Month: December 2009
12 Days of Christmas
On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me, a garden dot ieeee
On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Two Orchids from Liga and a garden dot ieeee
On the third day of Christmas my true gave to me, Three Chilipeppers, Two Orchids from Liga and a Garden dot ieeee.
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Four French ClaireE’s, Three Chilipeppers, Two Orchids from Liga and a Garden dot ieeee.
On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Five Gismo’s Smiling, Four French ClaireE’s, Three Chilipeppers, Two Orchids from Liga and a Garden dot ieeee.
On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Six Rachel’s a Journaling, Five Gismo’s Smiling, Four French ClaireE’s, Three Chilipeppers, Two Orchids from Liga and a Garden dot ieeee.
On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Seven Jacinta’s Slogging Six Rachel’s a Journaling, Five Gismo’s Smiling, Four French ClaireE’s, Three Chilipeppers, Two Orchids from Liga and a Garden dot ieeee.
On the eight day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Eight Myrtle’s Mowing, Seven Jacinta’s Slogging Six Rachel’s a Journaling, Five Gismo’s Smiling, Four French ClaireE’s, Three Chilipeppers, Two Orchids from Liga and a Garden dot ieeee.
On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Nine Meckey’s Producing, Eight Myrtle’s Mowing, Seven Jacinta’s Slogging Six Rachel’s a Journaling, Five Gismo’s Smiling, Four French ClaireE’s, Three Chilipeppers, Two Orchids from Liga and a Garden dot ieeee.
On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Ten Johnplotmen Potting, Nine Meckey’s Producing, Eight Myrtle’s Mowing, Seven Jacinta’s Slogging Six Rachel’s a Journaling, Five Gismo’s Smiling, Four French ClaireE’s, Three Chilipeppers, Two Orchids from Liga and a Garden dot ieeee.
On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Eleven Kitty’s Studying, Ten Johnplotmen Potting, Nine Meckey’s Producing, Eight Myrtle’s Mowing, Seven Jacinta’s Slogging Six Rachel’s a Journaling, Five Gismo’s Smiling, Four French ClaireE’s, Three Chilipeppers, Two Orchids from Liga and a Garden dot ieeee.
On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Twelve Spider‘s Wall Building, Eleven Kitty’s Studying, Ten Johnplotmen Potting, Nine Meckey’s Producing, Eight Myrtle’s Mowing, Seven Jacinta’s Slogging Six Rachel’s a Journaling, Five Gismo’s Smiling, Four French ClaireE’s, Three Chilipeppers, Two Orchids from Liga and a Garden dot ieeee.
HAPPY CLEAN AND Tmenu_orderY SHEDS TO ONE AND ALL………. :-)))
My hubby has promised to build me some raised beds for vegetables next Spring. I was planning my little plot today. I can’t wait. I hope is enthusiasm hasn’t died when Spring comes!
Sunday 29th November brought very heavy rain and severe flooding to many places. My garden did not escape and while I had no disaster it was severe at home with the stream overflowing. The water rose but got away without doing any real damage. I have added some pictures to give an idea of how wet everything got. But I am lucky in that it gets no worse than this. I had put out plenty of fertiliser this year and it has probably all leached away now. So I will watch for shrubs under stress in the Spring and replace the fertiliser in February or March.
we had our first GIY meeting last night in monaghan town. The founder of the GIY travel up from waterford and gave a very good talk (and he can talk).he gave a talk about trying to recreate the camaraderie of allotment growing for back-garden vegetable growers – to get people together regularly to talk and learn from each other, to exchange tips, produce and about taking the self out of self- sufficiency. i can only talk for myself and the other steering group members when i say we were happy with the turn out.about 60 turned out for the night. also the founder of the monaghan group gavin also gave a short talk at the start of the night. there was.the next meeting is on in jan tueday 12/01/10
Many thanks for the kind messages about the garden flood but I am lucky that it never comes to the house. It gets so high and then excess water is getting across the road. After that there is quite a fall to the Liffey. Its just that an old small bridge cant take it all underneath. But if they raised the height of the road then I could be in trouble.
Starting to grow from seed for the first time next year. I have started to collect yogurt cartons, been the prime one to start with. I was just tidying up there, and was about to put a clare plastic box that grapes come in, in the bin. I noticed that there is already holes in these, might be used might not.
Does anyone, have other ideas for this kind of recycling and reusing?
No it is not another song, But it is 20 days, but to what?
NO… Christmas is 24 days away.
