Spring Bits and Bobs.

[oldherbaceous]

This is really intriguing, Clive, I know cover crops are the new thing…….. as if they didn’t use them many years ago…..

[Clive.]

I've just had a phone call from a relative who is in the farming world and he tells me that out west of here, on some very light land, barley is spread and worked in through which sugar beet is then sown, once beet is underway then the barley is 'removed', in the meantime it has stopped wind erosion...

C.

[oldherbaceous]

Does “removed” mean, sprayed off?

[Clive.]

Well, I bet it doesn't mean hand weeding...like what I need to do to my beetroot rows in both locations

C.

[Clive.]

At last...the Swifts are screeching about above here..

C.

[oldherbaceous]

You make me laugh, Clive….
Saw the first Swallow yesterday….was starting to wonder if we were going to get any.

Ophelia is going to grow Globe Artichokes this year…..does anyone grow them to eat?

[Clive.]

I have a recommendation of what not to do with the remnant in the kitchen with ref artichoke... Do not put it down the waste disposal thingy... it certainly lived up to its choke name...and cost my dear old boss a new tweeny undersink unit

C.

[retropants]

I’ve just finished putting the cover on to the tomato house. Over 50 screws and big washers later San Marzano are in, I’m waiting for the sun to go round before I put the Alicante in and some calendula. Cobra beans were going in today, but a damaged bumblebee has taken refuge under one of the leaves, so I’ll see if he’s still there tomorrow. Mesh stapling to brassica cage is also delayed, as the staples we have are too long and are blowing out the batten timbers. Just recorded a little vocal for dh’s latest tune (electronic music) but I need a second line, it’s proving tricky to come up with something. The first line just popped into my head. I’ve also made a huge pot of sauce for veggie lasagne for later, so I only have to build it and make some bechamel. I love my pressure cooker!

[Geoff]

No wonder everything is growing like mad this year, getting more light. Done the month end figure for my solar panels and the massive increase over 2024 continued, March plus 28%, April plus 42% now May plus 39%. Looking forward to my payment for the last three months in a day or two.

[oldherbaceous]

Well that is really good news, Geoff,now where did I put my longest extension lead!

[Clive.]

I forgot about gardening today, for a while, as was invited by colleagues to go along to visit a local estate farm tour event and had a ride around on a seated trailer viewing progress on the farm...last time I did this tour, I think, must have been pre 2020 ? so it was good to see how things have developed, with diversification into other lines and into more sustainable mixed farming..
This developed in to a visit to the next door walled garden...so did get back into looking at a garden and had a plate of lunch out..when did I last do that.?!

C.

[Westi]

Got the sweetcorn plants in today & all covered. Just one wee sweetcorn showed in the bed after about 4 attempts previously so got tired of feeding the pests & bought plants. I was very pleased with the quality & did plant the one wee guy that escaped the attention as well. All very well netted & secured with the Chinese beds as their neighbours under the same netting.

Walked around in circles looking everywhere for my membrane with the holes burnt out for the pumpkins & squash to get them in. I did do other wee jobs found while looking for it & then thought I'll just get the cover off & give them another compost top up. Surprise there was the membrane still folded & tied in the corner. I think the aim was to take it to the shed to store when dried out a bit but it's spent the winter outside, thankfully it was the thick membrane & didn't deteriorate. Well it's down & secure but a fiddle as different size bed but worked it out. Will plant out on Wed, along with the courgette bed I weeded, then just the last bed to prep & cover in this section which will be for the winter PSB & kales etc. I love Plot 2, such a doodle compared to Plot 1! I've got the summer brassica's in the other side of the dividing path so just a weeding for them & onions down the fence side, again just weeding & tidying.

[peter]

Getting really P'd off with a third, maybe fourth year of ridiculously poor seed germination.
Used JI seed compost, not too wet or dry, not too hot or cold.
Dozens of seeds, no germination.
Mollycoddled a packet of Crown Prince squash in the house and 40% germinated.
That's two out of five at pushing £4 for the packet.

[retropants]

Peter, I agree, germination is pretty sketchy. I've had the most problems with, would you believe, Tagetes! The seed is fresh, collected last year, and I've had about 5-10% success, multiple sowings. I like to have a lot of these, as the snails like to feast on them, so replacements are always necessary. Westi, I had zero % success with corn, so I also bought plants. They are out now, looking good. I have also noticed that some of the potted on tomatoes and peppers have surprise brothers and sisters appearing about 3 months after I sowed them!

[AdrienneRobinson]

Planted out the courgette I had to buy - the aim is to train it round canes to save a bit of space (fingers crossed that works!) so surrounded the said canes with fleece to keep off the cold winds. I suspect that may be why the ones I’d grown from seed didn’t thrive.
Planted out 8 comfrey plants - the small pieces of what looked like wood when they came, came good (I had wondered if I’d been sent something else - not comfrey!) so should have a good supply of that when it gets established. They will also fill a gap in a shady part of the garden.