Thursdays Top 10 Tryouts (Or Show Us Yer Tips 18)!!

 

1. Old car wheels (minus the tyres) can be useful for storing your garden hose around. A long bolt or similar could be attached through a wheel nut hole to act as a winding handle.

2. Blossom end rot of Tomatoes is usually caused by calcium deficiency, usually in acid soils other triggers can be, irregular watering, waterlogged ground and lack of ventilation or humidity.

3. Did you know that Onions and Garlic are poisonous to cats and dogs.

4. Make a moth repellant mix from any combination of the following, Cloves, Rosemary, Mint, Thyme, Eucalyptus, Dried Lemon Peel. Add the combination to a muslin bag and hang it in your wardrobe or put it in your clothes drawer.

5.Over the past couple of years I have noticed a distinct rise in the number of Earwigs inhabiting my plots. One method of catching them is to place inverted plant pots containing straw on top of sticks in different locations around the affected areas. Dispose of any trapped Earwigs on a daily basis.

6. If you have a fish pond in your garden ensure that any domestic or garden creatures that may accidentally fall into it, have an exit place to be able to climb out again.

7. Beetroot can develop a disease called Blackleg, normally at the seedling stage. The seedlings turn black & shrivel up. This is generally caused by thickly sown seeds not being thinned out or the seedlings growing on waterlogged soil.

8. June is usually a good month for clearing weeds from your Potato crop as well as earthing up the Potatoes, weather permitting?

9.Freezing broad beans - Shell and grade, blanch for 2 minutes OPEN freeze, then pack them. To use, plunge into boiling water for 5 to 10 minutes.

10. Companion planting - Planting Geraniums close to Grapes, Peppers, Roses or Tomatoes will benefit them.

All Jammed Up

Having just enjoyed yet another bowl of fresh Strawberries, (picked half an hour ago), with ice cream, I feel refreshed enough to complete a blog post. (Don't mention the wet weather Rooko). O.K. I won't but it rained heavily again this afternoon which freshened up the muggy atmosphere for a while. I have been doing some weeding down the plot, over the past couple of days, so nothing exciting, just a little therapy?

How Many Weeds

Part of the Weeded Area After the Rain In Between the Spuds

Generally speaking Potato plants have enough dense foliage, when they are established, to smother most weeds, but this year helped by the wet weather the weeds in between some of my Potato ranks had gained the upper hand. I set to work yesterday hand weeding, hoeing and earthing up the Potatoes as I progressed. Rain stopped play at about 1 p.m. this afternoon. I had completed 2 thirty foot long ranks and one of my plastic compost bins was full to the brim with weeds. The handful of Dock plants and Withy vines were bagged up for disposal, other than in the compost.

The glut of Strawberries this year (thanks to the rain) has been a bonus and last week some jam making was called for, with some more planned for this weekend. Even though most days are still overcast the Strawberries still seem to be ripening without a great deal of sunshine. I wish I could say the same for my Apples, Pears and Plums. At the last sighting the sum totals were 1 apple 1 pear and no Plums.

2nd Batch of Homemade Strawberry Jam

Another bonus of the wet conditions has been an explosion in the frog population on and around my plot. Five of these marvels of nature were leaping about around my fruit trees this afternoon. Unfortunately I wasn't able to get any photographs of them.

Happiness is a Full Water Butt + Nitrogenous Compost?

After the rain had passed over this afternoon, the ground was too wet to continue any further weeding or other work on the ground. You may remember a while ago, when I tripped over some bricks whilst working down the plot. I fell into a wooden post on which my allotment number was attached, painted on a plastic plant pot dish, smashing it off with my arm. This was replaced today with a wooden door, (from my now defunct serving hatch at home), painted with my plot number. Recycling at its best?

Carrots Almost Ready for Lifting From Their Barrel

New Plot Sign Installed

There's Always Tomorrow.

Thursdays Top 10 Tryouts (Or Show Us Yer Tips 17)!!

