Tuesday 27 May 2008

27/5/08

Over the last few days i've done a few more jobs, weeded and potted on a few things.

On the plot i planted some broccoli plants i bought a week ago, and was given 2 brussel sprouts by my neighbour which i swapped for one of my Indian chilli plants. i then planted 2 small rows of spinach beet as the spinach i have sowed is trying to seed already before its in the ground! I also put in the climbing french beans and planted one bean alongside each plant just in case they fail. Plus a little weeding at every opportunity.


In the garden i spent a nice hour this evening having a beer, putting Sonic Youth and Aphex Twin on the stereo, and potting on and planting more seed. The chilli's, 2 Betty's indian (as i've named it, after my colleague) and 2 jalapeno were potted on. Sowed were 8 more dwarf french beans for a later crop, 2 courgette 'zucchini F1' , and 6 crown prince pumpkins seeds from last years crop. I then added another 4 squash in the shape of butternut again from previous years seed.

Next up must be to remove the 4 cabbage plants and sow 2 rows of leeks at the plot, and to thin out the turnips, swede and parsnips again to final positions.

Friday 23 May 2008

'little helpers'

a comment on my last posting asked where the little helpers were. well here you go!!!!!

Tuesday 20 May 2008

20/5/08

Had a day off today to spend at the plot and got a lot done. i put up the pea netting and cloched the second sowing, and sowed a third one. The bean trench was filled in and poles put up, and planted the dwarf french beans. The climbing beans are ready to put in but i didn't get round to that today. I also planted the 6 strawberry plants i bought at the weekend, i've never had much success with strawberries so fingers crossed this time. Potatoes were earth up, and weeding ++++.
At the bottom of the plot the parsnips look like they have germinated which is great, and i thinned the swede and turnips. At the end of the swede row i planted the 3 chard plants i had in pots, and also weeded the beetroot row and filled in the gaps with some tray sown seedlings and sowed some more seed in the remaining row spaces. In the carrot row barely 5% had germinated so i weeded that and resowed with a new variety 'Amsterdam 2 sweetheart'. I then repeated this with the row that originally had 'autumn king' in which again had poorly germinated.

I removed the purple and white sprouting broccolis which had gone over, and was given some seedlings by another plot holder of cabbage 'greyhound' which was put in last night. I then weeded around the remaining cabbages and onions. The remaining weeding to be down is under the tarpaulin which is shrinking slowly but has alot of roots and taking a long time. This is where the summer crops will go, pumpkins, squashes, sweetcorn, and i also want to sow some more carrots, spinach, chard.

In the green house i have planted into growbags one tomato, 2 cucumbers, and 1 sweet pepper, and have to go in a few more tomatoes and all the chilli plants. I was given some chilli seeds by an indian colleague who is not sure what variety they are, i was unsure also whether the would germinate but they have so i will grow on 2 plants, and also 2 jalapeƱo plants. I have also bought another tomato plant which should just be for eating for me, whilst the others will be predominantly for sauces. The courgette sowed has surprisingly failed to germinate so i bought a plant last weekend which i potted on and seems to be doing well.

Phew, busy day!!!!

Friday 9 May 2008

More sunshine!!

Quick notes and photos.
This was our first picking of lettuce from the greenhouse

More work on the weed area, including a huge stone i dug out.
Thining the turnips and swede, the turnips allowed to be a little more grouped, but i was stricter with the swede as last year poor thinning meant a patchy crop in the end.
The white sprouting broccolli looking great, need to pick soon!!
My daughter by the sunflower plants she sowed! She was more interested though on standing on the potato hills!

Pea's under bottle cloches, which will need removing and pea netting set up.The second sowing of pea's, next week i will put in the third.