Hard Work

diminutive daffs

We ll spring has sprung at last! Although today today's temperatures have taken a tumble after the highs of yesterday (20C under clear blue skies!) there is great feeling in the air. In the back garden I have lots of Tete-a-tete daffodils (all of 4” high) and crocuses and there are lots more bulbs poking their noses through. The grass has been cut for the first time too!

On Saturday I spent five hours down on the allotment. The raspberries and blueberries were pruned. I mulched the asparagus with some of my home made compost – quite pleased with it and there's plenty left for digging in with the strawberries and some of the beans, I have a lot of beans planned so it will need a lot of compost. I also dug out a very weedy area ready to put in the carrots – that was quite hard work for the start of the season but my back survived! There's similar patch half way up the allotment to do at a later date.

giant crocus

I've realised that I've been doing the allotment all wrong!! I've been working it as a whole plot then walking paths between the beds. This really wastes a lot of time and effort. It also means that I can't spread fertilisers or organic matter to rot down over winter as much will be wasted. So when I planned the allotment this time I plotted out permanent beds roughly 6ft wide with paths about 2ft between each. They will be about 3 metres long purely because thing like cloches and tunnels tend to be made that length. (Yes I know I'm mixing my measurements but it can't be helped!) The trouble is that the allotment is about 15ft wide (it is measured in chains – or some other archaic measurement) so I'll have an odd very long bed running down one side but unless I break it into much smaller pieces and lose even more growing space to paths I think it will work ok.

It's back!

Yesterday I took the plunge and put the cover back on the mini greenhouse and then moved a lot of pots into it. I've not put seeds in it because I've had a similar building blow over before and lost all the seeds which were inside it. Instead I'll be keeping the seed trays in the main greenhouse, which I think is warmer because it is twin walled. The only big plants left in there are the Camellia and two Acers, just in case there are any frosts in the next week or so. I have put in plenty of seeds now – Romanesco, Broccoli, Canadian Wonder Beans, New Zealand Spinach, and Parsnips. Down in the heated propagator are pre-sprouted tomatoes (from the tray on the windowsill) two pots of electric daisies and three pots of tomatillos. The tray of flower seeds are doing well, lots of tiny fragile seedlings. Having emptied one compost dalek I was able to turn the second one into it. A smelly and heavy job but well worth doing because the bottom had become very compacted and slimy, it wasn't composting well so hopefully now that it has been turned over it will compost down a lot better. I need to look at what I put in there – I think it needs more dry matter, perhaps straw or shredded paper and turning over or mixing about more often to keep the air flowing. It had a good start with lots of old compost from Rob's greenhouse clear out.

hidden gems

One thing which didn't get composted were the chilli plants found by the bin – Rob had emptied his greenhouse and dumped them leaving most of the chillies on the plants so I sat and pulled them off, I will put them on string soon and hang them in the airing cupboard to dry then eventually they will all be ground down to make my own chilli powder.

hot box

This lead me to thinking about the importance of only growing what you intend to eat or maybe sell. Many newcomers to grow your own make the mistake of growing everything that is traditional whether they like it or not. I have seen plots with large amounts of thing like Broad Beans, Brussels Sprouts and Runner Beans going to waste because they were grown out of habit rather than need. With ever spiralling seed prices it really is important to plan carefully what to grow. I always go by what I like most, is hard to get in the shops, is always expensive in the shops and maybe it is a bit unusual. To this end this year I am making the soft fruit area much larger, likewise the area dedicated to hungry veg – beans, spinach and aliums is bigger. I am also not doing potatoes as they take up a lot of room, always stay relatively cheap in the shops and there is wireworm in the soil. Some people grow things which are trendy but then much later discover that they either don't like said plant or have no idea what to do with it. This then has the knock on effect of denting their confidence. It isn't the same as growing something as an experiment, this usually done as a informed choice which may or may not work out well. I did that last year with the salsify, I was curious so I tried it and was not impressed. The Chard was a similar experiment but more successful as I enjoyed it's earthy flavour and will grow it again (if I have room). I also plant to experiment with growing lentils this year too as I love to eat them and can't always get my favourite type. The same rule applies to greenhouses – don't grow tomatoes if you don't really like them – grow something different that you do like, maybe different fruit such as melons, or get some early fruiting strawberries. If you are a veg lover try Aubergines and Peppers instead.  Whether your passion is for tomatoes, carrots or brassicas try some different varieties – either new F1 hybrids or heritage as well as the reliable varieties the choices are amazing especially if you search online.  I think we all need to get more imaginative in our growing.

