Just A Hi There And Hello!

Hello. I hope you're all keeping well and safe. Here in Wales we have two more weeks left of our current lockdown and the boys are obviously still learning from home. However there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel for when they may return, virtually crossing my fingers.

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The weather is bitterly cold as I type this, early evening Monday, but thankfully no snow.

Even during inclement weather I love my growing space here in #mylittlepatchofparadise as I like to call it. Since the beginning of the month I've been taking part in #mymonthonthontheplot on Instagram, posting a different photo each day to do with my growing area and seeing what other people have been gettng up to, really good fun even when our gardens don't necessarily look their best at this time of the year.

This year I have my poly house back - woop woop, re-covered at the beginning of November after I'm not sure how long. I have my  Feel Good UK polytunnel which we managed to buy, install and start using in May last year. My outdoor beds and other growing spaces are great as they are made from sleepers we found whilst clearing the jungle of a garden we had when we arrived here. I also have bathroom 'items' that would have just been thrown out, an old chimmney plus a LOT of tyres which Jon acquired along with a big old wooden crate.

Currently the main bed, which is 17 x 6 feet, has had a visit from a mole or two! 

Here it is in a previous years from a couple of angles.

This is worrying me as I went into panic mode when I first saw them; my mind is thinking I won't be able to grow anthing if I don't get rid of them and I will have failed my family in my aim to provide as much fresh food as I can for them. Then yesterday I was watching an episode of 'The Wartime Kitchen and Garden' ; this was to help research the next post on my WW2 blog Put That Light Out! Anyway, what should I see but Mr Hobbs laying a trap for a mole which one of the land girls knew had got into her veg patch. I know some gardeners prefer not to use traps but needs must. I'll look for the run and hopefully put the trap in at the weekend with a little help from Jon.

I still wouldn't consider myself a confident gyo-er, but I am very enthusiastic! This year I'm growing something for the first time - dwarf borlotti beans - as I love the idea of drying them to keep for use in stews next winter. Not sure how many plants I'll need to save a couple of jars - anybody with any advice on that please?

I'm also growing something in the same place this year; I don't go for massive plot rotation plans as I am a no dig gardener and a big fan of Charles Dowding, My sweetcorn grows best in one specific bed, right outside the poly house where it gets very good sun so that's where it will go! Anyone else a no dig fan of CD?

This has just been a nice little ramble before I REALLY have something to show when sowing soon starts. 

Hope you've enjoyed it.

Bye for now and stay safe,

Lou.xx