What I Did Today Archive 2008

[pigletwillie]

Today I managed to harvest the last of the sweetcorn which will be frozen, as well as harvesting all manner of goodies inc 3kg of chillies which will be made into chilli sauce, harrisa and other concoctions for the salle de cuisine.

[Pumpkin Becki]

Today, I ventured up to the lottie on my tod (the OH was back at the new house putting up plasterboard). I was greeted by two HUGE courgettes and some normal size ones, I also picked a big bunch of sweetpeas which were looking a bit bedraggled, lots of runner beans, a couple of carrots and some tiny broccoli which have sprouted from the sides since I picked the main heads.

I pulled up my mini sweetcorn plants which are over now (and I wouldn't bother with next year - I'll go for full size ones instead).

...and sat in my chair gazing whistfully at the untended plot next to mine - must speak to the landlord before someone else knabs it.

[Rhona]

On Saturday, picked about 20 lbs of damsons and made a ton of compote and started my first batch of wine! About another 100 lbs left on tree so will be repeating the exercise this week I think...

Also, picked about 40 vine leaves to make the most delicious recipe - vine leaves stuffed with lamb, tomatoes, herbs and spices - lots of things that many of us have on our plots (ok, not the lamb) and gardens and completely delicious. Recipe was in Guardian magazine on Saturday if you're interested!

Will be drying herbs this week too I think.

[Winged one]

Yesterday I picked a punnet of cherry toms, about 6 mangetout and 2 baby courgettes from the garden. I was going to go to the plot to dig spuds up, but we have enough for the week already so I cleaned the house instead.

I also noticed that the super roma tomato plant in the garden actually has 4 tomatoes on it (considering that my 15 plants on the plot all rotted, I am delighted!), and a few gardener's delight are coming too. Not a lot but more than I had hoped for. The mangetout are just about finished now (I may get 3/4 more pods but most of the vines are dead now) but there are still baby courgettes coming on my one plant (not getting fertilised, but I can still cook the baby ones).

[Two_Sheds]

I was on my way to lotty and it started raining. Then stopped, started again, stopped again. Bogger this, I thought, I'll plant my birthday bulbs.
I spent the afternoon digging out a 15 x 3ft border and planting my Blue & White border ... daffs, crocus, iris, snowdrops, tulips, delphinium, malva, clematis etc. I got really muddy and hit my thumb with the hammer a lot, but I'm pleased - the promise of spring to come.

[Flummery]

Went to my lottie to dig up some spuds, clear and dig over my broad bean patch and pull up my strange bean for drying (pics of it a couple of posts back on my blog if anyone's into beans!). I found loads more achochas - one plant has hung around at 18" high and produced nowt but the other is huge and fruiting its pants off.

Charlie was digging out a gooseberry plant to make space for more rasps and asked if I wanted it. I now have a goosegog on my plot!

[FionaH]

Sowed cut and come again salad, bit late but hey. transplanted some lettuce

[sewer rat]

Today I was really really busy - lifted all my remaining Lady Christl - (9 x 25kg bags), and King Edwards (5 x 25kg bags) - need the ground cleared as that' where my starwberry beds are going.
Picked approx 250 courgettes for my veg boxes, approx 40kg milan turnips and 25kg broad beans.
Picked some broccoli and lettuce for local shop order.
Planted 54 Charita lettuce, 52 Amorina Lettuce and 54 Pak Choi in polytunnel.

[bubblewrap]

Had a half load of manure delivered (Wednesday) enough to do two thirds of lottie.
I barrowed most on to lottie I will spread out to-day.
There must have been over 3 tons of the stuff not bad for £10.

[Two_Sheds]

I shelled another carrier bag of dried French beans, made labels, posted some to Grapes, filed the others for next year's sowings.
Picked a huge courgette, some red tomatoes (wow, how did they escape the blight?) and 6 fat cobs of corn.
I planted a proper strawberry bed - spacing them out properly 15" apart and composting most of the rooted runners.
Planted up any spare ground with Limnanthes & Calendula, which have helpfully self-seeded themselves

[bubblewrap]

Planted out winter onion sets about 150
Picked yet more runner beans & spinach (freezer full of them + Blackberry's)

[Two_Sheds]

Today: I put up my shed !
My 2nd shed. I used to have two, then I had one. Then I got another, which lived on the floor for a while.
Now I have two shedus erectus.

[Two_Sheds]

I also picked 6 Conqueror sweetcorn, which didn't last long round the Outlaws. "I've never tasted corn so sweet" was the general verdict.

[zazen999]

This week:
Put up guttering and moved the makeshift [found and free] waterbutt underneath it.
took down most of the lottie toms, as blight was just taking hold. Not sure how many will turn red/yellow before the blight sets in, but youve got to be optimistic.
all the spuds are now out, so the OH rotavated and cleared the main spud bed, and I've put in:
first garlic for moon trial
celeriac [bit late, but didn't want to waste it].
Sowed beetroot and japanese onion seed [again, just a chance for the beetroot],
Sowed swiss chard

Harvested
parsnip
spuds
sweetcorn
carrots
onions
toms
courgettes
cukes
second flush of strawbs
cape gooseberry

seed saving:
tied muslin around the exploding cukes to try and save the seed before it is flung far and wide [one had already gone today but found 2 seeds nearby.
cerinthe
beans and peas browning nicely at plot and in garden
red orach
potato fruit put into shed but lots of seed inside.
purple ukraine toms [bloomin' gorgeous taste, top of the list for 2009 sowings]. Other toms to follow.

Also decided on bucket plan; saving comfrey cuttings, nettles, mare's tail and couch grass for various feeds next year. All in separate buckets.

[pigletwillie]

Harvested lots of ripe chillies and promptly made up 20 1/2lb jars of sweet chilli sauce.