Parsnips in (just harvested the last of last years batch), carrots & lettuce. Some strawberry plants from last year too.
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All a work in progress.
Planted the onions, garlic and first early potatoes the other weekend, and to be honest I have lost track of what the other half has been doing, but I believe we have various flavours of lettuce and tomatoes well on their way, along with carrots, beetroot, peas, sweetcorn, broccoli, cabbage... all sorts really...
Although we have grown stuff before, this is our first attempt to grow the majority of our veg for a year. It's going to be interesting!
Next job is to finished digging and weeding the last of the beds, before moving on to constructing the chicken ranch and finally the pig palace...
Last January we moved to a house with a proper nice garden, if a bit too flowery. Although I like spending time pottering in the garden only a pensioner would have the time to keep the garden looking good and by the end of the summer it was looking untidy. So last summer I straightened and cut back all of the flower beds edging them with gravel boards, and put down turf where the beds had been. I also made two large raised beds for veggies.
Fast forward to this year and hundreds of bulbs that I missed when redoing the beds have sprouted up - some through the new turf. The plan is to move the bulbs to the edge of the beds and to a few select open areas then cover the rest with weed control material and slate chipping between the shrubs. Also have a greenhouse to put up and the patio needs repairing.
Last weekend I planted 13 Laurels for a new hedge out the front, I made the mistake of doing this with a fairly large hangover, by the last hole I was ready to crawl into it a die! Should look great in 5 years time.
We have four seed trays now sprouting thousands of tiny plants. My wife is thinking of just splitting each into 16 chunks and splanting those. I think I'd prefer to try and spread them out a bit more easily.
Is it likely to be possible to separate the seedlings at all? Can we just stick them in nice finely tilled soil and hope they don't get eaten by the garden destroyers?
My garden is just bare grass with an overgrown/weedy planter at the minute. Once I get it cleared out I want to grow some food, what's easy/low maintenance?
My chilli seedlings are a good couple of inches high now. Planted out the six strongest looking seedlings and looking good so far!
Slugs. Last year we harvested a 2L bottle full of slugs and snails every couple of days, probably 25kg of slugs. Should easily beat that this year. Trying to grow ANYTHING other than grass and brambles is an exercise in futility.
Not had as much time this year due to our 8 month old. But, my friend is looking after the chilli seedlings for another month as I don't have room for any lights (1st pic). Really hoping this year turns out similar to last year so we can get some more bumper crops.
Going to grow a few tomato plants but don't really have time for much more veg this year.
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Every seems much further on than us.
Planted up some strawberry hanging baskets yesterday, 7 in all and finally got to sow seeds for: tomatoes, broccoli, flat leaf parsley, runner beans and lots of leeks.
Scattered some wild flower seed over the rough bit and chopped down an annoying laurel that was cutting out light (or rather hubby did).
Didn't have time to mow the lawn though, this will wait.
Put my back out while scarifying the lawn on Saturday afternoon, after getting a deadleg from falling off my bike on Saturday morning. Getting old sucks!
Already mowed my lawn 3 times. Determined not to let it get straggly this year.
Jody, Why's there a banana hanging on your chilli plant ❓
Patiently waiting for the peanuts and chocolate habaneros to grow. Was a bit late starting them I think.
Trying to decide what else I can stick in some planter things to go on the balcony. Something edible, rather something pretty. Bonus if it scares away skyrats.
^ Exactly Andy. It was well into September and I had lots still to ripen (about 6-7kg). Shut the greenhouse and put a Banana in or under each plant and the Ethelyn released from them speeds up the ripening process.
Planted some rows of potatoes this year - Desiree and Charlotte (I think).
Nice tip Jody\Andy, I new about that in the fruit bowl scenario, but just hadn't put 2 and 2 together and thought about it in the green house. Pretty sure I'll do that as I always end up with a loads of green chilli's at the end of the season too. cheers
I'll take a photo of my veg patch tonight too and post up progress so far
Thought it may have been too early to put some small tomato plants out.
All deaded. 🙁 Oh well, only cost me £2 for six of them! Will put some more in next week, I reckon.
Sweet peas are rocketing up, though!
I was worried about some peas I put out the weekend before last too. They caught a bit of frost bit it was mild and thankfully they seem ok.
Ah yes 'deaded' happens to a lot of things I've grown over the years.
Salad leaves now sewn and some sunflowers seeds (for the birds).
Just need to purchase some cucumber seeds or plants next. Nothing as delicious as home grown cucumber in a salad.
29erKeith - we've had peas out in Feb before, they've dealt with frost & snow OK. But they don't seem to crop much before the ones that go in a few weeks later.
Now the clocks have changed I can get home and do a couple of hours work in the garden in the light!
Just sorted two beds outside the workshop (which was just a rubble pile).
