Kitchen Garden Forum

I have just received information from my mate who has a rain gauge that in the last 24 hour period we, in this area, have had 38mm of rain and it is still peeing down.
Normally when this happens the river generally breaks its banks and I am blocked off from the village unless I use the Tractor. I shall go down to the village shortly to get a couple of containers of milk and, if it floods, await calls from motorists who try to get through the floods. All money collected goes to charity. Last time it happened all the proceeds went to a charity that cares for people with Epilepsy. I have not decided who will reveice the next lot. Your ideas would be appreciated. I would prefer a small charity that has not got the pull of the larger charities.
JB.

Dear Johnboy, is there anything in place in the village that helps the older folk at all, just a thought.

Hi OH,
I'm pleased to say that there are two means of helping the aged in the village. Age Concern and The Evergreens. Also I already subscribe to both and already help and they had the flood contributions before the last flood.
Somehow I feel that children should benefit and not the aged. The aged are very well cared for in our community and I'm pleased to say that there are sufficient caring people to cater for them.
To the Parish Council children are to be seen but not heard. Should have gone out years ago but in a community that still refers to the local large land owner as "Squire" what can you expect!
JB.

Oh dear, I've missed it - came back from a warm sunny week in Madeira yesterday. I thought it must have been wet as the garden has turned into a jungle. Hope I don't sound too smug!

PLUMPUDDING wrote:Oh dear, I've missed it - came back from a warm sunny week in Madeira yesterday. I thought it must have been wet as the garden has turned into a jungle. Hope I don't sound too smug!

Hi PLUMPUDDING,

How was Madeira? It's one of those places that we first thought about visiting back in the 70s, but still haven't got there yet

Dear Johnboy, that is nice to hear that the older folk have help when needed in the village.

How about it going towards an educational trip to a working walled garden for the school children.
I'm sure all involved would love it, and the money wouldn't get swallowed up in red tape.
And it might even inspire more children into gardening.

About 9 mm here on Sunday, folks. 20 mm yesterday, more or less incessant over 24 hours.

mike

well mostly there was a bit of rain earlier on - but hey nothing compared to what we have had. Fingers crossed for the weekend.

kwa50
www.craftchallenge.co.uk

Hi OH,
Just 'cos you want the river to flood is decides not too.
Thanks for the ideas though.
Been down the schools route in the past and it was fine until there was a change of headmistress and she was a monster and the children were not even allowed to get their hands dirty and then would not allow anybody to pick any crops during the summer holidays or work on the site so most of the stuffs grown went to waste and then she had the bloody cheek to say the garden was a mess and promptly closed it altogether! She now calls it her wildlife area but I know the truth. She tried to get the council to clear it all and they told her that she would have to have that done using school funds.
Never mind it was running for five years before she took over. We all learn by our mistakes.
JB.

I bet she doesn't have winners and losers at the school sports either.

Hi Geoff,
How right you are! She tried to ban all competitive sports and games and all the teachers complained and she was adamant that she was going to have it her way. All the teachers gave in their notice and refused to work with her. I understand that she has now left the school, or will do at the end of this term but sadly all the other teachers actually left the school so she has been surrounded by yes people for four years.
I feel that I am now past all that now but would certainly back a younger person having a crack at it.
JB.

On Monday it was raining so hard that the polytunnel was beginning to flood (we are on a slope) so I had to dig a channel in the pouring rain to clear the excess water. It was such fun. I'm the kind of person that goes for walks in the rain and ends up clearing gutters. My OH despairs sometimes.

Today I tried to go to the plot to do some seed sowing but it really was raining too hard to do anything and too dark to see what I was doing in the shed because I had to keep the door shut. My poor tomatoes which are outside are really looking sickly. I did water them with epsom salts earlier in the week but it doesnt seem to have helped. Their leaves are still going yellow but there are tiny fruit on them. The only thing that is going mad is the yellow courgette in the polytunnel we are getting about three a day. Still cant decide whether to keep the polytunnel doors closed or open as nothing else seems to be doing anything.

All this rain seems to be making my courgettes grow into marrows overnight. Every day that the rain continues makes me fearful that another episode of blight is coming a step nearer. But even all this water doesn't seem to have drowned the whitefly that are still hanging around my outdoor aubergines.

Hi all,

Another bright and sunny morning here. We had rain for a couple of days earlier in the week, but nothing more than the odd shower since then. In fact I was watering parts of the garden last night. Very strong wind yesterday though.

Good morning. At last we have some sun this morning so I am off up to the plot to do some work. Yipeee