1. Most Ground beetles (sometimes called black beetles) are carnivorous, eating many garden pests such as slugs, snails and caterpillars. They are a useful friend to have in the garden or down the plot.

2. Growing the following plants/flowers in your garden or down the plot will attract many different types (of good) pollinating insects. Anise, Angelica, Calendula, Coriander, Daises, Dill, Fennel, Goldenrod, Hollyhocks, Lemon balm, Marigolds, Morning glory, Parsley, Sunflowers, Yarrow, Zinnias.

3. Add some sugar to the soapy water you wash your hands with after gardening, to remove the dirt and stains more easily.

4. Punch holes into old tin cans then fill the cans with Potato peelings. Bury the cans around your garden/plot. Every few days lift the cans and dispose of any Millipedes you find, they are a garden pest. Don't confuse Millipedes with Centipedes though.

5. Chlorine (Cl) is needed in the soil to aid photosynthesis, stimulate root growth and aid water circulation in plants.

6. If you wish to grow vegetables or flowers but you are limited for space, try container growing. Remember the following tips when using containers. Good drainage is essential. Ensure the containers are raised slightly from ground level. Choose the largest containers you can fit into your available space. Water plants well after planting. Check the soil in the containers regularly to ensure it is not too moist or too dry.

7. If you are growing Marrows allow at least 1 square meter per plant. When the Marrow starts to form, place some protection underneath it, to prevent rot starting from the soil. Using a liquid Tomato feed every few weeks should aid growth.

8. Another use for coffee grounds is to put them on the compost heap. Count the number of extra earth worms in the compost afterwards.

9. Small & Large white butterflies are discouraged by Tomato plants. It might be worth planting a few Tomato plants around your Brassica beds.

10. This is a link to great gardening  innovation. CLICK HERE

Government Conspiracy

By delaying the late May Bank Holiday to take in the Queens' Diamond Jubilee, thus confusing the weather gods, I believe that the government is to blame for the recent bad weather, cos it always rains on a Bank Holiday, or so we like to think.

 This weekend has been warm and sunny here in Somerset giving me a chance to again resurrect the plots after my 3 weeks absence there, (apart from 2 brief visits).

I spent most of Saturday strimming and mowing the various grass paths, verges and banks around the plots. Its funny how grass and weeds continue to flourish even in wet cold conditions but most of the veggies and fruit don't. After 4 and a half hours of mowing, my lawnmower refused to restart so I finished off by strimming the last of the long grass around my parking area. The plots looked far tidier after the grass was cut and I had plenty of nitrogen rich material, to add to the compost heap, with one heap of cuttings kept separately for mulch.

Leeks Thinned Out and Transplanted

 Sunday was again sunny and slightly warmer than Saturday so I set off down the plot. My Leeks (Musselburgh) and Brussels sprouts were long overdue for thinning out, so these were the first 2 jobs to be done. By midday I had thinned out the Leeks from 1 row and transplanted some of the thinnings to create 2 more rows of 15 feet each. I dibbed holes for each plant down to 6 inches (15cm) with each hole 6 inches apart (15cm) and the rows 12 inches (30cm) apart. Each hole was filled with water and 1 plant added to each hole directly into the water, allowing the water to draw, the previously hoed, loose soil, back into the holes.

Brussels sprouts Thinned out & Replanted

 After watering them, I thinned out 1, 15 foot row of Brussels sprouts, replanting most of the thinnings into well watered, dibbed holes at the bottom end of my Brassica bed, spacing each plant 12 inches (30cm) apart. This done it was time to clear out 2 rows of Turnips which were going to seed from my "roots bed" at the same time hoing and weeding around the Parsnips and Onions. The Onions, although developing reasonably well despite the weeks of wet weather, had many leaves which had developed rust. These were removed carefully, as they were no longer useful to the developing Onion itself. Some of the Onion leaves were crushed and spread around my Carrot plants and the rest along with the weeds and Turnips were consigned to the compost heap.

