Last Post 1203 days 6 hours ago
31 January 2010 09:43:09
Seeds for sale,Thursday 4th.
Just collected the Sunday papers and noticed that LIDL have a massive assortment of different seeds out next Thursday 4th.Choice will be from 140 varieties between flowers and vegetables.From 79c,99c,1.99c.
30 January 2010 21:23:40
Legume beds.
What a great day we have had.Despite been cold at -4 just after 7.30am it was not noticed a short while later.Started working in the tunnel until about 11,then a quick cuppa and down to,work on the herb area.I removed the spearmint herbs from the remaining tubs,split them and returned it to both places.The tubs and the vegetable area buckets.The bases will not be removed from the buckets until the mints are settled in well.The herb house was attacked next and given a much needed clean out.After lunch i headed back to the vegetable garden to prepare the last few remaining tubs that will have the legumes [peas and beans] for 2010.It was like a real nice spring day,with the sun shining,and all going well.Tomorrow for an hour or two in the morning i will spend a while checking out the work on the breaking out of a new entrance area into the veg garden that will be nearer to the soil,manure,and sand.This will be completed over some evenings of the coming week[Pictures of todays jobs added to veg garden album.]
29 January 2010 21:13:00
![Mint [herb] worked on.](/members/2814/photos/804473578.jpg "Mint [herb] worked on.")
Mint [herb] worked on.
Nothing was done in the vegetable garden this evening.Despite a great stretch in the evenings darkness fell before being available to get anything done outside.I managed to bring up 1 of the mint herb tubs,thanks to the wheelbarrow up to the garden shed.Some of it has been worked on,splitting it up etc.All time tomorrow will be spent working on the remaining mint tubs to allow for replanting and also to leave some prepared for use as companions in the vegetable garden.They will be in pots,tubs,etc and mixed around on some potatoe,tomatoe,and cabbage beds.
28 January 2010 18:35:30
Some that pulled through.
The weather has been good for today.A little dull but not noticed.The temperature reading at 7am was +4.It was from just after 4 o clock this evening i started back trying to pick and choose between damaged caggages from the bad frosty weather gone by.A lot of the Durham Earlies and some January Kings liked to pay a visit to the compost heap.The earlie cabbages in the tunnel headed there too.Having already removed any survivors to other beds wherever possible soon after the frost,they are now into the final cabbage beds.Some of the very weak plants had the roots dipped in composted manure,to try and help them on a little.Tomorrow evening time will be spent in the tunnel as early as possible.No plans for weekend work as yet.Pictures added to frost damage album.
27 January 2010 18:20:51
Today,just after 1pm i managed to get to attack the vegetable beds earlier than expected.The weather was good for garden jobs.Some of the raised beds are doing well after all the poor weather we have been having.With the help of the wheelbarrow i managed to put the finishing touches to one of the cabbage rows.Compost was checked on again with the beds to make sure all would be fit to grow well.The cabbages been used will be made up of earlie survivors from the past bad weather spell.Some look a little under the weather,but others not to bad with some needing a little help on.Tomorrow evening they will be moved into the area where cabbages will be left until harvesting.I will get a picture for my journal tomorrow evening,along with types used if at all possible.Very little will get done in either the seed room or the greenhouse this evening.Wednesday evening is cards night for a few hours..
26 January 2010 20:19:19
Greenhouse cleaning for 2010.
Another lovely day,with a great stretch in the evenings.The birds could still be heard up to about 5.30pm.From just after 2pm i got to add some of the 10 new miny beds to the vegetable garden.All filled and prepared for a selection of different veg,annuals and herbs.Getting on real well up to about 4.30pm until the wheelbarrow decided to upset things a little with a puncture.Dropped it off to the garage for repair and around 5pm i attacked the last cleaning up of the greenhouse before new seed trays added.All windows walls etc were washed down except the floor which will be done later in the week after all trays buckets etc are in place.Will collect the wheelbarrow around 4pm tomorrow,but if still not ready buckets will be called upon.
25 January 2010 18:20:12
Here is a list of the storage times that i use for vegetable and some fruit seeds.The storage times are a rough guide as they may vary between plants.Another thing,the difference of good and bad seasons.To keep your seeds in good use, a lot will matter on the storage way that is used for them.
The total of years they last,Starting with Peas and Beans 2y Beetroot 2y Broccoli,Brussel sprouts,cabbage,cauliflower,all last 3y.Carrots 2y,Lettuce,3y,Onion,Parsnip,1y Spinach,3y Beet Spinach 2y,Swede,Chinese cagg,3y,Sweet corn,2y,Turnip,3y.Tomato,3y,Peppers,3y,Marrow,6y,Cucu,6y,Aubergine,5y.
