You are currently browsing the monthly archive for May 2012.
I finally finished the allotment planting with sweetcorn which had been taking up much needed space in the greenhouse. I weeded over the last section of the plot bar a metre square area that I didn’t have time for. Then dug in some manure and then planted 60 0f them about 12 inches apart in a block. I returned later with some netting to protect them from the deer only to be offered a roll of chicken wire from a plot neighbour. On chatting to him it was obvious he’d taken pity on my pathetic attempt to keep the deer off the sweetcorn and I gladly accepted his offer and put the wire round most of the plot with only the spuds and rhubarb left unprotected.
That should keep ‘em out!
This is the most unusual wildlife photo I’ve taken on the plot. Whilst watering in the back garden I came across these two slow worms locked in an embrace – or one was trying to eat the other one! I’ve seen quite a few slow worms around the garden but never witnessed this before. They’re living along the edge of one of the raised beds and have now started to be a lot more active in the warm weather.
A busy weekend ahead with our Horticultural Society plant sale this afternoon and loads of plants to get out in their final positions. Hope you all have a lovely weekend.
At last some sun and a few days of dry weather after the deluge of the last five weeks or so. With lots of jobs to do I’ve concentrated on the home front this weekend and thought I’d give you a virtual tour as I haven’t focused on this for a while.
I started with the onion bed finding a few spaces for the last of the vento onion plants I’ve been growing on from Darren. There’s also shallots, Hative de Niort, and garlic, purple wight, in this bed.
Next were the peas, show perfection on the canes, and oregon sugar snap up the netting.
The cabbages, green ramco, have been out for a couple of weeks now and should reach a good size by the end of July. There’s seven in all aiming for an entry at the New Forest Show.
The stump carrots in two dustbins of sand are coming along nicely.
And after a slow start the long carrots in pipes are starting to take off.
The greenhouse is starting to clear slowly. There’s lettuce, radish and rocket in the bed on the right hand side. And celery, calabrese, cauliflower, brokali, purple sprouting, sweetcorn, runner & french beans, celeriac and leeks on the staging. These all need to planted out over the next three weeks.
And the hardening off area is pretty full. The tomatoes are about two foot tall and ready for planting out as soon as the weather warms up. There’s also marrows, beans, brussels, beetroot, cucumbers, squash and pumpkins waiting to go out. It’s all a bit of a jam waiting for the end of May when I’ll be confident the threat of a late frost has passed. Then it will be a frenzy of activity to get this lot all out into their final positions before we go on holiday!
Hope you’re all enjoying the sunny weather!
