Hastings

We didn't visit the plot today, as predicted, but I thought I'd take the opportunity to introduce you to Hastings, who is rapidly becoming our 'allotment cat'. (Hastings is the name on his collar, though of course it could just be who insures him - who knows?!)

I've no idea who he really belongs to, of course, but he loves to play on the allotment site and we see him there more and more lately. He has lost his tail in an accident in the not-too-distant past, but it doesn't make him any less fearless, curious or affectionate. He runs over for a cuddle when he sees us and spends hours at a time just hanging around nearby watching us, nosing around in whatever we're trying to dig, plant or build, rubbing against our legs whether we're watering, raking or hoeing (actually, I'm beginning to see why he lost his tail!) and generally getting underfoot!


He's so cute and lovely! We're both softies for cats, so not a lot else gets done when he wants attention, but even when he doesn't it's really nice just to see him lying around, enjoying the place as much as we do!

Pond Life and Parsnips

Finally made it back to the allotment today after over a week, and what a glorious day it was! We didn't spend as much time there as I would've liked, but we did manage to dig and manure the bean and pea patch (we'll plant the peas later on in the week), start clearing some other areas, and do a few other bits and pieces.

I painstakingly planted out a row of tiny parsnip seedlings - unorthodox I know (aren't I always?) but after last year's disastrous results I decided to take drastic measures. This goes against all the instructions on the seed packet but I wanted to try it as an experiment anyway, so I sowed the seeds in the greenhouse back in Feb (where I got tremendous germination success!) and they've been out in the garden for a few weeks getting used to the cold. Don't worry; I'll sow another row in boring old April like a good girl...

I also planted another two bulbs of garlic in some spare space along the edge of the strawberry patch. My plan has always been to dot the garlic around, since it has such beneficial effects on the soil and insect-repellent properties too, so I've just been sticking it in wherever there's room. I wanted to plant the majority in among the tomatoes but at this rate it'll be ages before the ground over there is ready, so they're in a trough at home at the moment, just beginning to sprout. What an exciting sight that was this morning!

Most exciting today, however, were the goings-on in the pond!

Our tadpoles are hatched, and there are all kinds of other new signs of life too!

I'm thinking these are just snail eggs, but does anyone know? There are some very tiny fishy-looking-things as well - though I don't think fish could have got into our pond by themselves (and I don't really want them either!) - some mayfly and damselfly nymphs, and something that looked a bit like beansprouts; little blobby bodies suspended motionless a few inches below the surface with their tails dangling beneath them...

I made the most of the weather and got busy in the garden this morning too while I was waiting for Eddie to get up (I told him he could sleep in today because I'm going to work him so hard for the rest of our week off, muhahahaa!) The place is still a mess, but I managed to pot up my other two roses, start some sunflower seeds, rearrange the greenhouse a bit, and finally plant some of the lily and dwarf gladiolus bulbs that have been sitting in bags in my kitchen for weeks now. And weren't they raring to go! The pure white shoots of this lily were beautiful!

As I said, we've both got a week off this week, so expect a lot of posts. It's due to rain tomorrow and we have indoor-stuff to do, but next sunny day we plan to sow some peas and get started on the rest of the beds.
For now I'll leave you with this photograph, which confused me no end! Do click for a closer look:

Have they introduced new tadpole-sized bottles of coke? No! It took me ages to figure out, but it's a reflection of a coke bottle upturned on a garden cane nearby!

Snowed in

Well not literally. But the weather, as predicted, has been miserable all weekend and I've stayed safe indoors.


This is the home garden I've been working so hard on - ha! What a mess! There's still loads of rubbish to get rid of, and the high winds have kindly rearranged eveything for me too! As you can see, it really is tiny...
I was worried about the stuff in the greenhouse in this cold weather but it all seems to be doing fine, although the brassica seedlings on the very bottom shelf are straining for more light. I'll have to move them outside as soon as this cold snap finishes I think, even if only during the daytime.

The tomatoes and courgettes are sprouting in earnest now, though there's no sign at all of the melons which is a bit of a shame.



I've decided I don't really have room for all those tomatoes - perhaps just two of each variety. (Don't know if the problem was my maths or my overenthusiasm, but the previous plan meant they'd be planted just 9 inches apart! Now I'm a believer in spacing things closer together than they say you should, but that's just silly!) I didn't really expect every courgette seed to germinate, since they're quite old, so I've got more of them than I was bargaining for too - I think I'll be giving away a lot of plants in a few weeks' time! Ah well, I have a work friend who is thinking of taking on an allotment, and a sister-in-law who has just got her first garden, so it shouldn't be too difficult...

