Fun In The Sun, A Sowing And A Growing!

Good morning.

Oh my what a weekend! On Saturday we spent, as a family, 3 and a half hours putting up the greenhouse gifted to us by friends; where they live was apparently too windy for them to use it so they asked if we'd like it. You betcha!

It was a bit of a task but we did it in the end, all but the glass - Jon will get to that after a couple of other jobs around out little Homestead; there are a few broken pieces but he has some in stock so no trouble there.

We started putting it together where it will eventually be set down but it was a bit of a squeeze so we moved across to the other side of the garden to complete the task.

 I took this one as Harry was tightening up all the nuts and bolts.

This photo is after I'd re-sited the blackcurrant bush that was in the doorway, can you see? Its loaded with flowers and smells fab, as does the other bush, and I'm very confident of a good harvest, as long as I can keep an eye on them regarding the birds....

I now have to strim the area, it will be secured, I'll put some membrane down for this year and Jon said he'll build me some staging. Next year I'll see about having some raised beds but I'll have my planters for the tomatoes and other things this year when I get organised - v.excited!

Sunday was a great day! I got outside after a hearty breakfast I cleaned out the chooks with some great shavings I use from the sawmill. I sowed cabbage Offenham direct into the bed outside the Poly House. I have some in the conservatory in pots but thought I'd go belt and braces as really hope they come out as well as last year but just more, barring caterpillars. 

I forgot to sow peppers after the first lot didn't germinate so I've, again, gone for sweet pepper Romano and California Wonder. Because of the extra space with the greenhouse I've decided to sow gherkins again as they did sooo well last year.

I've direct sown sugar snap peas in the main bed and used some more willow canes for a little support. I've got a really mix going on in there just now. I was only thinking this afternoon that I must work out where to put things once the first early spuds are up as there is broccoli to think of, too, that is currently in the conservatory - nowhere near ready to go out yet, though.

I am continually checking my books and magazines for things I can sow just now, and as our weather is set to be great for the next week too I have to hold myself back! I'm lucky to have a good sized area and the new greenhouse, too, but it is never enough is it😃?

The raspberry bushes were getting properly larey so I've tied the other large one to supporting canes and noticed where they have self-seeded so will have to deal with that soon. Last year our neighbour gave me some raspberry canes and I planted them at the fence line between his and our garden and completely forgot about them. They are now well established now and it looks like there will be a great crop from them this year! 

We popped to Aber after lunch and I came home with four more bags of compost. Just out of interest, what do people pay for it where you live? I can get 200 litres for £10. Work clothes back on and with new supplies I planted out more sweet peas, this time in a planter with one of my trellis (2 for £1) and willow canes so that should be a lovey sight outside of the Poly House. 

I could finally put the last of the maincrop spuds Cara in! I admit to some of them being spoilt with overheating so I had to ditch a few.... but they are in the second massive tyre and one growing bag.


I clipped some of the big weeds before strimming and checked that it was ok for some to go on the compost; I also turned over one of the compost bins to see how it was progressing.

We managed to get some of the grass cut and it looks so much better - lovely view from the Poly House. Hope to get the rest done this week.

In other areas of the garden the three blueberry bushes are really coming on well - not sure if there will be any fruit this year.

The end of the small patch where the parsnips and radishes are sown are now quite defined by the radishes which is good to see.

The Marketmore cucumbers are peeping through after being put in the propagator in the Poly House after not doing well in the conservatory so its great my recycling has worked.

Right, have to get on. Just enjoying the weather today really, not too many jobs outside apart from drying the washing. Back to Slimming World tonight after a couple of weeks away and then Welsh tomorrow, also been off for a couple of weeks as life just got in the way.

Oh, in my quest to do a bit of writing where I can I've had a piece about learning Welsh accepted and is going to be published in our local mag promoting Aber. go me!

Looking forward to seeing what everybody is getting up to on your own patches of paradise in this fantastic weather we are enjoying just now.

Bye for now.

Lou.xx

Weekend On The Way

Good morning.

This has been a good week in the garden in general.

I'll try to show it more in pictures than words, if I can manage that; you know I love a ramble!

On Monday I took up the vast majority of the onions and they are now drying on a hessian bag in the cellar store room. don't know the weight until they are dried and then I can compare with last year. I thought I'd planted more this time but not sure....

I kept a few in the kitchen to use and I just love them sitting there, knowing I grew them!

I did a bit of sowing, too. More carrots alongside the ones that are doing very well, some Basil in the top of the herb loo and extra radishes in a spare planter after I ditched one of my tomato plants.

These are the first sweet peas I have had in the kitchen for the last few days until today as I have just had to throw them away.

