Well from empty water butts in the beginning of May to what seems like non-stop rain since. While it was welcome in May, it is not welcome now. The plants are starting to suffer, as the rain is just washing all the goodness out of the soil. The solution is to mulch with some garden compost but it is hard even to get a few dry minutes to get out there and do anything. The grass needs cutting desperately, come on the sun, show yourself!!!!
I did manage to get out one day and plant out the purple sprouting broccolli. I wandered through the plot a few days later, to find three purple sprouting stumps, I was not impressed. I am pretty sure it was birds. I thought to myself, no worries I have some spare. The spare on the side patio were also purple sprouting stumps. Grrrr. I put the stumps in the mini greenhouse to see if i can get them to recover, I do not hold out much hope.
We have had a few strawberries, along with the birds who have also had a few. I have put some fleece over the top of them, to try and keep the birds off. We also picked some gooseberries last weekend, enough for a some fool for hubby and I, yum!
I can see some blue sky this am, fingers crossed we have a dry day!
The doggie destroyer update:-
Excellent at grubbing up mint, no fear of it spreading in my garden it seems. Enjoys chewing woody shrubs, making sure the chosen branch is bitten through. Runs at full speed around the garden with evidence in his mouth, closely followed by me with the BRUSH. Has been banished from the veg patch for crimes against plant labels, running through the veg beds willy nilly, pulling out the pea sticks, jumping on the fleece over the cabbages and biting off ripe strawberries.
Showing posts with label water. Show all posts
Showing posts with label water. Show all posts
Wednesday, 4 July 2012
Tuesday, 5 June 2012
June Half term, the arrival of the doggy destroyer
Jubilee fun and games in the paddock a couple of gardens down, has got everyone in the mood for being outside.
The dry spell has made the first sowings of rocket, mizuna, pac choi and radish bolt, but later sowings coming on behind. The dry spell finally came to an end last week, with a great down pour, enough to refill the waterbutts. (mine were both completely empty, and I had resorted to using grey water from the washing up and the childrens bath to water everything.!) the rain though has made the whole garden shoot into life. The gooseberries are laden with fruit, the standard I have, has had to be staked as the weight is making it droop over. The peas, strawberries, onions, spuds and salads, are all doing great. The french beans are still struggling. I sowed a few extra beans to replace the ones that had died and the fresh plants are as big as the ones planted months ago!
I have planted out the leeks, courgettes and the savoy cabbages, and made the last sowing of peas. I also picked up a few sweetcorn plants from the garden centre. Of the two sowing I did in trays I have one plant to show for it, pretty poor. I planted out a block of sweetcorn plants just a couple of days ago.
The veg beds are looking pretty full now. Just a bit more space for some salads and a couple more rows of carrots and thats it chocca. I have some purple sprouting broccoli planted on in 3inch pots waiting to go in. I think these can be planted out once I have harvested the early potatoes later this month.
The little plastic greenhouse, has three tomato plants in it and a neighbour has donated the hubby a couple of chilli plants, to keep him happy.
The flower border is doing fab, I have filled the space left at the back with a couple of shrubs I was on the look out for. Found them at Little Dodd garden centre when looking for a present for a neighbour. Prunus lusitanica and Elaeagnus x ebbingei. I have also popped in some of the Cosmos I grew from seed in any gaps. Unfortunately the doggy destroyer arrived on the scene a week ago.
Your average shrub/perennial border looks like a brilliant jungle to an 8 week old cocker pup. He has taken to bounding throught the plants and grabbing anything presenting itself as he bounces by. Quite a few flower buds have bitten the dust.
I knew that some plants I had would not be particularly good for eating, but I thought I had better check up. A quick search on line for 'plants poisonous to dogs' brought up the longest list known to man! I told the hubby we had better teach the little darling to not eat the plants because otherwise he will not last long. Anyway here is a picture of the doggy destroyer, otherwise known as Barney, a very modern dog with his own twitter page! He likes cardboard boxes, plant pots, and bits of rope to chew.He does not like wet grass( particularly in the morning), low flying jets and the sweeping brush. He is fearless, chasing off next doors cat, and trying to play with a fully grown ridgeback. He will also try and eat anything, in one week he has consumed a dead baby bird,(gross), a live slug ( could come in handy!), chicken poo, (oh dear) and any plant labels that he passes!
