Kitchen Garden Forum

Bright, sunny and breexy here.

Shame it'll take a week of this to start drying the soil and that the forecast is for the breeze to ramp up into strong winds followed by a week of mixed but essentially rainy weather from tomorrow.

Dogs are subathing on the big sofa snd looking smug, so I think I'll try to enjoy the sunshine.

How nice it is to have a calm morning and the birds singing away, lifts ones spirits no end.

Mighty windy again last night...but no rainfall today..and sunny, for 2 days now.

Got the spade out once more....still loads to do.

Another dry day to get on again tomorrow, please.

We were down to greenhouse washing last week...I know it needs doing but so does all the forking over......

I see the honey bees were out and about this morning from the Orchard hive

Clive.

Just bsck from walking the youngest dog, a distance a wee bit shy of twelve miles and the sun shone on us for nearly all of it as we squelched through the mud and sploshed along the roads & paths.

Lovely sunny morning down lottie & a balmy 10 degrees! I harvested kale, cauliflower, chard, cabbage, celeriac, swede, parsnips, Chinese cabbage & other stir fry bits, spring onion & beetroot! My lottie was like a little island full of bountiful harvest while all around me plots empty & covered up for winter without a crop in sight.

I just don't understand the summer only gardeners - what a feast they are missing!

Westi

Sounds great, Westie. Yes, I enjoy winter on the allotment, too, particularly when the sun is shining as it was today! Few of our fellow allotmenteers seem to venture out when it's cold and windy, but it was great.
I just got some kale, some flower sprouts, a leek, and a beetroot but I also put an upturned ex-dustbin full of straw over one of the rhubarb crowns - so hoping for some lovely forced rhubarb soon.

Monica - I did the same! My rhubarb is well established so thought 'why not!' I've never forced before so a bit hit & miss, and if it fails I have 2 other plants!

Westi

I have really got stuck into the Winter digging over the last three days, and now have just about caught up.

I think codger got a little worried, as he ventured out with his fork today and done a little on his allotment.

I'm not worried OH I. Can keep in front of you while your at work I can keep plodding on , it's a lot easy digging it a second time, as the rain really pushed it down after I dug it in the autumn. Never mind I love digging

Morning Codger, there won't be any digging for either of us today, as it is vile out there. Just went to get some logs in and got soaked and nearly blown away. Such a shame, as it was just starting to dry a little.

We'll get there.

No mention of a hose ban this year yet.

Morning Shallot Man, i think they might keep that one in the bottom drawer for a while, if they have any sense.

Well if Thames Water introduce a hosepipe ban this summer after all this rain I shall personally turn up and add my own yellow contribution to their office doorstep!

I was reflecting this morning in yet another torrential downpour that I may have to change my normal late autumn routine of digging out my compost heap and spreading it over the vegetable patch and borders. Surely after all this rain every last drop of nutrients in it will long have been washed out?

Primrose wrote:Well if Thames Water introduce a hosepipe ban this summer after all this rain I shall personally turn up and my own yellow contribution to their office doorstep!

I was reflecting this morning in yet another torrential downpour that I may have to change my normal late autumn routine of digging out my compost heap and spreading it over the vegetable patch and borders. Surely after all this rain every last drop of nutrients in it will long have been washed out?

A very good point.

We aren't flooding though the ground is so wet I'm concerned about my onion type cess-pit. Ours drains the top water away into what must have been environment agency guidelines though when the ground cannot accept more water we may be in trouble.

All our rainwater also goes into soak-aways, it is still draining but the fields are so wet its difficult to walk on the sodden ground without your feet sticking.

Ok, not a problem compared to a lot of unfortunate people though I'm keeping my eye on the ball.

At least I don't need to worry about my roof which would have have peeled off by now if I had left the responsibility to my insurer.