What I Did Today Archive 2008

[wellie]

Having harvested and eaten all the heads of Calabrese, we're harvesting the little sideshoots that follow further down the stem later now. And today we harvested our third mini-cauliflower, some baby courgettes, and some strawberries, so Wellie's feeling all kind of Snug now....

[nkp1962]

8 Hours plus of torrential rain!

Plot is looking OK - everything is a bit slow, but coming along nicely now. The polytunnel is up, and the next day some one put 6 tomato plants inside for me to plant - a nice touch I thought, especially as I don't have a clue who it was! The tunnel now has 9 tomatos, 3 cucumbers (another 2 were eaten overnight!) and 3 peppers (1 each of green, yellow and red) - this is along with the 8 tomatos in the home greenhouse, as well as 2 cucumbers and another 3 peppers!

On the plot last night I thinned the radishes - I was a bit late in that as I came home with a couple of pounds of them, along with 5 onions that had been overwintered (each about 3" in diameter) - I also pulled 4 garlic plants to see wht they were like - I think they need a couple of more weeks to fill out, but they are useable.

I also checked on the potatoes, but none ready to lift yet - I was after them to try the following recipe: -

Grilled New Potatoes with Parsley
5 to 10 small new potatoes, cut in half
1 to 2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 to 5 sprigs parsley
1 Tbsp. chives
1 clove garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Steam or boil the potatoes for 5 minutes. Add fresh ground black pepper to taste. Immediately sprinkle potatoes with chopped parlsey, chives (or spring onions?) and chopped / crushed garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil.
Let the mixture stand for 1 to 2 hours.
Skewer the potatoes spuds though thickest part. Pack close. Grill for 5 to 10 minutes until potatoes just tender and crispy brown. Serve hot or cold

I was also going to add chunks of onions in between the sections of potatoes as well.

And it looks like the rain has stopped - it is mid summers day isn't it!

Just looking out of the window at some huge elderflowers which reminded me of last nights river cottage spring where HFW made Elderflower Champagne - I might try to find the recipe & try it (may be tomorrow if the weather is a bit better!)

[heebiejeebie]

Harvested the first of the first earlies and a volunteer desiree, some peas, garlic, lettuce, loads of strawberries... Lunch! There are some courgettes nearly ready too.

Removed the old PSB and mystery kale (?) plant (even the chooks wouldn't eat it). Dug over the ground and left the net off to let the birds in - a couple of weeks ago I tried planting out some lettuces in the gaps between the PSB plants but the slugs got the lot.

Weeded - prioritised the job by pulling up anything that looked like it might be thinking of flowering then settled down to the rest of the task.

Planted some small dahlias in gaps in the front garden. It's quite full now.

[shirlthegirl43]

Harvested the last carrots to go with tonight's dinner, must remember to sow more. Also pulled up one bunch of shallots to go in the dinner, they smell lovely. I am assuming I can chop up a fair bit of the stalk as well as they are not dying back yet. Might pick more pea pods to eat whole as I can't wait for the darned things to fatten up. Seriously wishing I had more stuff planted - need to dig up more of the 'lawn'. Also tried to support the peas and rebuild the bean frame - blooming wind is destroying everything and it looks like autumn! Planted up the dwarf beans into buckets as no ground space for them. Planted out the Waverex peas as they finally got big enough for that. The peas that I sowed below the Alderman (more Alderman) are now 2 inches high and should take over when the now in production plants go over (I hope).

[Flummery]

Watered the greenhouse - had to keep going down the garden to open the door as the high winds kept blowing it shut! Went to the lottie to check that nothing had blown over. My little half plot is so sunny and sheltered - the wind was whipping the big trees in the churchyard and bringing down leaves but my corner of the site is lovely and quiet. I side-shooted and tied up the tomatoes and watered things. Quite a scarey (but short) walk home - there were lumps of tree down on the footpaths. If this is June I want me money back!

[Newbie]

Watered everything again as had been away for a couple of days & everything was looking parched on my return. Sowed some peas, chard & parsley seeds that arrived last weekend, thinned out my pak choi seedlings, (think the module sown ones are bolting, they have the first signs of little flowers appearing on them) planted some more french beans into the veg beds and moved some more sweetcorn plants outside to harden off, sideshooted my tomatoes. Noticed that there are a few more Strawberries just about ready but resisted them as think they need another day or so AND my Red Robin Tomato plants are showing the first little swellings on tomatoes on them - I'M SO EXCITED!! My first ever tomatoes!! However, to end the day one of our willow trees decided to uproot itself and make a run for next doors garden but didn't quite make it & landed on the hedge between us instead narrowly missing their greenhouse - few! Another clean up job required.

[Winged one]

I went to the plot on Saturday for an hour and a half. It stopped raining just after I arrived, so I weeded the onion bed and discovered that some F***er had stripped my pea-vines!!!!! When there should have been enough for dinner for me, OH, the toddler and the IL's - grrr!!!!!

Anyway, I then dug a row of new potatoes (short rows), the last of the cabbages as they were being ravaged by the pigeons (6 heads which were about half what they had been), almost the last of the broad beans, 5 onions (ones that were bolting - and also had to take the flower head off a few red ones too), a garlic, the last of the winter lettuce (3 tiny heads), a single peapod (grrr) and the first of the raspberries - enough to let OH have 3/4 while my back was turned, but everyone still got 4 beside a slice of choccie cake for desert so yummyness was shared!!

