Here Comes The Sun!

The weather the last couple of days, as in most places, has been glorious, absolutely gorgeous. My boys' had a school football tournament yesterday so were pleased with the weather and I put out some washing to dry and got into the garden. Today my youngest is taking part in a cross country event in Aberaeron so he has gone with a hat and strict instructions to stay in the shade where possible. 

I'm just going to share a few photos; this is so I can see where things are progressing and to let you see how things are coming along.

In the fruit patch the blackcurrants and raspberries are leafing up really well. as are my baby blueberry bushes. A couple of the fruit trees are starting to blossom especially this one.

I've been sowing turnip and beetroot - a cylindrical variety - in the cold frame bed. In the lettuce sink I've added American Cress; I like that this one could be ready in as little as five weeks - saw Monty sowing it this week and happened to have some so spurred me on.

I was going to plant the three Charlotte tubers I have but only put in two, using the growing bags provided, as one hadn't chitted as much as I'd like; I'll leave it a little while yet.

Talking of spuds, I've the beginnings of my first earlies peeping through already!

The onions are progressing nicely but the garlic is doing really well.

Since moving the strawberry plants to the conservatory they are thriving, but no flowers yet.

The first lot of climbing peas I sowed 10 days ago are already sprouting; have moved them from the propagator into the conservatory to make room for other things getting a head start.

I sowed another lot yesterday; I hoped to get the frame for these put in place as I thought I had enough tall bamboo canes... and I did! Woop woop! A before and after of course.

Need netting at the weekend but chuffed with it, even though a little wonky at the top but very pleased with myself. Its one of those things I always dreamt of having when I thought about ever having a proper veg plot.

Today, before I put up the frame, I skimmed off the remainder of the chicken poo I laid on top of the patch before covering over for winter. Although the poo had, the straw/hay had not rotted down completely and I didn't want to leave it all on the patch. 

I came up with a great idea, I think. I'm definitely leaving the fruit area to go a bit wild, it does IN the wild so why not, but I thought to keep the weeds down from around the blackcurrants and raspberries I would take up a few of them then mulch with what came off the main plot. 

Very happy with the result but I didn't let it touch directly to the bushes as not sure that it a good thing to do - whatever!

Right, I've eaten my lunch whilst doing this in between the work outside, making bread, checking on the lambs (we are not bottle feeding anymore but just keeping an eye on now and then) and putting the washing out. Need to go move the last of the bought compost out of my car boot then I'll see what else I can do.

Looking forward to seeing what everybody is getting up to in the good weather and how your sowing and growing is coming on.

Bye for now.

Lou.xx

Building Projects, Early Harvest and Second Sowings.

I think you may know by now that Jon does not do things by half. When I asked him if it was possible for him to build me a solar powered dehydrator he had a quick look on You Tube and said he'd got it!

Well today it was put in place, ready for the next sunny day we have and here is the beast!

In the section above where the fruit, veg etc will be laid out we were quite surprised how warm it felt when you put your hand inside even on a day like today. Really hoping from the best sort of weather to give a go really soon!

Something that hasn't gone so well are my onions, well some of them at least. The harvest looked as though it wasn't too far off but then I noticed some of them had started to go to seed. A quick check and I decided I would take them out and use them instead of leaving them in the ground with the top cut off.

The weather has been a little changeable recently but I have managed to get a fair bit done. Today, before the downpour, I re-sowed parsnips in the hope that these ones will work..

I have put the rest of the carrot seeds in the smaller bed, something I have been meaning to get round to for quite a while...

and then the gap I realised I had between the swede and turnip row and the garlic now has cauliflower seeds in. 

I've had a little look around the fruit area and the larger of the blackcurrant bushes has a good amount of fruit on it; 

not sure when we will be able to harvest them but can't wait! 

Our established apple tree has a little fruitlet on it...

and the blueberry bushes have improved but it will be a couple of years before we see any harvest from these...

