Tuesday 6 March 2007
Monday 5 March 2007
Todays update
Well the onion sets and garlic are ready to go in, but the ground is SO wet after the weekend rain, that I don't think I can get them planted just yet.
Most of the tomatoes are now germinated, or at least some of each type sown, and I now have 7/10 Chinese snake cues up.
Most of the mussel burgh leeks are through too, but only a few of the Lyon.
Won't need to transplant the tarvoy and perpetual spinach into pots, as they were sown individually into root trainers.(Trying them for the first time this year)
Still no show for anything else in the greenhouse. I can only presume that it's still too cold out there despite having a gaz lantern burning all night.
Have today planted up 2 self-watering troughs (ex Lidl) with lilies, cannas, and fresia bulbs. I'm told that the latter are hard to grow, so we shall see. They have been kept in the greenhouse until it's safe to put them outside too.
Most of the tomatoes are now germinated, or at least some of each type sown, and I now have 7/10 Chinese snake cues up.
Most of the mussel burgh leeks are through too, but only a few of the Lyon.
Won't need to transplant the tarvoy and perpetual spinach into pots, as they were sown individually into root trainers.(Trying them for the first time this year)
Still no show for anything else in the greenhouse. I can only presume that it's still too cold out there despite having a gaz lantern burning all night.
Have today planted up 2 self-watering troughs (ex Lidl) with lilies, cannas, and fresia bulbs. I'm told that the latter are hard to grow, so we shall see. They have been kept in the greenhouse until it's safe to put them outside too.
Sunday 4 March 2007
Slug deterrent
In the Sunday Express today, there was a Suttons catalogue. Near the back was a thing called a slug collar, basically a ring of copper placed around the base of vulnerable plants. The price was prohibitive though at £24.00 for 6 of the 7" ones, and £19.00 for 6 of the 4" ones.
So I had a brilliant idea. Get some 8mm soft copper tube, cut into lengths of around 21" and find something to fit inside it. Then bend into a circle using the plug to join the ends together. There you have a much cheaper copper collar, of around 7" in diameter. (Sorry Suttons' Seeds)
So I had a brilliant idea. Get some 8mm soft copper tube, cut into lengths of around 21" and find something to fit inside it. Then bend into a circle using the plug to join the ends together. There you have a much cheaper copper collar, of around 7" in diameter. (Sorry Suttons' Seeds)
Labour saving?
Went to Lidl today for the first time, and found an excellent labour saving device, for £2.95.
It is a seed sowing implement, consisting of 2 small bowls/cups, attached to a hand grip. One of the bowls is closed, and the other has a funnel shaped bottom with a long aluminium tube, and it weighs next to nothing in your hand.
What you do, is fill the closed bowl with the seed you want to sow, place the tip of the tube on the gound where you want the seed to go, and then just flick a few seeds into the funnel bowl. Move the tube along and repeat. It's such a simple idea, why haven't I seen anything like it before? Probably will save a lot of bending when sowing, and hopefully a lot of thinning out with things like carrots and lettuce etc..
The tube is even big enough to allow the passage of seeds as big as peas, but not runner beans, although french beans may pass through it. I'll have to let you know on that one.
It is a seed sowing implement, consisting of 2 small bowls/cups, attached to a hand grip. One of the bowls is closed, and the other has a funnel shaped bottom with a long aluminium tube, and it weighs next to nothing in your hand.
What you do, is fill the closed bowl with the seed you want to sow, place the tip of the tube on the gound where you want the seed to go, and then just flick a few seeds into the funnel bowl. Move the tube along and repeat. It's such a simple idea, why haven't I seen anything like it before? Probably will save a lot of bending when sowing, and hopefully a lot of thinning out with things like carrots and lettuce etc..
The tube is even big enough to allow the passage of seeds as big as peas, but not runner beans, although french beans may pass through it. I'll have to let you know on that one.
The home garden
Yesterday, I manged to get a few jobs done around the garden at home, while the OH was out shopping with our youngest daughter and her kids. Firstly I gave the Ceanothus its annual trim (removing the lower branches that hang downwards), and created a couple of hanging points at the same time, for the bird feeders.
I weeded in between the Aqualegias, which are now growing again.
I raised the level of the underneath of my Canary Bird rose, to give the Aqualegias a little more light.
Trimmed the dead wood from the herbs in the planter wheel, and the Hydrangea, and several other shrubs which are still in pots.
Weeded around the acers, and the wisteria, which are all also in large pots, and the planters with Queen of the night tulips in.
