Kitchen Garden Forum

Well here is hoping…..

We won't blame you OH no-one is in control of Mother Nature! It has been beautiful few days but already the weather guys are saying a cold snap coming over the weekend.

I am feeling rather chuffed with myself as I finally got the frame up for the net tunnel. Only moderate cussing. Hopefully it is going nowhere but It had to be cable ties, not drilled in screws to secure it as the canes split when drilled even though really thick. It has an extra bottom frame so extra security; along with the double crossed supports midway along the 3 non opening sides, & it is banged in the soil with heavy marquee pegs & tied to the fence. When the netting goes on I will put further supports beside the zipped door then. Pipe lagging ordered to cover the edges to protect the netting from all the extra canes tops & plan is to leave it to check how it fares in a blow, but strangely no big winds or gales predicted for the next couple of weeks. Brassica's still quite small so will need another pot on, so can wait a bit.

I've been out with the nematodes today. The blighters are having a nibble on my newly emerging asparagus, and that just won't do. I don't mind losing a bit of excess parsley, but I have limits to my mollusc feeding generosity.
It has been a glorious day here in Deepest Darkest and the first of last week's sowings are showing through, some lettuce and the 60 raab that we got free with the magazine last year. I'm keen to try these as they're very popular in Italy and Jamie Oliver recommended them a few years back. They're low commitment, too, with being ready so early. If I don't like them, there's plenty of time to replace with something more to my taste.

Quite a few things popping through in the glasshouse now, so rather exciting!
Although the weekend is looking rather chilly, with a few frosts predicted….

A beautiful day up here yesterday, got all excited and popped some seeds in. Tatties nearly ready for planting mid April. Definitely puts a spring in the step, no pun intended.

Raab are great to grow vivienz as pop up pretty quickly & you get multiple heads, small but perfectly formed & full of taste as well as the leaves which aren't too ribby. I tend to do successional sows in the same bed, probably a no, no but no proper brassica's follow. However like all brassicas's they do tend to all catch up with each other when the weather suits & flower easily, but freeze well if you are more diligent than me & remember to harvest them regularly.

Just watched the local weather report - hail & wind Saturday, looks like my new net tunnel frame is going to get it's test drive!

Tried some weeding and tidying on allotment yesterday, oh dear, sticky sticky sticky undigable!

Same here Peter, and more rain on it’s way for us!

Brief shower this morning, determinably overcast.
Yesterdays success was second coat of barn paint on concrete shed door and frame, made a chain of two padlocks and the bits on the door & frame to leave it secure but no painted bits touching each other. Walked the dogs and when we got back it was dry.

Thoroughly recommend Bedec Barn paint, sticks to everything, two coats and it's covered.
https://bedec.co.uk/barn-paint/

Today so far has been a tidy up or rotting fence panels and a plywood shed roof. Was going to be firewood and things, but after some years of not using it, it went to the tip.
Filled the back of my little Skoda Citigo completely.

Earlier in the week I cut and shredded the front garden bamboo, got four and a half barrow loads of shred.

A lot of the trade decorators use that barn-paint, Peter, so must be good stuff.
Sounds as if you have been busy again….

I am officially very sad.....! Who'd have known playing with pipe lagging was so much fun & rewarding, it's so sticky but cushioned so you can mould shapes & yes moulding a dog finial out of it was unnecessary! As indicated I deviated from sorting the tunnel to more securing of the outside net tunnel structure! I even found my little Japanese saw which cleanly cut the sticking up little bamboo cane bits without trouble. I was tempted to do a cushion of lagging around the whole top of the structure, but stuck to just the joins; but still time to have some more fun & it will protect the cover more....& maybe a gargoyle?!

As I was working there I just continued to clear, dig & feed some other beds that side. Wind, rain & hail tomorrow but feel more optimistic it will be standing when I go down again on Sunday, so I can get back on track with the proper chores!

Just come back from the allotments….the wind is bitter, even rolled my sleeves down!

Westi, what sort of pipe lagging are you using, as I can’t think of any that you could turn into Gargoyle?….

Well the wind was drying out everything really nicely, then came over really black and we had 15 mins of torrential rain, sleet and snow…..now everything is soaked, the sun is back out….you have to smile!

No sunshine here just gale force winds and occasional rain

We had everything thrown at us at the craft market today. Glad I took my big coat. Looking forward to thawing out in the bath later.