A quick look in the greenhouse shows most of the seeds are sprouting nicely. The Green Magic broccoli has shot up and died, as have the sprouts. Everything else looks fine.
Outside, the first leaves are starting to sprout on the gooseberries and loganberries. The raspberry canes have buds on, but no leaves sprouting yet.
The rhubarb crown under the plum trees has sprouted 4 leaves up to 5" wide, with stems of about 3" long. The large rhubarb crown in the pot behind the greenhouse is not far behind. This time last week they had only just started to sprout. Other rhubarb crowns are not sprouting just yet.
The peas are looking ok - they all seem to be alive, but not upright yet. Maybe they just need a bit more time and good weather to sit upright more?
The garlic cloves have started to sprout. It looks like a fox might have had a dig around in one end of the tub, but I smoothed it out and replanted the garlic cloves. Garlic is supposedly better when it's sown in autumn as the frosts will cause the bulb to split into cloves, so we'll see what we get from these spring sown ones. I'll plant more in autumn.
The tomatoes and peppers I've sown for sale at the Scouts Easter Fair are doing ok. They are still indoors in the plug cells and need potting on tomorrow.
It's all looking good so far!
Tuesday 23 March 2010
Clearing the brassicas bed
Started off nice and sunny today, so went down the garden and cleared the old brassicas bed. This will become the new potatoes bed.
Last year I planted out various broccoli, cauliflower, cabbages, kale and sprouts in this bed. Illness meant I couldn't harvest all the crops in time, so some were left over the winter and rotted. The whole lot came up easily.
I'd used weed sheeting and planted through, so the ground was weed free. I moved the weed sheeting to the old salads bed, which will become the new brassicas bed this year. The underside of the weed sheeting was cleanest, so it was turned over and held down with old roof tiles.
The ground was still sticky, but fairly easy to dig. I managed to dig about 3/4 of the 8x8 bed before it started raining again. I decided to give up for now and carry on when it's dry and sunny again.
The potatoes are chitting upstairs, almost ready for planting out. I'll plant half the bed with earlies and half with maincrops.
When the potatoes are dug up, I'll plant leeks straight into the ground. The leeks are sprouting now in the greenhouse, so it's all looking good.
Last year I planted out various broccoli, cauliflower, cabbages, kale and sprouts in this bed. Illness meant I couldn't harvest all the crops in time, so some were left over the winter and rotted. The whole lot came up easily.
I'd used weed sheeting and planted through, so the ground was weed free. I moved the weed sheeting to the old salads bed, which will become the new brassicas bed this year. The underside of the weed sheeting was cleanest, so it was turned over and held down with old roof tiles.
The ground was still sticky, but fairly easy to dig. I managed to dig about 3/4 of the 8x8 bed before it started raining again. I decided to give up for now and carry on when it's dry and sunny again.
The potatoes are chitting upstairs, almost ready for planting out. I'll plant half the bed with earlies and half with maincrops.
When the potatoes are dug up, I'll plant leeks straight into the ground. The leeks are sprouting now in the greenhouse, so it's all looking good.
Thursday 18 March 2010
Peas
Another lovely sunny day, so went and planted out the peas
They are Twinkle peas, an early variety. I sowed 96 of them in 2" cells a few weeks ago. 73 sprouted and grew up to 6" tall, so that's about a 75% germination rate. Must bear that in mind for next year's sowings.
I set up a basic frame using plastic netting supported by bamboo canes. It's worked well in previous years, but this year I went higher as the peas grow up to 4ft tall.
They've been planted in the potato bed I dug out a few days ago.
They are Twinkle peas, an early variety. I sowed 96 of them in 2" cells a few weeks ago. 73 sprouted and grew up to 6" tall, so that's about a 75% germination rate. Must bear that in mind for next year's sowings.
I set up a basic frame using plastic netting supported by bamboo canes. It's worked well in previous years, but this year I went higher as the peas grow up to 4ft tall.
They've been planted in the potato bed I dug out a few days ago.
Monday 15 March 2010
Digging the spuds
It's been a lovely sunny day today, so I went down the garden to dig up some of the spuds.
I planted the spuds around March/April last year and they should have been dug up months ago, but I was really ill last year and couldn't. I had expected the spuds to have all rotted, but found about 1/3rd were perfectly fine and usable.
The spud bed is 8ft x 8ft. The ground was quite hard from not having been touched for so long. I managed to dig about 3/4 of the ground before I ached too much - it's the first real digging for a long time and I'm not quite as fit as I should be! But I did get 3 large pots of spuds, and might get one more large pot when I finish the digging.
