The ups and downs and ins and outs of growing your own, 2018

unrecordings

My courgettes started flowering at the weekend, so I really need to get them into their final pots. Rain stopped play today, so I started some beech leaf noyau - it's a little bit like frangelico (the liqueur). Still need to get those potatoes in the ground

stoozie1

Reading Kantakrus' thoughts yesterday I've just brought all my courgettes back indoors again thinking I had been prematurely optimistic, so will keep you posted!

I haven't updated here for ages, but in the meantime have planted for the first year: broad beans, dwarf french beans, a ridiculous amount of broccoli and the courgettes (now warmly indoors again )

The plum blossom has been and gone, so fingers crossed, and my 4 apple trees have beautiful blossom now.

I also have 5 trays of basil for pesto, but am thinking these will never go outdoors.

stoozie1

while I'm on, 2 pieces of advice would be handy if I may ask.

1) My primary focus in my garden is edibles, as per this thread, but sometimes the garden at ground level therefore looks a bit earthy and bare. I wondered if there's a bedding plant which is pretty and spreads, but which doesn't put down deep roots such that it would choke my edible plants? Or is this perfect plant a myth?

2) I have a bed where 3 currant bushes are doing well. In winter however, it's a very bare dull area. Is there a shrub which would give good height and year-round colour but not compromise the growth and feeding of the currant bushes?

Thanks

unrecordings

I once had a small patch of Marjoram, now it's everywhere. It's fairly easy to pull up and repot to give away. And of course you can pick it, dry it, burn it etc. Or if you can find a good source - bark mulch. I went on a bit of a mulching frenzy last week. To me it's the future (!)

Funnily enough my blackcurrants sit next to and are being invaded by the marjoram...

zafiro1984

I'll have a think stoozie 1

Looks like rain tomorrow so I'll do more pricking and sowing more veg as well as flowers. My courgettes are still indoors as are my squashes, aubergines looking good and I need to start the melons off before it's too late.

Has anyone had any success with celery - we eat a lot of it in the summer and I resent having to buy it.
Cleared another bed today that's three done and 15 to do - I'm behind with my plan.
Potatoes are sprouting nicely, beans are ready to go in as are the peas.

I'm taking the easy way out this year and using glyphosate on the paths. I don't normally use it but the strimmer is too heavy for me at the moment and the weeds are taking over.

DH dumped a load of compost for me the other day so I could fill the beds up. I've found a new method of moving it but it takes ages. I have to half fill a sainsbury bag with it using a feed scoop I have for the hens, and carry it to the bed - using the wheelbarrow is a no no until August. Can you imagine how long that takes but at least it adds to my 'steps' and fitness.

Have a good weekend everyone

unrecordings

The chemo really sapped my strength (still) - I tend to use those brightly coloured builder's tubs in the garden and took to dragging them around on the end of a rake (with a less than a quarter load as that's all I could manage). A sack barrow might be a good alternative to a wheel barrow as the load is balanced on the axle (that is if you can walk safely with it)

Anyway, raining here, forecast rain, and it's cold, so I'm staying in. Potatoes remain in their box

zafiro1984

unrecordings wrote: »

A sack barrow might be a good alternative to a wheel barrow as the load is balanced on the axle (that is if you can walk safely with it)

Thanks unrecording I'll bear it in mind as we have a sack barrow somewhere.

Yesterday
Planted out the Cobra French climbing beans, covered them with fleece and came indoors to heard the weather forecast "possible sleet or maybe snow" - drat.
Glyphosated the paths ni the polytunnel as it was raining and sowed more seeds - runners, celery, melon, cucs and gerkins ordered some Crimson Crush tomato seeds as they are supposed to be blight resistant - we suffer with terrible blight here.

Not sure what to do today -depends on the weather but I've tons of flower seeds to !!!!! out so maybe that's what I'll do this PM as its hens and horses this morning.

Happy gardening.

unrecordings

Finally got my Red Duke of York potatoes in. Now I've nowhere to put the Arran Victory - Got a couple of weeks to figure that one out...

Raining on & off and too cold for me, so that's it outside for the day. I've got an awful lot of weeding to do when the weather clears

Meanwhile picked some Japanese Spinach, Wild Garlic, Fennel Leaf, Sorrel & Lovage for my Ramen and later I'll thin out some seedlings on the windowsill and add those too

zafiro1984

unrecordings wrote: »

Meanwhile picked some Japanese Spinach, Wild Garlic, Fennel Leaf, Sorrel & Lovage for my Ramen and later I'll thin out some seedlings on the windowsill and add those too

Just looked up the word 'Ramen' never heard of it before - interesting

Finished weeding one polytunnel, it's got raised beds so it was easy to do. Sowed carrots, Tiny Turnips, radishes straight into the beds. It has overwintered shallots and elephant garlic already in it and some early swift potatoes. Almost forgot: put my oca in it as well. I think it's about half full. Next to go in it will be my dwarf french beans and Hurst Green Shaft peas which have germinated but not quite ready to put out. That should leave room for a couple of cucs, a couple of gerkins, half a dozen chillies and the same with sweet peppers

unrecordings

zafiro1984 wrote: »

Just looked up the word 'Ramen' never heard of it before - interesting

Or 'pot noodle' but home made - goes back to my earliest days in the studio (and/or on the dole) as a survival food. Very cheap, just add a load of odd & ends. These days I'm growing most of the stuff that goes in it (apart from a bit of shredded pork/chicken/beef left over from another meal).