Scrapheap Challenge

[Snadger]

I've started trying to restore the early photographs on the thread which were lost when the vine crashed. I've had to do a bit of constructive editing but managed to get some piccies back up to page twelve. I'll try some more when I'm in the mood another day!

[Snadger]

Had a day off from the plot yesterday as I've still got car problems!Made sue the chooks were well catered for the day before though.

Planted out the 12 strawberries I paid 10p each for and completed bed on left half of circle.

Decided to plant out my camomile plugs that I started from seed. I have put two clumps in the triangle between each paving flag on the circular section. I have ordered lemon thyme seeds and I intend growing these as plug plants also to give a variation.

Wheel barrowed a load of hoss muck and dumped it on the right side of the central circle. This will be where my pumpkin goes.

Put leeks and brassicas outdoors to harden off.

Sowed a row of peas along the edge of my brassica bed. Did loads of watering including the newly planted camomile.

Noticed climbing french beans are starting to germinate in the summerhouse. The summerhouse is very untidy inside so that has to be my priority next time I'm on site.

Took a piccie of centre circle i had been working on after watering plants. Paving flag colours stand out when wet!

[Snadger]

Spent all afternoon tidying the summerhoue whilst listening to the Toon's match on the radio.Perfect result for us and because Brightton slipped up we go to the Premmiership in pole position.
Moved some brassicas out to harden off. Propped up a large wooden tree trunk in the chicken run to give them sometyhing to perch on uring the day.
Fastened first aid box onto summerhouse wall and shifted bench and plants around. It was quite parky outside so had the woodburner on all the time. The heat sink (stone flue surround) got nice and warm so should keep the temperature up a bit through the night.

[Snadger]

Didn't get to the plot yesterday (still car problems,literally!) and was surprised when I entered the summerhouse how tidy it was from two days ago. I cleaned out the woodburner to light it and it was still red hot. Stuffed paper in it and some wood and it burst into flames again.

Decided to add a bench to the back of my polytunnel for smaller stuff like peppers etc.. I didn't realise how big it is inside and hope I have enough tomatoes and cucumbers to fill it. I've even toyed withthe idea of planting a prize pumpkin in the corner and training it outside through one of the side vents

Dug over one side, where the toms will go. I will dig over the other side tomorrow. Pleased to see earthworms as I know we have New Zealand flat worms on the site.
Watered all that needed it and had an idea for my chooks water container. It is white so the action of sunlight on it causes green algae to form on it. I have some barley straw so will try a little bundle in the water to see if it deters algae?

[Snadger]

Did a bit of hand weeding of the area that my carrots will be sown into. I need to get a couple of more bags of sand to add to the soil though before sowing.
Sowed some Sweet Dumpling squash in four pots, three seeds to a pot because its old seed.
Potted on some Padron peppers. Noticed the majority of my climbing french beans have germinated in modules in the summerhouse.
I had a couple of red Jalapeno peppers off overwintered peppers from last year (the plants aren't making any growth) so i stripped the seeds and sowed them in a pot.

Made up a bundle of barley straw and put it into the container i have for water for the chooks, hopefully to keep algae off the side of the container. Chooks were pecking at it when i left and I half expect them to drag it out of the container by tomorrow. We shall see if it works and if it stays put! Piccie below VV

[Jay-ell]

Some stuff on barley straw
Using Barley Straw To Control Green Pond Algae Blanket Weed

[Snadger]

The good news is the barley straw has stopped the algae from forming, but the water has taken on a brown tinge (a bit like Tetley tea) instead. Chooks don't seem to mind though and are still drinking it.
This evening after work I planted out all of my rooted Chrysanthemum cuttings. I now have 120 chrysanthemum plants set out with another 15 named varieties to pot on into large pots for flowering late in the summerhouse/polytunnel.
Most of my climbing frenchies have now germinated which is a big advancement on the few that germinted last year.
Priorities now are to get the beds in the polytunnel prepared for planting and also the carrot bed likewise.

[Snadger]

Assembled the second of my carrot protection frameworks. I now need to borrow a staple gun to fasten the enviromesh or debri netting to them.

[Snadger]

Collected two bags of chicken feed pellets and one bag of mixed corn from the seed merchant and took them to plot.
Emptied the chooks dirty water and rinsed the small bundle of barley corn i have in it before adding it back to the clean water. Two minutes later one of the chooks dropped a big chunk of soil into the water!

Dug over and raked the polytunnel beds I will be using. Took the potted tomato and cucumber plants from the Summerhouse and set them in the positions they will be finally planted to get an idea of spacing.;

Planted out a couple of rows of leeks.

Took a couple of the yacon into the polytunnel as its a lot hotter in there, and to see if it makes any differnce to there growth rate. Also took the Passion fruit plant into polytunnel to see if it helps it perk up a bit.
The intention is to set one of my Prize pumpkins in the corner of the polytunnel and train it out the the flap used on the side for air circulation.

Started to staple some enviromesh to the carrot frame until I ran out of staples!

Watered all potted stuff as we have still had no rain.

[Nicos]

It's fantastic to see how things are progressing Snadge!...well done, I 'm more than impressed!.....

[Snadger]

I opened my big mouth, didn't I! Its never stopped raining all day. The allotment needs it and its quite warm so its not all bad.
Decided to plant out my tomato plants in the polytunnel. It was quite theraputic. listening to the rain on the polytunnel cover. (Reminded me of camping holidays in the lake district)

Planted seven Black Russian down one side and six Vince plus one Ailsa Craig down the other. No idea of growth habit, size,taste or colour of Vince, I just liked the name! (Ta VC)
There's enough room left for some cukes, squash and of course the winning pumpkin at the end!

[Snadger]

It's fantastic to see how things are progressing Snadge!...well done, I 'm more than impressed!.....

Never again sez I.................til the next time!

[Snadger]

Had food poisoning Tuesday, so didn't get to the plot. Went Wednsday and planted out 18 brussel sprout plants. Constructed a green debri netting surround for them. Car problems still ongoing so only managing to get to the plot once every two days , so no plot visit this evening.

[Snadger]

Sowed the free bee seeds I was sent into a seed tray. Also sown in a moduled tray, the Lemon Thyme seeds that I got sent all the way from China for 99p inclusive!
The bit of rain we have hd has fresshened the plot up no end, but I notice its also acted as a trigger for the weeds to grow! All the outdoor peas have germinated though, so at least its done more good than harm.

[Bigmallly]

Had food poisoning Tuesday, so didn't get to the plot.

Hope it wasn't one of them dodgy trout...................