Tomato Seeds

Sorry no photo but I just wanted to record that the tomato seeds I sowed around a week or so ago have germinated. They were outside in the MGH for a couple of days before I read they needed I higher temp. and brought them into the bedroom. The average temp. has been 60 or so . I wonder if they'll be OK straight into the MGH again tomorrow?

I helped Tim with groundcover under flagstones today, and making a potato bed. He had some groundcover over dandelions which were completely stunted and blanched. They tasted like bean sprouts and have real possibilities!

Tim and I also unscrewed my GH from its base and booted it forward a few mm so the front lip hung over the edge and the door now fits!!! Just a few panes of glass and we'll be there.

Tim has lorryloads of mulch delivered free by a tree surgeon so that is more good news.

We're going to a wood merchants tomorrow morning which Tim claims is cheaper by far than B&Q.

I must start pricking out soon.

Mini-Greenhouse

The mini-greenhouse is filled with stuff just waiting to be pricked out and grown on in the allotment greenhouse (when it's ready, the door doesn't fit at the moment!).

Seedlings Appearing

Just in case I forget what I've sown!

Potatoes Chitting (progress)

The potatoes are really sprouting well. Kinda weird though. These are Desiree.

Horse Manure with Fungi

Don't say the manure heap never grows anything! More info when I've looked these up.

Greenhouse Update

The greenhouse is nearly finished! It sails...

Flight of Fancy

...almost like a galleon in the afternoon sunshine. Tim finished screwing it down this morning using Jack's generator, and Big Dave gave me a masterclass on how to glaze a greenhouse efficiently. Thanks again everyone.

Working "Gennie"

Jack's "gennie" does its work - with a little help from Tim!

First Earlies in Today

I planted first earlies for the first time in many a year today. My Uncle Peter suggested some years ago that I lay things out before putting them in and has since saved me hours of faffing about and frustration.

Greenhouse Sensation !!!

The big news is the Greenhouse is under way! This was so daunting it wasn't even on my list of things to do! I mentioned it to Tim yesterday and he whisked me away to B & Q for the timber for the base, brackets etc. We bolted the base together this morning and attached the frame. My drill wouldn't go through the flags (oh the shame) so Tim is going to borrow a bigger one. Ivan did a brilliant job cutting the awkward shapes for the apex, Tony gave excellent advice and encouragement, and Jack supplied some glass. Many thanks to everyone, especially to Tim for master-minding the whole operation. I would never have got it done by myself.

Please Ring for Attention

I had to go to Cartmell's for 16 sheets of 24" X 24" glass at 50p each. They believe in large clear signage.

Seeds in Rows

I've sown loads of seeds on the 22nd & 23rd. (ie Monday & Tuesday.) Wil list then here later. In the seedbed frame are a row of Lettuce, Leeks & Chard.

Bloomin' Marvellous

The Broad Beans are covered in flowers. I thought they'd be a lot taller than this before they started flowering.

Free at Last !

The broad beans are free at last and protected with windbreak material. It has been quite cool & windy today despite what the BBC website said. Yesterday was the first really warm day of the year.

Little Gem (Delight)

I sowed these today (Sunday). In quite a large tray (pic to follow). Covered in vermiculite & put in a propogator in the mini-greenhouse.

Hedge-cutting Prowess

As ever Sue is the maestro of the hedge cutters. (Taken yesterday)

Path of Shame Update (2)

The weeds are making a comeback after being blasted. I'll have another go and see how they like it!

Garlic Update

All the little garlic plants are very happy. These are the ones which have been over-wintering. The garlic I planted the other day has all sprouted, and some of the Red Baron, but not all. I removed the fleece from over the garlic in the same bed as the onions as it was squashing it.

Rhubarb Update

The Rhubarb is getting a bit bigger, and it seems that the crown in the frame is a little maore advanced than that outside. Shall I put a bucket over some to force it?

Let Me Out !!!

I really must do something about this...

Pleeeeeeeeeease !!!

...and this!

Coping Stone Bed

On Sunday I cultivated the coping stone bed, as you can see in the foreground. I wonder whether to use breeze blocks to build it up and paint them black to retain heat? Much less trouble than bricks and just as good? Or not as nice? Hmmmm.....

Next New Bed (further progress)

I've made a start on the next bed renovation. As you can see it will take a full six inches of timber to fill in the slope-induced gap at the front of the bed. I'm also thinking of building this one up a bit higher to counter the effects of shade from the hedge and for easy maintenance and picking if I make it into a Strawberry bed as is the plan. (Although I'm just starting to have doubts as to whether it might not be a bit big for strawberries - maybe it should be one of the small beds to the front on the right where the onions are at the moment.)