It does not seem that long ago, since we were complaining about the evenings cutting away, we did not get much done due to shortage of light. Now in 20 days, it starts turning in our favour. Before we know it, journals on evening work, will be flooding in. 20 days and counting……….
Congratulations on becoming featured members, well done you all.
I am a member of a local gardening club – Atlantic Horticulture Association (AHA). We meet once a month and discuss many aspects of gardening but primarily growing fruit and vegetables. I enjoy this as I learn something new every night from some very experienced gardeners. I am in the process of laying out a small vegetable patch with raised beds beside my tunnel and I hope to grow some vegetables here in the coming season. I grew tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, salad leaves, spinach, beetroot & strawberries in the tunnel last season. I am also planning on getting a few hens in the spring or as soon as hubby has made the hen house!
I got no gardening done for myself in the last few days, but I did do a bit for the organisation I work for. What crazy weather, one minute I driving in floods of rains, the next I am sliding into ditches. But what a beautiful bright night we are having tonite with the full moon.
I am feeling left out and twice nearly gave into temptation of joining the gang and buying an orchid. However sanity returned and knowing from reading the journals that they need more attention than a newborn child I managed to refrain from buying. Anyway I was always like Sinatra and did my way, never following the leader of the pack.
Also this week have being paying close attention to the birds…the feathered type as I am taking part in the garden bird survey. Have even borrowed a pair of binoculors to watch the feeders at the bottom of the garden. Got a few dirty looks from herself indoors when questioning me on my new past-time with binoculors, when I replied I was looking at a pair of tits….the feathered kind.
I have written my list for santa and if I am to get all I want, he will want to be attaching a 40ft trailer to the sleigh. I wait in hope
Yi pi, the grass has had a haircut. Long awaited. We have been waiting for the past month to cut the grass and finally got the weather today. It looks so much better.
Does anyone on garden.ie force bulbs or try them indoors. I found some crocus bulbs in the shed today that I forgot, I know its not exactly forcing but I am tempted to pot them up and try them indoors they would look gorgeous :O)
Any ideas or help !!!
Oooooo it’s almost upon us. I am really getting into the Christmas Mode. Gismo, you haven’t posted a photo of your Christmas tree yet. Oh, maybe you are waiting until Fran shows off his photo of his shed. Ha ha.
Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle all the way…….
I have just finished making up place names for the tables in the Arboretum. Hope they are ok.
I am actually getting butterflies in my stomach about meeting so many of you. You see, I am quite shy. So tread carefully.
Apologies to anyone whom this may offend – it is meant in the good spirit of Christmas…….. and the song thats in my head at the moment…..
Oh Come all ye Gardners
Joyful and Triumphant
Oh come ye, oh come ye
Who grow your own food
Come on and show us
All your lovely produce
Oh come and lettuce taste it
Oh come and lettuce taste it
Oh come and lettuce taste it
Mecky’s giant cabbage
Highest and Tallest
Brightest and Biggest
Born of that one seed
That came in the post
Sown with great care
Slugs and Snails should be aware
Oh come and ……..
Grow all ye seedlings
Grow in super strenght
Grow all ye seedlings
From Chilterns et al
Grow up to be eeee
Food that we all can eat
Oh come and
Yea plants we love thee
Picked fresh this morning
Yea plants ye feed us
Ev er yr day
Yea plants we love thee
Cooked fresh this evening
Oh come and lettuce taste it
Oh come and lettuce taste it
Oh come and lettuce taste it
Meckys’ giant cabbage
I am a member of a local gardening club – Atlantic Horticulture Association (AHA). We meet once a month and discuss many aspects of gardening but primarily growing our own fruit and vegetables. I enjoy this as I learn something new every night from some very experienced gardeners. I am in the process of laying out a small vegetable patch with raised beds beside my tunnel and I hope to grow some vegetables here in the coming season. I grew tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, salad leaves, spinach, beetroot & strawberries in the tunnel last season. I am also planning on getting a few hens in the spring or as soon as hubby makes the hen house!
Phew,what a month that has been. Last load of shoeboxes left our depot this evening, lorry heading for another load in Sligo, then on it’s way to children in Belarus. Yeay!!!
If not too tired i normally head to bed with portable dvd player and a good box set (six feet under, house, dexter) but discovered last night that I get great broadband reception from my vodafone mobile thingy on my little netbook while lying in bed. I feel a lot of late nights coming on…..
I actually sent a text to my friend Sharon yesterday to say that I must be hallucinating because I was actually outside working and I wasn’t at all uncomfortable. I couldn’t believe it. Then midges descended on my and I did get a little uncomfortable, but I didn’t complain and just put my hood up, delighted that it was even warm enough for midges.