If stored right they will come up to those times or there abouts all going well.
24 January 2010 13:29:04
Thinking time.
Now that we are well into January and some seed sowing has already started,the next 3 months will be all go for the garden.
Jobs to have remembered in the tunnel and greenhouse are from 1,planning the year ahead 2,Have the seeds sorted out.3,Make sure the soil is ready.Just like we breath so does it need to breath also to be fit for growing there.4 Check doors,windows, etc for any hidden pests.5 Have the pots tubs etc cleaned and ready for use.I have most of the plans for this year drawn up,and one very important point is the use of crop rotation.It is the same ground we will be working with and if that is not ready then sowing plans will be slow and mixed up.We make seeds etc grow by being good to the soil and in return it will be good to us by growing the food we spend hours in the garden sowing,hoeing weeding etc.The ground is the same inside the tunnel etc,and just like the beds outside them.
While checking seeds and having them sorted out it is important to look over all dates on the pkts.Parsnip seeds for example last only 1 year.You are wasting valuable time in the garden trying to sow previous years seed from them.Ok maybe 1 or 2 might grow,but what about the rest of the seed tray filled with compost,wasting time,and of no use.I will add a list to my journal some evening during this week of the time keeping of opened vegetable seeds pkts.To name 1 type of veg like lettuce,dont sow the pkt all at once.You will end up feeding the compost heap plenty of uneaten heads of lettuce and the worms will have the knife and fork ready for the feast.Sow them by successional cropping.What this means is to sow them little and often.A small row every 10 days or sow.Then when the first small row is harvested the next row will be ready for eating etc.Different with the likes of tomatoes parsnips,sprouts,to name a few.Nature will always win some of the time,but be good to the ground and the ground will be good to you.
23 January 2010 18:42:18
The multi-purpose of gardening.
Saturday has on sent more changing weather.No complaints about today.I was up at first light to go down to attack the veg garden and on the way i noticed the temp reading at-4.Frost may have been in the air but over all a nice day to do some vegetable gardening jobs here.Started to work on some of the covered beds and by 11 am it was a quick cuppa and down to the local Coop to collect some more seeds and to order some multi-purpose compost.On the way out of the shop i bumped into a gentleman who noticed the seeds in my hand.You wont be sowing them to early now was what i heard.A quick grin and spoke outside the Coop door for at least an hour about veg growing.It is always great to hear other peoples ideas and im always glad to do so.Having finished chatting and moving on i returned to the veg garden later than expected.It was enjoyable to hear the ways from a gardener touching 70 years of age today.Tomorrow i hope to spend a few hours in the greenhouse and to organise a few more pots,trays etc for use in a short while.
The compost was delivered this evening to my place just before 5pm.I noticed a lady walking her dog by the house and mentioned in to me as i was standing alongside the compost,[you must be expecting lovely spring weather soon when i see those bags [compost].Sure said i in reply back,and every gardener in Ireland will also be expecting that good weather.
22 January 2010 19:50:59
My fish friend.
Spent an hour in the garden this evening from just after 4 o clock and took another walk around the garden to see about repairing some of the weather damage as much as possible.About 4 of the Phormium tenax got a right shake up with the bad weather and time will tell [pictures to add to album].For about 15 or so minutes i got to spend time in the vegetable garden to work out a plan for tomorrow.All going well from first light in the morning i will be working on the beds at the end of the veg garden.They are the second last group of beds that need weeding and feeding with our old friend the home made compost.On the way into the house when darkness fell i collected the cracked at the base fish tank[cleaned earlier in the year] to move into the seed room.Some more young seeds have been started and slowly taking shape.Since i found the old tank heading for a skip some years back it has been used every year and still going strong.
21 January 2010 19:10:28
Rain and wind destroyed another evening in the vegetable garden.Had a quick walk through the garden at lunchtime and to collect up some of the buckets from the veg garden to leave ready for cleaning.Returned to the garden shed around 5.30 and made a good start at the cleaning job.The shed itself needs a cleaning also,on some of the shelves especially.Now that the outdoor vegetable garden work for this evening was abandoned,that is the plan for now.Maybe an hour or two will be spent later on looking through some of last years vegetable garden notes to check on a few things.
20 January 2010 19:35:22
Washing time.
Had my usual fast walk down to the vegetable garden just after 7 am and to see if i might spot something to think about that needs doing.The weather held up well for today after the rainfall we had.