Last year I mixed varieties in the garden, so I have no idea what varieties I've just dug up. The reds are easy to spot, but there are a mix of reds, small salad sputs and large whites. It doesn't matter too much, I'll just use them!
Last year I didn't earth up properly either. There were lots of ruined spuds on the surface. This year I'll pay more attention and earth up properly.
I did ruin a few good spuds by digging down into the soil and digging through some spuds. I've realised now that spuds don't grow very deeply, and it's easy enough to fork underneath and lift the soil to lift the spuds without damaging them.
I will do a lot better this year with spuds. I will !!
I planted the spuds around March/April last year and they should have been dug up months ago, but I was really ill last year and couldn't. I had expected the spuds to have all rotted, but found about 1/3rd were perfectly fine and usable.
The spud bed is 8ft x 8ft. The ground was quite hard from not having been touched for so long. I managed to dig about 3/4 of the ground before I ached too much - it's the first real digging for a long time and I'm not quite as fit as I should be! But I did get 3 large pots of spuds, and might get one more large pot when I finish the digging.
Last year I mixed varieties in the garden, so I have no idea what varieties I've just dug up. The reds are easy to spot, but there are a mix of reds, small salad sputs and large whites. It doesn't matter too much, I'll just use them!
Last year I didn't earth up properly either. There were lots of ruined spuds on the surface. This year I'll pay more attention and earth up properly.
I did ruin a few good spuds by digging down into the soil and digging through some spuds. I've realised now that spuds don't grow very deeply, and it's easy enough to fork underneath and lift the soil to lift the spuds without damaging them.
I will do a lot better this year with spuds. I will !!
Tuesday 9 March 2010
Onions
200 onion sets started in 2" pots of compost.
I've started them in 2" pots so they get a good headstart to beat the weeds. When they're growing well, they'll be planted out in freshly dug ground. This has worked well for me in the past.
I've chosen a few varieties to see how well they grow and which ones we prefer. What I've started so far is:
40 Centurion
40 Stetton
60 Stuttgarter Giant
60 Red Baron
Centurion are supposed to be a good early variety that will grow well whatever the weather. I've grown Red Baron before and was very happy with them.
I'll be planting them in blocks of white, red, white, red, white, so I can identify them more easily. I'll be planting them fairly close together to minimise space for weeds - the less weeding, the better.
I have at least 100 more, some of each variety, for planting a bit later. I'll plant a few on the allotment to see if they grow better in my garden or the allotment.
These summer onions should last me quite a while - I'll be planting out a few autumn onion sets, but they won't be ready until about May next year, so what I grow now needs to last. I'll need to find a good solution for storage until the autumn sets come up next May.
Apart from normal cooking and salads, I'll be making various pickles and chutneys this year, hence growing 300 onions ....
I've started them in 2" pots so they get a good headstart to beat the weeds. When they're growing well, they'll be planted out in freshly dug ground. This has worked well for me in the past.
I've chosen a few varieties to see how well they grow and which ones we prefer. What I've started so far is:
40 Centurion
40 Stetton
60 Stuttgarter Giant
60 Red Baron
Centurion are supposed to be a good early variety that will grow well whatever the weather. I've grown Red Baron before and was very happy with them.
I'll be planting them in blocks of white, red, white, red, white, so I can identify them more easily. I'll be planting them fairly close together to minimise space for weeds - the less weeding, the better.
I have at least 100 more, some of each variety, for planting a bit later. I'll plant a few on the allotment to see if they grow better in my garden or the allotment.
These summer onions should last me quite a while - I'll be planting out a few autumn onion sets, but they won't be ready until about May next year, so what I grow now needs to last. I'll need to find a good solution for storage until the autumn sets come up next May.
Apart from normal cooking and salads, I'll be making various pickles and chutneys this year, hence growing 300 onions ....
Monday 8 March 2010
VAT on Food?
I heard a discussion on the radio (LBC 97.3) on Sunday. There is a rumour that the Government might add VAT to food.
The UK currently has massive debts from the recession and bailing out the banks. Taxes apparently need to be raised somehow, and VAT is one of many taxes.
The majority of food is currently tax free - only luxury foods are subject to VAT.
Rumour is that VAT could be applied to food at a lower rate, maybe 3% to 5%.
I guess it's just another bloody good reason to grow my own. The more I learn now, the more I'll grow, the better I'll grow it, the more I'll save .....
The UK currently has massive debts from the recession and bailing out the banks. Taxes apparently need to be raised somehow, and VAT is one of many taxes.