Looking Forward

Happy days

I have been in a bit of a gardening downer over the past few weeks. The allotment didn't do well last year when others had bumper crops, I cannot find a job in horticulture (Garden centre, nursery or gardening!), I didn't get a place on a gardening course and Norfolk Master Gardeners have been disbanded because there is no further funding! All of which added on to a very wet winter put me into a decline. However it is not terminal and like the most persistent weeds I've started recovering. I ordered a box full of assorted seeds from Seed Parade – excellent value for money – and some James Wong seeds from Suttons, Cucamelons, Callaloo, Tomatillos & Electric Daisies.

Greenhouse

As I said last time I have commandeered part of the middle shed for seed growing – so long as I can stop people dumping junk on the flat surface!!! I started some broad beans off a couple of weeks ago just in cells on the bench not in the new toy and they are just starting to pop their heads up. At the same time I put in some onion and leek seeds which don't seem to have stirred yet. I managed to clear a small space on the greenhouse bench so these have all been put up there as it is lighter and warmer. Also in the greenhouse are pots and hanging pots of strawberries, long overdue for planting up, hopefully I'll get a small early crop.  I rescued some Garlic, destined for the bin, from work & am glad to say that some of it is growing happily in a trough near the greenhouse. 

Garlics

Back in the shed I've changed tack and put some flower seeds into a tray in the propagator. The packets say they should have been planted by last year but I'm hoping that with heat they will all spring into life. There's a mixture of Poppies, Rudbeckia, Asters, Sweet Peas & Shasta Daisies. I've got lots more to try but there isn't much room because I've pre-sprouted some parsnips and they are now in there too. How successful things are remains to be seen – I have bought proper seed compost this year and I am very disappointed. It's Levingtons so I expected it to be good quality fine blended compost but no, this is full of hard woody lumps and fibrous bits, not what seeds need at all. I might as well have used ordinary multi purpose!

Sprouts

On the kitchen windowsill are the rest of the parsnip seeds and another tray of assorted seeds all pre-sprouting to check their viability. I've got tomatoes, peppers and peas all laid out in organised rows. It is a technique I first discovered on my Master Gardeners induction day. It makes so much sense when you're not sure of the viability of seeds to just try a few on a damp paper towel to see if they come to life.

I haven't done anything on the allotment for ages – it needs digging over, or rotavating to save my back! Although I've not managed to get down to the allotment because of the wet weather I have been planning out the coming growing season. The top half of the plot will be nearly all fruit plus the asparagus with a dividing line of herbs across the middle, these are mainly grown for wildlife as I have plenty at home to use in the kitchen. The rest of the plot is divided up for a normal three crop rotation but fitting in nine different types of beans plus two lots of peas, spinach, chard, squash, onions and leeks means that the 'hungry' area will be much bigger than the brassica or roots areas. Fortunately we are not big brassica eaters – I am doing Romnanesco, Kale & Brussels Sprouts this year for a change. In the roots part I've got four types of carrot (not planned but magazines give things away!) and two types of parsnip. I will need to do some clever planting to get everything in! I am thinking about growing a pumpkin on the 'compost' heap. It isn't really usable compost because it is just the heap where I pile all the weeds I dig out – so more of a mountain than a heap!

I have purchased a soil testing probe – it does moisture, Ph and light. I have tested it out here and there and was shocked to find that the Acers & Camelia which were repotted into ericacious compost last year are now in non acidic compost. It reads Ph6! So I had to purchase some special food for them to try and redress the balance. I shall have to use only rainwater for them to help balance things out. This makes me wonder what to do with the Blueberries. I need to check the Ph of the soil on the allotment before I decide but if Ericacious compost doesn't stay acidic enough is there any point of transferring them into pots?

Alexanders Everywhere!!

