What I did today - 2015

[chilli_grower]

put some weed fabric down today in between the new raised beds. Then added a thick layer of woodchip.

also dug over the rest of the plot and put a bit of manure down. I still need a load more of it thou....

Then I mentally planned out a new shed. Will hopefully start on this in a month or so....

Very pleased with today's progress....

[Penellype]

Further to the above mentioned catalogue, I decided to go to the garden centre to see if they had any seeds yet, rather than order them and pay for postage. There were also a couple of other things I wanted.

Didn't come back with any seeds (very poor selection so far) or any of the other stuff on my list apart from a bag of Rocket seed potatoes. I haven't grown these before but they seem an ideal candidate for trying for very early potatoes in my friend's greenhouse (if we can find a way of keeping the rats out).

I know, I know, its FAR too early for chitting potatoes!

[Bigmallly]

I know, I know, its FAR too early for chitting potatoes!

Funny you should say that................I opened a bag of Rocket that have been in the greenhouse from last years crop & found these................

[WPG]

Well, I've had an interesting morning of science, using the PH, N, P, K testing kit which I'd got as a prize from GYO. Yesterday I took a couple of soil samples from the allotment - one had been cultivated and is where I grew my potatoes last year (going to be brassicas this year). The other sample was from an uncultivated, never fertilised part of the plot.
So I mixed the soil samples with 4 parts rainwater and left to settle overnight. Then this morning I followed the instructions of part filling test tubes with the samples and then adding drops of potions and miniature spoonfuls of powders, shaking, and reading the colour charts for each result.
I was really surprised by the result, it wasn't what I was expecting at all. I'd assumed my clay-ish soil would be acid, but in fact both samples showed the highest level of alkalinity on the colour chart (no wonder that my blueberries have been abysmal then). Both samples were very low in nitrates - worryingly, the lowest reading on the chart. Interestingly, the cultivated sample had very high phosphorus, and high to medium potassium, whereas the uncultivated had medium phosphorus and low potassium. So whatever I added to my potato patch last year has retained the phosphorus and potassium levels, but the nitrates have been depleted.

So, now I know that I don't need to use lime at all, even in the brassica bed, but will really need to work harder on adding nitrates to the soil, although I don't want to add more phosphorus or potassium. For my potato patch I'll have to find a way of increasing the acidity, or I might end up with scabby potatoes.

[Two_Sheds]

- Picked a score of chillies from the unheated greenhouse: green, yellow & red, but I don't expect any heat from them at this time of year

- chucked out all the hanging baskets, which have been nagging me for 6 years. I never have time to plant them up, so in the bin they went

[Bigmallly]

Made a couple more areas to store logs & promptly filled them. Rigged up another water butt. Planted a dozen Rocket (that had chitted) 9" deep in a builders bag ............I know, I know.............

[Nannysally99]

Cooked a lovely pork belly roast, and made a fruit cake. Thought about gardening though ...

[Bigmallly]

That's ok then Sal, as long as you thought about it...................

[Penellype]

Spent the morning at my friend's house clearing the greenhouse. We are going to try putting some stone chippings down on the borders (which are not usable as they are full of tree roots) in an attempt to stop the mice and rats from tunneling in. Their latest victim is the parsley which was growing in a grow bed but during the last week or so it has been completely shredded, with large bunches of leaves chopped off at ground level. I salvaged one plant and potted it up into a large pot which has gone on the shelving. No idea if it will survive.

Spent the afternoon planning as my back garden was too frozen to do much except take photos (which are in my challenge thread).

[porterlizz]

Today I (with much help from my partner) built my Christmas present - a lovely aluminium mini-greenhouse). I have the tiniest garden in the world, but it's just big enough for it. I have an allotment down the road, so this is going to be wonderful for getting stuff started early and not having to have every windowsill in the house full of sprouting trays... (although i suspect that may still happen).

\o/\o/\o/

[emzgogo]

Wasnt an awfully busy day..... Got aload of pallets to do a fence/long raised bed. Went poundland and got loads of bargins. Seeds bulbs storage boxes diary plus loads more. Also pulled up the last of the leeks . Now to sort seeds. X

[Bigmallly]

Spent the morning weeding & mulching Raspberries. The afternoon just lounging around doing nothing productive..................well, it is my B/Day after all............

[Greenleaves]

Phone call from the Mil, her neighbour has a 6 x 6 greenhouse she no longer wants and would I like it : )

So spent the afternoon dismantling it.....got nowhere for it but too good to refuse

[Bigmallly]

I'm sure you will find somewhere for it GL...............

[Dorothy rouse]

Well, I did go up to allotment, picked some PSB, and staked up my broad beans, but it was cold, grey and drizzly, then my Lottie friend came along and I went to hers for coffee and a natter!