Carrots (Norfolk Giants)

Next Batch of Carrots Coming

 It was then back to the Brassica bed for some more hoeing and weeding. The soil around the Cabbages was well compacted, due to the persistent rain of late, with few weeds in evidence, so loosening up the soil to allow it to dry more quickly and aerate it at the same time was the priority. By 6 p.m. I was almost finished but decided to leave the remaining few feet until Tomorrow. I expected to have this post finished last night but not enough hours in a day, funny that when the sun comes out.

Giant Pumpkins Loving the Sunshine

Runner beans on Main Plot Not as Advanced as They were at This Time Last Year

More Carrots (In Barrel This Time)

Webbs Wonderful

Welsh Onions (Sown 16th April - Germinated This Week)

Maincrop Potatoes (Desiree) Bottom of 2nd Plot

Maincrop Potatoes (Desiree) Top of 2nd Plot (Notice smaller Plants Top Right - This Area Not Weeded)??

Sweetcorn & Cucumbers (3 from 8) Hoeing in Progress

Red Currants Ripening

Tomatoes & Giant Pumpkin Sheltered on Manure Heap

Monday night already, after another pleasant day down the plot with good spells of sunshine. The only downside is the continuing windy conditions which are playing havoc with quite a few plants. (Runner beans, Sweetcorn a few fruit bushes and my Cucumbers do not like the windy conditions). This morning was spent thinning out the remainder of the Brussels sprouts after which the remainder of the Brassica bed was hoed and weeded. The Sweetcorn area on my 2nd plot was in need of hoeing and several of the plants were being pushed over by the wind. These were earthed up and "heeled" back in. As I hoed my way through the block of eighty plants most of them were earthed up as I went along. The planned 250 I had intended to sow and plant earlier this year was cut to eighty due to bad weather, nil germination and rotting off of many seeds and plants. By 4-30 p.m. it was time for home after another fine day.


There's always tomorrow.

Thursdays Top 10 Tryouts (Or Show Us Yer Tips 16)!!

1. If your Currant bushes have red/brown and yellow blisters on the upper parts of their leaves, check underneath the leaves for aphids hiding there.

2. During the U.K.'s continuing wet June weather, ensure that your ripening Strawberries are kept off damp soil. Placing straw underneath the fruits will help to protect them from damp and mould.

3. One reason for Nitrogen deficiency in plants is a high Carbon content in the soil. This causes the organisms in the soil, to use up Nitrogen whilst breaking down the Carbon content.

4. Many essential oils extracted from various plants have many uses, but be warned, their use in high concentrations can be dangerous.

5. When thinning Lettuce they should be thinned according to variety. For example, Leaf Lettuce 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15cm), Head Lettuce 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30cm).

6. Add Perlite to your potting compost and mix together for use in hanging baskets and/or planters. Perlite will absorb water & release it when the compost dries.

7. If the weather is wet in your neck of the woods and you can't venture out into the garden or down to the plot, why not take some time out to clean or repair your gardening tools or overhaul the lawnmower, strimmer etc. Some oil on your shed padlock will keep it from seizing up?

8. If you have any seed heads appearing on your Onions, break them off as soon as possible. Throw them in amongst any Carrots you are growing as a defense against Carrot flies.

9. Not to every ones taste. (For Adults only) Heat some Strawberries in a frying pan adding a little sugar, add a little fruit liqueur allowing it to boil off. Serve with ice cream.

