What I did today - 2016

[Snadger]

Extreme gardening again..........plot looks like a bomb site!

[lolie]

Got a free Dalek for attending a 2 hour composting workshop.

Managed to kill some of my seedlings by forgetting to move them before attending said workshop.

Bought some more coconut fibre, small pots and vermiculite so I can start winter seedlings.

[SusieG]

Bought sacks of grit, sand and compost and filled the raised bed where I'm going to make my herb garden. Plus digging and more digging on the veg beds!

Plam, what type of sand did you use? Only I have half a builders bag of sand that they never took away when they'd finished the building work, last year. Was wondering if I could utilise this and incorporate it into the beds that I'm making. It is heavy clay soil here.

[SusieG]

Got a free Dalek for attending a 2 hour composting workshop.

Managed to kill some of my seedlings by forgetting to move them before attending said workshop.

Bought some more coconut fibre, small pots and vermiculite so I can start winter seedlings.

Wow! A composting workshop, Lolie, sounds very interesting!!! Was going to ask you how to get onto it, then I see you're in Australia - just a wee bit further than I'd be willing to travel for a 2 hour workshop!!!

[plam]

Plam, what type of sand did you use? Only I have half a builders bag of sand that they never took away when they'd finished the building work, last year. Was wondering if I could utilise this and incorporate it into the beds that I'm making. It is heavy clay soil here.

Sharp sand, I'm fairly new to this but as far as I can work it is sharp sand (rather than soft sand) that you use as is more gritty? I think basic builders sand would be sharp sand - but am not sure.

[lolie]

Wow! A composting workshop, Lolie, sounds very interesting!!! Was going to ask you how to get onto it, then I see you're in Australia - just a wee bit further than I'd be willing to travel for a 2 hour workshop!!!

Our local council runs them. I wouldn't be surprised if they're run at local government/community level throughout the world.

[susieq100]

Yesterday - forked over part of a bed at the plot and prepared it for runner beans ie dug a deep trench and lined with newspaper and then filled with compostable material. That can sit for a few weeks
Planted my first early potatoes in ground that had been covered with plastic to warm up a bit. Planted out 50 onions that I had started in modules. Back this afternoon to do some more. It was grey and cool but dry. The birds were very loud ... super.

[Bigmallly]

Plam, what type of sand did you use? Only I have half a builders bag of sand that they never took away when they'd finished the building work, last year. Was wondering if I could utilise this and incorporate it into the beds that I'm making. It is heavy clay soil here.

I knew a guy who grew his Toms & Carrots in nothing but pure sand, obviously he added feed so may be a thought. He had great results.

[hellybore]

Planted my 'free' (p&p £5.65) strawberry plants down the allotment. Never had much luck with strawberries before so I'm determined to look after these ones - keep them weeded and net them. Started weeding one of the neglected beds - jam-packed with buttercups, the roots are so strong I got quite warm levering them out!

[SusieG]

A trip to the tip getting rid of garden rubbish then 3 hours of digging out my 'patch' in my back garden - sigh, doesn't look like I've touched it tho'!!! Kept the local blackbird and robin population happy! The robin was keenly interested, and was watching my every move, so close to me too, a proper cheeky chappie!

[Guest]

Washed down greenhouse 1, so I can have a crafty sowing session tomorrow before MiL visits

[lolie]

Planted some new seeds to replace the seedlings I fried yesterday. So cranky with myself about that.

Today is brassica planting day. Time to sow some cauliflower, sprouting broccoli and cabbage. And some peas.

[plam]

Built a new bay on the compost bins and then turned two of the heaps. Planted a Lemon Queen that my mum gave me, planted up my new herb bed with a few cheap plants from the garden centre, cleared out a shed and had a good fire and a beer A perfect day.

Feeling a bit sunburnt / windburnt!

[anton002]

planned my toms for the greenhouse and experimented with watering options for when i go away ,its either large gravel trays and sit plants in them in there pots ,meaning my neighbour would only have to water once why I was away ,or rely on him visiting my allotment daily (big ask really ) although he could take any harvests he wanted and with it being August i would imagine he would be happy with that.

Also checking on my parsnip seeds that i have started in wet kitchen roll in the airing cupboard we have two small tap roots ,so i would image the next few days should see them on there way.

[lolie]

Snowball cauliflower, mini cabbage, pak choy and sprouting broccoli sown.

I threw in a couple of silverbeet seeds, too, as the old ones haven't impressed me. Also a few capsicum seeds as I want to try over-wintering young plants this year.

More seeds arriving this week but different varieties rather than any new vegies. It's mostly "wait and see" time now. With luck, the weather will have settled enough for me to start planting some things out by mid-April.