What I Did Today Archive 2008

[farmerjim]

Well today i got some patio parsnips in, some Leeks, and I was suprised to find some garlic cloves that i had in a tin had started sprouting so i chucked them in as well. I also Planted some salad radishes and some baby carrots as well as planting some cucumbers and lettuce in a grow bag.

Found a small seedling sprouting in amongst me onions and i think its a blackberry bush as i have loads that grow wild around my garden.

[kentvegplot]

Yesterday decided to sort out tunnel and greenhouse, moved all the pots and compost to the ghouse and pulled back another area of landscape fabric in order to dig over another part of the tunnel (didn't use all of the ground last year, as staging standing there before ghouse arrived).

Work stopped when I hit an enormous block of concrete just a couple of inches under the soil - have to wait for OH to get back to help....so finished clearing ghouse of plants that didn't make it through the winter, cleaned the staging etc etc. Feels good to be organised.

So today......OH and one son get to grips with the concrete - it was huge (about 10" cube), but eventually came away. I finished digging over the AWFUL clay in this part of the tunnel, will now be smothering it with several inches of organic matter to help improve it before it becomes a tomato bed.

Planted dahlia tubers in pots in ghouse, planning to take some cuttings if they grow well.

Then went round the garden, tying down everything and moving vulnerable pots in preparation for the coming storm.....

[pigletwillie]

Today I planted out module sown spinach, beetroot and scallions. Two rows of (very early) first early pentland Javelin to risk the frosts. Sturon and red baron onion sets were planted as were a dozen and a half banana shallots for next years seed.

I found homes for 4 pax gooseberry plants raised from cuttings last year, a raft of artichokes and some spare module sown spinach plants. Half a dozen nest boxes made in the week were put into the site shop and fair walked out of the door so another dozen will be made for next Sunday.

Finally back at the ranch we reduced by 5/6ths a huge pond plant, sowed lots of flower seeds and some mangetout peas.

[spiderpig]

Today I planted cauliflower,2 types of cabbage,black kale,kohl rabi,rocket,calendula,rudbeckia and two types of sunflower.repotted broad beans and sweet peas.also had to repair two fence panels and fit an extra lock to the outhouse because of burglar sighting in neighbours garden earlier this week.

[Topaz]

i spent all day in the greenhouse, planted early spuds in buckets, also melons, peppers, courgettes, runner beans all on the go.
Had a good tidy up and planted lots of flower seeds too. Being my first proper growing year have probably gone over the top with the amount of each seed i planted but hey ho you cant knock my enthusiasm

[mrdinkle]

What a Dayeee!

I am aching.

I raked my topsoil and compost into a big heap and proceeded to make two raised beds. I am limited by space so they are 2m x .9m and about 8 inch high. Filled them and added some compost from the bin!

Did more tidying, fixed my coldframe with duct tape and pinned it down!

Sowed some toms, courgettes, lettuce, peppers, cucumbers in plugs to germinate in the house. Did some cabbage, sprouts, swede, broads, peas in greenhouse. Might need to cover them with fleece?

[Farmer_Gyles]

last few days:
been doing more work on sowing plans and working out how many of each plant i need - and working on plans for successional sowing etc

today:
been round garden centres - picked up 8ft canes for my beans (get the cans now cos sods law is they'll sell out when i need them), seed potatoes, slug pellets, few other bits
went to aldi, picked up cheap weed sheeting, 4 tier mini greenhouse, tree loppers, more seeds
put the mini greenhouse up inside proper greenhouse - badly needed extra shelving

tomorrow:
pricking out pepper seedlings, sowing spinach beet (?), work out what to do with the seed potatoes ...

[shirlthegirl43]

I overdid it!! Hurt like heck now and probably will suffer badly for a few days now. Hope it is only a few days!

Moved the marker for the start of my veg bed - reading Pigletwillie's blog made me realise that I had the basics for a bean support - 6 foot telegraph pole one side, large conifer the other side. Started work on clearing the weeds and stuff ready to dig a bean trench this week if the weather and my energy levels permit, then will start collecting canes for the pretty bit (or might just put up two rows of orange builder net stuffy that I got from freecycle, if that will do the same job). Cleared the rest of my raised bed ready for planting my onion sets. Madmax bolted the greenhouse down and we think we got all the pots and loose stuff stored safely ready for the wind tonight.

[gardenplot]

Yesterday I managed to get some time on the allotments and started clearing the site, loads of rubbish think its been used as a dumping ground.
Managed to cut back most of the over grown and covered some of the ground with weed guard fabric sheets, so far looks good, took me most of the day to do it but its been a lovely sunny day just an odd shower of rain at times. Didn’t find any teasel seeds but don’t really know what they look like, will they be seeded in the ground and start to grow again cos if so I will have another look and dig them out and pot them on.
I also called and got some bags of compost from local garden centre, came home and planted my seeds potatoes (Arran pilot) in old compost bags will keep them in the greenhouse till frost is over.
Sown some more seeds in cell trays- - Ambassador Peas - Boltardy Beetroot - All year round Cauliflower, in jiffy pots Carrots: early Nantes 5 - Parsnips: Lisbonnais.
So all in all I’ve had a fantastic day. So glad I managed to get on the lottie cos this week looks like nasty rain most days

[pigletwillie]

I braved the high winds and spent the morning in my home greenhouse. Lots of seed sowing was done, mixed veg and flowers and some pricking out of brassicas and lettuce was a task nicely finished.

Lastly i got to take some cuttings of chrysanthemums and dahlias from stools kept in the greenhouse for than purpose.

[middlefield]

I'm at work (lunchtime) so got the good lady to visit the lottie and see in which County the new cloche we installed for some cut and come again lettuce had landed.

Amazingly, it is still in place, warming those little seeds at this moment.

Thank goodness I took those spare tent pegs I've had lying about

[smallblueplanet]

....Lastly i got to take some cuttings of chrysanthemums and dahlias from stools kept in the greenhouse for that purpose.

that doesn't sound quite right piggie?!

[crichmond]

Lastly i got to take some cuttings of chrysanthemums and dahlias from stools kept in the greenhouse for than purpose.

I hope your keeping a sample for the doctor

[Flummery]

Hid indoors (on the grapevine!) till the high winds dropped and it stopped widdling down. Then drilled drainage holes in the two 24" octagonal tubs I got for spud growing. I put in 4 small Orla and 4 Lady Chrystl first earlies and put them in the greenhouse. I would usually only put 3 in but hey, why not? I topped up the Aran pilot and Lady Chrystl in their individual tubs - they are showing out of the compost again. One more top up should do it. Got my first tom through - one of Phredd's Kraci's Baba toms. Going to soak my 10 seeds of Lancashire Lad purple podded pea now.

[seasprout]

Nipped out in the garden early this morning before work to check my greenhouse was still there, and bloody wind has blown over my bird table which has chopped off the tap on my water butt..thus emptying it totally.

Bum.