Climbing rose at the back of each to go up a trellis (to be fitted), then Rosemary, Lavender and Thyme in front. All aimed at keeping the Bees happy.
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More shrub planting this WE. All aimed at being Bee / Butterfly friendly to maximise the wildlife friendliness of the garden....
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Raised beds built and part-filled at the weekend. My wife is going to plant seeds with our little girls over Easter.
One of the best things that you could do to attract wildlife is put in a pond. It doesn't have to be big (ours is only a metre x metre).
If you have young children, put wooden slats across for safety, this still allows birds to bathe and drink, also frog and toads to have a home. They in turn will rid your garden of all the slugs, snails and other things that eat the fruit, veg etc.
One of the best things that you could do to attract wildlife is put in a pond. It doesn't have to be big (ours is only a metre x metre).
I want to, but OH has a frog phobia, so it's banned. A bird bath might be the best compromise I can get.....
haha, can understand. I love frogs to look at, however if one comes near me I'm in a tis.
Anyone else grow Dhalias? I tried some Bishop of Llandaff last year and left them in over winter - light sandy soil with decent drainage and hardly any proper cold weather over the winter, but there's no sign of them shooting yet. I had a furkle with my fingers and the tubers still seem to be firm enough, but I'd have expected some action by now...
A few from the sunshine this afternoon.
Wisteria is in full bloom. The smell is almost overpowering, but so bloody lovely that it isn't!
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A few of my chilli plants basking! (Found some old chopsticks I was given at a conference in Shanghai to stake them out with. Seemed appropriate somehow!)
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My oregano is going a bit mental. Some lovely, lovely lemon thyme lurking behind it.
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Oh, and a triffid. 🙂
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Have just taken two of my bigger chilli plants out of the lightbox and potted them into flower buckets.
Teetosugars- your neighbours with the high fencing. Why would they be that inconsiderate?!
At the rate my chilli plants are growing, I don't foresee anything before Christmas.
11 out of 12 Chocolate Habaneros look like that front one above.
8 out of 10 Bird Eye ones look about the same height, and one has looked like cress for about a month.
Will order a selection of other ones (Habs and Naga or something) from more reputable sources and start them a bit earlier next yr.
Well I tried to grow tomatoes and chilis in the garden. All have failed and died due to cold I think. I'll try again but keep them in the windowsill I think haha
I'm hopeful of a bumper fruit harvest this year. The relevant plants have had long enough to mature now.
Raspberries, Gooseberries, Blueberries, and Blackberries. Our Rhubard is doing extremely well, and the freshly rejuvenated herb garden is looking promising too. Salad boxes just starting to come to life, fingers crossed.
Must remember to keep an eye on the Cherry trees this year, poor harvest last year but brilliant the year before that.
Our fruits are coming along well, got pears, cherries, blackcurrants and rhubarb all coming along nicely 🙂 got to net over the cherry tree tomoz or the bastard blackbird will be on em again, it's not bothered about anything else, just [u]MY[/u] cherries 😈
thepurist - where are you? In Leeds, only just the tiniest glimpses of dahlias here in Leeds. These were left in their pots over winter, but out of the wet/frost.
willjones - I'm a soft southerner but I'd guess pots will be a bit quicker to warm up than the ground. I won't give up on them yet.
Capn your triffid is a Centaurea montana.
Thanks! STW Hive Mind strikes again!
It's a stunning flower, just an amazing colour.
Sneaky day off spent in the garden. The weather is too good to be in the workroom.
Planted sweet peas,
sunflowers are in but already attacked by the mother of all slugs (now dead, slug not plant),
Purple flowering broccoli going in.
Lots of trimming, weeding and general tidying up.
Fridays home grown rhubarb crumble was delicious.
The Dhalias live! Or at least one of em does. Might be time for some cuttings...
Bunnyhop - how do you despatch your slugs? Was out clearing weeds and the last of the Beech leaves and found a proper colony. Felco 1 : Slugs & snails 0
I've got a tiny garden, but all the plants seem to be massive tropical things, one of them is a nice lily (I think), but there's also these reedy looking things with weird purple flowers - any know what this is?
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Looks like some kind of iris to me
[url= http://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/details?plantid=6230 ]Iris sibirica[/url] at a guess
An iris indeed. Pics of my lily shortly (fnaar fnaar)
A quick slice through with a sharp implement. I've seen blackbirds and Thrushes go at them for ages, must be a slow unpleasant end. As for snails, I tread on them.Bunnyhop - how do you despatch your slugs?
Just be aware of the really big invasive Spanish slug, it's brown on top and bright orange underneath, these need to be hunted down and killed.
It's a fine line with keeping an untidyish wildlife friendly garden and growing fruit and vegetables.