No T Words mentioned at all - a fresh start

[Deleted User]

hello everyone, I haven`t posted for a few days because I haven`t been doing anything different, just enjoying the gorgeous sunny weather which appears regularly now. I can tell it is coming up to spring because I don`t have to force myself to do outdoor stuff. Apparently our last frost date is the end of march, so I have been busy again sowing seeds, although this time I am not sowing as many of each type.
yesterday: cabbage hispi, cabbage duchy, 3 different caulies, thyme and curly parsley
I `ve also been dividing more bits of the veg/fruit plot so that I have definite small areas as it is so much easier to handle a bit at a time and now I can see at a glance where I have room for flowers

The pollen season has started early. I wondered why I have been sneezing more. Drat. I am dreading hearing my dh wheezing agin this spring but I am hoping that the expensive indoor filters that I have bought will make a difference. I was very surprised when the one in our bedroom, on auto, suddenly powered up and the allergen light went on yesterday morning. I was pleased to see it working so well though, as it should
http://www.worcester.ac.uk/discover/pollen-forecast.html

Iffy weather today and stove is on for a bit. I feel like going out on the bus but am expecting a delivery from AF, oh darn it, I`ll have to clear space somewhere as there is always a lot to stash away and didn`t order anywhere near the weight limit. I was good this time and no sweets or biscuits ordered but they are so tempting at times

I used to have thornless gooseberries in another house, I think they were called pax. I have 3 gooseberries planted last year and they are very spiny invicta. They all got sawfly last autumn and didn`t have legs so I have massacred them. Stripped everything off the lower 6-8 inches so they stand clear off the ground and also pruned drastically so they will get an open bowl shape and I moved two so that they are in airy open spaces and not touching. It`ll be worth it in the future but I won`t be getting fruit this year.

Our blackcurrants are ben sarek and they can be planted close together and are nice and compact, we have 4. They are easy and will be very productive this year. Our apples are maidens and are rare like bardsey apple but I chose them as they are so disease resistant and trouble free and they won`t grow over 10 feet. Pruning is required over the next few years but patience is key. I am so looking forward to our own fruit again

I must get changed now, I hope you all have a good day

[Deleted User]

Yes, the Gooseberries are called 'Pax' and we have put in three plants in a fairly sheltered place next to the greenhouse. We haven't tried to grow gooseberried for a few years becfause of sawfly damage but, that was on the allotment and these are in the garden at home so hoping they will be OK. We also have great success with a couple of thornless blackberries that we have put against the back fence. They get plenty of sun and were very prolific fruiters in their second season last year.

[Deleted User]

we put in two thornless blackberries last year and have tied in the new stems etc. Fingers crossed then re lots of fruit mrslw, you give me hope

Did anyone see horizon last night on solar flares, I found it very good indeed and also scary at the same time. There is a lot of solar activity lately and late last night, the sun ejected a massive X flare, the biggest you can get. ( I did physics and am so interested in this stuff). Just another reason to always be prepared re power and so on

[Deleted User]

KITTIE - our thornless blackberries gave us literally kilos of fruit last year, I have so many left in the freezer we're having apple and blackberry puree with our porridge in the mornings and crumbles for pud most days. We had a really good raspberry year as well so I've masses of those in the freezer too. Rhubarb seems to be quite late this year and is described by DH as currently being 'Bonsai' rhubarb but I'm sure we'll be overrun with the stuff before too long - we have a 16ft row of it on the allotment! I'm told (by him) that a girl can never have too much rhubarb!

Kaz2904

I was looking at strawberry plants yesterday evening. 75 plants for £25 on one site. DH asked where I was planning on plnting 75 strawberry plants. . I'll let him have that point!

ginnyknit

just braved the rain and checked my raspberrie canes and they are sprouting :j Now got half a bed of them so this year should be good. Am going to make fruit leathers for DGS with them, that way they will go further. I have great hopes for a good crop of fruit and veg this year, lets just hope the weather is better.

OH still not doing good and is having a duvet day, but he has gone to bed and not fallen asleep on the couch so I can get stuff done.

Mardatha hope all goes well with the doctor and they fiind you have to live on sweeties and not Kale :rotfl:

[Deleted User]

KAZ 2904 - do you belong to a local freecycle group or do you have allotments near to where you live, you could ask on freecycle if anyone has spare plants and people on our allotments are always really pleased to be able to rehome unwanted plants so its worth asking!

Kaz2904

Thanks MrsLw, I can probably get some from MiL, I already have a few plants and was just having eyes bigger than my garden syndrome again

scottishminnie

Hmm - I'll have to investigate these thornless bushes I think. My mum is also nurturing some rhubarb for me so I should be able to get that soon too. I love rhubarb- it's good for so many things.

I ventured on to the AF website last night - I'd never been there before - oh my what an aladdin's cave that place is. I thought it was all over the sell by date however they had spaghetti with a bb date of some time in 2014. I had to exit the site fast - it could be very, very dangerous. I couldn't find the delivery cost section though so I'm convincing myself their delivery costs are too high to make it viable. I read som hilarious comments on the Grocery Challenge thread from people who had bought 18 bags of pancake mix or 20 jars of olives etc - that would definitely be my kind of errors!

I'm having an early night tonight - off south tomorrow so another ridiculously long day and no doubt numerous coughing fits on the plane. I so grudge the price charged in the airport for water but I guess I'll just have to put up with it for once.

It's sleet and icy rain up here - think we are in for a few miserable days. My father's saying is that if March comes in like a lion it goes out like a lamb so fingers crossed he is right this time.

[Deleted User]

KAZ - you could always invest in one of those purpose made strawberry towers, go vertical and save garden space - just a thought! Cheers Lyn.