The majority of food is currently tax free - only luxury foods are subject to VAT.
Rumour is that VAT could be applied to food at a lower rate, maybe 3% to 5%.
I guess it's just another bloody good reason to grow my own. The more I learn now, the more I'll grow, the better I'll grow it, the more I'll save .....
Sunday 7 March 2010
More Sowings
The plan this year is for continual sowing and continual harvesting. Storage space is limited, so I don't really want huge gluts of everything at once. So the idea is to sow a small number of each of lots of different veg every few weeks throughout the year.
So yesterday I sowed the following:
8 Cauliflower AYR
8 Cabbage Wheelers
4 Red Cabbage Kalibos
4 Kale Black Tuscany
4 Lettuce Iceberg Set
4 Lettuce Iceberg 2
8 Lettuce Little Gem
4 Lettuce Mini Green
4 Lettuce Webbs
4 Lettuce Salad Bowl
4 Lettuce Red Salad Bowl
4 Lettuce Lollo Rossa
4 Lettuce Mixed Leaves
8 Leaf Salad Stir Fry Mix
24 Brocolli Late PSB
8 Celery Sigfrido
4 Celery Lathom
4 Spinach Hector
4 Spinach Picasso
4 Spinach Perpetual
Tub of 40 beetroot
2 seed trays radishes
30 Sweetcorn Incredible
Large pot leeks Lathom Galaxy
Large pot leeks Winter Atlanta
Tub of 23 garlic
The late PSB will be for picking over the winter. I have several varieties of broccoli and calabrese that means I can sow and harvest about 11 months of the year.
I want to make better use of land this year too. Last year a friend had various loose leaf lettuces, spinach and rocket in patio tubs for picking as and when required. I'm going to try the same this year. A couple of friends want patio tubs of salads too, so I've sown enough for me and them.
The celery was a dismal failure last year and didn't grow upwards, so will try planting some in between the loose leaf lettuce patio tubs. Theory is that the lettuce growing around the celery will help force the celery. Other celery will be planted in the ground normally.
I want to avoid open soil where possible to avoid weeds where possible. Weeds can smother veggies and I don't want to spend any more time than necessary clearing weeds. Beetroot and radishes grow well in my veggie patch, but mean leaving ground open to weeds. So this year I've sown the radishes in flat seed trays and the beetroot in an old window box. Using fresh compost means they are growing in a weed free environment. Using the window box and seed trays means I can also use more ground for other veggies.
Sweetcorn isn't normally sown until May. This year I found a variety called Incredible, which can be sown in March. Anything I can sow now will save me time later when I'll be busy digging and weeding and planting out. I've sown these in larger cells (15 cells to a tray). This will allow them to grow fairly big before planting out, maybe in May.
I still have onion sets and herbs to start - that's a job for this evening.
So yesterday I sowed the following:
8 Cauliflower AYR
8 Cabbage Wheelers
4 Red Cabbage Kalibos
4 Kale Black Tuscany
4 Lettuce Iceberg Set
4 Lettuce Iceberg 2
8 Lettuce Little Gem
4 Lettuce Mini Green
4 Lettuce Webbs
4 Lettuce Salad Bowl
4 Lettuce Red Salad Bowl
4 Lettuce Lollo Rossa
4 Lettuce Mixed Leaves
8 Leaf Salad Stir Fry Mix
24 Brocolli Late PSB
8 Celery Sigfrido
4 Celery Lathom
4 Spinach Hector
4 Spinach Picasso
4 Spinach Perpetual
Tub of 40 beetroot
2 seed trays radishes
30 Sweetcorn Incredible
Large pot leeks Lathom Galaxy
Large pot leeks Winter Atlanta
Tub of 23 garlic
The late PSB will be for picking over the winter. I have several varieties of broccoli and calabrese that means I can sow and harvest about 11 months of the year.
I want to make better use of land this year too. Last year a friend had various loose leaf lettuces, spinach and rocket in patio tubs for picking as and when required. I'm going to try the same this year. A couple of friends want patio tubs of salads too, so I've sown enough for me and them.
The celery was a dismal failure last year and didn't grow upwards, so will try planting some in between the loose leaf lettuce patio tubs. Theory is that the lettuce growing around the celery will help force the celery. Other celery will be planted in the ground normally.
I want to avoid open soil where possible to avoid weeds where possible. Weeds can smother veggies and I don't want to spend any more time than necessary clearing weeds. Beetroot and radishes grow well in my veggie patch, but mean leaving ground open to weeds. So this year I've sown the radishes in flat seed trays and the beetroot in an old window box. Using fresh compost means they are growing in a weed free environment. Using the window box and seed trays means I can also use more ground for other veggies.
