Spring has sprung

…with a spring in my step, I sprung into action today for about 30 minutes and turned my attention to the trays of Purple Velvet Petunia seedlings on the windowsill. They need pricking out today!

 

Having done naff all for the past 10 days due to my furry companion of 19 years passing away last Monday, my beloved cat Yasmin…..I’ve not been in the best of moods since. Missing the everyday interaction, feeding and even the sound of her claws on the laminate flooring has she walked through the house. I’m going to miss her forever !

As you can see from the above pics, I managed a few trays. If I’m having another spring moment tomorrow, the Bacopa will be next.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

❤ ❤ ❤

woohooo…has summer finally arrived.

And I’m feeling allllrightttt…

…the sun is out and the temperature is raising…..and I’m standing outside of the greenhouse.  How great is that. 😀  So, what’s been happening at the photographer’s garden, well…

The tomatoes have finally moved to their final positions in the greenhouse.

This is the happiest of all the trays of beetroot. The rest are in a mood because I’ve pricked them out to late – beetroot hate having their roots disturbed.

The parsnips are doing fab – trying to keep the temps down as growth will stop – veg seedlings don’t like extreme temps.

Looks like I’m going to have a glut of Lettuce – I do the same thing every year. However, I’ve a great little soup recipe – Green Herb Soup. My boss would make this for the guests, when I use to lived at the Lakes, it’s fab !

I’ll post the recipe later though. 🙂

LOL my only Cauliflower seedling to germinate, well I did chance an old packet of seeds, Clapton this variety. Notoriously difficult to grow, this variety is surprisingly easy. Erm yeh, think I’ll buy a fresh packet next year.

Basil.  It’ll be growing alongside the tomatoes in the greenhouse, as it doesn’t grow very well outside…just goes all black and withers – just too cold.

Mini-pop (baby corn) on the left and Sweetcorn on the right. Both planted differently – Mini-pop in single rows 20ins apart. Sweetcorn in blocks of four 16ins each way. Never had a bad crop yet !

Squash, planting these alongside my pumpkins for Halloween.

Giant Sunflowers, well, not at the moment. Soon, I hope…

Busy Lizzies, sowed them quite late really but it doesn’t matter. Should be ready for the hanging baskets by the end of June if I prick them out now.

I don’t tend to grow broccoli but thought, what the hell give it another go.

Ha, my cucumber plant, La Diva. These are murder for getting powdery mildew but if you catch it early…spray the leaves with diluted milk and water and this does help to reduce the damage. lol Anno milk and water, seriously this does work. One solution is to UP the humidity – the blue tray will be filled with water  to keep the immediate area around the plants, as humid as possible. Lets see what happens !!

I’ll have a P please bob….yes, you can’t have an allotment without a wigwam of peas. The trouble is, the pea moth loves them too. Fleece may be the answer.

I can’t wait for these to ripen. Bought these strawberry plants from a nursery down south – on the left a variety called Vibrant and on the right Marshmello. One thing is for sure, I’ve never seen plants so big, the flowers are massive. 🙂 🙂

Potatoes !! Main crop – Rooster, nice spuds and versatile.

More potatoes !! haha. First earlies – Anya, love these…nice nutty flavor great with salads.

Peppers, going to pot these on tomorrow. They’re not happy because their roots are too hot.

A mates baskets – filled with bacopa, million bells and surfina. Think I only planted them up 2 weeks ago, already they’ve doubled in size. 🙂    Fantastic !!

So that just leaves the rest of the weeding to finish off….oh man. hehe

Hello…

…is it me your looking for.

Ooops !!

I haven’t forgotten…..really. Time these Jack O’ lantern pumpkins were potted on, being very greedy and hungry plants they’d soon suffer if I didn’t.

Using a fork gently lift from the tray.

And pot on into individual modules; where they’ll remain for 2 weeks before being repotted again.

Cheers.

…it’s a beautiful day

Image

Hot Pepper

Since the weather was very poor and not much can be done outside. I figured it was time to sow my peppers before it’s too late. The seeds were covered with a 1/4″ of compost and put into a carrier bag to conserve moisture and placed in a warm place. Seedlings should appear in 7-14 days. Hmmm, we’ll see.

Growing lobelia – a method I like to use

Since I can’t get out and about. I thought I’d share my way of dealing with lobelia seeds. I often read the problems associated with lobelia, yet I find it one of the easiest to grow. Having said that, many of my methods were learnt through trial and error. 

1. Surface sow the seed onto moist compost in 4 or 5 rows and mist to adhere to seed to the compost. Here I’ve used the half size seed trays but you can use any size you wish.  Put into a carrier bag and using the handles, loosely tie so as not to let any moisture escape. Put into a warm light room/greenhouse and check at least once a day. Water using a fine spray bottle. Once germination has started remove from bag and position in a bright place, away from direct sunlight – direct sun will burn young seedlings.

