Veggy Seeds Up In 3 Days - Wednesday 6.4.11

These little kits have been a real surprise, first of the seeds up in about 3 days!

SPRING ONION - look hard, they're there : )

SWEET CORN - looks a bit of an odd colour. I was expecting green shoots.

Not bad though.

Time To Dig - Tuesday 8.2.11

It's been a funny old day. I set out to do some digging with my expensive, SPEAR AND JACKSON, 10 year guarantee, 1 year old fork.

So, there I was, up at The Plot digging merrily. I had rolled back some of the black plastic and was digging out the brambles that were growing through the slits I'd made last year.  The soil was warm and in perfect condition. 

THIS IS THE WAY TO GARDEN!

In pretty short order, I heard a resounding CRACK and thought the fork handle (HA HA) had snapped. But no, it was one of the PRONGS. 

GOB-SMACKED : /

Now all I need to do is find the receipt! It'll probably be easier to simply buy a new one.

I also cleaned up my leafbeat bed. It should self seed.

Sadly, a lot of my over wintering LEAFBEAT had begun to rot. I lifted them. I'm left with about 4 plants to use for early crops as I wait for the seeds to germinate.

Still Alive Sunday 12.12.10

I came up to the plot today. The worst of the frost has gone and I wanted to check the young plants I have been growing.

The BROAD BEANS look OK,

although one or two have been nipped by the cold. 

The PEAS look too delicate to come through the cold, but they are still with us.

Onions and shallots are bomb proof, but it was still great to see they are getting away despite the unseasonal freezing temperatures.

I checked the spuds which I'm storing at the plot. They're divided between a cardboard box, a paper spud sack and a Hessian sack. All the containers are covered with another paper sack. I expected the contents to be defrosting and going to mush, but they were fine. The building they're in is a garage with no door - it's open on one side. 

I have to say I'm really surprised and pleased that I was able to come home with a selection of spuds to cook.

Slim Pickings Friday 22.10.10

There wasn't a lot of things to choose from up at the plot.

The SUNBURST SQUASHES and COURGETTES have been kissed by a couple of frosts. They'll need eating promptly. Click here to see a couple of recipes I used to make a 

SILK PURSE from this SOWS EAR.

I'm pleased the PERPETUAL SPINACH is going to seed, as it will self seed over the winter.

However it means that I have to earn my SPINACH by stripping the stalks of their little leaves. Worth the effort though.

Vegetating 7.9.10

I've been away sooo much, and gardening for money the rest of the time: and the net result??

A mass of weeds, brambles, nettles, and, somewhere amongst all this; VEGETABLES!

It's a SCARY MESS, that'll  have to be tidied up and planted before the winter - SOMEHOW??

There are a LOT of COURGETTES and SQUASHES, luckily they keep well once they're a good size.

The big old PEAR TREE has produced a reasonable crop for me.  Picking them was tough using my JURY RIGGED lopping net.

MADE MY ARMS ACHE

I piled everything into the boot of the car and took it to Mikes. He took quite a lot, thank goodness.