Well, one week and 2 days away from the plot after going to the Download Festival... my god, how the weeds have grown! Completely overwhelmed the peas. Having a good go at overwhelming the kids areas. Raised beds weren't in too bad a shape though thank goodness. I think they are the way forward for me.
So, cleared the worst from the kids areas... harvested some nice lettuce there that had managed to best the weeds that surrounded them. Got some decent spring onion and a pummet of starwberries.
Used some poundland weed suppressing fabric and planted my leeks out through it.
I need to spend an evening cutting back the weed grass so that the seeds don't spread. Maybe see if I can rescue my peas a little. Giving up on the plan to create a tomato shelter - use the wood for a quick raised bed and sow out more lettuce I reckon.
Might have to face facts that finding enough hours in the day is proving tricky. We shall see. Certainly I'll be increasing the number of beds if I carry on with this. Otherwise it'll probably be a case of extending the growing area at home.
Tuesday, 23 June 2009
Wednesday, 3 June 2009
lettuce lettuce
lettuce going in to the empty spaces in the GH & finally some beetroot are showing...
Weeding and watering
The alliums I've planted are all doing well, but the red barons were in danger of being overwhelmed by weeds - so an hour of hand weeding was required - reckon I pulled out about two barrow-fulls of miscellaneous weeds. Watered everything as its been a hot few days.
The Pentland Javelins look like they're going well - might have to have a root around to check their development.
Need to take the camera with me to add a bit of spice to the blog...
The Pentland Javelins look like they're going well - might have to have a root around to check their development.
Need to take the camera with me to add a bit of spice to the blog...
Tuesday, 2 June 2009
hot hot heat
Bindweed all over my peas.. bah.
Tis very hot, so have to step up on the watering front. Sweetcorn and courgettes went in over the weekend, and put a few marketeer cucumbers in one of the raised beds. Leeks doing well at home - they'll be ported across to the lottie next weekend hopefully.
Garlic looks to be going great guns, and my red baron onion is doing a lot better than last year.
The few tomato plants I put in not doing too well - though we're already overwhelmed with plants at home so a load of those will have to come across.
Growing mixed letuce varieties for the first time on the plot this year. Seem to be doing well without a lot of intervention.
Spring onions - disappointing success rate - reckon I've got about 20% germination 0 so will need to plant a few more & check the date on the seed packet...
Tis very hot, so have to step up on the watering front. Sweetcorn and courgettes went in over the weekend, and put a few marketeer cucumbers in one of the raised beds. Leeks doing well at home - they'll be ported across to the lottie next weekend hopefully.
Garlic looks to be going great guns, and my red baron onion is doing a lot better than last year.
The few tomato plants I put in not doing too well - though we're already overwhelmed with plants at home so a load of those will have to come across.
Growing mixed letuce varieties for the first time on the plot this year. Seem to be doing well without a lot of intervention.
Spring onions - disappointing success rate - reckon I've got about 20% germination 0 so will need to plant a few more & check the date on the seed packet...
Thursday, 7 May 2009
more planting on the plot
Daughter's patch started - she's gone for sunflowers, strawberries and sweetcorn.
Cleared another patch for giant pumpkins - 4 planted out, but looks like the wind has snapped at least one of them (they were a bit 'leggy') - still, I've got about 8 more germinating at home which is potentially a lot of pumpkin.
Put a couple of wind barriers in the other night - sweetcorn had gone in early 'cos of a lack of room and many had been flattened. Barriers look to have helped - a bit. Also got some of them under cover of old cloches and half plastic bottles. We'll see if they survive.
At home the melons and watermelons are beginning to pick up the pace. Think I may have to buy a cheap plastic greenhouse (despite the fact that they get blown to pieces) as I've simply not got the room in the existing one - heard a rumour that they might be down to £11 at Wilko's.
Cleared another patch for giant pumpkins - 4 planted out, but looks like the wind has snapped at least one of them (they were a bit 'leggy') - still, I've got about 8 more germinating at home which is potentially a lot of pumpkin.
Put a couple of wind barriers in the other night - sweetcorn had gone in early 'cos of a lack of room and many had been flattened. Barriers look to have helped - a bit. Also got some of them under cover of old cloches and half plastic bottles. We'll see if they survive.
At home the melons and watermelons are beginning to pick up the pace. Think I may have to buy a cheap plastic greenhouse (despite the fact that they get blown to pieces) as I've simply not got the room in the existing one - heard a rumour that they might be down to £11 at Wilko's.