From 3 pm i managed to shift compost to some more of the vegetable beds,and also got to give the bamboo cane ends a dip in a light disinfectant to kill off any of the garden baddies resting in them to attack in summer.They were dried off and left until needed.The washing of some of the buckets,tubs etc,will have to wait until another evening.Wednesday night as usual,is for the card games from 8pm to 10 pm.Time to get cleaned up and throw a real quick eye into the seedroom.
19 January 2010 19:23:09
R.H.S diary for 2010.
The wind decided to pay an unwelcome visit today and still hangs around.The day has also been dry but the slight nip was back in the air.Did not get to enter the vegetable garden this evening,but had a quick walk around just after 5.30 with the help of the lamp.The legumes beds are next on plans for work in that area with tubs to be washed,the ends the of bamboo canes cleaned etc and some compost added to that area for use.That will be next on the list for earlie tomorrow evening.[all going well].Now that the vegetable garden is slowly taking shape for 2010 and the 4 way crop rotation all planned then for a few other evenings during the week time will be spent in the greenhouse.Time to spend some time now in the seed room and give the place a little cleaning.Got the R.H.S diary today and have to write in notes taken for the year so far.
18 January 2010 19:31:14
Home made compost.
Nature has felt enough of the gardeners were troubled for a while with poor weather so today we were sent another almost spring day.Just before 7 am i managed to spend an hour in the vegetable garden,so started to move out this years compost to the legumes beds.By just after 8am i had managed to drop off app 6 wheelbarrow loads to the area needed.At lunchtime the final few were dropped in place for that area in about 20 minutes.The two remaining rows of legume tubs will be done tomorrow evening as early as possible.It was good to get a start on the compost feeding plans.For the last hour or so i started in the garden shed to put a small piece of fresh tinfoil on top of the small bamboo canes,to use for eye protection,especially when bending down to weed around those beds.
17 January 2010 21:08:10
![Mint herb [Mentha spicata] 2009.](/members/2814/photos/762456353.JPG "Mint herb [Mentha spicata] 2009.")
Mint herb [Mentha spicata] 2009.
The weather was great today to get some more jobs done in the garden.The only problem was that i was away until lunchtime before getting to attack the garden some more.After having a quick bite to eat it was clothes changed and out to the vegetable garden.I managed to tidy up the final few frost damaged tubs and went to spend some time at compost heap 3.That was given a turnover and will be left now until app the middle of summer.It will be turned in again to make sure all the compost will get cooking well and also some water added if needed.I went into the herb house then to do some cleaning up and to tidy up the buckets there etc.Soon the mint and other herbs will be back to life again with new leaves and life to the herb house.We want spring.
16 January 2010 20:01:10
Vegetable garden work.
No complaints about weather effect today with first off no rain, and getting some sunshine in the afternoon.Rain did not effect the work and held off until just before 5 pm.
The only setback today was first the checking off last nights wind damage and to assess the frost damage earlier in the week.With the wind damage last night the vegetable bed covers must off liked to almost pay a visit to the neighbours garden.Looking through the garden about the frost damage,i was disappointed at first to see 3 young Lavatera shrubs almost wiped out.When i checked on my saved seed potatoes [saved every third year] having them all under cover in the press inside the garden shed it was quite annoying to see them wiped out,apart from just about 7 potatoes.They were planned to start getting ready for chitting this week and to harvest them in late April or close to that in the tunnell.The frost did not effect them as i checked every night to make sure all was well apart from just one of the nights that caused the damage.[-13].
The goodness of the weather helped wipe out the disappointment of having to destroy the damaged vegetables,thanks to the weather during the week.I got to work on the 6 top beds and got to dig,rake,and compost them where needed.The frost did not hold up the show with the effected frozen ground thanks to the weather.The rain started about 5 pm but i was happy with todays work.A little different than planned but when the digging started that was that.I half had expected them to be unworkable on,no thanks to the weather.The planned work on turning the compost heaps today,which will be left to cook during the year were not touched until Monday evening.[Thanks good weather]We want more of you.[Pictures to be added]
15 January 2010 20:18:58
Good weather returns almost.
Last night i put together a few plans for tomorrow in the vegetable garden.First off though,i will look through some of the damage caused by our unwanted friend the weather.Some of the beds that were covered over winter will have manure added to them where needed.The compost heaps will be checked on and also the greenhouse floor will be washed.Some more herbs have been added to the rotation plans for 2010 and they will be written up on the chart.With the strength of the wind here though this very minute,hopefully all will go as planned tomorrow.
