Help MBE grow his dinner 2011

mrbadexample

I needed space for cauliflower:



I think I hit every one of these stones taking the turf off:



I'm not going to dig this bed at all. Usually, after taking the turf off I'd be breaking my back with the Mantis, but this time I'm leaving it. Firstly, I want the ground hard because caulis like that. Secondly, I'm going to experiment with a no-dig technique, mulching the bed with a load of straw (arriving next week, all being well). We'll see how it goes.

Mrs_Veg_Plot

No I could not see the picture but these two have come up fine. Will there be any lawn left by the time you have finished ? I'm sure there was a sugestion of a hammock a few pages ago?

That's a very attractive sundial on your path .

Is that some square foot gardening in the second plot up from the greenhouse?

katholicos

The amount of your garden space that you are turning over to your fruit/veg growing endeavours, is impressive Mr B. I reckon you need to get yourself some chickens next, i shall envy you if you do though!

I thought the log with holes drilled in it, was for growing mushrooms....if the bees don't take to it you can always use it for that.

mrbadexample

Mrs_Veg_Plot wrote: »

No I could not see the picture but these two have come up fine. Will there be any lawn left by the time you have finished ? I'm sure there was a sugestion of a hammock a few pages ago?

That's a very attractive sundial on your path .

Is that some square foot gardening in the second plot up from the greenhouse?

There may not be a lot of lawn left, no.

The "sundial" is my bee log, which I stood in the sun as it was a bit damp.

And it's not really square foot gardening as such, but I have divided into sections just so I know what's where.

mrbadexample

katholicos wrote: »

The amount of your garden space that you are turning over to your fruit/veg growing endeavours, is impressive Mr B. I reckon you need to get yourself some chickens next, i shall envy you if you do though!

I thought the log with holes drilled in it, was for growing mushrooms....if the bees don't take to it you can always use it for that.

Sadly, not enough room for chickens, or a beehive.

Tell me more about the mushroom log; I can get another one!

mrbadexample

I am also pleased to report that anti-cat spikes seem to be working fairly well, and it's nice to know you can't cut yourself on them.



Much. Nearly had me flippin' veins out! :rotfl:

Mrs_Veg_Plot

I like the idea of a bee log. Do they have to be put in a sunny place or will anywhere in the garden do? I'm running out of space on the sunny side of the garden as I realised when I came home with a rhubarb plant to day.

War wounds from gardening. Wear them with pride and think of a cat free garden.

katholicos

mrbadexample wrote: »

Sadly, not enough room for chickens, or a beehive.

Tell me more about the mushroom log; I can get another one!

Shame about the chickens, i can't have any either

Right, i haven't a mushroom log myself but i want one, as none of my previous efforts with mushroom spawn/straw, have paid off :mad:.

As far as i can gather you buy 'mushroom dowels' and bung 'em in holes in a log. Here is a link.

emiff6

That's a great log MBE.
Hope the holes are various sizes - different species like different sizes, anything from 2mm to 12mm, and they prefer holes that are sawdust free, as they would be in the 'wild'. Probably need to be different depths too, but I've really no idea.

Put it in a sunny sheltered spot - bees like to be dry and warm.

When the weather is very dry as it has been this past month, I put out a watering dish for bees to drink from, made from a plant saucer filled with gravel and pebbles and topped up with water, so the bees can walk on the pebbles and sip between the stones.

mrbadexample

Mrs_Veg_Plot wrote: »

I like the idea of a bee log. Do they have to be put in a sunny place or will anywhere in the garden do?

Details here.