2. The seedlings should look something like this after a few weeks.

3. When the seedlings reach this size they’re ready to be split and put into individual pots/modules.

4. Using a ruler for example, run it along the edge and underneath – very similar to loosening a cake from its tin.

5. Using the ruler, use it to cut each row.

6. It should look like this once it is separated.

 7. I find the ruler comes in handy when lifting from the tray.

8. Gently split into little clumps – they are very robust, so do not worry.

9. And pot on, into cells.

10. Then finally water from below – here a poundshop cat litter tray does the bizz………and transfer to a warm greenhouse for them to grow on.

After a few weeks the roots should have took and the plant will have grown in size. This is the time to transfer the trays to a non heated place until its time for hardening off, which usually lasts for 2 weeks. Once the risk of frosts and nasty weather has passed they’ll be ready for planting in your favorite places. And don’t forget, for great displays feed regularly – just like us, they need food to maintain their looks throughout the season.

So, if you fancy giving Lobelia a go – this is a great method and one which works for me. Happy gardening. 🙂

Waiting for the sun…

Usually, the Easter weekend signals all things potatoes and garden centres. However, this year is different – it is snowing but only just…here in the Northeast, thank goodness. The same can’t be said for other parts of the country who have been shivering under a white blanket of the stuff all week. Thinking back to this time last year, we were in the grips of a mini heatwave with many of us basking under its rays down the local parks with the kids. Lovely it was !!

Sadly it proved to be the only bit heat to hit our shores in 2012 and the rest of the Spring and Summer was spent under a umbrella sporting an essential bit of kit; wellies.

I’m hoping this year will be different and this extended cold weather, which has been predicted to last for many more weeks yet, turns out to be a good omen for the coming summer. Long and hot. Oooh, what a thought !!

The potatoes I’ve chosen to grow this year are Rooster ( main crop). A versatile all-rounder which grow and cooks well, whether its mashed, boiled, steamed or baked.

So in the meantime, I’ll continue to nurse my cold with a beechams lemon and plot the season to come. Then hopefully in a few days I’ll be feeling well enough for a trip to my local garden centre to check the range of plants they have in stock.

I can’t wait.

Enjoy your Easter Weekend, whatever the weather.

I’ll be back !

It’s been a crazy 6 months or so and I’ve not had much spare time. Anyway it’s a new year, new season and I’m keener than ever to get started.

Checkout my 12 new babies they arrived a week or so ago as bare-root specimens and look at them now – unfurling and straightening out.

 

The colour purple

My town is a wash with lavender at the minute and the smell, knocks me sick. I’ve never liked the smell of lavender and I think I can trace my dislike back to the 70’s when I was a wee grasshopper -lavender potpourri was very popular back then.

However, the bees love it and once it has established itself, it’s drought resistant and tough.

Pretty too !!

Photo of the Week

Herbs pots = £3.49

For some time now, I’ve been after a new set of herb pots for my kitchen windowsill. Which, when planted up, would look fab with the new decor. But the prices in the shops for such an item are ridiculous, to say the least. So I figured it was time to venture back to a time when, if you wanted to change a colour, you’d simply spray it. Nowt wrong with that ?

But first, I needed to find something to spray which was kinda plant-pot looking and free. So, I reckoned the allotment was a good place to check first. Over the years I’ve collected many things from places like carboots, flea-markets etc and most of it has ended up at the allotment.

It will come as no surprise then, when I say it took very little time to come across the perfect candidates – 3 little metal buckets. So up went the eviction notices for all the residents, followed by a short but swift bulldozing of property……Sorry !!!

The metal buckets in the state inwhich I found them.

The new finished look.

Ok ok. Perhaps not the most creative of jobs. But that would have meant spending more money then I did, which was £3.49 for a single can of spray. I’m happy with the results. You never know, I might in the future decide to re-spray them.

I think they look fab and I grew the herbs from seed myself.

Red delicious

The first harvest of the season begins…

Photo of the week

Container grown tomatoes

There is nothing more rewarding than standing in the greenhouse on a warm summer’s evening eating the fruits of your labour. Hand picked straight from the vine. But make no mistake, growing the best tasting tomatoes does require daily discipline and commitment, if grown indoors.

Selection of tomato plants

Growing from seed couldn’t be easier. Sow the seed via the seed packet instructions and place on a warm windowsill in your home until germination – expensive heated propagators are not needed.

