The highs and lows of growing your own dinner 2015

Narc0lepsy

Chickens are great; we used to have some when I was a child.

Those of you who 'know' me from the flyladies thread will know that I arrived home yesterday to find the summer house/covered seat upside down in the pond, having narrowly missed the greenhouse. With the help of neighbours we got it out, but the wind is still strong so hopefully nothing else has happened yet (I'm at work now).

If anyone is wanting plug plants, Ald1 currently has peppers, tomatoes and a few others in blocks of 6 or 8 for £1.99. I got a pack of each as backup and they are a little further ahead than my tomatoes so hopefully I will get harvesting before September!! I always seem to be knee deep in cookable veg like beans at the time I'm wanting salad, and harvesting salad just before the frosts............is it just me?

zafiro1984

Another couple of hours outside today, a couple more of the raised beds prepared, Sowed the first seeds of the year in modules, leeks, shallots, brussels, celeriac, cabbage, plus some morning glory for the wall. Also put some garlic in modules to plant out later as the birds always seem to destroy them if I plant direct.

Just off outside again, this time not for the vegs but to clear a load of clippings from the buddleia on the driveway which have been hedgetrimmed this pm. There's about a 100m of the stuff - should be gone for quite a while!! - 2hrs to darkness.

Dizzy_Ditzy

I found a local tree surgeon company who give away wood chippings so have asked them to make a delivery to the allotment with the chickens. When they deliver, I'll ask them about delivering to the other site too.

Typical, the day is forecast to be horrible weather wise, just as I need to get planting out :mad: :rotfl:

Narc0lepsy

It's been really chilly today. I spent the afternoon in the greenhouse sorting out some of the peas I'd left soaking in water for a couple of days. We're going to be knee deep in mange tout; it didn't seem like a bigger packet than usual but there were millions. I can never keep track of sowing things in a succession, so I've put some straight outside in the ground, some in polystyrene cells and some in gutter pipe so it will be easier to transplant.

I'm a bit disorganised as to where all my veg are going this year, owing mainly to doing a late sowing last year of leeks which I had to thin out about 6 weeks ago so they are taking up a lot of space. I also seemed to sow more broad beans than usual - or maybe I spaced them out more - as they have taken up a whole bed. Last year they shared with the peas!

Still haven't moved those goji berry bushes.

unrecordings

Had a good couple of days - tidied up the greenhouses, disinfected with sulphur candles (my first time and somewhat scary as my greenhouses leak!). Once that was out of the way, potted up a bunch of tomatoes, some in growpots, some just in the growbag - it's my first time with growpots, so will be interested to see if they make any difference. I've some Blackthorn to plant up on the boundary with the woods, and i'll keep a couple back to plant as bushes. My 1-2 year old Victoria rhubarb bolted last year, and I was concerned it was dead, so I dug it up today and found it a little shall we say squishy in places, so I hoiked it out and will replace it. Becuase I'm soft for lost causes I'll pot it up and see if it returns in the next couple of years.

GYOD Moment: Made some burgers, didn't use my own onions, didn't use my own garlic, didn't use my own tomato chutney (all these things are sadly not currently available) but did season them with my own rosemary, sage, hyssop and thyme (and planned the year ahead as I ploughed my way through half a kilo of 'mince & bread')

tootallulah

Thinking of planting out my peas today, they are about 6" tall and I want to get the next sowing in to ensure peas throughout the season. I have a sheltered walled garden so I think they will be safe from frost.....or it is worth the risk I need the space in the greenhouse. Broad beans and runner beans look ready too. My tomatoes are still very spindly looking seedlings especially my new to me variety Floridity which look very sickly hopefully they will brighten up in the next few weeks. I do love this time of year.

Jazee

I planted my peas out recently and they are really struggling. I think I may need to plant some more in the greenhouse today.

mardatha

I can't start until at least the end of the month.

Happygreen

Lovely sunshine today - Happy Easter Sunday to everyone!

Will go out now and see what needs to be done first, put lettuces in , tatties...
no sign of life from the Broad Beans I put in the ground about 4 weeks ago...:( They should be up now I reckon, am tempted to dig around with my finger....

Dizzy_Ditzy

One lot of broad beens planted, one lot in flower :j

Two pear, one apple and two cherry trees finally planted

Lots, and lots of chicken watching done.

A bit of digging too just for good measure :cool: