Month: August 2010

Mistakes..

 

I’ve made a lot of them, mostly buried. However there is an urge to confess..

 

I mention only two.

 

I did not really believe that Slugs could do their evil and be so invisible.. They nibbled all my Radishes and I hate the thought of eating where their slimy mouths have tasted.. So cut widely round the smallest of bite holes.  Visitors never get offered my oddly carved Radishes..

 

I really must read the packets..   Happily scattered 2000 carrot seeds into a narrowish bed!  Then read the packet, and Then read the horrors of  carrot flies – which can smell the necessary thinings for hundreds of miles.

Now they are thinned, very carefully and draped with net curtain.

 

Rhubarb is good. I like Rhubarb.

 

I feel better now.

I have already reported on life in one of the Cordylines. Yesterday Saturday, I had a look at a second Cordyline. A very small shoot was visible at the base. So two out of three aint bad! Perhaps I will get some life in the third one. While my camera was good enough to take a photo of the shoot in the  first Cordyline, I am afraid I would require Martin’s camera for this one!

i should know their names as they are common enough ,but all help will be appricated .

I am in search of three plants that I have seen in the last few days and I was wondering if  any member would know where I could track them down. I have searched the usual web sites and some lists of nursery plant lists that I have to no avail. The plants I am looking for are Potentilla "Gloire de Nancy", Hydrangea "Angels Blush", and Cotinus coggygria "Old Fashioned". If anyone comes across them for sale anywhere maybe they could let me know. If anyone has Hosta "Niagra" maybe we could arrange to trade for some hosta that I have. Look forward to hearing from someone.

Earlier today while working on some of the new vegetable holders i had to rush off for a few hours.Got back about 4.30 and spent time working in that area.For the next while i will stay until late tonight working on the now vacant tubs in the tunnel.Tubs 1,2,3 have had been harvested and will be prepared for another  visit  of winter vegetable seed.Once the tubs are empty and the new clay and compost close at hand,the light of the tunnel will be called upon at the seed sowing stage.All three will be dated and taken note off for future reference.This evening has gone quite dull and seems like rain is not to far away.

1 kg siucra sure set sugar

1 kg rhubarb

juice of one lemon or orange

cloves and ginger optional

cut rhubarb into small pieces about 1/4 inch, place in large saucepan. add juice, then sugar. heat while stiring to dissolve. bring to boil and boil vigorously for 4 mins.  test in the usual way, by putting a small amount on a saucer and when a skin forms it has reached setting point . make sure jars are clean and sterilized. ( i found that the jam seems a bit watery but it did set, so be patient)

if using ordinary granulated sugar

1 1/4 kg gran sugar

1 1/4 kg prep rhubarb

2 lemons rind and juice

25g bruised ginger( in a muslin bag)

all ingredients are layered and left overnight. then place in a saucepan and heat

slowly and bring to the boil, again boil vigorously, for 15 mins and test. remove muslin bag. pot and cover!

ENJOY

People have at times asked me "Where are you going for the Bank Holiday?" My answer is simple: "Into the garden!" Some of them do not understand as working in the garden means nothing to them. To me it is a great way to relax. Others will say to me "Don’t kill yourself at the garden!" Again they don’t understand. To day I spent nearly all of my spare time in the garden. The mower was out at once I was free to do so and very soon the grass margin by the roadside was looking good, then into the greenhouse. Coleus plants were somewhat pot bound so get out to the greenhouse some larger pots together with some compost and the job is done. Also some pots containing peppers were in need of potting on. This done the bag of compost was almost empty and what was left was used to pot on a tomato plant outside. Of course I have three bags of compost which I bought on Thursday. Next the plants I got from Rachel on Friday, what is the best place for them? Eventually, the best places were found. Persicaria was planted  near Liga’s Polemoniums and the other plants got a suitable place to grow. I had another look at the third Cordyline. It was difficult to see anything at the base but then when the undergrowth was removed, there was life once more, three shoots better than at the second one so now it three out of three. a considerable length of time was taken up removing so many plants woody and herbaceous. A little bit of deadheading followed and then it was time to retire and report on the work done which gave me such pleasure.  Not enough time for photographs to day, perhaps to morrow! Had Rachel’s visit an effect on the second and third Cordyline? The remainder of the onions except for a few were lifted to day so more ground for a catch crop of some sort.

