spring
The plan
My next step with the garden is to plan. And I have a few… I have to admit I was dreaming up ideas for our garden long before we moved in.
So here is a list of what I would like to achieve:
-Making the garden safe for our toddler is my top priority.
-We need to do some fence maintenance.
-Pruning and working out what we actually have in the garden. I think I am going to have to start a log book so I can remember. It’s a bit of a mystery until spring and then probably a until a full year has passed, but I’m trying to work it out. It’s a fairly established garden, which is nice as we can enjoy it already, but it does also mean it’s not a blank canvas and we need to work around some established plants or be brutal.
-Sorting and reorganising my allotment gear. Which has been put into our shed… in a bit of a crazy pile. (Moving an allotment is not an easy job!!) But the shed smells very authentic; just like my grandpas did.
-Working out a general plan for the space. Involving a greenhouse (this is realistically something for next year) and creating growing space for veg and flowers….
-Sorting out the soil. Whilst the garden has been cared for, it lacks the beautiful soil I achieved at the allotment. You don’t have to dig far to hit clay and rocks. Raised beds and lots of digging are on the agenda.
-A diy ‘mud kitchen’ for our toddler.
-Location for my hammock!! Although I have no idea where the bolts or actual hammock are since we moved!!
-A small child friendly wildlife pond. Bug hotel, nesting boxes and feeders.
-Pots and pots and pots for my dream container patio situation.
-I need to remove some brambles although I think they will be my new garden foe. I like the fruit, but the spikes less!
I’m also expanding my seed sourcing. Discovering chiltern seeds via an insta explore. Which has made me realise that we need proper garden plan as my ideas are running a bit wild. So I need to focus and I need to get going.
I’m feeling a little overwhelmed with the ‘garden’, but I think it’s a ‘jump in a crack on’ situation. Need to remind myself nothing is permanent and the learning has to start somewhere. I’m looking forward to the clocks changing as some evening gardening can start!
Mid April plan
I’m at the stage that I need a plan again.
Things I need to do on the plot this weekend:
– Check sweet peas and sweetcorn are alive and possibly plant in the ground.
– Get my structures in place. Bamboo poles please!
– Clear ‘back area’ on my plot ready for the hammock stand in may.
– Sow beetroot, chard seeds direct in soild.
– Find my paper plans! Probably do this first… as I may have illegally sown extra crops. And it could go horribly wrong!
– Get some wood chipping for my strawberry bed.
– Get a proper frame made for my raspberry canes, and string them up! And remove any cheeky unwanted suckers that have popped up.
-Tidy greenhouse! A good rainy day job!
– Investigate compost bin 1… And dig into back bed… I need to put a little path back in here as it proved to be impossible last year.
– Do a bit of general maintenance… Weeding, fixing, levelling…
And I think that lot will keep me busy!
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Dig for potato victory!
Hopefully all the plot prep pays of this weekend.
–Sweet peas have gone down to the plot and in the greenhouse.
-And the potatoes have all gone in. Thanks to some help from Mr. 🙂
We dug untill the sunset (although we only started at 5.30). Victory at last.
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Tissue or seed tape?!
I have a horrid never ending cold at the moment. But I had to laugh when yesterday I was scrabbling in my pocket and pulled out seed tape instead of my tissue!
So yes the spring onion seed tape went in 🙂 and was not used as a tissue. I have never ‘seed’ anything like it… Giant wide seed tape… With a little strip of seeds in the middle. Let’s hope it works.
Garlic and onions moved out from my greenhouse, and went in a freshly dug patch.
And I got my mixed leeks sown. And I got some beetroots sown, or I will do when I go back today.
I got lots of seeds in on Friday night… As a result we are dinning around seedlings…Needs must!
The sown list
Sweet corn
Courgette x2 varieties
Sunflowers x 2 varieties
Chillies
Cucumbers
Squash red kiri
Pumpkin
NasturtiumÂ
Tomatoes… The first!
And here is the plot in overview. My bulbs are doing well 🙂 seeing all the bees last weekend I’m so glad I put so many in. And it looks great!! More next year.
And my bulb lasagne pots are working, I can see my tulips slowly emerging. Then it’s the summer bulbs after that!
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Bulb lasagne?… Yum yum!
I’m thinking about spring time flowers this month; I always forget to get these in. So this year I’m getting my bulbs in a row (so to speak!). But as always it’s a battle for space and time on our little plot.
I sourced some snow drops, crocus, mini daffodils and some allium bulbs. Nearly all have gone in. But I’m planning to sink the plastic pots in the ground, let them flower and then rotate for veggies.
Last year my mother grew some lovely frilly tulips and she gave me some this year 🙂 so these will be added to the mix!
I have to be honest… I might have too many bulbs not enough space! Pots to the rescue!!
In the summer we went to Hampton court flower show….My first flower show! To be honest it was a bit busy, but we saw some inspiring flowers and I got lots of ideas!! Last year I deveoted spare space (made space) for my favourite sweet peas and sunflowers… So I’m going to have a fight on my hands next year!
I read Monty dons Jewel Garden earlier this year, with the mention of hundreds of tulips bulbs…. It really got me thinking what could I do with my tiny space. I’m also thinking long term I need to start my collection of bulbs!! At least using sunken pots I can pull them up and take them with me… A sort of portable garden.
In my researching have come across bulb lasagne! Which is bulb layering for non stop flowers!! I have done a little experiment with this… But I think it could end up like all the fireworks going off at once! Here is some of my bulb research on pintrest at http:// www.pinterest.com/bloomorbust/bulbs/
With lots of ideas it’s tricky to cram it all in, but every year it means I improve the plot to make the most of the space. And every year I get a bit better.
With autumn fast rolling in its a great time to plan for some early spring blooms!