14 January 2010 18:35:33
Latest picture on the tomatoes.
Garden plans are getting back on track a little each day.The tunnel had a reading of +8 today at lunchtime.Weather permitting at the weekend i hope to look through parts of the garden to check on frost damage.The vegetable beds are still untouchable and will be for another while,but time will be spent in the tunnel.The table and floor will be first on the list for a light cleaning.Maybe spend a little while eyeing up the sowing of some early vegetables there,at the first chance when the time comes.In a short few weeks time.
13 January 2010 18:50:33
Getting back to normal.
Now that the weather improves a little and getting back to normal again,outdoor gardening approaches soon.Other areas around Ireland are still badly effected with the bad weather.The thermometer gave a reading of 0 degrees in the last few minutes.Took a very fast walk to the vegetable garden this evening after 5.30 with the help of the flash lamp and hopefully the lamp will help me catch some of our unwanted garden friends the slugs,during summer.On the way home i called to the local Hardware to see the new seed arrival and picked up some Carrot seed[Early Nantes 5] also some Lettuce [Little Gem].Off to play the usual Wednesday night card game in a short while,that goes on between 7.30 and 10 tonight.
12 January 2010 19:03:43
We want sunshine..
Very cold and wet today with plenty of wind.The weather is really attacking with the bad side of it.Despite the roads being wet,they still are in a severe state with frozen ice in places.This evening i ran down with the flash lamp to check the reading in the garden tunnel and that was at -1.The outdoor reading is alongside it almost at just under 0 degrees.Last night i brought in some seed as planned from the garden shed and decided then to take in the water sprayer for the seed room and give it a good wash down with the help of the bathroom.The small mister will not be used again until needed when more young seedlings appear at a later stage.With water supplies very low in some areas according to the six one news and more snow returning to some areas also,how will the weather effect us next.One thing for sure though,not with a burst of heat and a blue sky that is badly needed.[we hope soon]
11 January 2010 20:00:15
Brucey is also watching out for sunshine.
Now that the snow showers have improved sooner than expected,the place is in a mess.I was unable to get any outdoor early evening jobs [home late] in the vegetable garden for today as planned.With heavy flooding forecast for tonight, now it is down to wait and hope time again.Going in a short while to spend some time in the seed room and then to also look through some more of the seeds in the garden shed for use in the vegetable garden this year.When the wet weather calls around,hopefully that wont be for to long as we need sunshine fast.
10 January 2010 22:06:47
Nearly departing.
Despite the weather improving earlier in the day,it has been nothing most of the time since only showers of sleet.Good to see some of the grass patches getting back to the normal colour again.Coming home though in the last few minutes i see snow showers have now returned.Going by reports the middle of the week or there abouts should improve things.Time will tell the story.I will make another effort tomorrow evening as early as possible to spend some more time looking through seeds in the garden shed and making sure they are in the correct order.I mark the date of opening on the front of each seed pkt after doing so and they will always be then kept in order for time of using.This weather will upset outdoor plans yet again for the first half of the week with any very early evening jobs in the vegetable garden,so no other garden plans except some time in the seed room tomorrow evening as of yet.
10 January 2010 09:47:47
A little protected.
Here this morning the weather has gone for the better a little with a reading of +1.Picking up the daily paper just after 8 am some of the side roads are still very dangerous but the main roads are gritted.What will the weather have in for us next.Time to take a walk down the garden and see the white planting area which will eventually turn green and ready for attack.
09 January 2010 21:19:11
White and clean.
First we suffer from heavy rain a few weeks back,now snow frost and fog replace it.This morning we went to -9.From around 11 am the snow showers returned today.The birds were give fresh food and water earlier on just after first light.All other outdoor garden work was abandoned except for about thirty minutes clearing snow from the tops of the compost heaps in the vegetable garden.The tunnel was not touched as planned for today.Spent the most of the time after lunch helping out some friends effected with frost damage as much as possible.Weather keeps winning.
08 January 2010 19:19:02
Frost wont defeat this one.
No change today with this terrible weather.The weather reading hear this morning was touching -9 just after 7 am.With more snow announced for the weekend and worse still next week,what damage will be the next to be caused.Two of my neighbouring houses have been caused severe damage from burst pipes.Today at lunchtime i rushed down to the vegetable garden to try and clean off some of the frozen snow and ice from around my spring cabbage [Durham early].Some have been destroyed but they can be replaced in time to come.It will be the damage to houses etc that will be far more serious at this stage.No plans in the vegetable garden for tomorrow until later.Maybe some work in the tunnel then.That is a big maybe.
