Spring Bits and Bobs.

[Westi]

Mr & Mrs Fox & the kids have been a pain at home. No idea what they are sniffing out down the back, probably rats as it part of a path, but despite the mess made has been quite helpful as I've got a nice pile of lovely compost all ready to go on the home beds. Well actually not quite that helpful as they were really diligent chewing the compost door off so it doesn't line up but a few bricks should secure it when it is empty & they are bored & move on.

Off to the plot tomorrow to continue the bed preps where I've cleared but had a little more rain so should be easier so might get some direct sows in. If the toms remain no shows when I go down I will move them & the staging outside as temp looks safe for them. I really don't want to start again with them but it will seriously be their last chance as I still can't come up with any reason why it would be every seed sown when new batches. I'm judging this decision on my min/max temps - all I can think off that I haven't tried yet!

[Clive.]

Just to update...in the back field this morning is a large Fendt tractor with subsoiler.....giving the flattened headlands some deep treatment. It's making the tractor whine...some amazing power there, all happening slowly and very purposefully, actually amazing how quiet they are these days.

As I suspect it was land 'taken up' for a year of carrots.? they are certainly working to return it to condition on handing it back.

C.

[oldherbaceous]

I remember years ago, a know it all farmer, used a massive crawler, with a pan buster on the back……he had it set miles too deep, and you could hear every time he hit a land drain…….the field then flooded every year after that, but he wouldn’t have it, that he had caused the problem!
Could do with some more rain!
Has anyone else got lots of new shoots, (the ones that come from the very bottom of the Rose bush), on their Roses this year? Even some of the very old Roses, are putting out new shoots, at the Big House, what is wonderful to see!

[Clive.]

Hopefully the pan buster didn't go quite that deep here as there's the main sewer that runs under the field.! It is very very deep though i remember it going in when I was little....but it may have thus appeared deeper ?!! ..and when you think also that the field is now way lower than my garden due to ploughing out, erosion, general soil depletion...

...and Yes, loads of new 'real' growth from the bottom of roses...including some Hybrid Musks that are a year younger than me.......

C.

[Cider Boys]

I am also getting new shoots growing from the bottom of well established roses. I have been away up to the city of Bath for four days, left everything well soaked and all seemed fine on my return. Planted out fifty enorma runner bean plants to-day and protected them with fleece, just hope I don't get a sneaky frost. Last frost date for me is 25 April and I am only 1 1/2 miles from the sea, but I have been caught out in the past.

Still need some rain.

Barney

[retropants]

My 2nd year patio (potted) climbing roses have some fresh bronze shoots coming at the base. But I have given them a top dressing of compost mixed with worm castings from the wormery. One of them has a LOT of blooms right now.

[Clive.]

In the back garden, stakes, wire and canes added to the Early Onward pea row this afternoon...They are still rather nibbled and stunted but they did cheer up a bit after last weekends light rain shower.... Hoping that freed up from the low wire covers they start and move on...they are at least waving in the breeze nicely now.which must be sending them a get on with it message.?

Seems a good number of blue butterflies about this year..I'm assuming Holly Blue.? Over at the other garden Painted Lady butterflies are flitting about...not sure how many...maybe one that gets about a bit..?!. One, is more than seen last year.

Meanwhile 1987 Hayter Harrier 48 that has been sat lonely in a shed was fueled up given a pull over to get the feel of it again and then started straight up on the first real pull over....amazing
Lacking a grass collector box/bag but lawn and roadside received a trim...with stripes..


C.

[Westi]

Bit the bullet & moved the tomatoes out onto the staging to see if that might help them wake up & grow. I doubt it after this length of time but you never know until you try as they say, but 2nd lot of seeds sown in the pots; it will be none or a glut! Got them covered via a windbreak around & over the staging to cut back the wind & add a little warmth. Only time will tell! I took the final harvest of the broad beans I overwintered in the tunnel & will remove them when next down ready for the plants that prefer the tunnel. Sweet potatoes in the tunnel are already spreading their wings.

Made a change to my plans when I watered as found the nettles & ground elder from next door's plot popping up along my fence line at the front so gave up on other chores & sorted these heading to my Dahlia's & had some time left so continued across the other opposite bed & worth it as they were heading to the rose bushes as well on that side.

[Clive.]

Late yesterday, my garden rescue....which somehow seems now to be an annual feature.!....has reached the square of ground by the little shed door...this was my mum and dad's 'summerhouse' not really a summerhouse..just a shed with a couple of old high back chairs but it was a nice spot to sit for their coffee time in days of old. Dad made the shed with some left overs from the big shed build with a few extra new timbers and was designed to flat pack to transport for putting up in the meadow fields..but as it looked a bit too much like a shed that would be full of 'stuff' the idea was abandoned and it remained at home. A third shed was constructed that simply looked like a toilet shed..which indeed it was and that made its way to the meadow fields......

Its only a small square of ground that has come back to light now by the door and at one time had a few herbs planted.... more recently perennial sow thistle.! ..which I know will be back from under the paving slabs.... The thought that came to mind is to plant a couple of courgette plants to quickly fill over the area......counting chickens before they hatch I have already checked out the microwave cooking of courgette....maybe a new line for my culinary repatoire

C.

[oldherbaceous]

Thank you for sharing your memories and your up o date happenings, Clive, as they always make for wonderful reading!

Now I know i’m feeling my age, just fell flat on my face in the front border….got away with just a little knick, in the corner of my eye….so glad no one was about!

[Clive.]

Quick update...I sowed two types of courgette, did 3 pots of each type as insurance to get the couple of plants needed... Having said that if germination is as good as sweetcorn this year then I will have over stock.!

21 Swift sweetcorn sown, 20 have appeared. In the other garden, 36 Goldcrest sown, 35 came good..

I got my kneeler pad out this afternoon and had some time with patio knife weeding along the line of 3' x 2' slabs that are alongside the compost heaps....and then had a pull away of top growth on another patch of ground in front of the composts.... If I can get it pulled in and get this patch roughly turned over I fancy covering it with a couple or three pumpkins and let their vines do some ground covering...

C.

[Clive.]

The back field has been getting another working today..back in the hands of its usual keepers. Challenger crawler with a very long but highly manoeuvrable Lemken Diamant11 semi mounted reversible plough and then a second Challenger with power harrow have got it all worked. I was home just in time to see the headlands being finished.

I've been watching farm operations on this field for as long as I can remember...and the first time I recall being allowed to 'stay up late' was to watch night time pea viner operation.

Now, that sets me wondering..what's the next crop going to be.?..maybe just time for peas.? With the amount of straw that's in there I reckon it wants something to put some good root through and 'eat' it up, like the way leeks really root out..

Another ex carrot field though, from the wet year, seems to have a cover crop on it still..

C.

[Clive.]

I was on a planting and sowing mission yesterday...rain forecast for today. There is static crackling the medium wave radio this morning...so there's some thunder/lightning about. Sounds quite distant...at the moment.

It looks like the back field has been sown but I missed that exercise...so it's a wait and see...but with ref the factory planning permission...very pleased to see the field sown..

C.

[oldherbaceous]

It’s just coming over very black here now, let’s hope we get some rain and don’t miss it again!
The Runner Beans, certainly didn’t like the frosts, Sunday and Monday night,…. Hasn’t burnt them off but, it’s certainly made them sulk.

[Clive.]

'April' showers here today...5mm rain in sharp showers.

Further up the coast they got the hail and thunder...didn't want that.! Happy with the 5mm

Just enough to set off whatever has been sown in the field..they timed that right

C.