Archive for April, 2008

Seedlings are a’growing…..

April 29, 2008 at 11:50 pm · Filed under Beans, Greenhouse

Well it looks as though spring is more or less sprung, we still have showers almost every day but it is warm. Temperatures over 10degC and up to the high teens when the sun gets out. So, I’ve put the auto window openers back into the grenhouse roof windows now.

Inside the greenhouse seedlings are sprouting all over the place - the broad beans are almost big enough to plant out - I’ll try and do some tomorrow if the weather lets me (rain is predicted). French beans are through, and some of the climbing French beans and runner beans also. The extra courgettes, at least some of them, are up now as well (the first set have their second leaves already).

I spent ages the other day potting up the sweetcorn, almost 40 of them (and some petunias I’d bought when I bought the gooseberries) - I know they should be in ‘tall’ pots so their main root can develop properly, but I don’t have any so they are in standard square plastic pots. I seem to remember they grew ok before from hese pots.

Some of the peppers are through as well, and the tomatoes on the kitchen window ledge are coming on fine. The first batch of ‘olive’ tomatoes are repotted into separate pots now as well.

The rocket I planted into some pots in the greenhouse is well through now, and the row outside is showing quite well. The carotts planted at the same time are not making any appearance so far though - but some turnips look as if they are coming up.

The two rows of broad beans are coming on fine, next week I think I will have to start putting in the canes and string.

I’ll add photos to this tomorrow if poss.

On the wildlife front, the blackbirds are busy, not sure if any eggs have hatched yet and we seem to have a shortage of frogs and toads at the moment (usually lots are evident in the garden esp. in wet weather) - and no frog spawn in local canal when I would have expected to see it by now but maybe I missed it. The surest sign of spring arrived a few days ago though - swifts - I could hear their ’screaming’ and see them flying high over the houses.

Oh and the grass almost wants cutting again…..

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More Seedlings at last

April 24, 2008 at 11:53 pm · Filed under Beans, Greenhouse, Progress

Well the better weather (briefly - it’s back to showers again now) has encouraged seeds to grow at last. In the greenhouse the broad beans are coming on, lettuce seedlings are up and the sweetcorn is coming on (photos below). Also, one or two French beans look to be coming up.

Even more exciting, the row of Rocket sown in sec B outside has produced some shoots, so things are really looking up. ALthough we are back to showers today it is still quite warm (up to about 18degC today) so more seedlings should appear hopefully.

And - some of the tomatoes and peppers on the kitchen windowledge are though as well…

Courgettes and Lettuce Seedlings

Courgette and Lettuce Seedlings

Sweetcorn Seedlings

Sweetcorn Seedlings

Also, I’ve picked up a couple of gooseberry bushed to plant in the ‘wild’ area - there is one sort of growing in one oof the hedges but it would be nice to have some more. I got a ‘late’ raspberry bush as well to plant next to the hedge near the greenhouse - all I need is the time to do it now….

Almost time to put in the supports for the broad beans as well

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A Fair Day at Last

April 21, 2008 at 9:14 pm · Filed under Beans, Greenhouse, Progress

Well the weather felt more like spring today - even some sunshine! Some real progress made as well - section C is now dug over, plus I added the contents of 3 growbags and a barrowload of compost and dug them in as well. So it will still need raking level and possibly some fertiliser added but see picture below for the current state:

Section C after digging

The section was infested with creeping buttercup and what seemed to be clover, though I’ve never seen it before - it had long stringy root systems fairly thin - but I don’t remember seeing it ever before.

Meanwhile, in the greenhouse there are signs of action. The sweetcorn is definitely sprouting and the broad beans are appearing. A couple of french beans look as if they are coming up as well so there is hope yet. I managed to plant a few more seeds in the greenhouse as well - it was actually uncomfortably hot in there for a while. Some more tomatoes, chilli peppers more courgettes and as an experiment, some old curly kale seeds (into a tray). The tomatos and peppers are on the kitchen windowledge for germination (though the other peppers sown previously are  not not showing any signs of appearing).