07 January 2010 19:21:32
Our friends food supply.
What will appear next.First snow,then frost and now freezing fog.The roads are in a dangerous state.Checking the greenhouse just after 7 am the reading was -6 with this evening similar.With next weeks weather more of the same outcome,what we do we face next.Gave the birds a top up of food earlier in the day.No garden indoor plans made up for later yet.
06 January 2010 19:07:56
Snow returns.
Still no change with the bad weather.Over the last few days the snow showers have been with us.This morning a little different with some very heavy falls.The greenhouse gave a reading of -3 just after 7 am and has not improved to much while checking in the last hour or so.I had hoped to spend some time looking through some seeds this evening,but off to another day with the garden shed also at-3 in the last few minutes.On the bright side the stretch is coming on the evenings,and with a look at the sky earlier,some of it was blue with the touches of sunshine.
Spring is on the way back.Time for some digging soon.
05 January 2010 19:07:19
Tunnel reading at lunchtime today.
More Strange weather today.Around 7 am the roads were like a sheet of glass between snow and ice.At lunchtime today i took a quick check inside the tunnel and with the help of some cold sunshine it gave a reading at +11.Different outside though with some beds still like a large rock.When i returned this evening i took another check just to take note for the diary and it gave a reading of +1.Last night i spent up until close before 1 am in the seed room cleaning and checking over some garden notes for the past year.All going well i hope to look through some brassica [cabbage etc] seeds also tonight which will be started inside in the seed room during this month.The outcome for the potato crops here in Ireland,thanks to weather was evident on this evenings news headlines.Hoping for a better year.
04 January 2010 18:50:30
![Tomatoes [Japanese truffles.1]](/members/2814/photos/632679049.jpg "Tomatoes [Japanese truffles.1]")
Tomatoes [Japanese truffles.1]
Still not much change in the weather.Checked down the garden at just after 7 am.Some of the vegetable beds are still frozen up apart from row 1 that was covered.Looking in the greenhouse,it read at -2.Checking this evening again we have not had much of a change weather wise throughout the day.This evening i will spend a few hours in the seed room doing some watering along with a tidy up and a washout to the floor.
I picked up a copy of the Grow your own magazine which has a 3-in1 tomato seed collection.[Thanks Milkchurns for the tip].The tomatoes are made up of Costoluto Fiorentino Roma and Garden Pearl
03 January 2010 14:30:34
Cold wont effect this small man.
This morning just after 8 am the greenhouse gave a reading of -1 and has since moved up to +2.Some sunshine pays a visit and parts of the garden beds are getting back to normal colour finally.I spent also,a quick hour in the garden shed to check on seeds for the vegetable garden now we are back on track.
02 January 2010 19:19:05
Food glorious food.
Today on another bitter cold day i managed to look through some of the seeds for the New Year as planned but done so in the seed room.To cold early on to touch any of the vegetable beds but as the day moved on the sun was out a little and some time was spent in the tunnel.After lunch i started to move down some of the leaves that i gathered from my friends garden app 2 weeks back.Managed to move about half the load down to the leafmould area and when the leafmould bin is cleared i will have a filling up for this year.All covered up well until then,and hope to move the other half of the amount from the trailer at some stage during the week.
This evening i collected my monthly copy of the Grow It mag and they have a great value free 3 in1 pack of Pepper[Sweet]Romano Aubergine[Black Beauty] Tomato[Moneymaker] on the cover.
01 January 2010 17:48:54
Sun,the garden needs you.
After the visitors left earlier this evening i took a quick dash down to look at the garden in the frosty air.Improved a little earlier in the day but back to very cold again.All going well in the morning i hope to look through some more seed now that we are in the New Year,and if allowed to spend some time in the vegetable garden.[weather permitting] Picture taken this evening at 4.30.
01 January 2010 09:37:47
![Weather with the [heather]](/members/2814/photos/345999608.jpg "Weather with the [heather]")
Weather with the [heather]
Another cruel start to the the New Year with the weather hitting -5 in the greenhouse and the roads like a sheet of glass.With the start of the new year been our annual family gathering day for years,that plan could be changed a little with the state of the roads.Nothing planned today for the garden but any spare time will be spent having a quick glimse at a vegetable book.Intentions to spend a few earlie hours in the garden have been put off to another day.Weather wins again.Reading Jacintas journal about feeding the birds and on Frans journal doing similar i best go and feed our featherd friends here also,espesially with the state of the weather.