Easter weekend: plot visits
I made it down the plot on Easter Sunday! I had a good dig and got one potato bed all set. Just waiting to add the all important potatoes. I did some weeding; this time of year they pop up so fast! But I did have time to admire the welcome weeds…
I fixed a path (removing evil weeds that spread under our paths (when we first got the plot I recall how we thought this was asparagus!… Makes me laugh every time!). It’s one of those necessary but very boring jobs.
Finally finished organising my strawberries! I decided to remove the old aged plants at the end of the bed. And I went back on the Monday and put onions in. (I’m not sure they are exactly companion plants.. But a space is a space… Right?!)
On Monday I went back. And got the remaining onion and garlic in… Just one box left. I am searching for a suitable empty spot.
Greenhouse:
-Sweet peas. Ticking along after the re pot.
Seedling trays:
-sunflowers. In hiding still
-borage. Germinated
-lettuce. Germinated… Just about
-cat mint… A few tiny seedlings have appeared
-lucky dip. Some little seedling have emerged… Still no ideas! I will have to post photos for help!
-Beetroot. Germinated
-Nasturtium. Germinated it’s virtually a weed… But a weed tgat
-tomatoes. Germinated and potted into larger pots
-My back up beans sprouted, and I popped them into the plot yesterday… I had dug up a few poor bean seeds by accident… But a few sown direct into the ground made it! Which was good news!!
Seeds at home:
-Cucumbers… I have about 4 growing away happily. I will move these out to the greenhouse soon!
-Chillies. Growing away happily. I’m going to keep half in the flat and half in the greenhouse as a mini experiment
-Courgette… Still no shows. This is the one veg I struggle to get going every year. I’m sure it should be easy!!?
-Soybeans. In hiding
-Caped gosberries. In hiding
And then I went home and scoffed lots of chocolate!
Clocks forward and wind inspection!
With the clocks changing I had my first after work plot visit today!
– Check nothing blow away- ☑
– Garlic intact- ☑
– Mini water in the greenhouse- ☑
– Inspect seedlings + feel excited ☑
I was amazed a second mini prop, possibly some more water and some time. And nearly all my greenhouse seedling are emerging! I don’t know if I am amazed… just very pleased; this is my first year starting tomatoes off in the greenhouse (small victory dance)!
And I got a photo of my sweet pea madness!
And I even saw the moon!
Getting busy in the greenhouse
We have been away and so I had held back on seed planting. But this weekend I’m getting busy!!
I ran to the plot this morning. My greenhouse bits hadn’t been watered… In nearly… Eeeek!…2 weeks! I literally had a few minutes to water inspect and run for my train to work.
But I’m pleased and surprised to say the sweet peas have germinated! 😁 which makes me a very happy bunny! It’s a bit hit and miss… But I did plant far to many. Also not being watered in 2 weeks may have weeded out the weaklings! Needless to say I gave them a little water. It will be interesting to see what else appears. But they look to be sturdy little seedlings! And most importantly they grew!!
And my onions are garlic are also showing signs of life. Garlic is cracking along! But a little water will no doubt help 🙂
And super exciting news! My chilli peppers germinated (at home in mini greenhouse) again a bit hit and miss about 1/2. But chillies are a bit tricky and I did drop my pots on the floor!! So it’s a surprising anything made it!
My green ear was also excited to hear on the radio about Kew gardens setting up a new kitchen garden where the old kitchen garden was! It’s called ‘Kew on a plate’ I assume this was filmed last year so I can’t wait to see the garden this year… I might try and check it out first hand in a few months. The TV program starts on Monday BBC 2! And has the lovely Kate humble presenting! I might have to invest in a Kew pass… So I can perve on the veggie patch through the year!!
BUSY BEE!
I was thinking to myself ‘why have I not updated this in a while’?… and then I realise I have got engaged! 🙂 Hopefully he knows he will also be marrying an allotment!
So here is an update and some photos: A rare sunshine photo
See most of the inherited rubbish has gone! Nearly all has gone now! We did alot of big dump runs, but it was worth it.
We still have one bit of carpet left to go, but it seemed like a whole house worth of carpet at the start so progress has been made!
-I have dug in both the railway sleepers to hold the soil back and protect the big fence from rotting its socks off.
-Emptied out the large water tank and plan to plant this with something nice! Its so huge it would make a good bath!
-Dug, re dug and dug again each of the patches. Getting in some nice well rotted compost manure. We do need a bit more, but its a start!
-Potatoes are chitting! may have gone a bit wild with about 30; in 3 varieties!
-Emptied out the water butt; as the lid was left off and leaves had got into the water. Planning to re seat; and connect to our greenhouse to collect water properly. I have noticed we actually have two; we just need a replaceable lid and tap for the second one!
-We have also invested in a compost bin; being veggie I hope this means we can recycle any waste and make lovely compost. The birds have already given it an authentic look.
-The green house is still in progress; we plan to get the new glass in over this Easter weekend.
-I have lots of seeds ready to go but still need a few bits; planning to have a big shop at our allotment shop asap
The plan for the patch is bed:
a; potatoes
b; potatoes
c: potatoes
d; courgettes
e; onion sets
f; chard and broccoli
g; spinach and rocket
h; salads and beetroot
large back beds; beans; broad and runners tbc…
random pots; strawberries
green house; toms
Lots to do!!!!
Spring has sprung!
So all the plants are still with us just about:
Sunflowers only one left now and I think he is on his way out from wind damage…
Tomatoes; all happy growing away. Due a pot up
Chard-doing really strong but small
Spring onions and spinach; looking a bit sad, will work on these!
Potato is growing too well!
All other plants are bumbling along; the twisted willow even has leaves!
All in all doing well, but this weekend will be a re-pot for many.
Bloom or Bust: Alota Allotment! 