In the garden at home there are signs of life with bulbs poking their noses through. However this mild winter has meant that the weeds have already taken over – we are overrun with Alexanders! I dug loads up last year and they are back with vengeance so I'm seriously thinking of using some mega strong wed killer on them. Not organic or good practice but sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures! I know that some people like to eat them – leaves in salads & roots later in the year but I'm not one of them! It will be tricky in some places because they are growing close to or in some shrubs.

Ever flowering Calendula

Last time I mentioned I'd dug up the scorzonera – well I did eat some of it & was not impressed. It was very tough and fibrous and the famous 'delicate' flavour left a lot to be desired. Still it was only a curiosity! The Fuchsias have calmed down and although full of buds they aren't opening. The calendua is still flowering!  

New Year Calendula

Calendula

So we have reached the end of 2013 – it is mid winter and I still have Cyclamen, Fuchsias, Primroses and Calendula in flower. It has been a mercifully mild winter so far, which many gardeners have been complaining about because it has thrown some plants into a confusion and caused them to flower in the wrong season. The Fuchsias and Calendula have not stopped flowering since the summer but they probably wont go on much longer as today it has turned colder. There was a frost this morning, the first real one we have had this winter and it's a lovely crisp clear day today but there are more winter storms blowing in from the west next week which will keep the temperatures up – although trees and power lines may come down!

Lady Boothby

My tiny £1.99 Lady Boothby 'climbing' Fuchsia is very happy in the coalshed bed, it was still flowering in November. I have tied it onto it's supporting mesh to stop winter weather damaging it and I discovered a lot of new shoots and even some flower buds! To prevent the new shoots from damage I covered her in fleece and then bubblewrap. Next year should be even better. The small pink fuchsias in front of Lady B. are still flowering well and looking quite happy. I am tempted to add in some other fuchsias next year as they seem to like the conditions there. All I have to do is choose something suitable!

Just before Christmas I went down to the allotment to dig up the last of the root vegetables;

Winter Leeks

Mutant Parsnips

 Leeks, Parsnips and Scorzonera. Remember the mutant carrots from the summer? Well the Parsnips were little better – I have looked it up on the internet and it could be erratic watering, too much fertilizer, too close together, too many weeds too many stones or root knot nematodes. Talk about being up against it!! The leeks were better although many were pencil slim, this is probably due to a combination of planting out late and not enough water. The Scorzonera have done remarkably well despite the difficult growing conditions – again a variety of sizes but not bad for a first try. We had some of the Parsnips and Leeks with Christmas dinner and they were good but have yet to try the Scorzonera.

Scorzonera

The allotment is looking a little unkempt to say the least but not much worse than many of the other plots. I have some caged brassicas which are looking quite happy. The seedlings were given to me and I can't remember what they are!

Iced Calendula

Up in the greenhouse it is an oasis of calm, the roof is still in place and the temperature is just right inside. I still haven’t sorted out and made room for next years seeds but I have a cunning plan....... I am now the proud owner of an electric propagator! There is no electricity up in the greenhouse and no cat free safe place indoors so I have cleared a space by the windows in the middle shed, which does have electricity so I will be able to get a lot of things germinating which I haven't managed to grow before. There should be enough room to start some other seeds off out there too. Now all I have to do is order the new seeds.........

Finally I'd like to wish all of you a Happy and productive New Year

Primroses

In the Cells.....

The Old Roof

Last time I wrote I was hoping to get the greenhouse refurbished. Well I'm glad to say that the roof has been done! Not a full make over yet but we ran out of time, roofing bolts and sheeting. The roof was the most important part because the old sheets are getting quite brittle and one or two broke when it snowed. At least I will not have snow inside the greenhouse this year! With the roof done we put the remaining bits of sheeting inside the greenhouse to provide extra insulation. Where there were any gaps I put bubble wrap up again. I know it sounds a bit Heath Robinson but when I went in there yesterday it was quite warm so It will do for now. It was a hasty job to put everything back inside before

New Solid Roof

darkness fell so I did all the plants then the pots etc had to wait until the next day. Having put in all the overwintering plants I have discovered a problem – not enough room for planting seeds!! This is a real nuisance to say the least. The problem is caused by the mini greenhouse not being sturdy enough for the winter so I can't use it as I'd intended. I'll have to do some serious sorting out and shifting around to make enough room to do the seeds for next year. What is taking up all the room? Why do they all need to go inside? I hear you ask (imagining voices again!).

