Some rain here over the weekend so hopefully enough along with the hosing I will do tomorrow. Doesn't look that promising except for overnight Saturday so fingers crossed enough to keep the wee plants happy. I will set up some stakes & dripper bags I think for the more important big guys, runners etc. Doesn't seem too much change in the near future so best give them as much help as I can.
As much as I would like to finish the job I was doing outside I am moving to plot 2 to clear the last beds. I doubt I'll get to many sows done but if I can hoe the weeds, water & cover them with black plastic to keep them a bit damp it will be easier to deal with when I can as it's damn hard work when it dries.
Spring Bits and Bobs.
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Westi
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Westi
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retropants
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With the gusty winds, the little seedlings are drying out too fast. This is not helped by the fact that compost is so crap these days, it forms a hard crust on the top. The potted on ones are doing better, as I've mixed some home made compost into the store bought to improve the texture. Lots of volunteer tomatoes popping up!!
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Clive.
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Things have really dried up today...
In the back field, the former carrot location, cultivations are taking place.
I didn't get to see the first operation but it looks like the straw covered field has been deeply bust through with a drag..maybe with only 3 or 4 big tines.?
Then a John Deere with a front mounted power harrow that could be described as stirring the ground in a horizontal plane and a rear mounted large rotary tiller that seems to have some very large tined rotors is moving it more but in vertical plane, in fact referred to as spading tines..and with a ridged press at the back.
So the winter cover straw is getting a very comprehensive mix in. I wondered how it would be dealt with..
C.
In the back field, the former carrot location, cultivations are taking place.
I didn't get to see the first operation but it looks like the straw covered field has been deeply bust through with a drag..maybe with only 3 or 4 big tines.?
Then a John Deere with a front mounted power harrow that could be described as stirring the ground in a horizontal plane and a rear mounted large rotary tiller that seems to have some very large tined rotors is moving it more but in vertical plane, in fact referred to as spading tines..and with a ridged press at the back.
So the winter cover straw is getting a very comprehensive mix in. I wondered how it would be dealt with..
C.
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Westi
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Nice quiet day on the plot - no neighbours down so no interruptions! After a good water of both plots I tackled Plot 2 beds & got all but 1 finished. Didn't cover them as supposed to be rain over the weekend. No sign of the toms yet it but seems the story of my life currently with the slow shows. What has shown are some plants that popped up on last years spot in the tunnel. No idea of variety but keeping them just in case, I can work out what they are when they fruit.....watch them be all the same! 
Let's hope the new seeds wake up I say!
Plan is to go down on Monday & just focus on getting the no shows resown & the new sows done while the beds are totally cleared & weed free. I will also need to sow some gaps in beds as well, but hoping the rain might help on 2 fronts...no interruptions from folk wanting a chat & only drizzle!
Let's hope the new seeds wake up I say! Plan is to go down on Monday & just focus on getting the no shows resown & the new sows done while the beds are totally cleared & weed free. I will also need to sow some gaps in beds as well, but hoping the rain might help on 2 fronts...no interruptions from folk wanting a chat & only drizzle!
Westi
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oldherbaceous
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I wonder what the farmer would make of his field, being so famous, Clive!
Kind Regards, Old Herbaceous.
There's no fool like an old fool.
There's no fool like an old fool.
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Cider Boys
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Spent most of the day strimming long grass under and around the trees in the small orchard, nuisance really since the trees' branches can be reached by the sheep so I don't let them graze it. I had attempted it with a tractor and flail mower but had bent one exhaust pipe and broken another by the low branches.
The ground is very dry so I watered what I could this evening, I just hope we get some rain soon, it is forecast for the weekend.
Barney
The ground is very dry so I watered what I could this evening, I just hope we get some rain soon, it is forecast for the weekend.
Barney
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oldherbaceous
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Wow, it’s a warm one today…….want to get 48 runner bean plants, planted out tomorrow, so been putting up some corrugated sheets to keep the wind off them…..and hopefully, any late frost too.
Kind Regards, Old Herbaceous.
There's no fool like an old fool.
There's no fool like an old fool.
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Westi
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Off to the plot tomorrow which was not in the plan, but once again the council has stuffed up folks payments for their plots so the committee guys are coming in for a bit so we can pay them & they will sort it out & make one big payment. I got my payment just sent back to me with no covering letter about why? How to fix? etc. Apparently they don't accept cheques...hmm a couple of notes sent with return would have been helpful, & it was actually their system that crashed & wouldn't let me pay that led to me having to go old school.
Anyway I have to go down & only a low risk of drizzle until it rains tomorrow night so no real issue as at least it's Saturday not Sunday & buses running normally. I'm going to tackle the tunnel, well hopefully if my seeds germinate this time. The sweet potatoes & peppers are loving it in there so no reason the toms shouldn't but they are still being shy!
Anyway I have to go down & only a low risk of drizzle until it rains tomorrow night so no real issue as at least it's Saturday not Sunday & buses running normally. I'm going to tackle the tunnel, well hopefully if my seeds germinate this time. The sweet potatoes & peppers are loving it in there so no reason the toms shouldn't but they are still being shy!
