 pm last night, in office trousers and a pair of wellies planting out a handful of beetroot plants kindly given me by my neighbour, in addition to the rhubarb chard that was sown in the coldframe but was now poking alarmingly out of the top of it. It rained a good portion of the night so they will be well established.
Beetroot is a curious case - I have several patches around the allotment this year, Boltardy and Cheltenham greentop and yesterday I sowed modules of Monoruba, a late bloomer. This is all a great experiment to see which variety works best and whether it should be sown in situ or if it does indeed do well from modules. I always thought the roots should not be touched or disturbed but seems this is not necessarily the case. I followed my neighbour's advice to trim both roots and leaves. We'll see what result that gives.
I also could not resist the temptation to weed the onions a little, they were getting a bit invaded by thistles, fat hen and groundsel and a bit of bindweed too. Seemed easier to rip it out than to hoe. They all seem to be doing well, even the spring onions (which will be summer onions now of course), although the garlic is getting a touch of rust and looking distinctly yellow. Time for it to be harvested methinks. I will have to wait for a dry spell, as harvesting in the rain is a no-no.
I also had the good idea of emptying out the water barrel that is under the overflow to fill the one next to it, as last night we had steady rain and with a bit of luck, both barrels will soon be generously filled. The growth on the plot is quite startling, and Sunday it is going to take a bit of work to weed it all, mulch the tomatoes and peppers and tidy the path and edges. The leeks also need planting as they are now pencil sized and will start hankering for the open ground. Roll on the weekend!
Beetroot is a curious case - I have several patches around the allotment this year, Boltardy and Cheltenham greentop and yesterday I sowed modules of Monoruba, a late bloomer. This is all a great experiment to see which variety works best and whether it should be sown in situ or if it does indeed do well from modules. I always thought the roots should not be touched or disturbed but seems this is not necessarily the case. I followed my neighbour's advice to trim both roots and leaves. We'll see what result that gives.
I also could not resist the temptation to weed the onions a little, they were getting a bit invaded by thistles, fat hen and groundsel and a bit of bindweed too. Seemed easier to rip it out than to hoe. They all seem to be doing well, even the spring onions (which will be summer onions now of course), although the garlic is getting a touch of rust and looking distinctly yellow. Time for it to be harvested methinks. I will have to wait for a dry spell, as harvesting in the rain is a no-no.
I also had the good idea of emptying out the water barrel that is under the overflow to fill the one next to it, as last night we had steady rain and with a bit of luck, both barrels will soon be generously filled. The growth on the plot is quite startling, and Sunday it is going to take a bit of work to weed it all, mulch the tomatoes and peppers and tidy the path and edges. The leeks also need planting as they are now pencil sized and will start hankering for the open ground. Roll on the weekend!
Labels: beetroot, chard, onions, rain, spring
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Downpour
Just to keep a little record of the meteorological conditions, today and yesterday we had some really good downpours. This is an excellent time for it, as it will establish all the new plants, like the squashes and tomatoes, and will give a terrific growth spurt to the potatoes and onions which are in their formative stages now. I am hoping that, as the weather has already been wet, the soil will be well disposed to soak in more rain, as when it suddenly pours after a dry spell, the ground is hard and runoff is often high.
Looking at last year's posts, I see that things are late this year - I was already into several harvests of peas and artichokes, but this year it is only just starting (There were 2 artichokes finally showing this week). However Nature is trying its best to catch up on the extreme cold of late winter and early spring. I noticed that the courgettes were starting their first flowers, and that the raspberries seem to be fruiting already, even though they are not as high as last year (they did get well cut down in winter though, maybe that did them some good). Last year I also got some lettuce from the garden, apparently, perhaps this is the only period when it grows successfully? I am going to try late varieties this year and see how I get on.
Looking at last year's posts, I see that things are late this year - I was already into several harvests of peas and artichokes, but this year it is only just starting (There were 2 artichokes finally showing this week). However Nature is trying its best to catch up on the extreme cold of late winter and early spring. I noticed that the courgettes were starting their first flowers, and that the raspberries seem to be fruiting already, even though they are not as high as last year (they did get well cut down in winter though, maybe that did them some good). Last year I also got some lettuce from the garden, apparently, perhaps this is the only period when it grows successfully? I am going to try late varieties this year and see how I get on.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Rain, finally
After quite a dry patch, some rain. Good rain, steady drizzling rain that will penetrate well into the soil. cool. Not so cool that it came the weekend I was participating in a garage sale. Now I just have a basement full of damp stuff...
So no gardening, except for a quick 20 minutes on Friday evening when I planted 2 spaghetti squash and 3 Tristar pumpkins given to me by a workmate (thanks Chris!). I spotted my furry friend again too, some rodent that is living in the compost box because I saw it shoot back in there out of the corner of my eye. Hope it's not going to eat my squash seeds that I sowed last week.
I was quite pleased because the tender plants seem to have really taken well. I am hoping that this rainy period will help them develop their root systems and boost their growth.
The garlic and alliums are going strong, and even I must say, the spring onions, to my surprise have finally taken off. I won't have any straight away! But they are now about 10cm tall and finally look like they are plumping up.
Now I will have to start the great weeding campaign! A little and often is what I will try to do this year!
So no gardening, except for a quick 20 minutes on Friday evening when I planted 2 spaghetti squash and 3 Tristar pumpkins given to me by a workmate (thanks Chris!). I spotted my furry friend again too, some rodent that is living in the compost box because I saw it shoot back in there out of the corner of my eye. Hope it's not going to eat my squash seeds that I sowed last week.
I was quite pleased because the tender plants seem to have really taken well. I am hoping that this rainy period will help them develop their root systems and boost their growth.
The garlic and alliums are going strong, and even I must say, the spring onions, to my surprise have finally taken off. I won't have any straight away! But they are now about 10cm tall and finally look like they are plumping up.
Now I will have to start the great weeding campaign! A little and often is what I will try to do this year!
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