Standing Room Only

I have a lot of plants in pots which would freeze solid if we have another really cold winter so they need protecting. Back in February I mentioned that there is nothing but open seas between the North Norfolk Coast and the North Pole so when the North wind blows we really feel the cold. Well it isn't much better if you head east. We are on almost the same latitude as Berlin and Minsk with only the low lands of Holland to protect us from those biting easterlies! Brrrrrrrrrr!

It's Not Rubbish!!

When I was emptying the greenhouse I found sacks full of pots and trays for seed planting. The pots are fine as they stack together quite happily and don't take up too much room. The same goes for traditional seed trays. Then there are the cells – they are very useful but an absolute nightmare because there are so many different shapes and sizes! I have got cells in sixes, nines, twelves but each is different in size and shape – small square sixes – big rectangular sixes. Hardly any of them will stack together so they are a an unruly bunch to store. I make my own cells by using toilet roll tubes and stand them in seed trays which is great for bigger seeds but rather overkill for smaller ones so I resort to reusing the plastic cells for them.

The Cells

Lastly there are the polystyrene ones – totally unstackable!! I think it's time to cut down on the variety!! Is it really necessary to have so many different sizes, shapes and numbers of cells? Surely more uniformity would be better for commercial growers and gardeners? Oh what was that? – We're not meant to store and reuse them? They are meant to be thrown away?! But we are gardeners – past masters at recycling – it is in our blood. Well if we are not meant to reuse them why not make them Biodegradable instead! (I need to go and calm down now)

I have brought in the seed box and sorted it out and found that many packs are out of date but still half full. So now I have a quandary – do I buy in new ones or give these a try? Well if I can make enough room I'll give them a try a bit earlier than usual so I can see what is still viable seed. It has occurred to me that my idea of growing different and interesting foods has rather fallen by the way. I have a few different varieties of the same old thing. Thinking about what I really like to eat made me explore some different sites on the internet and I have decided to revolutionise what I grow with a bit of help from James Wong. On his website http://www.jameswong.co.uk/#/homegrown-revolution/4572077593 I have found some really different thing to grow such as Cucamelons, Goji Berries, Callaloo, Quinoa, Chick Peas, Tomatillos and Electric Daisies. Many of them are available from Suttons Seeds (look for James Wong Homegrown Revolution) and for the rest his website has links to suppliers. Some of these need a really sunny site so I may keep some at home and put them on the edge of the deck instead of tubs of annuals. Added to the James Wong selection I shall be trying out climbing Borlotti Beans because the climbing French beans and dwarf Borlotti did badly, Dutch Brown Beans and Red Kidney Beans. For the less unusual vegetables I shall try heritage varieties such as Laxton Fillabucket Peas, Spanish Black (purple) carrots, Norfolk Giant Carrots and Lemon Cucumbers. I'm going to ditch the traditional tomatoes in favour of unusual varieties such as Green Zebra, Yellow Pear, Orange Russian and White Beauty – these come in a variety pack for £5.95 from http://www.jungleseeds.co.uk/contents/en-uk/d48.html. A bit pricey but so much more exciting than the usual suspects.

Lady Boothby

Not quite standard

Finally I've included a couple more pics of lovely fuchsias still flowering in the garden just to brighten up the day.  

Late Lobelia

Winter Drawers on!!

A Little Squashed

The storms of autumn are rapidly blowing us towards winter but the temperatures are still quite mild. I managed to nip down the allotment last week and harvested the Butternut Squashes and Pumpkin. Not exactly a bumper crop but the Butternuts have done well considering how late they went in and how dry it was at first. I don't think I'll make any further mention of the pumpkin.

Wind Tunnel

When I went down I discovered that the bean tunnel had succumbed to the strong winds and was looking decidedly worse for wear. Today I managed to get back down there to dismantle it and harvest the beans I'd left for seeds. It turned out only two legs were damaged beyond repair so I hope to be able to use it next year. When I opened the shed I was greeted with a lot of insects flying out – at first I thought they were mosquitoes but I think they'll all be dead by now – they turned out to be lacewings, I've seen so few this year so it was a pleasant surprise! I rather wish I hadn't disturbed them but I needed to open the shed and anyway it wasn't too cold so they should be able to find somewhere safe to shelter again. It didn't take long to clear the beans, then I loaded the car up with old bean pods and bags of parsley stalks to be deseeded. Back home I discovered more lacewings lurking in the parsley stalks so I've put them up in the greenhouse for a later date. I also had a smaller tub with more parsley heads in which I have stripped and already have far more parsley seeds than I need for the net few years. Added to this I have a tub of pumpkin seeds and loads of runner bean seeds. I think I'll go into the seed business!

