What I Did Today Archive 2008

[Hazel at the Hill]

A quick visit to the Hill today in order to ensure that the toolshed is still where it should be, check on the broadie seedlings and to plant out 10 pots of pea seedlings.

[pigletwillie]

Today I spent an hour in the greenhouse potting on the free echinacea plants that came with an order from Parkers. Also potted on were 3 fairy rose bushes. Pricking out continued, lettuce and brassicas this time, mainly to give away as I sowed to much seed as usual.

The module sown dill, spring onion, bright lights chard and beetroot are all now up and will be transfered to the cold greenhouse tommorow.

Sorted out peas, mangetout and more bored beans to sow in pots tommorow.

[Farmer_Gyles]

tuesday - dug over long patch and planted out new raspberry canes (glen ample) from woolies - dug up my old raspberry canethinking it was dead, only to find it was 5 canes tied together and 3 were budding and that they were of a variety called malling leo - so did more digging and separated and planted them as well

weds / thurs - sorted out sowing and planting plans, drew it all out on paper, will put it all on spreadsheet for future reference - taken notes from seed packets, cross referenced with books and this site - will make it quicker and easier in future - still needs more info added later

fri / sat - filled loads of small pots, plug modules and seed trays (most in aldi propagators) with compost - sowed loads of seeds and onion sets - not everything watered yet tho and not all seed trays have seeds yet - just kinda got stuff done in advance cos i'll have less time when i start the new job on monday - also pricked out various seedlings from previous sowings

[heebiejeebie]

Yesterday: finally finished digging over the potato plot. Watched the Very Busy Frogs in the pond for a while.

Just wish the seed potatoes were here so I could have them chitting - "ready for dispach during February" Yeah, right.

[nick nack]

Planted my Rocket first earlies into tubs - 4 to a tub with a bit of manure mixed in with the compost.

Tomato seeds planted last week in the window propagator have made an appearance.

Lovely day in the northwest.

NN

[Snadger]

Managed a couple of hours at the allotment today with the intention of having a nice easy afternoon sowing seeds in the greenhouse! Fat chance! Ihad been offered some raspbery canes off one of the other allotment holders so he came along and said "You better get these canes before I burn them!"

I was along like a shot and after getting them had to find somewhere to plant em. The guy next allotment along has just built a massive hut which i fear wil shade my plot a bit so I decided the semi shaded area would be a good place for the raspberries. I dug over a bed 10 foot by 4 foot and planted the canes there. I had PFA spuds in there last year and I managed to get half a bucketful of useable spuds which I'll plant later in the year somewhere else.

That finished I decided to retire to the greenhouse and get on with what I originally went for. Chopped some wood and lit the stove to make it pleasant to work in my shirt sleeves!
Sowed seeds of Musselburgh leeks, Mammoth leeks, Sweetheart cabbage and my own saved Brussel sprout seed. Did a germination test of my own seed a few months back on tissue paper and it was fine! I was a bit worried because sprouts aren't supposed to be self fertile and I only had one plant! Anyway we'll see what happens.
Banked up the stove then went and had a natter with one of the other allotment holders for a few minutes before setting off for home in my trusty landie. For some reason I always finish up with a County car on my tail which makes me nervous, but sod him, everythings legal on Landie, it's just old like me!

[shirlthegirl43]

I prepared a plastic grocery box by lining with landscape fabric, then filled it to about 4 inches deep with a mix of sieved multipurpose compost, garden soil, blended farmyard manure and silver sand. Firmed that off then sowed a load of Paris Silverskin onions, which were covered with more of the same mix then watered gently and covered with mesh to keep the darned cat off.

Sieved two 10 litre buckets of garden soil and sowed chantenay red cored and autumn king carrots. Also sowed a bowl of cat grass in the hope that I can stop the ruddy cat munching my houseplants!

[zazen999]

Sowed more toms, peppers, tomatillos in the heated prop. Pricked out all that could be into pots.
Harvested some broccoli and leeks. Dug over the old Broccoli bed and replanted shallots in the new Onion bed.
Planted Blueberry, dug over wildflower patch and sowed wildflower mix.
First tomato is now 6 inches tall [Aurora] with 3 sets of leaves.

[phil the shed]

cooked prepared and served over 300 with our team for mothers day luncheon at the hotel where i am reliefing at the moment. but as luck prevails its lottie day tomorrow thanks be to the great one.

