Nailsworth Gardener: On The Plot

WELCOME TO MY POTTING SHED

You can't beat a dollop of mud a day to keep the Doctor at bay.

Why not follow me about as I garden for money and just for fun in beautiful Nailsworth and its' environs.

What's it all about?

My gardens, that's all and any gardening related stuff I guess you might be interested in.

Where do I garden?

My house is in the centre of Nailsworth. With the wind in the right direction, we get a strong whiff of curry as it floats out of the Passage to India and into our front garden. We never get this smell anywhere else on our premises, which is either a good thing, or a bad one, depending on your point of view. As you now know we have a garden, a small rectangle, at the front of the house, and a triangular courtyard garden at the back. Then there's the Garden Plot, right down in the heart of Nailsworth, which I rent from a local business. This is new as from Autumn 2009 and will take a lot of work to help it become productive. I try to garden for veges at my friend Debbis house and for fun with my next door neighbour.

It adds up to a lot of work. For a relaxing hobby, it's proving stressful at times, but, mostly it's heaven.

There are customers who like me to work for them right through the year, and others who I see during the summer months. This working more days a week in the summer than in the winter, of course. The way to keep the finances stable for me has been to teach on the days I don't garden. Works really well for me. The bills get paid, we haven't starved to death yet and we get to have fun ... sometimes!

Friday 10 June 2011

On The Plot

I raced up to the plot last night. There was going to be a GROUND FROST, maybe.

Anything tender needed to be covered up.

Draughts blocked up

and low lying plants and the soil covered. I used this fleece, but old fabric, polythene sheeting (from a delivery) or paper will do fine. What ever you use weight it down with stones, or it'll be gone in the morning.

I found this slug on a brick that was in my ISLAND TRAYS. Did it SWIM to the brick, FALL out of the tree onto the brick, or come in on a seed tray? Who knows, but I know this much, it was gone this morning, Did it SWIM .......

I took cuttings of ROSEMARY today. Ripping the lower leaves from the stalk - ideally leaving no more than half a dozen behind.

Push the bare stalks into compost. 8 or so into a pot. You can see I've left lots of leaf on, which can go mouldy as the plants are crowded together in HUMID ATMOSPHERE, FOR WEEKS.