Kitchen Garden Forum

Apologies in advance to anyone who has had rotten weather, but at last my weekend off coincided with decent weather

The allotment is too wet to dig, but harvested some leeks. Then strode about purposefully making grand plans for this year

At home replaced the wooden edges for 3 of the raised beds at home (with help from the better half). Also made a new bed along the edge of the greenhouse - maybe for herbs & salads - not decided yet. Now the remaining 4 look really shabby so could be doing them soon

Also done a massive spring clean in the garden, cut back old stems and chucked pelleted chicken poo about to try and replace some of the nitrogen the winter rain has washed away. Loads coming up - snowdrops, daffs, tulips and alliums all romping up. Hellebores just starting to flowers. I cut back some penstemmon just to keep them in check and even they had buds on

Cleaned out the chicks and found them lots of slugs, snails and other chicky delights all day while gardening, so they have gone to bed very happy.

Just had a massive roast dinner and feeling knackered and very full. I think I could be in severe danger of nodding off on the sofa later, glass of wine in hand. Doesn't get much better than that in my book

Sue

Hi Sue

Weather here has been good also, fine and sunny this afternoon if not a bit chilly in the breeze. Worked on the allotment 12-4.30 brewed up some soup up there and started to build an extension to my shed, just a small structure 30 inches wide to put my lawnmower and rotavator in. I am making it all from recycled timber, from old pallets and dismantled sheds etc.

Had a nice tea of home made burgers, spicy potatoes and salad, followed by a choc muffin, already nodded off once so thought I would take a look on here to see what's what. Wife is watching Cranford, which is OK.

On a more grim note, Manchester City got knocked out of the cup today by some Sheffield boys!! Damnations.

Never mind, Kingdom is on later, my fave with Stephen Fry. Not a bad weekend all in all.

Compo

Dear Sue, i'm so pleased the weather has been kind to you this weekend, i can't think of anyone who deserves it more.

Bet your other half got fed up with being bossed around, while doing all the work on your raised beds.

Some of the gardens i work at, look really quite colourful for this time of the year, what has to be a real bonus.
I'm going to leave cutting back any Penstemmons until March so that the frost doesn't catch any new growth.

Are you sure your other half hasn't got any shirts that you need to iron before you sit down.

It's just not true what you say about me OH We built the raised beds together and I did my fair share thank you very much No shirts to iron as he is a tree surgeon not not given to wearing collars & ties

Sounds like you had a productive weekend Compo. We are not allowed sheds on our plots so I'm envious

Sue

Only pulling your leg Sue, glad you had a good day.

Have a big glass of wine for me.

You..........never

I reckon there is a Mrs OH and you are well under the thumb. Would explain your bad behaviour on the forum me thinks

Sue

Dear Sue thats for me to know, and for you to find out.

If there is, i hope you lot feel sorry for her, imagine having to live with a live-wire like myself.

I think i'm right about the Penstemmons though.

She must be a blooming saint I'd say

You are right about the penstemmons They were out of control, so had to do it and then give them a bit of frost protection. Got away with it before so I reckon I'll be OK.

Sue

On Saturday I sowed garlic round the beds where I'll grow roots, to deter carrot fly. I dug up some leeks, celeriac, American land cress and dug over a bed where grass had taken over. I picked 2 meals worth of sprouts.

On Sunday I finished the new year sowing of garlic and covered most of the remaoining leeks with toilet-roll inners to blanch them. Better late than never.

mike

Dear Sue, if i do have a wife she would be quite a lot younger than me.

I hope that wouldn't make me a dirty old man.

I thought everyone was younger than you