Tuesday 15th April 2008

And finally for this entry a final picture of the potato bags planted just before Xmas. Grandaughter (age 11) is visiting this weekend and am going to give her the honour of digging out one of the bags to see what we have in the way of potatoes.




Will try and take some pictures of the lottie at he weekend, in the meantime the above is a picture of the blueberry patch, 5 of them I have had a while and are into their 3rd season with me. I have added a sixth one this year and may well buy one each year just to keep them going.




Continuing to prick out and pot up tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, achocha, pepino, cucumbers, gherkins and tomatillo. Beans continue to germinate and grow. Above picture is of one of the greenhouse benches.






Busy week at work so not much time for any gardening. Have been using a lot of mouse bait in the greenhouse just lately, looking at the picture I can understand why. Rats do not come much bigger than this one which I found dead on the greenhouse floor yesterday.

Sunday 13th April 2008

This is the second edition, had to come out of the last post as the computer started to play up and I had to restart it.
In the garden and on the lottie every thing has started to show signs of life. Beds are filling up very quickly now. All potatoes and onions are out in the beds had some spuds left so have planted up another 3 buckets with spuds. The ones planted before Xmas look great and I may have a look next week to see if I have any new spuds. All the carrots have been sown, although I may sow some late Autumn King if I get some space later on in the season. Early cabbages are doing well and I redid the fleece yesterday to try and keep the root fly out. The first of the parsnips and beetroot are out and doing well. Replanted the broadbeans that the birds had destroyed and have pot a net over them.
Continuing to pot up boards for raised beds and not many to do now, as boards are put up then the beds are dug over ready for planting.
Robin in the greenhouse is sitting on nest, can't see into nest so don't know how many eggs there are, Hopefully I will find out when the birds hatch.
Seed sowing has really slowed down now, mainly because of lack of space.

Sunday 13th April 2008

Been gardening every day for at least an hour a day since wed. Now so much is happening that it is difficult to keep the blog up to date with everything.
Greenhouse is bulging at the seems and I am trying to clear non tender veg out as soon as I can. Tomatoes are doing well and I have 2 or 3 varieties in 1lt pots now and some more to do tomorrow, there is also some to prick out into individual pots. Peppers and aubergines continue to grow very slowly, but at least they are growing. Several types of cucumber have been pricked out and are growing well as is the gherkins and achocha. Tomatillo are not doing at all well but I don't know what is wrong with them. Have started off all types of beans and will be planting out the first of the dwarfs in a couple of weeks time I know it will be a big risk as far as the frosts go but as soon as the beans are out another lot will be sown just in case

Wednesday 9th April 2008

Didn't expect to be able to do much on the lottie this week as the weather forecast at the weekend was not very good. However other than frost at night the weather has been excellent and I have been out on the lottie for the last few days.
Have been doing a bit of digging here and there, getting beds ready for planting up. Have done plenty of clearing up and weeding especially the creeping thistle as soon as it pops it's head above ground. Have created an extra bed at the bottom of the lottie which is usually used as a dumping ground.
Have planted out a few Chinese artichokes but will let the rest grow a lottie more before planting out. Sown 6 small rows of carrots all different varieties. The row of broad beans has been decimated by the crows so will have to use some fleece when I put the next lot out.
Finished off putting up the bean frames, now have three frames with 12 poles on each side. Intend to put a different variety on each side and both runner and french climbing. Will also be growing dwarf french.
Have had to try and restrict my time in the greenhouse as the local robin has decided to take up residence. Can't not go in but at same time want to give Bob every opportunity to raise his family.
The large propagator is being turned off during the day as it only has germinated plants in. Tomatoes are all doing well and am pricking out or potting on as required. Peppers and aubergines continue to grow very slowly and none have got to a size suitable to prick out. Have now sown 5 trays of various beans and as on tray germinates so another is sown (only have room for 4 trays in the propagator).
Am currently having problem with mice in greenhouse, probably due to the first batch of offspring of the year. They haven't done any damage yet but they are costing a fortune in bait.
Potatoes planted before Xmas continue to be doing well and I am tempted to see how well and see if I have enough for a meal. As I have loads of seed potatoes left I have planted up another 4 tubs 1 sarpo una, 1 charlotte and 2 pink fir.
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Saturday 5th April 2008

Managed an hour out on the lottie after work yesterday. Pre germinating parsnips were doing well so sowed a row directly into soil as I've run out of loo roll centers. Planted out the few jaguar peas that had germinated. Planted out a row of broad beans.

Friday 4th April 2008

Should have updated yesterday but got playing games on the computer.
Have had a productive two days and started to catch up again.
Planted out the beetroot boltardy on the lottie and sowed 6 varieties of carrot and two of parsnips. The ground seems nice and dry and warm. Will have to cover them with fleece though as the forecast is for wintery weather.
Was given some PSB and calabrese seedlings so pricked out 15 of each, don't know where they will go once they are big enough as The plot is filling up fast.
Planted out the greyhound cabbage, and looking at the way they are growing I think they will be ready before the overwintered spring greens.
In the greenhouse sowed Zucchini, Jemmer and round Tricolour courgettes. Plus Ormskirk and January King cabbage. Potted on 8 Alicante tomatoes. Pricked ouy a tray of Tatsoi Yukina, Artic King Lettuce and red drumhead cabbage.
Need to sow some more peas as the last lot of Jaguar peas didn't germinate very well.

Tuesday 2nd April 2008

Another nice day, the third in a row, although it was a bit windy this morning. Sowed some Huckleberry, pumpkin hundredweight, scorzonera and spinach lazio F1 a couple of days ago and due to the nice weather all of it has come through.
Spent the morning in the greenhouse sowed peppers Friggitello and Marconi Rosso and some aubergine Prosperosa. Had a bit of a disaster yesterday when I checked the propagator a tray of aubergines was just a tray of little stumps. A small snail with a bit appetite had got in and seen of the complete tray.
Potted on the Sungella tomatoes into 1lt pots and pricked out the Sub Artic Plenty tomatoes into individual pots.
Sown some beans 18 of each dwarf Purple Queen, runner Enorma and White Lady and climbing Blue Lake. Will be putting some more in when I can find some room.
Parsnips that have been chitting are sprouting well although the Avonresister is doing better then the White Gem.
Time seems to have lept forward and a couple of weeks ago I felt I was well ahead of the game, now I seem to be strugling to keep up.
No work again tomorrow so planning to try and plant out onion sets, beetroot and greyhound cabbage. Also want to sow some parsnips and carrots directly into lottie. Full steam ahead now and going for broke.
Planted out the last of the potatoes yesterday, or what I have room for. Still have loads of tubers. Note for next year "Don't buy so many seed potatoes".
Must also sow some courgettes and marrows tomorrow.