Winter Bits and Bobs.

[Clive.]

Blooming cold wind today..it's stuck in the East and then ENE later...with a stormy lot billed for Tuesday.

Yesterday I sorted the shallots and got them prepared and into jars with a dose of 'brine'.. now rinsed, they have been re-filled with the vinegar.

Only three small jars and it's some years since I last did some..back when I had a point of reference to check the next move with...I hope that I have done it right, from memory

Best bit is that whilst I love pickled 'onions', I really hate the smell of vinegar...and with my sense of smell returned... Maybe I should have done them a month ago

C.

[Geoff]

No we didn't have floods up here at 600 feet, some of the rivers lower down had their moments but mainly coped. January blues day today with misty drizzle all day feeling cold.

[Westi]

Well the OK'ish weather predicted this week is no longer showing, but I've got my eye on Friday which is alright for a few hours. I've set the propagator up & did some sows but turned the temp down as it was producing too much condensation. I didn't water them as the compost felt quite damp even though a new sack & I could see no tears in the bag. No signs of fungus or stuff so fingers crossed they will be fine. Time will tell!

[retropants]

I must get my chillies, peppers and aubergines sown soon. I have plenty of heated props, so will try and get them done this weekend. I'm going to try leeks again, but they always have done badly here, leek moth, rust, you name it

[Westi]

Hi Retropants! My plot neighbour had issues with leeks & he now grows them in pots on the staging in his greenhouse & has hung one of those multicoloured anti-insect plastic door curtains hung at the greenhouse door which he finds mostly works.
I also had issues so did some looking up on line & was pretty amazed at the leek moth tenacity. The pupae can live underground all winter only coming awake when leeks are in & their sense of smell is extraordinary & despite their minute size can travel metres to find new leek beds. The only way to stop them is to grow leeks as far away as you can each season. Luckily I have the space so grow in the front & back kinda X pattern of the plots on a 4 year rotation. I do have odd sneak in but certainly improved. Unfortunately folk with small plots are probs going to have to go with raising the pots like my neighbour.

[Westi]

PS: despite what you read fine netting does not stop them, they are already under the soil!

[retropants]

Thanks Westi, I’ll try just a few raised up in big pots. You never know, I might get some small ones.

[Clive.]

Good to see some sunshine today, it has charged up my outside light properly once again. It always suffers poor charge this time of year but two dark days saw it really run down at which point it goes ape and flashes rapidly on/off...to such an extent that I had to quickly take it down yesterday evening.

..and it was daylight enough to see to put it back up easily upon return home from work...

C.

[Cider Boys]

Very wet here in Somerset, moor behind me is completely flooded, road is badly flooded but just passable. Waded down to check depths as I have dental appointment to-morrow morning and hope to get through before next downfall. Luckily rounded up all my sheep and sent them to market last Saturday, they didn't make much money, think every shepherd had the same idea. I kept back some smaller lambs and hope they can find some drier ground.

On a positive note my broad beans are looking healthy and I'm very pleased with my leeks. Hope all are keeping dry and well, let's hope spring will soon be with us.

Barney

[Westi]

Nice day on the plot after the early morning rain we then had sunshine until after lunch. Got behind the shed tidied where I keep the pots & membrane on shelves & even pulled out loads of ivy sneaking through from the land behind & then got the autumn raspberries cut down & weeded. Just the strawberry beds to trim & tidy then kind of ready to get serious. Plot 2 is all prepped & ready & mostly covered, just got to contact the tree lads to trim my fruit trees & the hedgerow down there. Plan is to put a really big sign on Plum Beauty to say 'Do not Touch' if I'm not down there at the time!

Obvs loads of little things to do, but my main want to do is get my new shears put together & trim the front grass which is growing again quite rapidly after the neighbour mowed it for me before Xmas. They will never be a lawn mower so know I will need to keep on top of it.

[snooky]

Called in at the allotment today,very wet but from experience three good days of a drying wind will enable me to get on with winter digging.Trimmed back some branches on the apple tree and cut out crossing branches and the weak ones.Disappointed with the size of the Kestral potatoes which I received from Marshalls today.A bit on the large size-more like chipping potatoes than seed potatoes!!

[oldherbaceous]

Morning Barney, you have been in my thoughts, seeing the flooding down your way!
My Broad beans were doing well but, the deer have chewed them all off…..my fault for not getting them covered properly….
Another very wet day here, so still no progress over the allotments!

[retropants]

Are we going to get a dry weekend? I’m not sure we will, but I’ll try and pop out in between showers, if there’s gaps, to get on with a few bits in the garden & veg patch.

[Clive.]

I see that here on the drier side of England, where it was raining as I went to work and then stayed very dull all day..
.........is billed to have sunshine tomorrow.

C.

[Cider Boys]

Shame about your broad beans O.H., still time to plant some more in February, I hope to if they don't get washed away.

Managed to get to town and visit the dentist and afterwards bought 2.5 kg Maris Peer potatoes, some onion sets and a packet of chilli seeds. I was surprised that it came to £12.39 including my discount. The potatoes alone came to £6.29 for 2.5 kg., last year they were 3 X 2.5kg bags for £10.

Dig a little stock fencing to-day, the two posts went in so easily owing to the sodden ground.

Hope all are keeping well

Barney