[Flummery]

Yesterday Himself and I shifted loads of soil. We have had a pile of turf at the back of the garden for about 3 years and it's now a lovely loam. I shifted the compost from the second Dalek, he shifted the loam. We queued up for the wheelbarrow! I put some of the loam with a bit of multipurpose and some spud fertilizer in a large tub with 3 Anyas in the greenhouse. The first planting - and Arran Pilot in a 12" pot - has come through and was topped up. I planted my new strawberries is a newly composted bed. They had grown lots of new white roots since I put them in pots a fortnight ago (they arrived before the bed was ready). Then I went into front garden to do some grass murdering! I have lifted the turf off about a third of the grass path in the fromt garden - it's mostly flower beds with a grassy path between - and stacked it upside down in the moved dalek. I'm going to put landscape fabric and chipped bark down. It's a beggar trying to mow a titchy path and because it's in partial shade it's very mossy. I thought a woodland garden would be better.

Came in stiff as a board (but nor bored as a stiff!) for a good dinner and a crack at me knitting.

[Winged one]

On saturday, the toddler and I took a trip to Lidl. In the larger one near us, I found a pair of wellies and 2 rolls of weed suppressant membrane. But the wheelbarrows etc were all sold out. As I was also still looking for the tuna steaks in the freezer, I went to the newer smaller one near me - they still had the cloche (aka raised bed) but I decided it wasn't what I was looking for after all. But they did also have the folding wheelbarrow (also on my wishlist) and a minigreenhouse (which was much more what I need than the cloche) - so came home a happy lady (a bit later than expected - OH rang to ask where we were....)

Yesterday the toddler and I put together the mini-greenhouse. And I do mean the toddler literally (while I turned my back to stir the shepherd's pie mince, she put in 3 of the shorter poles into the holes on the support just as I had done with the longer ones on the previous 3 - this last one didn't need poles, but she was obviously paying great attention to the task!!). Luckily, all elements went into their proper places easily!! Used an old paving slab from the patio (saved for lottie paths) on the bottom rack of the GH to prevent it flying away.

Then we got out the seed compost and the empty loo roll holders. Into a window box (to support rolls) we planted 5 lots of mange tout (4 per roll), 3 of sweet peas (3 each of red, pink and blue), 3 lots of borlotti beans (2 per roll) and 4 of dwarf french beans (4 per roll). And a couple of DFB's, MT and SP went down the sides into the compost that spilled over, so we'll see what happens with those too!

I also put my previously planted seedlings out for some sunshine. Then read the seed packets of a few things (and realised I am a month too early with the beans, oops) and compiled a mini-collection of seeds for a friend. All seedlings back in home last night (just as well, tis only 2 degrees here today).

Next weekend's plans include another digging session on the plot, and some potting on of the original seedlings. And I want to get some brassicas sown as well (also pots on the window sill) as well as plant the rhubarb on the plot and JA's at home (OH reckons they'll look nice too so wants them here).

Like Flummery, I finished the evening with my knitting needles out (blankets for all the baby bumps around me at the mo) and continuing to soothe the sweaty brow of OH (dealing with flu, must be bad as he went home sick today and that's the first time I have EVER known him to leave work).

[shirlthegirl43]

Sowed six seeds each of Cabbage Offenham 2 and Golden Acre Primo; six each of cauliflower All Year Round and Snowball, and iceberg lettuce. Also sowed a load of Boltardy Beetroot and Alderman peas.

[purrfik]

Looked lovingly at the photo of my 'new' garden I have as my desktop background on the pc, then got back to the packing which seems to increase every day. Oh well, I'll soon be finished, I have to be.......I'm moving on Saturday and so looking forward to Sunday when I will be out in my new garden and planning out the plots (getting my teenage son and his friends to do the hard work!) and hopefully sowing some of my seeds
Then I will be able to contribute to this every growing diary which I avidly read every day!

[gojiberry]

Been down the lottie this morning, lots of people down there but no work being done as the ground is to sticky after last nights frost. Watered the plants in the cold frame. Am going to spend the rest of the morning in the garden greenhouse sorting out the propagator as I had a new soil warming cable arrive in the post this morning. Will hopefully get some more seeds sown, tomato, peppers and cucumber.

[sallym]

Weather forecast said cold today with poss sleet or snow. It has been bright and sunny so planted Boltardy Beetroot,Rainbow Chard, and Mange Tout in new raised bed. Noticed slug/snail trails on soil so also watered in Nemaslug. Know its a bit cold but figured if there's Blighters about may as well do it now. Also sowed Musselburgh Leeks in unheated greenhouse and 1 compost bag of Swift Potatoes.Cannot believe that I have enough room in my tiny raised bed and containers for all the veg I have planned, but according to plans it should be ok. Very excited