Kitchen Garden Forum

A lovely bright day here today, a real bit of warmth in the sun but, just too wet to go walking about on the allotments…. maybe tomorrow!

We took 7.5mm of rain yesterday....it was just workable in the back garden this evening to put another row of peas in, Early Onward. The south end of the row was in the shade of the Bountiful apple and I had to step carefully on that bit.

It has really made things grow in the big garden, some lovely lines of green shoots of the rows of onion sets in this mornings sun..

.....meanwhile at home here it's new phone day....vintage slide phone had bit the dust and a rather old hat style, but brand new, flip phone has replaced it.....not at all smart in any way.... other than its simple operation and low cost..

..and in other news...this weekends competition on Radio Caroline 'North, live from the radio ship Ross Revenge,' is once again sponsored by a Lincolnshire gardener...

C.

Been busy potting up plants in the glasshouse and there has been a beautiful Thrush singing it’s heart out, in the top of the big Ash tree, just behind us……perfect!

Continued with my weeding today & what a great feeling seeing the little seedlings in their line not hidden by weeds, along with getting the weeds out of the fence line letting more sun through. Just got the main onion bed & the Chinese bed to weed.....but of course then it is a repeat scenario, but I will be able to use the hoe & not have to take a second wardrobe down! Definitely going to need 2 wash pods in the machine to clean the gear I had on today as was crawling along to reach the weeds in the fence line as have beds either side.

We’ve built a new potting bench, it’s a beast! I’ve also pricked out lemon basil and tagetes today and spotted the blue tit popping in and out of the little box we built and put up a couple of years ago. I’m sure I heard the chicks squeaking for caterpillars!

You can't eat them, but they lift the gloom on a foggy autumnal like day..........................

Beautiful…..
Nice start to the day but, it’s now raining heavily……a real shame, as I was getting on well over the allotments!

It seems just as soon as we have a dry day along comes another wet bank holiday Monday! We really should get a wet weather refund!
All the ewrlier sown climbing beans sown by amr Primrose outdoors appear to have rotted. Too early and too cold I suspect.

Had a yellow warning for thunder & heavy showers today so decided to stay home. It did look a bit gloomy, but not storm like but had a few things to do so good enough excuse to find more unused bits to put out to take for booked collection during the week. Can't blame Mr for this lot it was me falling for the TV ads for this bit or bob of kitchen must haves. Quite enjoyed it, especially trying to figure out why the manufacturers thought it was a good product & invested so much into the ads conning us they worked. Also explains why so hard to return these & get your money back.

Thunder & lightening didn't eventuate, but replacement weather showing the little sun for the next few days was very welcome as I can take full use of it with shorter days on the plots so my back doesn't suffer & I will be able to finish the chores needed.

Dare I admit that we had another hot sunny dry day....we seem to be back on the drier side of England once more. ...at last.. and will it last....

Had the tiller out first thing, then did some potting on whilst the top dried again after the tilling. Then in went the Charlotte potatoes, another line of beetroot and a long line of canna.

C.

Popped into the local garden centre for a couple of tomato grow bags. They’re out of cheap little pots and have been for some time, as well as the coir ones. I refuse to pay £1.50 for a potting on pot, it’d cost a fortune. However, on our wandering we found a huge bin full of pots free to a good home. Result, got a whole load of small pots to pot on my herbs etc. They had two bins full of pots, you can drop yours off too. Not sure I’ll ever have spare pots but will keep it in mind.

A lot brighter today…..what a difference a little sun makes!

Brilliant day down here as well. Was still a bit of a nip when I went down but as soon as the sun burn't off the low cloud it was all go! The bonus was the automatic vents opened on cue...thanks OH for your patience with fixing this. Making progress, but my highlight was seeing our resident fox up close & personal; well several metres but what a handsome guy. I opened the gate this morning as down early & he just stood & watched me, not even perturbed by the dog in tow, but Scrabble was pretty much hiding behind me so probs fox knew no risk. He is huge compared to the one in the close at home, huge fluffy tail & near black fur. Doing a great job with the rats so he's a keeper! Factor 30 gonna be needed for the next week or so!

Warm one today, .... I turned a bit more ground with the tiller first thing and then away to source some new tyres for Skoda and after that had a bit of a weeding session along the line of apple cordons at home here.

Great relief yesterday as my new phone was sorted onto the number I have had since Sept' 1999...I was fearing a hiccup to the swap and all those places these days were mobile numbers are lodged didn't, after all, require changing..phew.!

C.

I can understand your worry with updating your phone Clive, had the same when I upgraded mine, but I just said I wanted to keep the number & they did, I was surprised to say the least, there is usually some hiccough!

Nice & sunny when I got up, but the fog started rolling in on my way to the bus, but already committed so went down & then sun came out & all cleared within a half an hour. It got well warm over the morning 46.7C in the tunnel with both doors open, so left the back door open for the first time as well, as got a little run of nice sunny days & warmish nights until after the weekend. Hoped to have got more done but found bind weed in the asparagus bed, so had to move into 'pay attention mode' chasing it to the outside of the beds without injuring the baby spears underneath. I will take the membrane up & chase it right back to the neighbours fence when I finish the other beds.

No dig might be fine but doesn't address the impact of folk not doing anything to clear it on their plot while moving to no dig so it is uncontrolled. Just thinking is the Hugelkultur method of growing contributing to the huge increase of wood lice as well? Won't bring it up with the neighbours as if it is they will soon find out for themselves, especially as their DIY tunnel is all wood supports.