The 'What I Did Today' Archive - 2007

[scarey55]

Saw my Husband off to Paris this morning to visit youngest daughter.
Spent the entire day in the garden (oh joy) I can't bear to be inside on a nice day.
The sun was shining and everything was wonderful.
Weeded like mad and planted sweede and Navet (a sort of long thin white turnip) did a bit of watering and am now inside with a nice glass of wine waiting for a Skype call from hubby.
Have a great evening folks.
Clare (not at all scarey )

[Hazel at the Hill]

Spent two hours at the Hill this evening digging up spuds - I'd guess about 15kg, but I'll weigh them tomorrow when I've put them in the sack after drying on the bench overnight. Still got 2 more rows of Maris Piper to dig. Have contender for 'odd veg' for the Virtual Show.

Planted out 6 kale seedlings under the low brassica cage.

Think the tommies are getting blight - cabbage looking fantastic tho' - and picked lettuce, white radish and (not very big!) sp onions for lunch tomorrow to go with Wellie's tomato (tigerella for tomorrow, I think!).

Noticed how bananas the weeds have gone whilst I've had my back turned dealing with the spuds - big weekend job, I think.

Now off to google 'Navet' as it sounds nice.....and homemade lamb korma for tea with Sarah Raven crushed potatoes and home carrots. You'll be knocking my door down!

[sewer rat]

Just back from supper at landlords - he supplied the Aberdeen Angus steak, I supplied the peas, carrots, potatoes, spring onions and onions.
Spent all evening bitching about the weather

[moggssue]

Last night I actually had to get the hosepipe out and water my containers - perhaps summer is finally on its way! Anyway, I fed everything with foliar feed except the toms which got their own tomorite. Inspected toms for any sign of redness, dont be silly susan! Harvested 3 more caulis and a bowlful of peas from the main plot, dug up the last of the calabrese which are refusing to grow any sideshoots and prepared the ground for a last lot of beans instead, currently growing away nicely in their small pots. Then sat on my decking with a glass of cool white wine while the chicken stuffed with homegrown spinach and garlic roasted itself and OH was selecting the cricket team for Saturday - very civilised I thought!

[Flummery]

Harvested small bowl of toms (managed to get 5 of one variety of cherry toms photographed for virtual show but won't get around to uploading today). Ditto climbing French bean Empress. Also harvested dwarf frenchies. Making on with the good weather and planning barbie tonight - all home grown except the meat and fish.

[Farmer_Gyles]

refilled water butt at end of the garden from the small one at the top of the garden (saves carrying watering cans up and down the garden)
weedkilled unused ground again - will cover it all with the black sheeting in a couple of days or so
checked everything in the greenhouse and watered it
nothing else ready to pick yet - 2 raspberries close though .... (bit dismal that i can only pick one raspberry every few days but maybe better luck next year!)
made list of things to buy for next year

[Nicos]

Juiced 8lb of blackberries, made veg soup and summer pudding, and then weeded the lottie all afternoon- now going to have a well earned soak in the tub with this months GYO mag
( - already had a quick peep inside to see an up to date photo of Andrewo!!!)

[scarey55]

Now off to google 'Navet' as it sounds nice

Evening Hazel,
Did you manage to get any info on navet - not sure but I think it's just the French word for turnip - just a different variety. They sell them here in all the supermarkets and they go well in a stew. If you fancy growing any and can't get the seeds, let me know 'cause I have a packet that I am not using that I can let you have, they are good for planting until the end of August. I also have some in pots but I think the logistics of posting live plants may be a bit beyond me
Cheers, Clare

[sewer rat]

Got naff all work done at the field today - bloody customers kept interrupting me wanting to buy my veg. Really busy - busiest day so far

[heebiejeebie]

Went out to get a pretty clematis for the corner of the pergola, came home with a clematis, a morning glory, two trellises and two big blue planters from the bargain table. Now I have no money.

Weeded a bit in the lottie, but I need to go back and spend several hours on my knees with a hand-fork.

[bubblewrap]

Been to my sisters in North Wales (Bryncrug Near Tywyn) for a few days. I spent one day on the Talyllyn Railway.Rhydyronen station 10 mins walk.
Sister has LARGE garden full size lottie only takes up about one tenth of her land. Lots of nice views too. Some nice birds too Eg buzzards & long tailed tits & the weather was good!!

[Madasafish]

Removed dead mouse from greenhouse:-)
Reset trap.
Picked tomatoes.

[wellie]

Went to Lottie to Roundup specific areas. Decided not to. Annual weeds about to self-seed in amongst current plot-holders' crops, and they needed immediate attention.

Three hours later, I was pleased with my efforts.

Thank you for listening,

[Hazel at the Hill]

Went to the Hill this evening and:

• Finished digging the spuds - gorgeous maris piper which are fabulously good looking (may even have 3 pretty enough for the Show....?) About 60kg in total from 12' by 20' bed.
• made up a sachet of dithane (sp?) in a pump spray thingy bought for the purpose and sprayed our 14 tommies against the ravages of blight.
• Looked at how much spray was used up and went round and sprayed all the tommies again. Very thoroughly
• Wondered how long the left over 3/4 container of dithane will keep?
• Crooned a sweet song to the Prize Pumpkin. Wonder at what point I'll have to sleep down there with a 12 bore handy.
• Had massively depressing conversation with fellow newbies who said things like 'whats this green curly stuff' - indicates 4' high massively vigorous kale plants BURSTING with vitality - 'we don't know what to do with it and just pick the brown leaves off'
  AND 'we're going to rip out some of these currant bushes, they had so many berries we couldn't make enough jelly, and we are running out of freezer space'
  AND 'we wouldn't do the 3 sisters again - it's so difficult to get in to harvest all the squash....'
• Forgot to sow perpetual spinach. Weeds taking over the world. Wilko out of tommy plants.
• checked GC opening hours for tomorrow and that they have tomato/pepper/cucumber plants left. Open till 8pm tomorrow night - have shopping list!
• read up about Navet Turnip which 'has a strong flavour without being overwhelmingly bitter' and made a note to pm Scarey55 to beg a dozen seeds....

[Farmer_Gyles]

impressed the girlfriend yesterday - "it's huge" she said - meaning the lettuce i picked for her ......

done my bit for today - planted out few more lettuce, potted on several swede and a few lettuce, watered everything in the greenhouse
ate 2 more rasperries
tested the new big sprinkler - we got a few hot dry days coming up - sprinkler works fine, reaches the parts other sprinklers cannot reach ......

time to clear out more of the garage and take stuff to the dump