Whilst looking at the fruit bushes I did a bit of tying to to make sure they don't get too battered in the wind and rain and then also did the same to the climbing peas and tomato plants as they are both getting quite tall now.

Today I also washed, cut and froze the onions I had to take up the other day so these are ready to use at a later date.

In the poly house I've planted two of my Marketmore cucumbers in the raised bed..

then, because they are actually a variety which can be grown outside, I have planted one in a used compost bag to see what the difference is.

I am a bit miffed that I didn't get my lettuce sowing quite right.The ones I have grown we have really enjoyed and it has been great fun picking one when needed - just what this game is all about! Therefore I have already sown seeds in the sink outside and have today filled another drainpipe in the poly house to hopefully make sure we get a steady supply and I will keep an eye on the succession sowing as the weeks go by.

My niece has been staying for a couple of days and I've given her one of my piquant pepper plants as I think I can spare one!

Right, I think that is a nice little catch up; it really will be really funs how everybody's harvests are coming on. I'm looking forward to visiting Dawn, AND Martin, when I see how things are doing on Friday over at Being Self Sufficient In Wales, as long as my visit is not put off by too much rain!

Bye for now.

Lou.xx

Compost, Digging and Doings!

Hi. The weather is very different today from yesterday which suits me just fine. Yesterday I dug over the new veg patch and put some eggs shells through the compost, dug the near to Poly House end and put some of my compost through it and then dug over the end where the peas will go. Phew and oh my back hurt after it!

I know I only posted yesterday morning but with all the digging I did yesterday, the weather was perfect, almost sunny and no need for a coat once you got stuck in, the best kind I wanted to share some things I got done.

I finally got the compost bins sorted; as I had used some on the new veg plot I could tell a lot of it was usable but still could do with making use of the second bin.

This is how the original bin looked...

then the one with still-to-rot contents...

and the original bin once I had turned it over it's contents; much better. How satisfying is it to create something out of waste which can be so good for your garden AND save you money?

At the weekend I bought some of those things that go on the top of bamboo wigwams.

I bought these because I have now put out the first of my climbing peas - Victorian Colossal. I have always loved the site of pea and bean canes on a veg patch and longed for my own - is that weird?

Eeeek, I love the way they look!

I watched, on catch up, Monty Don on Gardeners' World as he was talking about spud planting. As this is one of my anxious projects in the garden I take any advice I can get. He talked about the distance you plant your seed spuds; close together if you want new ones and more space between if you want big bakers. Good, simple advice. Then he said about rubbing off the chits you don't need on a spud, just keeping the one at the top; this makes perfect sense to me as all the energy will then be directed to that one chit instead of trying to make them all grow. Following on from this I was thinking about the space for the spuds and Jon is going to get me another of the large tyres so I will have four of them each with five Maris Piper seed spuds in. The photo below is the onions to the left and garlic to the right and, as they will all be up June/July time and the space can't really be used until then, I decided to plant my Charlotte seed spuds in between as with any luck they should all come up around the same time?

This morning I had a look around the garden and was pleased to see that a pear tree I bought last year on a Grow Your Own mag offer is starting to come to life. I was worried it had been in the pot so long, with not having anywhere to plant it, that it would not survive. 

Also looking wonderful is my magnolia tree. I am convinced it is doing better this year because of the tree we took down behind it; there was perhaps just too much shade?

This is the established apple tree we have; it has been pruned and I look forward to a more fruitful harvest from it this year.

Right, I have some cherry oat bake in the oven and Harry is off school today so need to make sure he eats his lunch.

Bye for now.

Lou.x

Where To Start?

This post is one of those catch up ones where things are not necessarily in the right order but at least you know what has been happening! Yes, yet again, I am all to cock!

On Saturday we bought all of these - the apple and pear tree came from Tesco, £6 for two, 

and the raspberry canes (thank you Dawn!) and two blackcurrants were £1 each, from Poundland. If they don't work out it will be no great loss.

