What I did today - 2016

[Snadger]

Yes, the forecast is for a bit of a frost tomorrow morning. Bit of a high pressure expected next week too so sunny days with cold nights so I'm holding off seed sowing for a few more days yet and will concentrate on getting my veggie beds ready

Today I had a quick check of the plot at 9am after finishing work but then, whilst watching Gardeners World at 5.30pm today, I decided to nip back up and cover any tender stuff with bubble wrap just in case the forecast frost is harder than my youngsters can cope with. Dahlias, fuchsias, Lavender and Pelargoniums are now tucked into bed all cosy under bubblewrap and newspaper sheets *ran out of bubblewrap* I'm only doing a short morning shift tomorrow so will be back on the plot by 10am at the latest so will uncover them whilst I do a few odd jobs.

My toms are tucked up in bubblewrap also!

[Gillykat]

My toms are just two-week old babies so still in my living room where they spend the day in their propagator on the south-facing windowsill and then get moved to my desk once the temperature starts to drop. Give it another two/three weeks and I'll try to be brave enough to move them to the allotment grerenhouse

[Small pumpkin]

I've put my first salad bags of the season in the little honesty shop at the end of our road. I put my plant sales barrow at the end of the drive for the first time this season.
It looks a little like Fort Knox but the local sheep and deer would have a free lunch if it didn't



I've potted up my habanero chocolate, white and filius blue into their final pots. Potted on my Dorset Naga, holy mole, spaghetti and tomato ovi's romanian giant.
Sown some more lettuce, they are now sat in the fridge ( thanks Martin )
Mowed the grass in the veggie garden. Not done any other mowing, but baby steps when it come to the less pleasant gardening jobs

[1Bee]

A bit more cultivating of the potato bed, another tub of perennial weed roots, broken glass and rusty nails removed. A nappy change, a bit of weeding and a snack....

[Jay-ell]

Worked on the new greenhouse putting in slabbed path, staging, starting the irrigation system (put in two water butts) and the troughs and 9 section veg planter.

Got attacked by a chicken.

[Containergardener]

seeds n more seeds... Sieving compost, more seeds...more tomorrow .

[skeggijon]

After a snowy start to the day, the afternoon was lovely, so decided I'd better get my butt in gear and clean the greenhouse. The strawberry plants are full of flowers, so hoping for the first fruits of the year very soon.
Did a bit of weeding round the overwintering onions and pulled up the last of the Kale.
The plot is still about 6 inches underwater, so congratulated myself on going down the exclusively raised bed route.
Cut a few tulips that were just opening out and set off home - remembering just as I got home that there's risk of frost tonight. I hope my Kelsaes and Exhibition Onions are ok - I wasn't prepared to drive 25 miles back to the plot.

[SaraJH]

Not a lot done today, finally planted our 24 strawberry bare root plants (they have been in pots for a couple of weeks) and potted on my tomatoes.
Only 17 plants but we don't have much space. I have potted them on early, true leaves not yet fully formed, so we shall see, their seed leaves were looking a bit droopy a few hours ago but all have springed back into life now, fingers crossed!

Then it started snowing!

[lolie]

Finally got to plant out some winter stuff into beds. Dwarf kale, mini cauliflowers, mini cabbage, pak choy, rainbow chard, perpetual spinach, silverbeet and peas are now in beds.

Sowed some more of the brassicas, although I doubt we'll have a long enough winter for the second lot to be productive.

The carrots which I sowed a month ago don't seem to be doing a whole lot. I never seem to have luck with root vegetables.

[Martin H]

The allotment soil was in lovely condition after recent rain, so I finished preparing two beds for brassicas today: raked level, top dressed with lime, put water pipe hoops up to hold the netting.

[vixylix]

I've repotted all my tomatoes into bigger pots - they were smelling a bit funny (like bitter / rubbery!!) so I'm hoping some more space and nutrients will help them out a bit. They've also had a bit of sun and fresh air out in the garden. I hope this weather stays!!

[susieq100]

Yes! Mowed the lawn! Hurrah! Only the front one, the back one still squelches if I step on it, but who knows ... maybe tomorrow?

[SaraJH]

Yes! Mowed the lawn! Hurrah! Only the front one, the back one still squelches if I step on it, but who knows ... maybe tomorrow?

Our back lawn had its first mow last weekend, it was really squelchy but was really long but so it had to be done! Horrid job but it really helped to dry it out and today's mow was a doddle!

[SaraJH]

Mowed the lawn
Sowed beetroot, French beans, borlotti beans, sprouts, courgettes, sugar snap peas - all in pots/ modules and all are in the house to hopefully germinate
Pruned the rose bush
Screwed screws into the raised beds and ran twine across the beds to mark out my SFG squares
Put up yet more tensioned wire for all the climbers that will be growing up the south facing fence

And I'm just about to pour a glass of wine

[Snadger]

Had a good all day session on my new project plot today. Managed to get the end of my Summerhouse built and even got one of the rear boards in position and tied into end to stop it blowing away. I could have happily carried on and progressed with the summerhouse but decided to get some more tatties planted instead.
I managed to get another six X fifteen foot rows planted and mucked. I was sweating so much in the sunshine between the showers that I had my shirt off for the first time this year (not a pleasant site!)
Spent the last few minutes on site chasing an escaped bantam which took flight in the end and flew off into the wooded Dene behind the plots.Hopefully she'll roost in a tree away from the foxes. I've left my plot gate open (not the run gate) tonight in case the cockerel manages to call her back to his Harim!

A nice hot bath is called for now as I have an aching gardeners back!