Kitchen Garden Forum

What a beautiful day….won’t be long before we are asking for rain.

Certainly a lovely day....in fact it's been a decent few weeks helping to get some jobs caught up.
The wind was in the North first thing but then went almost full round to SSE.
Yesterday morning it was really quite windy and was indeed swirling up some dust from the paths..

C.

Our water doesn't get turned on until next week end & I only have 1/2 butt left, should be just enough & as I am down before anyone else I should be able to fill a few butts before others arrive. I've been watering for about 3 weeks now as although the odd drizzle at home nothing of any description down there. Mind they don't need too much as most are quite small still.

I've had to make adjustments to the propagator at home & turn the heat off as way to hot for the wee babies & the temp in the tunnel was 48.4C at some point over the last 2 days, today it was 45.2C so left the back door open. I hope the vent is working but as I'm only there in the morning before it gets proper hot I can't be sure, which is why I decided to open the door. There is nothing in the end beds to worry about, & staging is the other end & got a couple of breezy days from an easterly coming but tunnel is north/south facing so OK.

Just been doing my month end figures. My solar generation was the best March I have had since I started in 2014 and was an amazing 27% higher than last year, no wonder stuff under cover is growing like mad. It was also the lowest March rainfall since I've had my device 33mm this year, 181mm last year for example.

March was indeed a good Month…..there’s a bloke that lives down the other end of the village, that keeps weather records and he said it was the driest March that he has known.

I really thought we might have another wet time after last year, as the rain seemed pretty regular then; but looks like nature is going to test us with all variations of temp & weather. That is fine as over the years we have experienced many weird variations in our areas, so between us can probably cope with by sharing hints & tips from each other.

Slow old going trying to plant the 2nd earlies today; the bed was completely dry & rock hard. The fork would not go in so ended up doing small slices with the shovel, then going over again with my Hori knife breaking up the slices, then a rake & another try with the fork. Then a top up of my compost raked in/over. I was able to plant them in & they got a goodish water from my depleting supplies; which is fine as we've got some rain coming tomorrow evening. I checked my 1st earlies as well & they needed a bit of a careful dig around as well at the surface was caked & although they could have broken through as only a couple of inches, I saved them expending their efforts.

That took about all my time, but I squeezed in a compost top up of what will be the runner bed as it was easier as dug & covered already &has some protection from the wind by the tunnel.

Had a very tough day yesterday, as my Mum sadly passed away….but she did die at home and in her own bed, so she got her last wish.

So sorry, you are having a tough time recently but I'm sure you'll bounce back.

so sorry to hear your sad news OH. At least she was where she wanted to be.

Very sorry to read of the passing of your Mum, Old H'.

Sounds just like my dear old mum, likewise she did not want to be anywhere other than her own home... and other than the very last few hours she too managed to achieve her wish.

With thoughts to you and the family,
Clive.

My thoughts with you and your family OH & I'm pleased for your Mum that she died in her own home.

Thank you all for our kind words, I really do appreciate them…..had to go down to find some paperwork earlier and found it very tough….I suppose her being there for over 60 years has that affect!

Looks like it’s going to be a beautiful day……

My broad beans are popping through all ok here now...and the yellow crown imperial lilies that I purchased from Farmer Gracy are coming up now too..the orange ones have been up for some while and are in full bud.

The flowering currant just by the house back door has flowered fantastically this year and in the evening light is really a glow..

I've done rather a lot of walking today...striding along behind the big 34" cylinder mower..and i know about it too....but it's fish and chip tea night so after switching on the washing machine I'm sat here with cup of tea...with just a couple of paperwork jobs that I ought to look at before tea lands

C.