Outside, I took the tunnel cloche off the broad bean row planted direct (see below:

Also, I planted some parsley and oregano I bought during my visit to ‘B&Q’  in the small plot bekow the kitchen window. Also, the ‘wild’ part of the garden ahs been enhanced with some primroses I acquired at the weekend.

On top of all that I managed to mow the lawn! - which will please the house-sparrows and dunnocks who will now not have to hop quite so high.

On the wildlife front, our blackbirds nesting in the hedge on the western side (which I thought had chicks) seem to have been attacked - the nest is partly destroyed and clearly abandoned - probably a cat, although I did see a magpie on that hedge recntly. The blackbirds started another nest in the same hedge nearer the house but then seem to have switched to a bush on the East side of the garden.

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I wish it would warm up

April 18, 2008 at 10:56 am · Filed under Beans, Greenhouse, Progress

The weather continues to be annoying with frosts or near frost overnight, and today a very cold Easterly wind plus of course showers - really puts me off being in the garden.

However, progress has been made - the seeds on the kitchen windowledge are ok - the courgettes (only 4 out of 6 came up) are now in the greenhouse and the tomatoes are sort of growing. See pic below:

Courgettes and Tomato Seedlings
Courgettes & Tomato Seedlings (there are 5 tomatoes honest)

More in the greenhouse - I’ve sown some dwarf beans supposedly ‘designed’ for growing in pots as well as outside - in pots but kept then in the greenhouse so we’ll see how they gow.

Meanwhile the other seeds in the greenhouse aren’t showing much signs of appearing - though possibly a bean is trying to appear. I blame the cold weather….

I have made a big advance on digging over section A - it is 90% done now so maybe in the next couple of days that will be ready.

My modifications to the greenhouse now mean I won’t get dripped on when it rains, and also have enabled me to paint preservative on the roof sections that are normally hard to reach - I’ve just got to paint the rest now….

The broad beans outside are ok though the weather has slowed down their growing I fancy (see below)

 

Broad Beans Coming UP
Broad Beans - from beans planted in greenhouse

Finally, I’ll put some other ‘pretty’ photos onto the site as well from when the sun was shining see Pics 2008 -1 page

 

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Managed to do some more

April 14, 2008 at 11:06 pm · Filed under Greenhouse, Progress

Well amazingly I managed to find some time over the weekend and today to move things on a little. Also, seedlings have appeared.

I’ve moved the cloches over the broad beans started off in pots off them and to a position ready for the next lot planted a week or so ago in pots in the greenhouse. The beans planted straight in the ground are almost at the point where the cloche can be taken off them as well.

More planting in the greenhouse - some runner beans (Scarlet Emperor I think) into pots and some radishes in large pots. I’m going to grow them in the greenhouse to get them ready quickly I hope. The beans etc. planted a few days ago aren’t showing yet but soon hopefully…..

Outside - I’ve started digging section C - about half finished now. It was filled with lots of creeping buttercup as well as dandelions. Also, some what appears to be clover or relative with very spreading and woody roots - so lots of pernicious weeds to avoid putting in the compost. Thank goodness for the ‘compost bin’ from the local council.

I’ve also planted a row of ‘pak choi’ in section B close to the salad crops already planted. Just a short row and the seeds are a bit old so we’ll see if they come through.

Also today a visit to ‘B&Q’ ( a ‘do it yourself’ store) for other bits, where they have a gardening section, led me to come away with 5 ‘grow-bags’ and a big bag of growing compost. The grow-bags are a bit shorter than those I’ve had previously but that may help with positioning. Too small for 3 tomato plants though I think. I may try the open bottom pot trick added into the bag, as suggested on the ‘allotment’ website (see my blogroll)

The kithen windowsill has come up trumps - several of the courgettes are through and the tomatoes as well. They can go into the greenhouse maybe in a day or so.

The weather has continued to be ‘variable’. Today we had sun, hail and rain, though much more dry time than wet and quite a bit of sunshine.