This morning we have measured out the space for the fruit patch but also decided we can fit in a second, smaller greenhouse if we come across one.

Jon cut into disks another tree which he took down this morning to log and add to the woodpile next week. He has just begun work on the extension to the chicken enclosure to accommodate the ducks, with the boys helping by moving the big pile of branches to the right of the picture for burning at the bottom of the garden.

Here you can see the area before we cut one of the very last bamboo bushes down and trimmed back the pond...

and how it looks now; so much more space and so much lighter, too.

Jon is starting with a couple of the fence posts as the perimeter of the enclosure will begin at the left of the duck house, then come down towards where he is in the picture. He will have to move the gate of the chicken enclosure, too, of course. There is now a ramp into the pond and Jon is part way through converting Jake's old Dog House into another poultry palace for the next incoming flock, including putting a door at the back so we can reach any eggs; I'll post a picture when all is done. Does anybody have an suggestions for the best kind of ducks to have? We have a poultry supplier we are going to see at Bronant maybe next weekend.

Talking of eggs I've put our our first eggs out to sell! It is rather wet today so I have had to protect the basket a little; this is a bit of an experiment to see if they are visible as people drive past - Jon says he will build me a box on a stand, when he gets round to it but knowing him it won't be long!

Whilst putting the eggs out Alfie and I found this little snake - only about 6 inches long.

Also this morning I have sown seeds for radishes and basil in the Poly House.

Ok I think I am now caught up. We have all just had a snack to keep us going and I have prepared the veg until we have roast chicken this afternoon before Alfie goes to piano - two weeks on Thursday until his pre-test so lots of practise happening.

Bye for now and enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Lou.xx

Bits and Bobs Between The Raindrops

Haven't got up to too much over the weekend. Jon spent Friday night and half of Saturday fixing the water as we had an airlock. I am so lucky to have a handy husband!

I made some more fridge pickles; the cucumber have come to an end so I made these yummy things again but used red onions this time.

Forgot to say we visited a new vintage shop in Aber the weekend before and I found these for £1 each. A lovely addition to the Poly House but I shall probably end up using a couple of them for Christmas decorations; they are just my thing for that!

They had loads along with lots of other lovely stuff. Will definitely be going back as I hope to find one of those red metal fire buckets for the hearth.

Yesterday we harvested our first turnips. Eeeek! They are a good size but have left some in the ground.

Can't wait to use them in something; it won't be tonight as tea is already planned. We make a lovely chicken broth in the winter using turnips and carrots, just root veg really, and hope these will add some special flavour. I'll be looking for some recipes later to make the most of them.

At about 3pm yesterday I went out, trug in hand, to pick what I thought may soon be the last of the balckberries. I hoped I would not get caught in a rain shower as the weather is definitely on the Autumnal turn - can't wait frankly. I picked what turned out to be 1lb 4oz; don't you just love free food?

There were loads more so plan on making time to go out again this week to get more to keep in the freezer. Lovely to be able to have a handful on your porridge in the morning or add to a smoothie, one of Alfie's fav things for breakfast.

I plan on making a blackberry, peach and banana crumble today, mmmm! Unfortunately our apple tree has come to the end of its fruit but we have enjoyed it. We need to prune it I think ready for next year but will have to get my book out and see what to do as unsure. 

The boys are back at Urdd after school club today so I have the car from taking Jon to work so that I can collect them, and then Jon, later. I plan on going to the farmers co-operative in Tregaron to see if they have some seed potatoes or any fruit/veg trays of anything useful. I don't often get to go there because of not having the car.

Right I better get on as I have bread proving just now, a few jobs to get done over the next couple of days including cleaning out the chooks between the possible rain showers we may get. My visitor is here on Wednesday, it is our community monthly lunch on Thursday and my birthday on Saturday. No time for celebration for the latter as we are having the Rayburn put over to the house heating when Jon's dad comes to visit on Friday/Saturday but we will be all sorted then!

Bye for now.

Lou.xx