I've just realised that you can only see my Google Docs (under Growing Information on the right) if you're signed up to the site yourself, which is not what I wanted, so today I'm planning to have a go with Google Page Creator and/or box.net and see if I can do something better. Watch that space...

Spuds In

We got the potatoes planted on Wednesday, as planned, which is good since they're now forecasting heavy snow for the weekend! (Good job I planted the spuds nice and deep.)

My eight foot square beds sometimes mean cramming things in closer than I should, and it was difficult to know how best to squeeze the maximum number of plants into the space.
Last year I had success with three double rows of tubers one foot apart, with two feet between double rows, allowing me to grow 42 plants like this:


But this year I'm growing four varieties, which obviously I'd like to keep separate! There's no way I could squeeze four double rows in, and cutting them down to single rows would mean only 28 plants. So I finally settled on this:

Earthing the rows up might get interesting, but this allows me to plant all ten of each variety, except two Cara which I'll grow in tubs at home.

I sowed a few rows of seeds in the salad patch as well. I'm a little more worried how they might fare in the snow for a couple of days but these are the risks we take... Last year I told myself I'd start the leaf veg at home like most other things and plant them out, as I had such mixed success direct sowing like this, but the fact is I just don't have room for so many plants! So fingers crossed... I planted two more bulbs of garlic too, in a seam down the middle of the bed to divide up the short rows. The plan is this:

Yellow indicates varieties not sown yet, and the green down the middle is the garlic and perhaps some coriander to keep the aphids away. It seemed to work last year, although I was surprised yesterday to find some greenfly on my coriander plants at home...

SOWN:
10 potatoes 'Arran Pilot' (first earlies)
10 potatoes 'Charlotte' (second earlies)
10 potatoes 'Kestrel' (second earlies)
8 potatoes 'Cara' (maincrop)

2 more bulbs garlic 'Thermidrome'

1/2 row Lettuce 'Marshall' (red cos type)
1/2 row Lettuce 'Balmoral' (crsiphead type)
1/2 row Letuce 'Lollo Rossa'
1/2 row Spinach 'Mediana'
3 x 1/2 row Beetroot 'Boltardy'
1/2 row Mizuna
1/2 row Mustard 'Oriental Pizzo'
1/2 row Land Cress
1/2 row Garden Cress 'Wrinkled Crinkled Crumpled'
1/2 row Spring Onion 'Ramrod'
1/2 row Spring Onion 'North Holland Bloodred Redmate'
1/2 row Corn Salad 'Large Leaved'
1/2 row Lettuce 'Little Gem'

Another thing we did on Wednesday, on a whim, was to build ourselves this little table out of a couple of pallets:

Ugly it may be, but it's much needed; there's an obvious drawback to having all our tools stored underneath the only place to put bags, coats, and drinks! And it'll come in useful for picnic lunches and summertime drinks too.
My sister, Jess, spent the afternoon with us as well and it all felt very industrious; Eddie planting spuds, me sowing seeds, and Jess painting our new table! The best times on the plot are always when friends and family muck in and you can natter away while you work (and they lighten the load too of course!), and when you get to spend a good few hours there and get lots of diferent things done it feels so rewarding.

One thing though; for all this exercise in the fresh air, working towards more healthy, organic and nutritious food, when I get home after a hard day's work on the plot why is it I just can't resist the urge for a greasy takeaway?

Some Serious Chitting Action!

You may recall my seed potatoes arrived recently; frighteningly late. Turns out there was nothing to worry about; in just ten days, they have produced such beautiful chits that I can now join in with pictures like this:




I'm hoping to plant them on Wednesday, my day off, since the long-term forecast for the Easter weekend is dreadful.

I've been busy in the home garden in the rain: here is my new climbing rosebush, settling in nicely...


And my newly planted blackcurrant, putting on some incredibly fast growth.


The container herb garden has begun too.


I bought rosemary and thyme plants from Wilkinsons, since they grow so slowly and I can't even get any rosemary seeds to germinate. In the plastic rings (for early protection) I've sown curly parsley, sage, oregano, french parsley, garlic chives, tarragon and chives, and I've left some space down the front for basil and coriander later in the season. I've also sown a trayful of sage for the allotment (40 plugs!) as a companion plant for the brassicas. Ooh, and I bought some tiny mint plants (can't seem to germinate mint seeds either) which I'll keep in containers to, well, contain them!