What I did today 2012-2014

[Marcher]

Sowed some moneymaker tomato seeds. The shallow litter trays from the pound shop make good seed trays.

[binley100]

Today semm to have done sweet fa apart from start off some mustard soaking, and alternated between staring at lappie and out of window at the never ending white stuff........

[kathyd]

Yesterday I made a decision. I was scrabbling around looking for my 2013 Planting Plan (I know it's somewhere, I'm sure I made one...), when I decided that this year I am NOT going to feel driven by targets, action plans, deadlines and performance indicators - I'm supposed to have left all that behind when we became hermits! So no more worrying about getting those seeds in really early, or missing a deadline and worrying about whether something will grow or not if I plant it a bit late .. I'm going to plant when the packet says so, or when the weather is right (big joke), and if somthing's late going in then it'll either grow or it won't - as normal! I want to enjoy what I'm doing, not feel panic stricken when everyone else seems to be ahead of me, and doing better than I am - *breathe *! I'm not planting my early potatoes until the soil's warmed up a bit, even if I have to wait until March to do so, and I'm not planting tomatoes and peppers while snow and sub zero temps are still forecast because I've got nowhere warm to move them to when they come out of the heated propogator.. I made that mistake last year. So I pottered around gently, turning over the top layer of soil on my prospective potato beds to expose weed roots to the threatened snow and ice, and grubs for the chickens, and we all had a lovely time clucking about frost and snow and voles. So there's the theory. I wonder how long it'll last...

[Prince of Durham]

I'm currently sat in my shed, the pot bellied stove is blazing away and the snow storm is blowing outside. I only called to feed the chickens but the weather forced me indoors and, well, what can I say? I never need much of an excuse to sit down and put the fire on. I was contemplating the idea of starting my Onion seeds off, however I'm probably going to sit here and research penguin farming.... Is that a Taunton! :-o

[Rhona]

One of my favourite jobs...seedbox, glass of red wine, sorting out the new packets, realising that I've over-ordered nearly everything, not minding...(this was last night by the way. Red wine/Monday mornings just don't go together).

[hamamelis]

Braved the icy wasteland, harnessed up the huskies for the battle through the blizzard, sneaked past the polar bears, fought my way over the rivers of creaking ice to begin my mighty quest of uttermost doom...

Oh alright, I drove down to the allotment to put some kitchen scraps in the compost. It was cold though!

The snow's starting to thaw out, and it doesn't seem to have done much damage bar collapsing one of the brassica nets. Shook the snow off all the covers, just in case we do get a bit more as the forecast says. Clearing the snow off the seat turned into making a mini snowman, then I sat there a bit and watched the birds. Put some food down for them, which I'm sure I'll regret later- but they looked cold and hungry!

[Feral007]

Crawled thru the burnt grass, gasping for water and shade........oh alright, so I walked outside in the searing heat, took the hose round the side of the house to find.........omg.............the two zuchinnie plants are not only still alive! But flourishing!
The sweet corn is doing well, the pumpkin and gramma plants also. Tomatoes looking a bit dodgy, best get some stakes onto them and maybe some extra mulch.

So pleased with the plants that have survived the extended heat and no water for a week or so. I like survivalist plants!

[Prince of Durham]

Fifteen inches of snow on the beehives. I hope they're appreciating the extra expense I went through in roof replacements. I find that the only time bees show appreciation is when they feel invested in.
All the chickens were in their respective sheds, staring at the corn I'd thrown down onto the frozen earth with a look of disdain. It's not my fault. If I could afford a small holding in the south of France do you not think I'd be there. Followed around the garden by the ever present Dunnocks, easily more pleasant than a Robin and with a song to equal any Blackbird, they are my favourite wild bird that visits through the day. After kicking some of the snow off the tops of the PSB, it's time to go to work. Hurumph!

[Florence Fennel]

Played with the prop, sowing onions (Bedfordshire Champion I think), leeks (ever reliable Musselburgh) and some All Year Round Cauliflowers. I also went through the seed box and even though I don't really need any, it'll not stop me looking and probably buying!

[Florence Fennel]

Having said that - a gardening catalogue came in the post, so leafing through it with a cup of tea, I made a list of things I would like and yay, I do need some, so of to source them without feeling guilty (not that I would anyway)

[Two_Sheds]

- sowed my chitted peas (unknown round variety, self-saved) into pots of compost
- half on the windowsill, half in the cold gh

to provide fresh greens for meself, the dog and the guinea pigs, with some to grow on for planting out in March

[Florence Fennel]

Took receipt of guilt-free seeds, yay!

[Tripmeup]

Sowed some more Broad Beans, both in the ground and in modules

[Bigmallly]

Went down to the lottie for a couple of hours to assess the snow damage, Only one cage had been flattened by the weight of the snow so fixed that one then turned all 3 upside down. Must remember next year to turn them upside down "before" the snow, not after............

[veggiechicken]

Assessed snow damage in garden. An apple tree in next door's garden has toppled onto one of mine - possibly terminally
Front hedge looks like a camel, it has so many humps and bumps.
Large branch on the 2 coloured camellia has snapped. One of the branches has pink flowers, another white. Its a freak but I bet the branch that has snapped is going to be the only one in a particular colour.
The good news is :- the new apricot tree is still standing,
Outdoor garlic looks very healthy and the indoor garlic too.
Salad leaves in the GH are romping away,
Broad beans in modules have rooted.
The experimental "leeks" that were rooted in water and planted in GH are still alive
Feels so good to be walking on grass again