A small fortune!

Ready for next year

Back in the home garden the small greenhouse has been stripped of all plants and its cover because I don't think it will survive the rigours of a Norfolk winter if it is complete. The bigger greenhouse has been stripped of its tomatoes and cucumbers and filled with overwintering plants. I hope we will get the new covering on it during the coming week then I can start planting up some seeds for next year. I need to go through the seed box to see what is needed. I have already been looking at prices and have found a small independent company who are much cheaper than the big boys and do seed in reasonable quantities so I plan to buy anything I need from them.

With the weather being so mild many of the summer flowers are still doing well. I have found lobelia, marigolds, primroses and even cosmos flowering in the garden. Of course the fuchsias are still going well. I know that many people dislike them but I love them! Not only do they have an astonishing array of colours and types but they are the best value for money of any plant I know! The non standard one in a pot which I pictured a few weeks ago is still going well, as are the trio in the coalshed bed. My small Lady Boothby ('climbing' fuchsia) has grown about two and a half feet this year – not the most prolific flowering but very vigorous. I still hope to get many more hardy ones in the front garden, as and when money allows. 




Hopefully next time I write I'll have pictures of the refurbished greenhouse and all its happy winter inhabitants! For now just enjoy the flowers.........

Forking Carrots!!

Well this is a poor show – I've not written a jot since for nearly two months!! I have been quite busy working (on Saturdays which is my primary allotment day), holidaying, going to watch motor racing and sometimes gardening.

Most of the carrot crop

Mutant carrots

Earwig nest

With most vegetables harvested now I have started reviewing the year, how to improve things and what to grow next year. It may not come as a surprise that I am quite disheartened with things down on the allotment this year. I have been endlessly weeding but it is utterly pointless. When I go back a week later it is just as bad as before. Added to that the crops have been pretty poor, with the exception of the strawberries and runner beans. Many others are celebrating a glorious summer and gathering bumper harvests. I have forked carrots and potatoes the size of grapes! My two big problems were lack of mulch and irrigation. What I need to do is cover the allotment with about four inches of - concrete - no I mean organic matter!! I have looked on line and it would cost upwards of £50 to get sufficient compost to do half the allotment. (I am thinking of the actual worked area bearing in mind that a substantial chunk is taken up by the soft fruit and the shed area.) However there is then the problem of delivery because the truck can only deliver to an area of hard standing not onto allotments and narrow lanes may be a problem! That means that I'd have to find somewhere suitable for the delivery and then ferry the whole lot by wheelbarrow onto the allotment! Maybe I'll just buy bags of compost from a local garden centre as I can afford (I think its 3 80L bags for a tenner) them and take them down in the car. 

Whatever I decide to do I need to do something to try and combat those pesky weeds first. Do I throw my organic principles to the wind and get some high powered weed killer? It sounds tempting but the whole plot was done the first autumn we had it and the weeds came back with vengeance the following spring. Many of the allotment holders smother the weeds with areas of old carpet, although it does the trick it looks unsightly and is disapproved of by the organic community. I need to use something like cardboard or newspaper to cover the ground then put clean compost on top of that (and maybe cover that to stop even more weeds getting in!). What I can't get away from is the need to dig out the tough weeds like dock and mallow before I do any covering because they will just grow through bigger and stronger. What joy. Some new allotment holders have built raised beds and filled them with clean soil/compost which is a good but pretty costly way of combating the weeds.

'Main Crop'

One of the worst crops have been the potatoes; very undersized and full of wireworm. This has meant some very serious thinking about the cost effectiveness and need to actually grow potatoes, especially maincrop, when I can buy large bags of potatoes locally for a reasonable price all year round. At the moment I am thinking of growing only salad potatoes and they will be in bags at home. This will free up a lot of space down on the allotment for other crops. I currently plan to grow a lot of different beans, try again with peas, different squashes, black kale, Romanesco broccoli, onions, leeks, carrots and parsnips as well as asparagus and a large area for soft fruit.