Thursday, 30 April 2009
Lidl strawberries
So the other nipper has been inspired by jealousy to desire a piece of the plot for her own use. Thought I'd better get some strawberries for her. Lidl had some very healthy looking strawbs that were flowering and beginning to fruit. Couldn't work out what variety but £2.99 for six was a pretty good price.
Sunday, 26 April 2009
strawberries lettuce & courgettes
Spent a couple of hours on the plot with youngest child - he was feeling very keen, so ended up creating a bit of space for him. Couple of rows of lettuce, few courgettes in and had to buy 6 strawberries at a horrendous price to keep him keen.
Monday, 20 April 2009
peas-in down on the plot
3 hours on the plot yesterday - more couch grass removed
Put down a load of peas, still got loads more to put in though.
Signs of life from the onion sets. Garlic still looking vigorous too.
At home the leek seedlings are starting to get a little bigger, probably another few weeks before I transplant them. The greenhouse is full to bursting, with tomatoes and cucumber, some sweetcorn and a variety of melon and aubergine. Need to buy a bigger one I think.
Put down a load of peas, still got loads more to put in though.
Signs of life from the onion sets. Garlic still looking vigorous too.
At home the leek seedlings are starting to get a little bigger, probably another few weeks before I transplant them. The greenhouse is full to bursting, with tomatoes and cucumber, some sweetcorn and a variety of melon and aubergine. Need to buy a bigger one I think.
Monday, 6 April 2009
Good weather = good times...
Was a really pleasant weekend, weather wise. Sowed some sweetcorn and peppers in the greenhouse and a few watermelon and pumpkin seeds. Cucumbers have started to germinate.
Went to the plot on Sunday for about 3 hours. Finished off a raised bed and sowed spring onions in it. Cleared a pile of couch grass and planteda couple of rows of red onions. Plot's a bit of a mess, though better than last year. Think I'll probably put some roundup down (never claimed to be an organic gardener)
Went to the plot on Sunday for about 3 hours. Finished off a raised bed and sowed spring onions in it. Cleared a pile of couch grass and planteda couple of rows of red onions. Plot's a bit of a mess, though better than last year. Think I'll probably put some roundup down (never claimed to be an organic gardener)
Tuesday, 17 March 2009
Planting
Haven't spent too much time down at the plot - but even so its in better shape than this time last year.
At home I've got my tomato seeds germinating, a few early melon seeds have been potted along with a couple of cucumber varieties and a squash. The rocket did very well over the winter months - have had about 6 family salads based around the box of rocket. Should put a bit more in now.
Raspberry at home is looking in very good shape. Think I'll dig up the gooseberry plant and take the potted blueberry down to the allotment too. Doubt that the blueberry is going to give me anything as its been in a very bad way since it produced a few berries last summer.
At home I've got my tomato seeds germinating, a few early melon seeds have been potted along with a couple of cucumber varieties and a squash. The rocket did very well over the winter months - have had about 6 family salads based around the box of rocket. Should put a bit more in now.
Raspberry at home is looking in very good shape. Think I'll dig up the gooseberry plant and take the potted blueberry down to the allotment too. Doubt that the blueberry is going to give me anything as its been in a very bad way since it produced a few berries last summer.
Thursday, 15 January 2009
2009 is here
Hopefully be able to get cracking soon.
I put my supermarket garlic in about 10 days ago - touch wood the Spanish softies can cope with the inclement conditions. Strawberries also moved into one of the raised beds.
Sowed alpine strawberries and red onion seeds indoors over the weekend. Probably a little on the early side for the fruit, but we shall see.
In the greenhouse, a couple of the chillies are still hanging on. The random attempt to save some of the geraniums has worked on a few of the plants... might save a few quid come the spring.
Have bought some 25mm mdpe pipe and some cheapo polythene from B&Q - when the weather is a little nicer will try to put up a polytunnel.
I put my supermarket garlic in about 10 days ago - touch wood the Spanish softies can cope with the inclement conditions. Strawberries also moved into one of the raised beds.
Sowed alpine strawberries and red onion seeds indoors over the weekend. Probably a little on the early side for the fruit, but we shall see.
In the greenhouse, a couple of the chillies are still hanging on. The random attempt to save some of the geraniums has worked on a few of the plants... might save a few quid come the spring.
Have bought some 25mm mdpe pipe and some cheapo polythene from B&Q - when the weather is a little nicer will try to put up a polytunnel.
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