The dry spell has made the first sowings of rocket, mizuna, pac choi and radish bolt, but later sowings coming on behind. The dry spell finally came to an end last week, with a great down pour, enough to refill the waterbutts. (mine were both completely empty, and I had resorted to using grey water from the washing up and the childrens bath to water everything.!) the rain though has made the whole garden shoot into life. The gooseberries are laden with fruit, the standard I have, has had to be staked as the weight is making it droop over. The peas, strawberries, onions, spuds and salads, are all doing great. The french beans are still struggling. I sowed a few extra beans to replace the ones that had died and the fresh plants are as big as the ones planted months ago!
I have planted out the leeks, courgettes and the savoy cabbages, and made the last sowing of peas. I also picked up a few sweetcorn plants from the garden centre. Of the two sowing I did in trays I have one plant to show for it, pretty poor. I planted out a block of sweetcorn plants just a couple of days ago.
The veg beds are looking pretty full now. Just a bit more space for some salads and a couple more rows of carrots and thats it chocca. I have some purple sprouting broccoli planted on in 3inch pots waiting to go in. I think these can be planted out once I have harvested the early potatoes later this month.
The little plastic greenhouse, has three tomato plants in it and a neighbour has donated the hubby a couple of chilli plants, to keep him happy.
The flower border is doing fab, I have filled the space left at the back with a couple of shrubs I was on the look out for. Found them at Little Dodd garden centre when looking for a present for a neighbour. Prunus lusitanica and Elaeagnus x ebbingei. I have also popped in some of the Cosmos I grew from seed in any gaps. Unfortunately the doggy destroyer arrived on the scene a week ago.
Your average shrub/perennial border looks like a brilliant jungle to an 8 week old cocker pup. He has taken to bounding throught the plants and grabbing anything presenting itself as he bounces by. Quite a few flower buds have bitten the dust.
I knew that some plants I had would not be particularly good for eating, but I thought I had better check up. A quick search on line for 'plants poisonous to dogs' brought up the longest list known to man! I told the hubby we had better teach the little darling to not eat the plants because otherwise he will not last long. Anyway here is a picture of the doggy destroyer, otherwise known as Barney, a very modern dog with his own twitter page! He likes cardboard boxes, plant pots, and bits of rope to chew.He does not like wet grass( particularly in the morning), low flying jets and the sweeping brush. He is fearless, chasing off next doors cat, and trying to play with a fully grown ridgeback. He will also try and eat anything, in one week he has consumed a dead baby bird,(gross), a live slug ( could come in handy!), chicken poo, (oh dear) and any plant labels that he passes!
Saturday, 31 March 2012
Spuds!
Spent the morning meeting customers at a local garden centre, handing out leaflets and giving out free advice. But wanted to do a bit in the garden this pm.
Weather is still holding up here, cooler yes, but still no rain. I have had to water my pots, and recently planted fruit trees. One of the water butts is nearly empty! My clay soil has dried to a hard crusty layer, except where there is the manure has protected it. I met a friend, who is gardener at a old stately home near here, and he promised to drop off a few bags of 18 month old leaf mold. Ideal for a soil conditioning mulch. He has heaps of the stuff but none goes to waste. I was also tipped off via twitter that a local nursey has a good soil conditioner, so I must pop down and get a few bags.
I planted out a couple of rows of First Earlies, Epicure. I had a few left over, so I have popped them into some compost filled old grow bags and left them near the shed in the afternoon Sun. I have grown potatoes like this before and its always successful. I would normally use my own garden compost but mine will not be ready until this time next year.
Hubby potted on the artichokes I sowed on the 8/3, so he a happy bunny, but he still does not have a place to put them in the garden!
Weather is still holding up here, cooler yes, but still no rain. I have had to water my pots, and recently planted fruit trees. One of the water butts is nearly empty! My clay soil has dried to a hard crusty layer, except where there is the manure has protected it. I met a friend, who is gardener at a old stately home near here, and he promised to drop off a few bags of 18 month old leaf mold. Ideal for a soil conditioning mulch. He has heaps of the stuff but none goes to waste. I was also tipped off via twitter that a local nursey has a good soil conditioner, so I must pop down and get a few bags.
I planted out a couple of rows of First Earlies, Epicure. I had a few left over, so I have popped them into some compost filled old grow bags and left them near the shed in the afternoon Sun. I have grown potatoes like this before and its always successful. I would normally use my own garden compost but mine will not be ready until this time next year.
Hubby potted on the artichokes I sowed on the 8/3, so he a happy bunny, but he still does not have a place to put them in the garden!
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