Kitchen Garden Forum

Disappointing morning when I discovered my bonfire had burnt out. I haven't had one for over six months and there was a ridiculous accumulation of stuff. I only lit it on Thursday morning and have spent the time since clearing many barrow loads from the herbaceous garden, pruning roses and buddleias and a few other things. In the end I suppose it got going that well I simply couldn't keep up with it!
Happy afternoon though when an 8¼ lb granddaughter was safely delivered. She will be Charlotte not Valentina as one of our friends suggested.

Congratulations on the new family addition Geoff!

No bonfires allowed on the plot but allowed incinerators which really burn out & barely last a year. I probably have about 4 more burns left to do to be clear of all the prunings as have done about a dozen burns so this one might just last. I have bought a spare though as the little hardware shop had a clear out sale & it was only £10. It was a brilliant wee sale, the stuff that they have is so varied & from over decades I didn't have a clue what some of it was, but I was keen on the old fashioned galvanised hip bath but controlled myself!

That is lovely news indeed, Geoff.

Congrats on Charlottes arrival

I see the big old Bumble bees are awakening from their Winter slumber….

No bees here yet, very windy, trees blown down and part of the village has power as the lines are down, still winter up here.

I’m hoping for one of Clive’s lovely posts, soon….

Yes, I was writing one but then talked myself out of posting it and deleted it...! best I try again

We have seen queen bumblebees about today and indeed one day last week too, on the winter honeysuckle then.
Honey bees about on warmer days too...but not on the foggy day we had all day Tuesday.

Surprise this morning was seeing a tiny grass snake wandering its way along the back path at 7:30am. Whether it was heading out or just coming in, I didn't dare ask it...

Saw a goldcrest flitting about on a cedar yesterday lunch time and this afternoon a red kite was up above the parkland.. a relatively new but becoming more regular sighting out East here.

I got a bit further with my home back garden tidy up...slow progress, but got along the line of cordon apples last weekend and then moved north of the path to prune a couple of black currants and fetched a few embarrassingly large dandelions out of the rhubarb, it's nicely underway so gave it a bit of a feed... more work needed on that side of the path.
I have a bit of cleaning up and digging over to do at the house end of the patch, and two rows of broad beans should then fit there. It was well light enough at home time to have a bit of a ponder and pace out there. Mustn't get too keen, rain is forecast overnight on two hours, I see..

C.

Congratulations on Charlotte's arrival.

When I was born apparently my father ran about telling everyone I was 8stone3. Big baby!

An excellent post, Clive…..glad you are getting there with your home garden.

Today after a morning work visit I got a bit more done at home, north of the garden path. More big dandelions eased out and then deeply dug over. This piece of garden is quite light and pushing the spade deep brought up an inch or so of sand from the bottom of the spit. Also a myriad of shrub fibrous feeding rots were severed... My dad used to do well with early potatoes on this area, perhaps before the shrub root ingress, but over recent years I decided not to grow potatoes and lazily buy them from the Co-op....maybe not actually lazily but in line with other commitments and reality of hours in the day. Anyway, classic change of plan and on my way back to work this afternoon I called at the hardware shop in town and now have some first early to go in......

..and then just as all was going well...another chunk of a tooth fell out..bah humbug...well actually bah soft mint...

C.

I was going to do a bit of gardening today, but then I changed my mind......................
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YP2rgDjRGrw

More good progress, Clive, sounds as if you are doing a wonderful job….you won’t regret the first early potatoes, when they are on your plate….over the last few years, i’ve got a real liking to having them cold, too….
What a nuisance about your tooth….hope you get it sorted okay!

I had 3 new tyres fitted on my old Wheel Horse ride on mower yesterday, so been doing a few jobs on it, that I have been putting off since last year!
Still getting over the price of the tyres but, I did want Carlisle tyres, so serves me right….
Had a busy week this week, getting one of my garden’s ready for a Snowdrop day this Monday, in aid of Willen Hospice.

I hope you weren’t eyeing up your Sunday dinner…..
Wow that looks Wintry there, Tigerburnie!

Nice quiet day on the plot, my plan was to top up some of the worn membrane paths but obviously the minute I dragged the roll out the shed the wind came up! So I collected up all the rose prunings & took them home for the council garden bin as they just won't burn. Then I moved the rest of the leeks into the tunnel where the sweet potatoes will go, to release that bed to re-erect the net tunnel.

I'm pretty sure I am doing the wrong thing with the leeks & they will take the warmth in there as an excuse to flower but they have done nothing since I planted them October time, barely an inch growth & not getting chunky, so nothing to loose really. The summer ones I sowed for this year are even catching up on them. Any idea why these came to a stand still? Was the bed not fertile enough (just my compost & some 6X flakes dug in) & if so what do they like best so I can prep it now?