However, this year I’ve cheated a tiny bit; well not intentionally. Every year we sow more than we need, and this year was no exception. So all my plants were started off by my gardener friends and offered to me when they were about 2 inches tall. And since I’d not set any of mine away, at the time. It seemed like such a shame to waste these good quality plants, so I accepted without hesitation.

I continued to grow these on in a heated greenhouse. Repotted them twice, so as not to stunt growth and now they are 25cm tall and ready for their final positions.

The varieties growing are Moneymaker, Alicante ( a super sandwich tomato ) and Yellowstuffers.

I filled, no less than 7.5litre pots, with good quality multi-purpose compost. Making sure any previously used pots were washed and sterilized first. Should the pots be any smaller in size, keeping the compost moist at all times may prove difficult in a greenhouse situation due to the heat.

Tip: I find that a large plastic dust-bin filled with water and a few swigs of disinfectant, makes washing large pots seriously easy. The bins themselves are readily available to purchase in most DIY stores.

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A frequently asked question I hear all the time is, “I’ve been told to pinch out the sideshoots, what are these ? ”

This depends on which cultivar you have chosen to grow. The two main growth types are indeterminate (also known as cordon) or determinate (also known as bush).  Should you choose to grow a bush variety, any sideshoots should be left on the plant otherwise your crop will be small.  However, on a cordon variety these sideshoots are best pinched out, as to leave them on takes much needed energy away from the main plant, resulting in a poorer quality crop. Our aim is to grow a single-stemmed plant. So its great for us that these infamous sideshoots are so easy to spot, as they grow between the leaf and main stem. But remember, these need constant removal because new ones form throughout the growing season.

Sideshoots – pinch these out.

Sideshoots – removed.

Ok, now that the plant is cleaned of any sideshoots, it’s time to plant it.

Make a hole deeper than the pot it came from, and slightly off centre. The aim here is to bury the plant up to its first set of leaves, which should have been removed. If not, remove them now. The area below will send out a second lot of roots, known as feeder roots. These are short and look for food, such as high potash feeds which should be applied once a week when the first truss ( flower stem) has set. The main (first) roots are long and search for water. Which takes me to the reason why I planted off centre. I like to sink a small pot beside the root ball, this helps to get more water to those longer, thirstier roots.

           Tip: Although the flowers self pollinate, those grown in the greenhouse do benefit from a gentle shake from time to time.

The plant is going to need support, and for this I use canes. Any cane length will do. I ran out of my usual long canes so instead of rushing to the nearest shop. I found a few 4ft lengths in the shed and some string. Being careful not to pierce the rootball I pushed the cane in until it reached the bottom. Cut a length of string and tied it around the top of cane, pulled it taut slightly and secured it to the top of the greenhouse. Then gently tied-in the plant to the cane using a figure of eight and finished by watering in.

Attach like so

Figure of eight tie

Water little and often, compost should be moist at all times. This will help to prevent fruit splitting and blossom end rot. Easier said than done sometimes, I know. As the season progresses do remember to remove any lower leaves around fruit. This helps to ripen fruit, increase air-flow and minimise the risk of disease. And after the 6th truss has set, cut off the top of plant to give the remaining fruit a chance to ripen.

Companion Planting

Oh, and don’t forget about companion planting, a part from the aesthetics, I think it’s a very useful way of controlling pests. I’ve decided to grow marigolds and basil alongside the tomatoes. The french marigolds will give off a strong odour which the green and blackfly hate. Whereas, the basil will help to ward off whitefly, which is starting to become a big problem – must be the weather. Don’t forget, it can also help to attract beneficial insects such as ladybirds and lacewings. If it’s something you don’t do, perhaps it’s worth thinking about.

Final spacing

French marigold ‘roulette’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy growing !!

Nature’s colour palette…

Yellow Flag Iris

Diascia ‘Pink Queen’

Nemesia and Calibrachoa

Asiatic Lily ‘Tropical Breeze’ when it flowers.

Bacopa ‘Blutopia’

Centradenia

Duckweed

Today, I was on a mission. And the mission; to plant out the pumpkins.

Every day this week they’ve screamed at me, “plant me plant me,” as I’ve walked past the coldframe in which they’ve sat. “I will I will,” I’ve cried back in an apologetic manner. And nooooo, I haven’t gone insane, I really did hear them say this. Haha.

In fact, everything in the coldframes needs planting out in their final spaces. I think this year has been very testing, with all this rain lately, getting out into the garden has been very difficult. However, the weeds are loving it and I’ve noticed they are starting to develop a right little attitude, much to my annoyance.  I haven’t said anything out loud, but between you and me, they’re next on my hit list. Mwa ha ha. Now where was I, oh aye…..  Today thankfully, the sky above stayed overcast long enough for me to complete this mission, of which, there are many.