Sometimes when the day does not go right, the humour is not good and the world becomes my enemy I retreat to the garden. At the start of the year it was great to be alone with my thoughts in the greenhose sowing seeds. later in the year it was great to get engrossed in the digging and the planting. Even the weeding becomes beneficial and allows time to think and collect our thought and make plans for the future. However tonite was the icing on the cake.

While watering the hanging baskets I sprayed water on the raised flowerbed and the scent that raised up from the nightstock and sweetpea was unbelievable. it was overpowering. sat there for an hour just doing nothing, totally overwhelmed with the aroma. Is-nt amazing I spent weeks building the flowerbed, weeks sowing it and today really was the first day I appreciated it. Absolutely brilliant, the batteries are recharged for another day

 

Three areas that will need particular atention given to them go to watering,weeding,and harvesting.Though harvesting has been done to Potatoes,[earlies],Cabbage,Broc,Chinese Cabb ,Kohlrabi,Tomatoes,Carrots,Peas,Beans,Beetroot,more needs doing.As usual watering will take place in the morning,and if not some will be done in the evening without fail.Of the seeds that will need at third successional sowing now will be with Turnips,Carrots,[earlies],Lettuce,Chinese Cabb,more Salad Onions, and checking into Spring Cabbage.August is an important month for gathering crops at the harvesting stage.They must be lifted at this time now for a lot of them or growth will be effected,with them been over grown and getting tough.Winter crops have been started and some more new  seeds have been added to the three vacant tubs in the tunnel,used as seed trays.They will be moved on well before the time.These will keep the plants that will supply some of the food later.Unless of course for a setback.Not so far apart from a few minor ones.Noticed another visit from our enemy the Leaf spot.[Weather].Nothing serious,with just seen it been noticed on one leaf.Weather is also dangerous with Blight this month.Defence is needed more.

Having spent most of my time recently on my hands and knees weeding the cottage garden area, i made myself a cup of tea and went for a walk around my garden. The verbena is growing really well after a slow start, cosmos looking cheerful, even with a grey sky, crocosmia amazing and the passion flower is stunning. It is growing up the side of the house, with clematis nelly moser and a jasmine nudiflora, all 3 were bought last year for 20 euro in woodies and i am thrilled with them. I am only getting 2 or 3 flowers at a time on the passion flower, but the nelly moser has flowered on and off since early june.

I have been trying to figure out how to tag my photos (well actually my daughter has) Could someone with the know how please send me a message with step by step instructions, in baby lanugage please. I have taken more photos to add but would like to tag them. Thanks in advance, from a complete failure

Recently I have not been gardening much, due partially to the weather, but this morning I got out for a while and enjoyed the work. But here are not too many plants coming into flower now, but the hebes and eryngiums are growing well.

If you would like to have a look at my garden next Tuesday at 11 am , please let me know.

 

Some time ago, people were talking about using Epson Salts as a tonic/feed for certain plants. Could I get some advice on mixing strengths etc. and the plants the it can be used on and anything else that may be of use. Thanks as always.

Krista I owe you an apology.  A couple of weeks ago I asked for the name of a plant I had bought at the Galway Gdn Festival. You commented on my journal that it was Thalictrum ‘kiusianum’.  To cut a long story short when I found out that it was indeed T.’k’ I had forgotten that you had already mentioned this name.  Dolores in fact pointed this out to me – she’s been on the phone twice this evening about it!!!!   Sending a heartfelt apology, didn’t mean to offend you.  I should have known Krista you’d have the name as you are so good with plant identification.

The Rose my bro gave to me, it reads like a title for a song. I have posted a photo of the rose, which my bro gave me before he went into hospital for his op its like him both doing brilliant.

