What I did today 2012-2014

[hamamelis]

The community orchard next to my plot had an open day today, so went along to help out a bit; mainly spent time sitting by the gate, telling confused people where they were giving away free ex-council wheelie bins, converted to water butts, which was also happening on site. Occasionally one of them went to see the trees as well...

Grabbed myself a bin, but all the ones with wheels had gone, so had to drag the thing allllll the way across the site, cursing the day I chose the second furthest plot from the gate, on the largest site in the city. Amused everyone watching though.

Took advantage of the weird glowy thing in the sky, and sorted out my brassica bed. Netted it, and planted out some kale, brussels, and some probably cauli plants someone gave me 'cos I gave them some strimmer fuel. Still have about 30 left- after planting all 6 that I have space for. Also planted out a summer squash; I'm going to be decidedly short on space for all my pumpkins/squash/courgettes this year- last year the slugs got all 4 plants, so I planted loads. The slugs so far only got one small plant, and I still have 6 more decent size ones to find ground for.

I don't think I can tackle the big patch under plastic at the back though- I'm not supposed to be doing any heavy digging for a few more months; ideally not this year. That bit aint going to be easy, and ideally I need to build some terracing to stop it slipping down the North sloping corner. I reckon that patch'll have to wait...

[Bigmallly]

Managed to remove a barrow load of bindweed & couchgrass. Made a seedbed from one of the coldframes, sowed some Beetroot, Cauli, Lettuce & Swede. Drop some Lettuce of at Mothers (Got to get rid of it somehow).......

[horticultural_hobbit]

Harvested with surprise Aquadulce Claudia broadbeans. I looked down, and saw they were there. I only went to harvest onions for Ma's saag.

Helped rearrange furniture after an OT visit. So now ache all over.

[dominic10]

OH completed our 4th raised bed on our plot and we collected more topsoil. OH fell into a tayberry bush after adding more to the wheelbarrow I had just filled. Wished I'd had the camera with me if we can ever find it again. Very little storm damage - lost one plastic lemonade collar from a mange tout but managed to retrieve it and the plant seemed quite perky after being horizontal for a while. Neighbour has had more damage. The debris netting wrapped round the runner beans for shade seems to have protected against the wind as well. Saw one of my courgettes has a baby courgette but one of its mates is very damaged by the wind - not sure if it will survive as its neck seems to be broken but I have a replacement. Only one of my black beauty courgettes survived the strange weather this year and is still being nurtured at home. 9 out of 10 of my Uchi Kuri squash seeds have come up and these were potted on as well as my own seed Crown Prince which may have crossed but as the squash is going to be used for soup or curries not too concerned. Tomorrow is a major tidy up day and planting out (IF it doesn't rain) Today was glorious but had been invited out to the pictures by 3rd son to see Prometheus. I first went to see Alien in 1978 and still can't look at John Hurt in the same way since. Now having a nice glass of wine.

[VirginVegGrower]

Weeded like a dervish despite only doing so last week or was it two - before all the rain! Anyhow, looks so much better. Harvested two colanders full of broad beans. Pulled the bolting onions, now chopped and frozen. Pulled all the spring cabbage and gave some away, chopped and froze the rest. Pulled some kale, gave some away - rest for dinner tomorrow. Planted over two thirds of my celery. Dug up some early pots - disappointing yield! Pulled the garlic, strung it and hung it in the poly - have nearly eighty bulbs - OMG!
Pulled rhubarb - stewed and frozen, crumble made as well. Took some to next door and some to mum - spreading the veggie joy!

[Feral007]

Need to walk the perimeter fences today and check after all the rain. I know one of the side ones has a lean on it, so prob need to prop that one up. Find the horse rug that the horse managed to get out of the other day. And check the electric fencing is ready to be hooked up. Retrieve electric and battery from friend it was loaned to. Retreive daughter from sleepover party; hook up electric around feed shed. Put horses into two separate paddocks and start handfeeding the olds. Cant do that till electric is operational or it will be an 'all you can eat buffet'.
Also need to work out the sites for the 4 new fruit trees, altho they won't go in till tomorrow. But want to work out with the boy where he'll be putting them and what shelter they'll need come summer.