Another View

I hope I'll be able to do a bit more on it today (Sunday) but we've got a party for Grandad's birthday this afternoon so we'll see how it goes....maybe if I just pop down for an hour or so to see if there's any Purple Sprouting for tea....

Elderflower Cutting

I've cut down the Elderflower stems to try and let a little more light onto the new bed.

Weed Wand Trial (2)

The weeds have been reappearing gradually from where I blasted them, so I'll wack them again and see how it goes. It has been a bit windy to use the flamethrower recently.

Now I've Got You !!!

How satisfying to see the convovulus from under the groundcover naked and defenceless! Now where's my flamethrower.....

Mothers' Day Squash

Today we ate the last of the Crown Prince squash from last year. It has become a tradition for us to have Squash on Mothers' Day and it is very rare for them not to keep well enough. They were harvested in October as far as I remember.

We have one squash left, which we believe is a hybrid of Crown Prince and Sweet Mama. They were growing in the same bed and the new squash is the size and shape of Crown Prince with the colouring and flavour/texture erring on the side of Sweet Mama. We've saved some seed from the first of these, and will try to see if they come the same this year. Naturally we have christened the squash "Sweet Prince".

Visitors

Sue came down today in the middle of taking Cora for a walk. For the first time in living memory I couldn't make a drink because I poured the old water away before realising the water was off at the mains and I couldn't refill the bottle.

Next New Bed (Progress Report)

I've managed to clear the ground for the next new bed.

More detail...

First I removed the remnants of the previous bed before peeling the groundcover back a little...

...and yet more!

...then I dug out the soil round the edges to some sort of level. This also creates a mound of topsoil for spreading out to fill the bed afterwards. It is amazing how much you can get just by digging the edges into the centre of the bed.

Groundcover

I've put some plastic at the end of this bed to deter the convolvulus. I think the middle bed full of Corn salad will be one of the squash beds this year, so I can use the usual one (by next door's fruit bushes) for brassicas.

Chard Shrivels Shock!!!

The Chard sprouts I was looking forward to here have shrivelled, but there seem to be more on the way.

First Early Purple Sprouting Broccoli

I picked the first Early Purp. of the year today. It was fantastic. I always forget how bad bought cabbage is until I taste the first Brocoli. This was incredibly sweet and nutty with it, with a little bitterness as we also ate some of the older leaves. There are plenty of sideshoots already forming to produce proper spears soon. I only picked the central shoots today.

Steamed...

I steamed it in the huge steamer Mum gave us last year (first use).

As a side vegetable...

Some of us had it with casseroled potatoes(from the dairy cook book but using stock instead of milk, & cooking slower and longer)...

...and on its own.

...and some of us had it on its own later. (With a little salt, pepper and butter and I sqeezed some lemon juice over it but that didn't find favour with everyone.)

Where Have I Been Today?

Where do you think I have been today? (There's a clue in the picture.) I got the wood for repairing the next bed, and a couple of peices to help me design a "lid" for the seedbed frame. I am intending to build it up quite high as it's near the hedge and is part-shaded on occasions. I really think that would be a good place for the new strawberry bed, which would also free up the larger bed they're in at the moment. If I plant new ones out soon I could get rid of the others once they've finished fruiting. (If they do - they're just runners I put in on the spur of the moment while weeding last year.)

I have just about resolved to grow at least some potatoes under plastic this year to see how they get on. I may use one of the end beds with a bit of bindweed in to try and cause it a few more problems.

What's Behind the Yellow Door?

This is where I get the wood chip for the paths, as well as logs & sticks for home and the odd large section of tree to rest plant pots etc on in the garden. When you "press for attention" you get a hooter instead of a bell !

Singleton's

... and this is where I get the topsoil & occasional mushroom compost. Maybe I should get them an UN flag to fly next to this one?

New Seedbed Frame (ooh) stopit!!! but it's fun! It's scary!!!

I made a frame today to fill with fine topsoil and use as a trial outdoor seedbed. Also maybe for carrots or something later in the season. (or maybe more seeds). It is made of decking from (where else) B & Q. The frame is just under 4 foot wide to fit inside the bed sides, so I can get two long sides from a length of decking cut in half. The shorter sides are three foot.
I don't know whether the long corners were a good idea or not yet. The idea is to use them as a frome for netting etc. or to add another level, but I am also toying with the idea of leaving them flush and fitting a lid, or rebating them and slotting in various modules on top!!! Decisions decisions. Making this wasn't all plain sailing, though...

Joinery

...I was working away quite happily...

Interruption

....but then the hail arrived with a vengeance...

Consequences

....making it rather difficult to carry on for a while. (In fact I had a little sit-down in the shed).

Cloches Working Hard

Sometimes you really feel the cloches are earning their keep.

Hail & no Pumpkins

Its hard to believe that come Summer this bed will be bursting with (probably) pumpkins & squashes!