Westi
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oldherbaceous
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Had a really good morning over the allotments, got the Runner Bean plants in……have also sown, Beetroot, Leek, Spring Onions, Carrots, and at long last, some Parsnip…..have had to keep leaving them, because it’s been far too breezy.
So starting to feel as if i’m getting there now…..and with the predicted rain coming, i’m feeling rather content!
So starting to feel as if i’m getting there now…..and with the predicted rain coming, i’m feeling rather content!
Kind Regards, Old Herbaceous.
There's no fool like an old fool.
There's no fool like an old fool.
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Clive.
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I've just sown some more beetroot, Cylindra, Boldor and Bona, in the back garden...the first sow started to appear, under the cages, but then...went...
Then I had some packets of carrot seed on the sideboard top that kept telling me that they wanted to be sown.... So I found the cover mesh and have worked down some ground that I cleared the other weekend....glanced at my watch...and thought better press on and get it done before lunch...but then I suddenly remembered the words of 'Johnboy'...work ground in the morning for carrots and sow in the afternoon.....
So I'm in for lunch now....carrots to go in this afternoon..
C.
Then I had some packets of carrot seed on the sideboard top that kept telling me that they wanted to be sown.... So I found the cover mesh and have worked down some ground that I cleared the other weekend....glanced at my watch...and thought better press on and get it done before lunch...but then I suddenly remembered the words of 'Johnboy'...work ground in the morning for carrots and sow in the afternoon.....
So I'm in for lunch now....carrots to go in this afternoon..
C.
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oldherbaceous
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It all sounds perfect, Clive!
Kind Regards, Old Herbaceous.
There's no fool like an old fool.
There's no fool like an old fool.
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Clive.
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Carrots sown...Nantes 5, from the magazine...
Then I thought, ought to sow just one wigwam of runner beans...you know where the seed was to be found.!..still in its dried pods, in the back room....
The cane wigwam is tucked in behind and right of the carrot mesh rectangle thus leaving a block where the sweetcorn can eventually go...they are popping through in pots in the old cold frame...despite my neglect in the week when they dried out plenty...
...and to update further.. I have now knocked in the posts and strung round the broad bean rows...it was only the other weekend that I got the posts retrieved from last years rows.!!
In a little gap between beans and onions there was just enough room to sow the rainbow chard.
C.
Then I thought, ought to sow just one wigwam of runner beans...you know where the seed was to be found.!..still in its dried pods, in the back room....
The cane wigwam is tucked in behind and right of the carrot mesh rectangle thus leaving a block where the sweetcorn can eventually go...they are popping through in pots in the old cold frame...despite my neglect in the week when they dried out plenty...
...and to update further.. I have now knocked in the posts and strung round the broad bean rows...it was only the other weekend that I got the posts retrieved from last years rows.!!
In a little gap between beans and onions there was just enough room to sow the rainbow chard.
C.
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AdrienneRobinson
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Hi there everybody, it’s been a while since I’ve been here. But I’m still going, despite a few health issues that seem to stop things for a bit until they’ve settled down again.
Anyway, like everyone I expect, I’m waiting for some long overdue rain this evening and overnight which should help everything enormously. Got 4 calabrese and 2 cabbages Golden Acre (not grown those before) in the brassica cage, a few sugar snap peas planted out and more sown in modules not germinated yet. Spuds, beetroot, garlic, broad beans all looking good, carrots, lettuce, radishes coming on nicely in my raised wooden planters. Tomatoes growing like mad in the greenhouse.
Had to have my Bramley apple dug out in the winter - we discovered it hadn’t been able to develop roots very well as there was a huge stone in the way! So a new Victoria plum is now in its place.
Anyway, like everyone I expect, I’m waiting for some long overdue rain this evening and overnight which should help everything enormously. Got 4 calabrese and 2 cabbages Golden Acre (not grown those before) in the brassica cage, a few sugar snap peas planted out and more sown in modules not germinated yet. Spuds, beetroot, garlic, broad beans all looking good, carrots, lettuce, radishes coming on nicely in my raised wooden planters. Tomatoes growing like mad in the greenhouse.
Had to have my Bramley apple dug out in the winter - we discovered it hadn’t been able to develop roots very well as there was a huge stone in the way! So a new Victoria plum is now in its place.
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Westi
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Hi Adrienne,
Sounds you are on pretty much on of top of the chores. Make you feel good doesn't it when the beds start to fill! Shame about the Bramley but at least you have the plum. You are certainly more advanced than me, but I got some good rain today to so hopefully things will catch up.
Sounds you are on pretty much on of top of the chores. Make you feel good doesn't it when the beds start to fill! Shame about the Bramley but at least you have the plum. You are certainly more advanced than me, but I got some good rain today to so hopefully things will catch up.
Westi
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Westi
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Finally got the nonsense sorted with council thanks to one of the committee guys! I am now officially the owner of my plots again! What a malarkey! Mind it was nice finding time to mooch around the site while waiting which I haven't done for a couple of years. It was a nice stroll nosing over the fences but didn't find any good ideas to nick, but some fab sheds!
Westi