Wednesday 30 June 2010

Weather watch Wednesday...week 26 2010,

Well the weather is pretty much the same this week. We had a heavy shower at 5am on Tuesday but it only lasted for half an hour so didn't do much for the gardens.

Temperature still in the mid 20's, sunny most days but occasionally overcast with the threat of rain which never quite happens.

Good for us...not so great for the gardens!!

At present they are still holding there own and so far I haven't had to water but I am starting to think if we don't get some rain in the next couple of weeks then I may have to start giving the plot a drink.

Allotment is doing well but will tell youj more about that in another post!!!


Saturday 26 June 2010

Allotment..fishing...plants and more!!!!!

OK..so this was going to be an ultimately fantastic post as I haven't posted in a while and didn't even get around to doing my weather watch.....my original plan was top put up sideshows of my week but I am totally computer illiterate and couldn't work out how to do it so you will have to see all my pics the old fashioned way and everything else I have been up to as-well so you're in for a LLOOOONNNNGGG post!!!!

First off lets get the weather out of the way....It hasn't rained now in 8 days and boy has the temperatures turned...we have been having 24-28 degrees most days with strong sun although sometimes cloudy skies too, there has been a little breeze which has made it quite pleasant but it's been too hot to do much of anything up the allotment or in the garden and yet the weeds still grow!! Even with all the heat and lack of rain the ground is still quite damp underneath so i have still managed to get away with not having to water anything apart from the pots!!

Right now lets get to the actual allotment part of the post...as promised several weeks ago i finally have a picture post for you...not everything is here as my batteries died in the camera but it has taken me plenty of time to get this lot uploaded so I hope you enjoy them!!


blackcurrant bushesgarlic

The blackcurrant bushes that burnt right down to the ground in the fire have recovered nicely so I am hopeful of some fruit next year. The garlic is looking fine and should soon be ready for digging up!

manureherb patch

My manure pile carries on growing but some pesky animal keeps dragging it all over! The herb patch is holding it's own nicely.

parsnipradish

This is my very lonely parsnip...it looks great but has no friends so I am trying to start some more off and having a go at a late crop. Don't know what has gone wrong with the radishes this year but they are all like this so i will pull them up this week and sow some more.

carrotsonions

Both the carrots and onions are coming along nicely...carrots are a bit sparse in place so I might sow a few more for some late harvest.

peaspotatoes

I'm very pleased with my peas and first and second early potatoes....going to try digging some potatoes next weekend.

sweetcorncalabrese

Afet the failure of corn last year and then it nearly dying this year with the frost I am very pleased with the outcome. The calabrese has done quite well against the fles beetle and is holding it's own!

King Edwardsrunner beans

Both the King Edward potatoes and the runner beans are doing well.

marrow and courgettebeetroot

A bit of powdery mildew on the marrow...or maybe that's the courgette??? either way I'm not bothered as last year I had some and still had great veggies off them. My beetroot has done really well and I will be cooking some this weekend.

salad tubsbroad beans

The salad and herbs are coming along nicely in their tubs and the broad beans are ready to harvest for Sunday dinner!


melonbell peppers

The melons have gone wild and as I'm not really sure what to do I am just guessing what to do on this one as I go along...if anyone has grown them before I'm open to advice. The bell peppers are starting to bud

chilli peppersgrapevines

I have three types of chilli pepper growing and the grapevines are doing well although will be moved outside at the end of the season.


Well that's as far as I got before the camera died today but at least you have an idea of how things are coming along...and as I said before the only water that anything has had is from when it's actually rained so i am really pleased. I spent some time today weeding after I took the shots so please don't be too shocked at the weed choked pics!

Last Wednesday i went to the Lincolnshire Show with my Mum, Son and Nephew...we had a lovely day out and there was so much to see that we only got half of it done. There were some fantastic displays and I could have spent a fortune but manged to restrain myself to a few little bits. We saw some wonderful bug habitats simply made by putting small wholes into branches of trees that had been cut back so i now have some of these on my plot and I am hoping to get some nice visitors in these. There is a website about the lincolnshire show if you want to check it out and if anyone fancies it I highly recommend a visit to it next year...shame it's only on two days a year.

herbs and trug

My Lincolnshire show purchases....bug logs, trug and 5 herb plants. All now placed on the plot!! I also got a very nifty weeder but haven't got a photo of that!


tench fishing

On another note...fishing season s here again and whilst fishing I caught three lovely Tench. The biggest weighed in at nearly 4 pound and I was very pleased with myself. Don't worry the fish weren't harmed and were all returned to the water after we finished...they had to be..that's the law!!

knitted teddy bear

And Finally...I have finished my second knitting project..this time not a garment but a teddy bear. i am very pleased with the outcome as was my nephew for whom I knitted it. This didn't take that long to do and stands about 40cms tall. He has been named 'Bubbles' and I have a load more to knit for other children in the family. I am going to try to make each one a little different so they are all unique!