For anyone planting pumpkins for the first time, here’s a step by step – it’s never failed me yet.

1. Dig a hole – a spade deep as wide.

2. Fill the hole with plenty of compost – here I’ve used my own homemade-compost but shop bought is as good, for those who are feeling the money.
3. It took 2 florist sized buckets to fill. Pumpkins are very greedy and need plenty of rich organic matter – do not skimp at this stage.

Homemade-compost. Perfection, if I do say so myself.

4. Time to pop in the plant. Stop !! Check plant for any yellow or damaged leaves and remove them. Plant it slightly deeper then when, it was in its pot. They often send out roots higher up on the stem.

5. Back fill over the compost with the garden soil that came out of the hole, and sprinkle 2 handfuls of fertilizer around the plant. Water in.

6. Step back and admire your hard work. This variety is called Jack O’ Lantern and usually grows to a size slightly bigger than a football – perfect for carving. Also, these need a spacing of no less than a metre each way. I know what your thinking, don’t do it, I have in the past – and it was a nightmare !!

7. And finally; one I carved out last Halloween !

Stay tuned, for further updates about pumpkin growing throughout the season. There’s more!!
Thankyou.

An ambitious winter plan

For some time now, I’ve had ambitious plans to build myself a new greenhouse and shed at the allotment. A major problem is the expense of it all, bricks, wood and glass don’t come cheap. There’s also another tiny problem, I’ve never built a greenhouse before, but I have built a kids playhouse, cold frames, polytunnels, compost holders and other things.

Yes, that’s right. Some women like myself do have the skills and strength, and an ability to build too. Haha. Am I qualified ? You know what, I do believe I am…

…ok, so I have to make a decision. Since I cannot build the two structures this year I have to choose between either a new greenhouse or shed, ermm…..greenhouse, that was easy. My current 8×6 little greenhouse really doesn’t meet my needs and whilst a bigger shed would be nice; it’s not imperative it happens this year.

So the other night at 1 in the morning, under the ambient light coming through the doorway from the passage, I decided to roughly sketch what I visually imagine my greenhouse to look like. Although, I’m not sure about whether it’ll be cold frames or a shelving system under the windows – a minor technicality which doesn’t require much thought at the moment……….But, what isn’t a minor technicality however, is the forgotten ventilation in them panes of glass. Tut tut. Haha. Other than that, I can’t think of many more changes to make.

I think I’ll make a start on the foundations in August, when harvesting is well under way and thoughts of the coming winter begin to surface. In the meantime, I shall make a start on building a much needed teeny weeny shed in my backyard.

It’s Jubilee weekend

Can’t think of a better excuse for baking cupcakes, then for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee…cakes fit for a Queen, what do you reckon ?

Enjoy !!

What’s growing so far…

What started out as a cool dull day has ended beautifully – hot and sunny. In fact, it’s been so beautiful this past week I’ve even worn my shorts, and I confess, I’ve throughly enjoyed every minute of it. Waking up each morning to blue sky with temperatures to match, really does put a smile on ones chops and a spring in your step with an eagerness to get things done. So how fab was today, with 90% of the potting on completed and my hanging baskets all made up, that I finally got the chance to simply wander round the allotment, pretty much stress free, and checkout what’s growing so far…

Gooseberries

Lettuce – reddish bronzed leaf variety, seeds from the Eden Project.

Garlic

Pumpkins, Jack O’Lantern – ready for hardening off.

Peas, Early Onward.

Taste of summer

Strawberries, one of the most versatile fruits available and growing in my garden. If you’ve never tasted a sun warmed, freshly picked strawberry, straight off the plant, then your missing out on one major sweet, juicy pleasure – not long till I do just that.

Strawberry plants are very easy to look after – first year ;-

1. Choose a weed free, full sun, fertile, well-drained site.
2. Space plants 10-12 inches a part.
3. Before planting add extra organic matter to make the soil rich.
4. Once planted keep soil moist.
5. In first year remove flowers to encourage a strong root system.
6. Remove dead leaves at the end of the season.

Second year and thereafter ;-

1. In spring feed plants with a general fertiliser such as growmore.
2. Weed and keep moist.
3. During the growing season, feed every 7-14 days with a liquid potash such as tomato feed.
4. As fruits start to swell, lay either straw or fibre mats around plants to prevent strawberries from being contaminated by soil.
5. Pin down any runners until a good root system develops, then cut from the mother plant.
6. Once harvesting as finished, remove old leaves, straw or fibre mats and do a general tidy-up of the area to prevent a build-up of pests and diseases.

Strawberry plants crop at their best for 3 years, use runners as a replacement of old plants. It’s also a good idea to use the crop rotation method as this helps to minimise attacks from pests and diseases that lurk in the soil.