And think about how to protect the new native plants in the paddock. Lovely day out there for it all!

[GardenFaery]

With a cuppa, pruned and deadheaded roses, window boxes and pots out front of house and removed moss and grass from some containers and hanging baskets.
Re-dug one bed, moving and further spacing out radishes, spaced out Hollyhocks, weeded generally around Onions and moved them forward into trenched up rows in box around Roses. Earthed up pots a little more where possible, Moved containers of Marigolds nearer to growing veg crops, planted out Rocket seedlings, re-dug and weeded again generally. As I had to further space Hollyhocks to prevent rust, planted two hollyhocks in container, to move around/out front when flower where needed.
Added to compost bin, used recycled milk container that rocket seedling had been in to space out more, smaller seedlings in front porch.

[Currysniffa]

Today I've mostly been fixing up a shed I've been given for the lottie. I've also sowed some snowball turnips and some swede.

[Snadger]

Finally got around to planting out my suitably hardened off sweetcorn. Also dug over an area and planted out the last of my pot leeks that were started last October. Some of them were nigh on big enough to eat now!
The weeds never stop coming though so spent a bit of time pulling those up as well.
The only things needing planting out now are my PSB, last of Nero de Toscana kale and two trays full of french beans.
Still to sow are more beetroot, more swede, some mooli and snowball turnips plus spring cabbage a bit later on.

[Florence Fennel]

Pricked out spinach into some containers, potted on more tomatoes (I'm sure I don't know why I planted all these tomatoes, I don't know where on earth I'm going to put them). Potted on some chillies and was amazed at the growth on the Habs, best I've ever grown. Planted out some Little Gem. Tied up some more toms to their canes and cut off some lower leaves.

[Bren In Pots]

Sat in my chair outside reading in the sunshine

[binley100]

Peeled back some membrane to start a new bed. Weeded it and raked some compost in . Planted it up with christmas drumhead cabbage, romanescu, snowball cauli and calabrese. Interplanted with some lettuce. Sprinkled eggshells and blue sweeties then covered with debris netting. Weeded my little boggy bit by the pond and planted my two new plants ,lobelia cardinalis and some purple toadflax. (for the bees ) Weeded where I had taken out the rubbish garlic and planted some more tomatoes. Cut back some of the wayward brambles in the hedge and pulled out some nettles so I could prune the new cherry plum hedging and give it some air. Gave some plants a seaweed feed . Came home and sowed some cucumbers.....

[Uber-Uncool]

Nice dry day all today. Managed to get out in garden s'afnoon.

#Potted on some tomato plants.
#Snipped some snails and slugs with scissors and got an eyeful of slime, quickly washed my eye with cold water and put in some eye drops. Yuk.
#sowed lots of chinese vegetables
#sowed some more peas and beans and traditional brassicas and kohl rabi white and purple
......getting fed up of lettuce for now so didn't sow any more just yet.

[Uber-Uncool]

Nice dry day all today. Managed to get out in garden s'afnoon.

#Potted on some tomato plants.
#Snipped some snails and slugs with scissors and got an eyeful of slime, quickly washed my eye with cold water and put in some eye drops. Yuk.
#sowed lots of chinese vegetables
#sowed some more peas and beans and traditional brassicas and kohl rabi white and purple
......getting fed up of lettuce for now so didn't sow any more just yet.

[gardenpassion]

Was amazed!! I havent been to lottie for 2 days, (starting to get agitated ?withdrawl symptoms!) and cannot believe how things are growing. so I .............
*planted out peas/beetroot/squash
*experimenting with dwarf beans in the greenhouse border, (anyone tried it?)
*watered my seeds..turnips,carrots,fennel,spinach,parsnips,peas
*became amazed at the runner beans, excited at the broad beans developing, and thrilled at the onions, which i hope to show
*decided I have OCD (allotment type), which manifests as the need for daily fix, and difficulty leaving the said space! Could just stay up there for hours (looking at all there is to be amazed at!!!!!!).... oh dear, no hope for me :/