I have now weeded 2 of my outrageously weedy vegetable beds. That creeping buttercup is nothing more than a b$%&*"^. I must not have weeded at all over the summer. They are brand new beds so that’s probably why they are so bad because the ones that are a year older are a lot easier to weed.
I got a booster for my internet connection — highly recommended for those of you using a wireless connection. It’s almost bearable now.
I’ve got a few things to do before I go home. First up is our garden club Xmas do — it’s at Sharon’s house cuz she’s got a good kitchen. Some of the catalogues have been showing up in the last week, Plants of Distinction and T&M. Is it just me or is T&M fairly lean on the amount of seeds they put in a packet? Plus, one of our local garden centres carries the full T&M range so I wouldn’t bother ordering from them. I got Plants of Distinction too — they have a decent range of tomato seeds. I’m waiting for Simpsons now (great chillis). But now that this internet connection is better I guess I could just order online. It’s just hard to curl up in front of the fire and casually flip through the laptop — just isn’t the same as paper. (I’m just showing my age now — I’ll probably also hate it when they don’t make CDs anymore and all music will be downloaded). Anyway, who’s got some good catalogues I don’t know about? Any favourites? Must check with Madeleine to make sure I’m on the list to get her catalogue when it comes out — everyone knows about Brown Envelope seeds, right? Seeds saved right here in Ireland — that’s something to be supported.
I think I need some warm wellies like Bill has. It’s hard to work outside when your feet are cold. I’ll leave you with that thought.
Hello all, have been a bit quiet of late, myself an Maggie decided to head off again for a couple of weeks, we arrived in New York last Monday and will stay for a couple of weeks, needless to say Maggie has been busy shopping and enjoying every minute of it!!!! ive been relaxing and having a few beers while catching up with old friends, will have to go shopping with Maggie today as we came over with very little and i have now run out of clean clothes!!! we will be sorry not to make Carlow and hope you all have a great time, we hope to take in a few garden visits while we are here and will start with the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens tomorrow, weather is great so we are looking forward to that, will keep you all posted………………………
Did not get into the veg garden early this evening to do some jobs there thanks to the weather,but hopefully tomorrow early afternoon for maybe an hour or two.I had planned to check out seed trays,canes etc for the new year in the tunnell and to have a fast look over beds 2 and 7 for successes and let downs during this year.I got my seed catalogue from Mr Middletons this evening and will get a chance to look through the veg in it later.
From 3 o clock on Friday afternoon i spent an hour in the veg garden.Weeding a little in the tunnell along with washing out the floor.No plans for tomorrow until i see what the weather is like.If the weather suits maybe get to pick up some leaves and give a tidy up around the garden.If not it will be back inside the tunnell to work from there.
I’m thinking of getting the potato barrel in Mr Middleton’s catalogue (I’m a bit addicted to catalogues!). Has anyone used them before, the barrels I mean , and are they good?
you know your a good gardener when….
a pair of wellies tops your Christmas wish list
You wear slipper socks inside your wellies to keep your feet warm
your partner starts helping you in the garden just to spend time with you
herons visit your garden on a regular basis
your neighbours know what you look like in your pjs
your idea of going shopping is to go to the local garden centre
you can speak latin
your Christmas Party is in a garden centre!
https://www.avonmoresupermilk.ie/index.html
there are free sunflower seeds at this site
I don’t know why I am so worried about trying my hand at veg growing next year. Its not as if I haven’t done it before, I even earned a living from it. I used to supply the neighours at home with,
Salad @ 5 pennies a head Bunch of Radish @ 3 pennies
Bunch of Scallions @ 5 pennies
The word pennies says enough about when this all took place.
My Dad, gave me a section of the garden, for this purpose. He thaught me about sowing at intervals, to keep the supply going for as long as was possible. The budding millionaire can still remember the trill of going to water the seeds one day, and seeing the first peepings a green, along a few straight lines. The money I saved that year went towards an Actionman Jeep. There was never a toy so well looked after, as that jeep was.
Strange the summers were really great, back then.
i hope this helps and save those of you who was going to but a potato box.
https://organicgarden.org.uk/blog/wp-content/gallery/4squarefootspuds/4squarefoot_potato1.png
https://organicgarden.org.uk/blog/wp-content/gallery/4squarefootspuds/4squarefoot-potato2.jpg
morning all very cold out here today hows all getting on