This relates to the weeds. Having cleaned the onion bed after lifting them, weeds were removed. Some black currant bushes were pruned. A big offset from one of the Yuccas was removed and put into the bed vacated by the onions. The front was looking good but the back garden neglected. Now things are beginning to be under control. I would say it was the best year for Hydrangeas. Not only do they look good but they tend to prevent weeds from getting light.  By the way I have two big Yuccas and I get the offsets from them. It is remarkable how many I have been able to give away and there are as many there afterwards. Yucca is known to many as Adam’s Needle, the tips of the leaves are very sharp. As a result of the name I refer to the two large Yuccas as Adam and Eve.

Hi all is anyone else having a problem uploading photos? mind didn’t go through and I’ve tried it twice now.

hi all. is there anything of garden interest coming up this month ? ( shows , demos ,GIY,etc )would love to meet up with some of you like minded people if not this year the defo next year.

Walking into Supervalu last evening I spotted a slightly sad looking busy lizzie beside the door that was marked down to €1.99

I decided to rescue it as I dont have any in the house and they bring back lots of childhood memories as my mother always had lots of them on the window cills and usually a jam jar full of water by the sink with several cuttings.

where are you ??? its been a while since bill tuned in . would love him to get in touch.

My place of work has a wide variety of shrubs on the grounds and I was thinking of helping myself to some cuttings. But I am wondering just how long would a cutting remain viable for until it was properly potted.  Any ideas?

I fell in love with this old cottage and three acres of rushy land, six years ago. I moved in almost immediately and began the labour of love, transforming the derelict cottage into a home and beginning the arduous task of tackling three acres single handedly, following permaculture principles and ethics, thereby creating orchards, vegetable garden, ponds, woodland and planting over 400 trees in the permaculture plan I followed.

 The results are quite magical. Somewhere among the rushes and water-logged ground, I planted my heart! It has not been broken!

My aims are simple…To grow and harvest as much Organically produced food as I can.

To consider Mother Nature as the prime mover and shaker on my smallholding, thereby acknowledging the important role played by wildlife and the natural cycles therein. 

Had a busy day but managed a couple of hours in the garden. Divided some of the Pulmonaria ‘Majestique’ and spread it a little further along the path, Im hoping to have a border of it along one of the paths in the “Wilderness”. I dug out a Hypericum “Magical Passion” and planted One of my recent purchases Zenobia pulverulenta ‘Blue Sky’ in its place. I divided a piece off it and planted it in the shrub border, dont know if it will live but worth a try. (help! just remembered that I didnt replant the Hypericum! Too tired now will have to wait till tomorrow!!) Zenobia is supposed to be planted in partial shade but I really want it in the Inner Circle and that is in full sun, this is why I am trying a piece in a shady spot in the shrub border. I know I really am expecting a lot of this plant! Hope I haven’t killed it in my greed!

Also planted in the Calla Lily that I bought. Had just come in for a cuppa when a German family arrived to see the garden so spent some time showing them around.

 

After two long days in the garden my muscles (even the ones I’d forgotten I have) are all aching. Spent the days digging out buttercups and dandelions from my "flower beds" and putting in a hard edge between the beds and lawn. Also doing some vigorous pruning of my Sophora tree. It’s a bit of a bully in the amount of space it needs but it’s such a gorgeous tree I hate cutting it back at all.

Oh for a large field and the space to let a tree grow to its natural size and shape!!

I suppose if I was sensible I’d cut my losses and take out a tree that’s too big for the space it’s in, but I can’t bear to lose it. It’s a dilemma.

By the way – can anyone tell me if this is the right or wrong time to cut back a tree?

 Finally got around to planting out some of the new plants I bought during the summer – some of them as far back as Bloom, at the beginning of June.

Next jobs are to dig over my new veg plot to prepare for some winter veg and to put a few panes of glass in the green house where they got broken. My Mam always said a garden was never "finished" and she was dead right. But it would be boring if it was.

Finally got to sow the veggie seeds I got last weekend. Put down some spring onion, swiss chard, white turnip and broccoli. Hopefully something will grow.

Also bought an oriental lilly to go in avacant spot in a bed by the patio. Not sure it will like the soil but I’ll give it a go anyway.