On Tuesday I had a good little harvest and it was pure joy to bring this basket of goodies into the house!

I did my first bit of blanching, too, as I've put the cabbages in the freezer not being something we are eating just now. All together we have had just over 3lbs of spuds, firstly from the Arran Pilots then the Charlottes with one plant left to harvest. It is so satisfying taking them up, like digging for treasure! Lesson learned though, need to plant more earlies next year I think.The turnips are being used in stir frys and I just pick the sugar snap peas as and when; I don't have masses of those planted but they are yummy just to eat as I am outside or for the boys as snacks.

Now, I have a Twitter account for the Airbnb room and I follow a few interesting people - can't do with trash, tat or gossip; I'm a very discerning member of this form of social media! Following on from this, see what I did there? I had a chat with a company called Dri-Pak who I think a lot of people have heard of. I've wanted to do some product testing for companies for a while so I asked if they were interested in sending me some items that I could review -  and this little lot arrived this week!

I plan on sitting down this weekend to plan how best to do this little project; I've used soda crystals for quite a long time, along with good old fashioned green household soap.

Ok, there we are. I am hoping we may get a shower or two today; the butts are just about empty and I could do with all the main veg patches getting a bit of a soaking.

As ever, I look forward to hearing what everybody gets up to over the weekend.

Bye for now.

Lou.xx

BBQ, Brakes and Boy What a View!

Friday afternoon saw a change to the meal plan as the weather was soooo nice we threw together a few things for a bbq and outdoor eating just had to be done. Yum!

On Saturday we were around the house with Jon starting on the job of changing the brakes on his car and we need to pop to Aber for a certain tool he needed.

I did some jobs in the garden including planting out some of the sugar snap peas in the sweetcorn patch and sowed more, too. I also added a few rocket seeds to fill in the gaps in my salad leaf drainpipe in the Poly House. And talking of lettuces I am so pleased with my efforts this year as last year they were very poor. Almost ready to use and I have a good more growing in the sink so we should be able to have them regularly soon. Eeeek!

On Sunday we had a quick lunch and then went into Aber as it was such a glorious day. We had decided to climb Constitutional Hill from where you can look down on the beach. Personally I wasn't looking forward to the climb very much but in the end it was fab, with the reward of an ice cream for all at the top. What a view!

We walked down, too, instead of taking the cable car.

On the way back to the car the boys tried to find their way through a maze!

Today we are blessed with yet another glorious day. Jon fixed up the hosepipe to the garage inside tap for me as I had to fill the water butts and all my bottles and water cans. 

So pleased to report that FINALLY my sweet corn is making progress and the few carrots I sowed in the Poy House are also doing very well; hope the ones outside do as well.

The spinach that was very small on April 21 is big enough for me to have picked a little - that will be for my tea tonight, probably just a garnish!

Lastly to report, my first attempt at growing basil is great and my summer cabbages are doing better than I could imagine. I am keeping a close eye on slugs on these and the broccoli but all well so far.

 

There, I think I am all caught up. A few jobs to do now before the boys are home from school no doubt in need of a cold drink and a snack.

Bye for now.

Lou.xx

Sowing And Growing 2017 Here We Come!

Morning.

I've mentioned at times my sowing and growing plans for this year so I thought I'd do a proper post mostly about the veg; you might want to get a brew and a biscuit when you sit down to this one! If I have a record of plans I normally get things straight in my head when they are down on 'paper '- I can also ask for any advice I might need as I go along! Obviously it's good to be flexible because if something doesn't work or I change my mind etc. that's ok.

I've learned a great deal since last April, from how much spacing you really need between things when you plant out, how to deal with growing in bags, watering routines, patience - lots of things. It will be great to look back on this and compare to the harvest we hopefully reap!


 Now first of all this is the plan I have drawn up for the main veg patch, the five tyres, drainpipes(?), growing bags (not grow bags), the patch previously used for sweet corn, the shallow Belfast sink, containers and inside the Poly House (PH).
                                           

These are the plans for January - March incl. 

The first sowings I'll hopefully do in the next week or so. These will be started off in the conservatory as it is too cold in the PH just now. I hope to be sowing chillies, sweet ones, and we are not keen on really hot ones so will bear this in mind; I couldn't get the right seeds at the weekend but once ready they'll be moved into the PH to be grown in containers under one of the benches as I think there is room for their height without taking up floor space. 

Spring onions are something I really want to improve on this year. Last year I managed a few but they were very weak looking. These will be started off in the conservatory, might work or may have to wait until February depending on how warm the sun gets. They will then be put outside in the shallow Belfast sink - should be able to get loads in there!