Yesterday, I had to tie the sunflowers in the back garden to canes in the evening to save them from snapping in the wind. Gathered a box of lettuce and 2 mangetout for my lunch (forgetting I had arranged to go out with work) and 2 carrot thinnings - one of which is a reasonable size that is cookable. Will start using them for cooking this week I think.

And this morning, I accepted my seeds delivery so will be hoping to get back to the plot tomorrow or thursday evening to sow some beans and more peas (I have no peas developing at this point - boo hoo!!).

[lzyjo]

so I weeded the onion bed and discovered that some F***er had stripped my pea-vines!!!!! When there should have been enough for dinner for me, OH, the toddler and the IL's - grrr!!!!!

OMG that outrageous! Is your allotment fenced and locked?

[Garden_girlie21]

OMG that outrageous! Is your allotment fenced and locked?

That's terrible!!! I don't understand how people can just take like that!

I harvested a good handful of raspberries - into the freezer to keep them as fresh as possible for my fruit meringue tomorrow.

I also put up shading in the greenhouse for the first time ever this year. Not sure if it's going to work, but fingers crossed!!! Did lots of watering, and created a copper barrier for some of my courgettes - something stripped one of my plants, and the others are looking a bit worse for wear!!!

Sprayed the beans again with soapy water, I hate blackfly!!!

Jennifer

[sallyw]

at the lottie yesterday we were mostly getting staging built in the greenhouse (well OH was not me i do the planting weeding and picking he does building and carrying) but it works !! picked even more courgettes gave some to lottie neighbour who also had some chard and spinach (we are going on hols on sat he has offered to keep an eye on veg its the least i can do !!) picked myself a massive marrow having it stuffed tomorrow and even more spinach sat and ate 4 raspberries and 2 strawbs each and a couple of pea pods which held the juciest sweetest peas, unfortunately they will probably be at their best while we are away but daughters under strict instructions to pick them and put them in the freezer!! got plenty of pots and grobags planted up in greenhouse and all looking good so far hope they remember to go over regularly and water, some bribery may be in place for the next 2 weeks

[Winged one]

Yes the plot is fenced and locked - but I am resigned about it now.

But it did mean a slight change to plans - I will still sow more peas on the plot as I want loads, but I put some seeds into the tub I normally grow peas in at home but was reserving for sunflowers this year. Now that the sunflowers are about 2' tall, I sowed some pea seeds around their bases and will allow them to grow up the sunnies rather than the usual bamboo pyramid (well, tehre's bamboos there as well as sunnies needed some extra support after the wind over the weekend).

I also sowed (into more takeaway coffee cups - but stupidly forgot to put drainage holes in these ones) some mangetout (to replenish the flower bed at home when the current ones are exhausted - currently none ready but a second lot of flowers are opening), and some dwarf french beans for the plot. I'll sow some direct as well over the weekend I hope.

Then i spent an hour tidying the shed (mostly OH's mess actually, but he was giving out about "my" mess the past while) and simultaneously listening to him telling me to "come in and relax" (um, I AM relaxing dear?!).

This morning, I threw my wellies, handfork and harvesting bag into the car and hope to get to the plot for 20 mins at lunchtime to harvest some new potatoes (Sharpe's Express) for dinner. I might even get lucky enough to have a few more raspberries to gather!! Oh and put down slug pellets for my sweetcorn.

[Snadger]

Yesterday I spent a long time cutting up 2 foot widths of teram weed suppressant material and laying it followed by wheelbarrowing loads of wood chipping to put on top for my paths! I have a lot of paths as my two allotments are divided up potager style into 4 foot beds and 2 foot paths.
The paths are about 3/4 done now and I am all done for now!

The day before yesterday I pulled up some cabbage plants, dug over a bed and sowed beetroot, soya beans, yin yan beans and brown beans.

Priority next time I am there is to weed the paths and beds on the final quarter, lay teram and progress with the woodchippings.

To be honest I may take the car next time, as to pedal for an hour, work all day and pedal uphill for an hour home is taking it's toll.

Today..........I'm taking the pup to the beach!

[heebiejeebie]

The watering has been almost a daily task - oooh those thirsty toms! And the weeding...

During the week I harvested some Arran Pilot earlies, many strawberries (yum!), some courgettes and lettuce. I'm looking forward to more spuds (might try the Anyas today), more courgettes, more strawbs and some peas & broadies later.
Yesterday I had a day off work so I cut the hedges in the garden and allotment.

[Snadger]

Yesterday I just about completed all the hand weeding which filled my centre compost bin to overflowing! The hen run still has loads of weeds in it but when I eventually get my hens they will put paid to those!
Weeding is a bit like painting the Forth bridge.........you get to one end of the plot when it's time to start at the beginning again!

Dug over one raised bed which used to be the area of an old greenhouse. This is the area for my spring cabbage as its shaded by a large tree which loses it's leaves in winter so should be alright, shade wise, for winter veg!

Watered all three greenhouses. This is becoming a daily task now so I may topdress the toms etc with some well rotted horse muck to encourage a bit of stem rooting, retain moisture and basically give a weak liquid feed whenever I water plants.
Using stinky comfrey tea now with each watering ....a cup full to each watering can of water which I'm taking from the 1000 Litre container.

PS Forgot to mention I harvested 4 sweetheart cabbages, 2 of which I swapped for a vegetable gardening book (long story!), one for home use and one for my daughter! Took a half a dozen Jap onions for home use as well.

[sharonr]

Today I weeded the veg patch and put in some more carrot seeds.