Spring Bits and Bobs.

[Westi]

Just 2 beds left to sort! Should have done them all but lots of folk down wanting to chat, it's essential to stop & communicate...read find out the gossip! Might have a brief window tomorrow morning, if I can drag myself down, but I'm pretty knackered.

[Clive.]

Had a delivery of 'manna'...took a photo of the heap, first with new phone,...it offered me 'set as wallpaper'..so I did......

C.

[Myrkk]

Hope you’re fully rested tomorrow Westi and up and at it again. I used to find that the networking at the allotment was at least as enjoyable (and important) as the actual veggies.

LOL Clive. At least it’s not smellyvision.

[retropants]

We’re in Dorset staying with my folks aka helping with the the big garden chores! There’s a little classic car show in Chideock today, which we are going to, my dad is taking one of his vintage 1930’s Austins. Yesterday we got loads done, ma & pa are pretty chuffed to have the help. Hope the weather holds for the show, currently it looks fabulous out there.

[Westi]

We seem to be holding onto the warm weather for a bit longer, temp is dropping but not to anything remotely cold but might notice it early morning. Deffo going to get the last 2 beds weeded as No1 job tomorrow & then I will water & fill the butts as most folk will be back at work so no waiting for the tap or having the next person monitor my speed & progress.

As temp is holding & pumpkin & squash plants are way big enough & have been acclimatised I think I will get them into the ground, with cover though, just in case of a rouge late cold snap or bird interest. The birds nipped the tops off loads of my onions & stressed them into flowering & ripening too small, but fortunately found some sets in the £ shop today; surprisingly all firm with only a few trying to shoot so they can go in. They probably won't reach full size but we might get a late summer & they will be a bit bigger than the shallot sized ones I had to take.

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Westi, there is a Lady on our allotments that never put her onion sets in until the end of May, and for the last 3 years she has had the best onions out of anyone!

[tigerburnie]

Cooler day so got a bit of gardening done as well as a three mile walk round the village fields and lanes. Lots of wildlife, so I may go back with a camera.
Tomatoes are in their final places, though a lot of left overs that will end up in pots or with neighbours, some more peas planted that were started in the greenhouse. First earlies tatties now peeping through.

[oldherbaceous]

Now, when do you all think we should start off, Early Summer Bits and Bobs?

[tigerburnie]

I think in my part of Scotland summer is usually the last week of June...........................................................

[Westi]

Finally finished all the weeding, despite my neighbours best intentions to get me to confirm the layouts of his bought flower plants did not look like a council park several times. Some bonuses when I weeded the onions as found quite a few that had popped up after my re-sows, so now have squeezed them into gaps. It was a timely clear up as the soil was quite; reads lots compacted, so the Japanese knife got a good workout smashing up the clods just in time for the rain this afternoon.

Sets in, butts filled, some random weeding of tenacious gits popping up in other areas & generally good behaviour from the dog & even got home before the rain! Looking forward to Wednesday when rain ends & I go down again & do grow things again.

[Westi]

PS: OH, might as well start the Early Summer Bits & Bobs! It might be a blink & miss it type of summer or brilliant, either way it technically is time that is cleverly covered by the 'Early' bit!

[Cider Boys]

I've not been well for the last fortnight due to the Covid finally catching up with me. Knocked me back I can tell you, I'm glad I had all the jabs they recommended. I'm feeling better but still short of breathe and getting fatigued but things are sort of progressing here, potatoes are all showing well and need earthing up, onion sets are sprouting and I have managed to plant some runner beans and peas. Regarding what oldherbaceous said about onion sets being planted in May. I was always told that onion sets do not like being planted into a cold soil and do better when planted later if the soil is too cold. Unfortunately I have never followed this advice and like to plant my sets early but I must say they do look miserable and would probably have been better to wait until May to plant them. Good news is that 'The Range' now stock cheapo Wilko seeds, I wish they also stocked their onion sets but you never know they may in the future.
Best wishes to all.
Barney

[oldherbaceous]

Good morning, Barney, really do hope you are soon fighting fit again….but sounds as if you are keeping on top of things, regarding your planting…..

[Westi]

Sorry to hear you have been battling through Covid Barney, sneaky thing is not going away. General consensus among my nursing friends is that this is strongly related to those that declined to take up the jabs who either did succumb but mild symptoms that may have been overlooked, & also it keeps mutating; a way not slower than it did in it's peak but these people being unvaccinated are passing on a different strain so our jabs are waning their effectiveness. Next jabs will be due after summer so they will be updated with any new variants.

I don't know if they have sets, but Wilko is maintaining it's online service & doing deliveries still. Might be worth a look.