So that's where I am at right now...I do hope you didn't get too bored and managed to get to the end of the post and I promise that no matter how bust I am I won't neglect the blog again...besides which...if I blog more often it won't take me so damn long to do the post!!!

( I know some of the images are a bit small but i was trying not to make the post quite so long so if you want to have a better look just click on the images to enlarge them!!)

Sunday 20 June 2010

The Potatoes!!!!

Well the potatoes are coming on nicely.........the first and second earlies are now quite tall and both have lovely flowers on them.

I never did get them hilled up....would it be too late to do it now??? Is is even worth doing it now??? To be honest I'm not entirely sure why they are even hilled up...I think maybe they produce extra potatoes on the stems....but I could be wrong....I'm open to reasons/suggestions if anyone has any....it would be nice to know whaty I'm doing something.

Also....if some people hill up when planting does this make a difference?? If not could I not just plant twice as deep??? O.K....guess that might make digging s little more stressful and hard...open to any comments!!

Thursday 17 June 2010

Weather watch Wednesday...week 24 2010, and First day of the season.......

Well I'm a little late with the weather watch this week but that's because yesterday was a little hectic....first to the weather!!
clear skyBeautiful skies.

Weather wise it's pretty much the same as last week....rain out of nowhere...a few harsh winds...warm when it feels like it and balmy nights. No drought as was predicted earlier in the year yet and with the horrific thunderstorms my water tubs are filling up nicely and the gardens are looking green and growing lovely!!

First day of fishing season yesterday (that's if you go by the old laws which we still stick too!!) I popped down to the bank to see my Dad and brother and stayed for a while...I didn't catch anything but manged to lose a good size Tench :-(....at least I got a bite thought!!

maggotsMaggots for bait.

Also my sisters birthday so we went out for a lovely meal too....this was all achieved around working and housework hence the lateness of this post!!//

fishing float
Patiently watching the float!!!

Did get down the plot last Tuesday and managed to get the last of the spuds in...HOORAY!!!! now I am going to sow some late seeds as I get the rest of the ground prepared!!!//

Friday 11 June 2010

Greenhouse Re-evalutaion....HELP!!!!

Well I went up the plot today and spent about three hours purely digging out the thistles...also got some land dug over to put in the remaining potatoes I have, I know it's a bit late but i figure they will be no good next year so i might as well get them in the ground and see what happens.

Also spent some time sorting out the greenhouse...I was not overly happy with how my citrus trees were looking so I have took them out of the pots and planted them in the earth in the greenhouse...i am hoping with a bit more warmth and no wind they will stat looking healthier. Currently i have 5 grapevines in the greenhouse ( I cringe as you all shout at the computer)...yes I know it's too many but i got a little fruit happy so now I am in a quandary on what to do. At home I have a 6foot fence in the garden so three of the vines could be planted here and have a little shelter...on the other hand I could plant three out directly onto the plot to act as a divide between me and the next plot but they would be very open to the elements. Someone does have grapevines planted on their plot and they seem to do fine...so i really don't know what to do...any advice greatly received as I know sod all about grapes.

I took my camera...but didn't get it out..maybe tomorrow!!

Wednesday 9 June 2010

Weather watch Wednesday...week 23 2010.

Well what can I say about the weather this past week???

It's been hot, dry, humid, muggy, wet, thundery, torrential rain....oh and cool. Typical Britain...just can't make up it's mind...but I am very glad of the damp soil :-)

Sunday 6 June 2010

And it's finished!!!

Ok...so my jumper that I started knitting what seems a million years ago is finally finished...my garden is finally finished with all it's bedding plants in place, tomatoes planted and tubs sunk.....oh and I've done the dishes!!

That's about it though I'm afraid...haven't done anything up the plot in nearly a week apart form a bit of weeding...I feel very bad about my neglect...maybe now the rain's have come I will feel a little more inclined...maybe I will get that picture post up too so you can see what I have accomplished!!

Wednesday 2 June 2010

Weather watch Wednesday...week 22 2010. And....the unknown plant?!?!?!

Well the weather cooled down enough to get some planting done without the seedlings immediately wilting last Friday and then we had a good dose of rain last Saturday giving everything a real 'pick me up'.

Sunday saw the winds getting up so i didn't get to the plot but got a little done on Monday ...that's right people...a bank holiday with no rain!!!


Tuesday was LOTS of rain and I even managed to collect some in my water butts which was very impressive and gave the earth a really good soaking....the plants are looking happier!!


Temperatures this week have stayed in the double figures and been quite humid but nothing above 19 degrees...hoping this warm day wet day thing hangs around for a while as it's kind of nice to get things done and nor have to worry...hope the weather is being this kind to the rest of you.

Now to the flower...as you know i have a little gardening job and Maureen who I garden for was given a flowering plant for her birthday but between us
we have no idea what it is so don't know how to treat it...indoors or outdoors?? Full sun or shade?? Anyone got any ideas as to what it is???

unknown plantAll help welcome!!!