Sweetcorn isn't normally sown until May. This year I found a variety called Incredible, which can be sown in March. Anything I can sow now will save me time later when I'll be busy digging and weeding and planting out. I've sown these in larger cells (15 cells to a tray). This will allow them to grow fairly big before planting out, maybe in May.
I still have onion sets and herbs to start - that's a job for this evening.
Saturday 6 March 2010
Clearing the Brambles
The sunshine finally got the better of me - I couldn't wait any longer - the garden was calling me and seemed just soooooo much better than plodding through piles of admin.
The veggie patch is a bit of a mess. I cleared the old salad bed, removed the remains of sweetcorn, runner beans etc, then made a start on tidying up the soft fruit bed along the fence.
Over the last year, the entire soft fruit bed became overgrown with brambles and covered in leaves. I just wasn't well enough last year to control it all. So I spent a couple of hours yesterday cutting out the brambles and sweeping the leaves clear. I found using a normal pair of pliers was the easiest way of pulling the thorny brambles out.
The bed is covered in weed sheeting to control weeds. This has been a major help in keeping it all under control. Dirt had blown all over the sheeting and I'd used a few piles of soil on top to help hold the sheeting down. Some brambles and soft fruit had taken root in this soil, so I've cut them out and pulled them up.
Some raspberry canes have reached 8ft tall. These are canes that grew last year and will carry fruit this year. There are now about 16 loganberry branches from the one plant. Some branches reach out about 15ft. I have fixed wires to one fence panel, but will have to fix them to the adjoining panels too.
I did have about 20 strawberry plants in the bed, planted through the weed sheeting. At least 12 still survive. I've found the 3 gooseberry bushes among the brambles and have cleared them again.
A couple of loganberry branches spread out into the veggie beds and took root. I've pulled these up and will plant them into pots of compost and see if they take. If so, I know people who would love loganberry plants. I've had gooseberry bushes do the same in the past, but when I tried planting the rootings into pots, they just died off. Fingers crossed for better luck with the loganberries!
I still have more clearing to do and of course, it's time to sow more seeds. The weather's warming up, got to get cracking!
The loganberries:
The veggie patch is a bit of a mess. I cleared the old salad bed, removed the remains of sweetcorn, runner beans etc, then made a start on tidying up the soft fruit bed along the fence.
Over the last year, the entire soft fruit bed became overgrown with brambles and covered in leaves. I just wasn't well enough last year to control it all. So I spent a couple of hours yesterday cutting out the brambles and sweeping the leaves clear. I found using a normal pair of pliers was the easiest way of pulling the thorny brambles out.
The bed is covered in weed sheeting to control weeds. This has been a major help in keeping it all under control. Dirt had blown all over the sheeting and I'd used a few piles of soil on top to help hold the sheeting down. Some brambles and soft fruit had taken root in this soil, so I've cut them out and pulled them up.
Some raspberry canes have reached 8ft tall. These are canes that grew last year and will carry fruit this year. There are now about 16 loganberry branches from the one plant. Some branches reach out about 15ft. I have fixed wires to one fence panel, but will have to fix them to the adjoining panels too.
I did have about 20 strawberry plants in the bed, planted through the weed sheeting. At least 12 still survive. I've found the 3 gooseberry bushes among the brambles and have cleared them again.
A couple of loganberry branches spread out into the veggie beds and took root. I've pulled these up and will plant them into pots of compost and see if they take. If so, I know people who would love loganberry plants. I've had gooseberry bushes do the same in the past, but when I tried planting the rootings into pots, they just died off. Fingers crossed for better luck with the loganberries!
I still have more clearing to do and of course, it's time to sow more seeds. The weather's warming up, got to get cracking!
The loganberries:
The raspberries with strawberries in front and loganberry runners behind:
Monday 1 March 2010
The sun is shining!
After a couple of really dismal months of cold, rain and snow, the sun is shining!
I'm very tempted to get down the garden and make a start. Sadly, tons of work to do today and probably tomorrow too. Even worse, the weather is due to turn cold again by the end of the week.
But it's the first sign of spring, so won't be waiting too much longer!
I'm very tempted to get down the garden and make a start. Sadly, tons of work to do today and probably tomorrow too. Even worse, the weather is due to turn cold again by the end of the week.
But it's the first sign of spring, so won't be waiting too much longer!
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