Saved for seeds

You'd better book a taxi Cinders!

Caged Brassicas

It is not all doom and gloom though, up in the greenhouse the tomatoes and cucumbers have done well with steady cropping rather than a glut. However the tumblers in a hanging basket did not tumble and did not produce well. I may try different varieties next year and maybe find room for peppers and aubergines. I plan to put some of the strawberries in there hoping to get an early crop. Hopefully the greenhouse will get a makeover soon as himself has brought home some twin wall glazing from a dismantled structure. Two sheets are quite big so they will replace half the roof and back end then smaller pieces will do the other part of roof (with the vent in) and sides. All we have to do is work out how to attach the sheets to the frame. It will make a real difference to the warmth in there when it is done.

I'm off!!

 
The small greenhouse nearly blew away a few weeks ago – both zips ripped apart and the whole thing filled with wind so I had to remove the cover from the frame, it nearly took my youngest flying off to Denmark as a gust caught it just as I released the last tie. Fortunately the zips were easily repaired and torn ties reattached. The edges are now weighted down with bricks to prevent the wind getting underneath so much.


Soon it will be time to clear the tomato and cucumber plants out of the greenhouse and put the pots in for the winter and start buying and sowing seeds for the next season. Circle of life!

Disemboweling Daleks

Sad Blueberries

Last time I wrote I was waiting for rain to arrive. Well it did eventually at about eleven pm – better late than never I suppose! We have had some heavy thundery rain and showers since then but still the ground is dry. Once again there is the possibility of rain later – its always later never now! One day I may well sit here bemoaning the persistent rain stopping me getting outside and doing things but I don't think it will be for a while yet!


Recently I saw an item on local news about the amazing blueberry crop being harvested by a Norfolk fruit grower – huge clusters of berries looking more like grapes – I am envious, I'd be over the moon if my bushes produced even half that amount. I really must re-home them and give them lots of attention.

Dalek innards

When I return to the allotment I shall be digging over the early potato patch and putting in some brassicas, kindly given to me by a neighbour, and trying out some late broad beans because the harvest has been so terrible from the early ones. In preparation for this I dug out some compost from the 'Dalek' by the kitchen door. It has been working away decomposing for over a year and I'm quite pleased with the results. It is fairly dry and very crumbly but some egg shells have survived. It is fine for digging in on the allotment and will finish rotting down in its own time. 'Dalek' number two is now filling up mainly with vegetable trimmings from the kitchen plus some lawn mowings and shredded paper. I don't put in any of the garden weeds because I don't think the heap gets hot enough to kill them so they go into the brown bin for the council to deal with. Hedge trimmings and prunings also go to the council because without a shredder to make them digestible I'd be left with a lot of sticks.

Silver Y Moths

The Escallonia

 By the kitchen door there is a huge mature Escallonia Macrantha which last year attracted large numbers of bees, it just hummed all day. This year the bees have been joined by a
cloud of Silver Y moths. I didn’t realise just how many there were until I came home one evening and saw a halo of moths over the bush. I have tried to photograph them but not had much luck. Maybe I should have tried to video them instead. The blooms are waning now so the bees and moths are starting to go elsewhere for their nectar fix. Who knows what else will turn up next year.



 

Non Standard Fuchsia

Not Alpines but still pretty

The pots in the garden are doing quite well. The sweet pea wigwam had some lovely blooms, again coming to an end now. My rescued tall fuchsia is doing very well, last year it had been decapitated so I gave it a good home. I am thinking of training it into a proper standard, just a rather short one. Remember the old sink by the front door? Well I didn't manage to replant it so it just has some annuals in it but they look very colourful.
 

Buddlea hits the bottle

I have been trying out the irrigation spikes around the garden and in the house. The one I bought have taps on to adjust the flow – all I have to do is get the flow rate right! The two cheeseplants upstairs are very glad of them as they now get a continuous supply of water. I have tried them out in some outdoor pots and the new border. I am taking five bottles down to the allotment to water the squashes, It could be more but the boys are not drinking the fizz fast enough - I have sixteen spikes!!