So a bit more digging and planting to go - and then waiting and hoping that all the seeds come up…. However, I can’t avoid mowing the lawn for much longer - the sparrows are beginning to spend a lot of time hopping up and down to get over the grass. Also the blackbirds, who have chicks I think now, judging by the racket in the hedge, are finding it more difficult to find things in the grass - all I need is a dry day….

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Greenhouse Seed Planting 1

April 11, 2008 at 12:58 pm · Filed under Beans, Greenhouse, Progress

The weather continues to be ‘variable’ with frosts, snow, rain and sun or ‘all seasons in a day’

I have managed to spend a few minutes in the garden between the showers, mostly tidyng up things like a ‘Russian Vine’ (or ‘Mile- a-Minute’) and removing daffodils that are no longer producing flowers. Our daffodils in the front are at their best now (I must take a photo if the sun shines for long enough). Daffs in the back garden are pretty much finished now. The wild flowers at the bottom of the garden think spring is here - there are celandines & cowslips out. The central pear tree is in flower as well.

I did manage a few minutes on plot C taking out the dandelions which were starting to flower. I need to get this section dug over as soon as possible, but the showers rather hold things up.

However, I have been busy in the greenhouse (it’s warmer and I can listen to the radio). A selection of seeds have been planted and I’ll list these below:

Broad Beans (’The Sutton’) - I’ve finished off the packet into pots, enough for another double row.
French Beans - (’Speedy’) - 8 beans in pots
Courgette - (’Zuchini’) - into pots (they are on the kitchen window ledge to help germination)
Tomato - (’Sweet Olive F1′) - into pots, agin they are in the kitchen
Peppers - (Sweet - Salad Festival) - in a tray

I do have a plan as to where these will go nut it depends how they do really

And today:

Climbing French Beans - (’Blue Lake’) - in pots
Sweet Corn - (Can’t remember the variety - I’ll add later) - in a tray
Lettuce - Mixed Salad Leaves  - in a tray 

As soon as weather permits I need to plant out some other salad crops outside.

Also I have been carrying out some work on the greenhouse - the roof-lights have always leaked in rain - annoying, rather than a big problem, but I’ve taken one of them out temporarily to resolve the problem. Also, the greenhouse needs treating with preservative - again - but it needs to be dry first (hardly likely at present).

Still the rain showers prevent me from mowing the grass so it could be worse…..

STOP Press

Just managed to dodge between showers of rain (and hail!) to plant some short rows of:
Rocket
Carrot - (Nantes Early)
Lettuce (mixture)

As my Grandma always used to say about showers/sun - ‘Good Growing weather’ - we’ll see…

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Broad Beans - One Row plus

April 1, 2008 at 11:17 pm · Filed under Beans, Progress

I have managed to get some work done in the garden over the last couple of weeks. Over the last couple of days in particular things have moved on.

One complete double row of broad beans are now in from the ones started in the greenhouse. They are now safely under the cloche for the moment. The row planted planted as beans directly into the ground are just beginning to come through. It’s now really a decision as to whether it is worth planting another set in the greenhouse for a slightly later row of beans…. As I have enough left over I probably will if I have a few spare moments over the next couple of days.

  

Section B dug over
Section B - freshly dug

Also, I’ve managed to dig over section 3 of the garden - just finishing off today. I found a few potatoes and a couple of onions left over from last year. Potatoes always seem to turn up after they have been grown in an area no matter how hard you search when they are harvested.

 The main reason area B could be dug over is that I managed to finish pruning the holly and birch overhanging the area and have a bonfire of all the cuttings. There is something very satisfying about burning a whole pile of prunings - seeing them all reduced to a small pile of ash. My son enjoyed helping of course as all boys do.

So, only one area to dig over now and I need to decide what to grow and start getting some seeds planted in the greenhouse. Also, it’s about time to get the French and runner beans started.

Meanwhile spring is the usual variable mix of rain, sun and the occasional frost but nothing too extreme so far this year.

The grass is almost at the point of needing to be cut now……

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