What I did today 2022

[Nicos]

A new thread for a new year.

Heres last years for comparison….

https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...did-today-2021

[Plot70]

I have just finished adding the horse output to my second raised bed where I grew all those squashes last year.
There was lots of lovely soil improver to shovel out from under last years squashes. There is another two non raised beds to be improved with it.
The supply heap of horse output had frost on the top and was steaming inside.

[quanglewangle]

Finally got greenhouse seeds planted. Delayed by technical hitches. Tomatoes, cucumbers, melons, and aubergines on the go.. Temperature coming up slowly, passing 12°C measuresd in the compost..Hoping for about 16°C

[Jungle Jane]

Looked at my garlic growing the coverings are to stop our cat,the clump of growth is crocuses.they didn’t flower last year,I should lift & divide them

[Bren In Pots]

Cut back raspberries and blackberries, tying in this years blackberry canes.

[Mr Bones]

Turned the latest batch of hot compost - five days in but at 75C was a bit too hot really

[Plot70]

I planted my garlic. It was supermarket bought bulbs that have been chitted on the shed window ledge.
Most of the cloves were showing green shoots.
I also tried some little pea sized bulbs that came off the stipes of last years crop as an experiment.

[Purple Primrose]

Went to the beach and collected seaweed for the garden. There's usually one or two big piles of washed up seaweed after a storm but this time it was spread about here and there all along the beach (making it much harder to collect). I didn't get as much as I'd hoped for, but there was enough to cover the potato beds so that's good. I also put some in a water butt to rot down and make seaweed tea.

I want to go back and collect some more seaweed but will have to wait till after the next storm and see if there's enough washed up onto the beach (for environmental reasons, it's illegal to pull seaweed off of the rocks or to take too much of the washed up stuff).

[Bren In Pots]

Cleaned all my labels so they’re ready to be reused.

[quanglewangle]

Dug out a massive clump of fascicularia bicolor, which we planted 10 years ago and hadn't realized how big it had become. A metre across with loads of, now finished, flower heads.

Also cut back an equally overgrown Phormium. The strappy leaves seem to be reinforced with Kevlar so you can only cut one at a time and have to keep sharpening the shears. Now have enough leaves for a Robinson Crusoe style hut.

Couple of glasses of a nice red, and a snooze of the sofa.

[Plot70]

I have continued digging over and manuring my long bed along the side of my plot. Two years ago it was an inch of topsoil over brick making clay.
So far it had had two estate car loads of peat based soil/pearlite with the roots of a crop of naughty tobacco in it and one barrow of horse manure per two sq yards. The peat/pearlite was given to me by the ex landlord of the naughty farmer after Derbyshire police assisted them with there harvest in exchange for some assistance with there own enquiries.
A modest crop of French beans was had. This year the manure is not as well rotted so it is going on early. The clay soil is seriously heavy with plenty of good sized worms and the manure has plenty of brandling worms in some of it. I will dig or rtotavate before planting to allow the manure to rot a bit.

[ameno]

Dragged a half waterbutt full of soil to its new location, and did a little weeding.

[Nicos]

Had to chuckle at you mentioning the naughty compost Plot!

[Plot70]

The compost was fine.
It was the crop that was grown in it that was naughty.
The root balls broke down instantly at the first sniff of frost.
They were started in some things that looked like tea bags that do not decompose. I still keep finding them.

[Mr Bones]

For the last few days we've been topping up the wood chip paths. It all looks neat and tidy for now but I'm sure the blackbirds will soon change that..