10. When all the jobs are done the gardener will invent a new one? (Unknown Author).

Strawberries for Tea Yesterday (Despite the Rain)

Wellies It Really June

Self Seeded Blackberry Plant Outside My Kitchen Door

 The good quality Wellington boots that I received as a present last Christmas are almost worn out already. Looking at the rain falling again today they will be getting used once again down the plot soon. Flaming June, it certainly is?? Earlier this year I said in one of my posts that I would be organizing my plots in accordance with the weather this year. Taking heed of an earlier weather forecast, of more rain, I decided to start some decorating last Sunday. Tis almost finished now, mainly due to the fact that it has been raining here for most of the week, (with a few sunny spells) and I haven't visited the plots since last Saturday. So the wet weather came in handy yet again, even if the only good thing about decorating is finishing it. I broke off from this post about half an hour ago to check on things down the plot, in the torrential rain. Just got back soaking wet with some nice Spring Onions, Lettuce and Rhubarb. The plots looked generally o.k. Most of the Potato plants have grown well in the past week. The garden peas (Hurst Greenshaft), French Beans (Cobra) and Carrots (Flyaway) which were sown last Saturday have germinated well. Most of the Brassicas are looking well and the Giant Pumpkins, Onions and Rhubarb have gone ballistic after this weeks rain. Four out of the eight Oca plants have survived the English climate and this year I have a lot of grapes developing on one out of two of my grapevines. On the downside the Cucumbers and Runner beans are looking a bit worse for the wet windy weather.

 As I am writing this post, "Chalky" the resident Blackbird in my back garden and his mate, unperturbed by the rain are currently feeding their chicks. They are continually flying back and forth, past my window with beaks full of various insects, to their nest in the Clematis, which runs along the trellis on my patio. They decided to build their second nest of the year, under the archway of my trellis, which is the main access to my garden. I have to keep a low profile so as not to disturb them. Last year they got stroppy, on an evening, when I switched my house lights on, without drawing the curtains, continually squawking until I did so, (obviously they didn't like the decor back then). If they decide to build a third nest I will have oodles of hedge trimming to do later this year?

"Chalkies" Nest Under the Clematis Archway (Worms Eye View)

There's always tomorrow.

Thursday Top 10 Tryouts (Or Show Us Yer Tips 15)!!

1. If you are trimming or pruning trees, shrubs or hedges at the moment, spare a thought for birds that are nesting at this time of year. I'm sure that the trimming and pruning can wait until their families have flown the nests.

2. One method to use when thinning out Leeks is. When they are 6 to 8 inches tall (15 to 20cm), thin out the plants as required to 6 inches (15cm) apart. Make a hole approx 6 inches (15cm) deep for each plant, using a dibber, with each hole 6 inches (15cm) apart. Make the hole slightly wider than each plants thickness and fill with water. Drop each plant into the water, making sure it is not floating. Some of the root can be trimmed off to encourage extra root growth but ensure part of the top growth is also trimmed off to compensate for root loss.

3. High winds have been forecast for many areas of the UK this coming weekend. It might be advisable to check the security of your tree and plant supports if you are using any. When staking plants ensure the plants are tied on the windward side of their supports where possible so that the plant will be pushed towards the support.

4. If you have created hanging baskets this year, remember they will require regular watering, in hot weather they will probably need watering on a daily basis. Feeding is also important, a weekly liquid feed is advisable.

5. The following veggies can be sown directly into your garden or plot this month. Beetroot, Broccoli, Carrots, Chicory, Kohl-rabi,  Lambs Lettuce, Pak Choy, Peas, Radish, Spinach, Spring Onions, Squash, Swede, Sweetcorn, Swiss Chard, Turnips. Start off Winter Cabbage under glass now.

6. What is a pollinator? An animal/insect or other, (e.g. wind pollination)  that transfers pollen from the Anthers to the Stigmas of flowers. This process causes fertilization which is needed for plants to produce seeds.

7. If your Potatoes leaves are looking dull, with a blueish green appearance and small dark spots begin to appear underneath them, then this is a sign of Potassium deficiency.

8. If you require a reliable plant for a rockery, try the Mexican Fleabane. It is ideal for sun or shade and well drained soil.

9. If you are growing Cucumbers keep the following plants away from them. Aromatic herbs, Sage, Tomatoes.

10. If you like Onions/Chives try growing some Welsh Onions. These are perennials which can be used like Spring Onions or take part off the plant and allow it to re-grow.