Started to tidy up the rockery (photo later if it ever stops raining), and then was forced indoors when the heavens opened again.
I weeded in between the Aqualegias, which are now growing again.
I raised the level of the underneath of my Canary Bird rose, to give the Aqualegias a little more light.
Trimmed the dead wood from the herbs in the planter wheel, and the Hydrangea, and several other shrubs which are still in pots.
Weeded around the acers, and the wisteria, which are all also in large pots, and the planters with Queen of the night tulips in.
Started to tidy up the rockery (photo later if it ever stops raining), and then was forced indoors when the heavens opened again.
Old seed experiment update.
As of today, of the 11 seeds which I put in the tray, 5 have the radicals growing, and 1 has gone rotten(all slimy on the outside, and putrid smelling). Still hoping for more, as it's the smaller ones which have germinated first.
Seeds sown so far update
Well as of today, there are 5/10 Gardeners Delight Toms up, but no sign of any of the other toms.
15/20 of the sweetcorn Lark F1 are up, but again no sign of the other sweetcorn.(Golden Bantam)
The leeks are just beginning to show, but there were a couple of seedlings up which didn't look like leeks. I left them until the leeks appeared just in case, but since they bore no resemblance, have now removed them. (Odd since I sowed all cells individually)
4 of the Chinese Snake cues are trying to appear, but no sign of the others which are in the g/house.
The Tarvoy cabbages and perpetual spinach are now coming through, with about 75%germination, and they ARE in the g/house.
Yesterday, I sowed another packet of sweet peas, 12 Giant Sunflowers, and a packet of Italian White multi-headed sunflowers.)Approx 11 seeds in a packet from AlanRomans that said Ave contents 40 Grrr!!!)
15/20 of the sweetcorn Lark F1 are up, but again no sign of the other sweetcorn.(Golden Bantam)
The leeks are just beginning to show, but there were a couple of seedlings up which didn't look like leeks. I left them until the leeks appeared just in case, but since they bore no resemblance, have now removed them. (Odd since I sowed all cells individually)
4 of the Chinese Snake cues are trying to appear, but no sign of the others which are in the g/house.
The Tarvoy cabbages and perpetual spinach are now coming through, with about 75%germination, and they ARE in the g/house.
Yesterday, I sowed another packet of sweet peas, 12 Giant Sunflowers, and a packet of Italian White multi-headed sunflowers.)Approx 11 seeds in a packet from AlanRomans that said Ave contents 40 Grrr!!!)
SUNDAY MARCH 4th,
What an awful day. They said on the television this morning, if you need to do anything outdoors, get it done this morning. By the time I had finished breakfast at 9.30, it was pouring with rain, and it just seemed to get harder and harder as the day went on.
The garden has turned into a quagmire, so I hate to think what conditions are like up at the allotment.
What an awful day. They said on the television this morning, if you need to do anything outdoors, get it done this morning. By the time I had finished breakfast at 9.30, it was pouring with rain, and it just seemed to get harder and harder as the day went on.
The garden has turned into a quagmire, so I hate to think what conditions are like up at the allotment.
Friday 2 March 2007
The seed area in the conservatory.
Here are a couple of views of the seed area in the conservatory. Its the lightest place in here because the window here is south facing. However we still have the problem of having to turn everything round daily once they become seedlings. The tray with every pot labelled is the one with the toms in, 10 of each of 4 different varieties. The leeks are in the little cell trays, 63 each of Musselburgh and Lyon. Its now March 4th, Sunday and today in the area above, we have 15/20 Sweetcorn Lark F1 up, 5/10 Gardeners Delight Toms, 4 Chinese Snake Cues, and the leeks are just starting to show.
Oh and 3 of the sweetpeas have decided to start also. The GD are the nearest to the camera, as are the sweetcorn Lark in the next tray!!!
Re: Cold Frame
Have today found a local supplier for Gravel boards to make the carcass, at a cost of £1.40 +VAT for each 6ft length.
A quick calculation suggests I'll probaly need 11 boards, 3 for the back, 2 for the front and 3 for each side. So that's gonna be £15.40 +vat + whatever 2"x2" for the corners.
Not bad eh? A six by four coldframe for under 20 quid.
A quick calculation suggests I'll probaly need 11 boards, 3 for the back, 2 for the front and 3 for each side. So that's gonna be £15.40 +vat + whatever 2"x2" for the corners.
Not bad eh? A six by four coldframe for under 20 quid.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
