Kitchen Garden Forum

Geoff very nice site. Keep doing great job

Good day yesterday. Spent the morning trying to manage space. Moved Sweet Peas out of greenhouse to polytunnel, last of Peppers and Tomatoes from propagator to greenhouse, more Dahlia tubers from greenhouse to propagator, juggled seed trays between various places, etc. In the afternoon planted all my Potatoes, a few Rocket under a cloche and the Charlotte and Picasso under a sheet of polythene.
While planting the Potatoes opened the first of my new delivery of Growmore from Elixir, strange stuff, have you seen any like this before?
Good job I had a good day yesterday, grey with unpleasant cold wind today.

Looks a bit like that lentil mix I add to casseroles and soups.

Wet, cold and rain/sleet, so little going on up here, lettuce and radish growing in the greenhouse, but with zero overnight temps and only 5 degrees in there now, little point sowing too much yet.

Really wet yesterday, looks as if it is going to rain any moment...then dry tomorrow, but looking at Monday, it looks as if we are going to get a deluge again....then more rain for the rest of the week.
I have just been over the allotments and tried to fork and let a little air in a strip of ground i could reach from the path....maybe it will dry enough tomorrow, to let me get the heat treated, red onion sets i have, that desperately need getting in...

I think this weekend will go down as a general gardening write off. I earlier fished out about a dozen worms from our mini pond who had accidentally wriggled their way into it but I suspect the worms in the vegetable patch are probably suffering an equally watery grave.
At least those people with greenhouses can perhaps get a few useful jobs done under cover but I think by now we’re all craving some sunshine to warm and dry the soil so we can get on with some sowing.

Well Plum Beauty remains in full flower, but alas no insects around today that I noted. You can't say it is not hardy as it's had everything thrown at it this year, I just hope it gives me some fruit, the rat population does seem to be decreasing, but am still researching, but most say wrapping metal around the trunk helps, so just to find an appropriate sheet that I can bend to make a barrier - suggestions welcomed!

Such a beautiful tree.

Planted my tatties today, Charlottes and Roosters, worn out now, is it too early for a nap?

Tiger, any time is a good time for a nap, especially when it’s still raining as it is here!
What a horrible wash out bank ho,I Day for so many people !
As I,m retired, I suppose it doesn,r make too much difference but for those who are still working, Bank Holidays represent valuable free time for gardeners to get things done and when the weather prevents this it’s really frustrating.

I had the week off as leave with a long list & great plans. I barely got down to lottie, but as I couldn't sow or plant anything I did manage to give it a good tidy up so I'm ready to sow. My wonder wall net tunnel Christmas present comes tomorrow - watch it now get too breezy to put it up!

I spent last Wednesday and Thursday planting potatoes ,around 112 sets I cheated and got my grandson doing it I don't think I would have managed on my own with my gammy knees ,it's not stopped raining since this morning it was sleet but very heavy now it's just rain but it's been hammering down all day

I have finally sowed my tomato seeds. It is still very grim out there, managed to get the raspberry bed weeded & mulched on Sunday. Tommies are in a heated propagator in my greenhouse at home - which needs a really good clear out, it is very untidy!

I,ve sown my courgettes and mini cucumbers today. I,ve got the individual tomato pots filled ready for sowing - I sow them individually these days which makes the different varieties easier to label and plant out, especially as I then know which varieties need taller canes. However as I,m always cursing that they,’ve gone too leggy and it,s too chilly to plant them outdoors I,ll wait a couple more days before sowing.

You can go to garden centre and see plants far more advanced than yours and then get panicked into thinking you’ve missed the boat but tomatoes usually catch up eventually if you have a good summer. (Says she hopefully !)

Fortunately they all do catch up! I'm feeling more optimistic after seeing the weather report & might even direct sow some things. Not trying to panic anyone further north, but the soil has been under black plastic so should be warmer, but I will test the temperature first! The toms are going nowhere for a bit though, still got to prep their greenhouse pots.