In February these are the jobs:

- cucumbers called Marketmore sowed, same procedure as before. Didn't do too bad last year but hope to do better this time with a different variety (can't remember what the last ones were called); they will go into the PH raised bed alongside the aubergines.

- the first round of tomato seeds will be sown, cherry ones, which will be Gardener's Delight which I acquired from not sure where plus a variety particularly for bottling called Capriccio F1 Hybrid ordered from Thompson & Morgan. I don't know much about the difference between Hybrids and others but it may be that they have been produced to be a little more resistant to disease, to guarantee size?

- 1st early spuds need to start chitting ready to be planted at the end of this month; I have on order Charlottes and  Arran Pilot.

- piquant peppers, thanks to Dawn for the seeds, as well as some sweet peppers the seeds for which came with my GYO mag. These I plan to grow under one of the benches the same as the chillies unless they prove too big, must measure the height of the bench...

⦁ I could start some carrots but not sure if I will bother as failed badly with these last year; might give them a miss and try next year.

⦁ peas are new to me this year and on recommendation from Dawn, thanks again, I ordered Victorian Colossal Climbing Pea seeds from Victoriana Nursery Gardens. I will start these off as all before in 1 drainpipe I have in the conservatory but I think I have at least one more I can use. This is the advice on how to start off as they can be slid into position when ready to plant out. Not sure if I need to sow every couple of months or just go with the initial sow.

- I have on order Maris Piper seeds spuds and these need to be chitting this month.

- I am sowing two varieties of aubergines - Black Beauty and Long Purple; my plan gives room for 2 plants but I might just try and squeeze in 3 so I can get at least 1 of each type. I'm really am keen to grow these this year because I was too late last year; again they will be started in the conservatory before being moved to the PH and when ready they will be put into the raised bed. Can't wait to make my own ratatouille!

For March we have the following:

- I want to grow some climbing beans this year but haven't bought seeds yet. I am a bit funny about beans. I only like the thin French beans not the long runner beans. Ultimately they will be planted out in the back two tyres on tripods of course;I hope they will get some good sun there but will be sheltered, too, by the wall.

- lettuce will be sown in the fixed drainpipe in the PH and I plan to sow every couple of weeks. I have a mixed lot of seeds which include All The Year Round, Mizuna, Rocket, Cress (Land/American) this I may grow in a container of sorts just because it shows that on the front of the packet!, Lettuce Salad Bowl and Radichio. Some seeds were bought last year, some came with my GYO and some I acquired; hope to get a good variety this year.

- Maris Piper early maincrop spuds will go in at the beginning of the month.

- by now the cucumber should be ready to be put into the PH raised bed along with the aubergines so we will see what good bedfellows they make!

 - onion sets can be sown this month, too, so shall look at getting some bought in good time, if space on the plot allows for them. (Last year I planted the onions in June and November; the June ones harvested in mid-October.)

- sugar snap peas did not too bad being supported between the sweetcorn last year; not quite sure where they would go this year if I do grow them, may have to get some large containers for them...

- not sure if I will have to start off more peas this month, any advice or should the ones I put in last month be enough.


- gherkins are something Jon loves so really want to have a bash at these this year.

Right, I think that it is for the sowing and growing plans, f course there are jobs to be done in and around the Poly House this month so I aim to:

- turn over the compost bin, the bottom section is looking really healthy

- tidy out the rest of the growing bags, containers etc

- make a spot in the fruit area for the blackcurrant and raspberry bushes that I currently have in pots

- put compost that I have in some containers in the Poly House in one receptacle

- give the Poly House one last clean up before we start the year in earnest!

It goes without saying that any advice, tips or "no!!!! don't do that's" will always be appreciated!

Bye for now.

Lou.xx

Mid-Week Musings

So the boys left with the Gramps Sunday lunchtime with Jon going back to work on Monday.

I have been keeping myself busy and on Monday...

I finally planted out ALL of the beetroot. You can look at it in one of two ways, either I sowed too many seeds in the beginning or I was cleverly thinking that I wouldn't have to grow it two years on the trot as I will have jar upon jar of it pickled! You decide!

Then I weeded around the turnips, onions and broccoli.

I had a few sugar snap peas in a drainpipe in the Poly House and have now put these in one of the tyres around a tripod; I hope they perk up as they were looking a bit poorly. I think they were a bit overshadowed by the cucumber plants; this is a close up to show said cucumbers which are growing very healthily and that there are lots to come, it seems.

I re-did the canes on the beef tomatoes and they are much more secure now.

I managed to turn over the compost heap with the help of both wheelbarrows. It is definitely coming on well but I really need to get right down to the bottom.

(I should point out that I've had to move the laptop to the other end of the kitchen table because the sun is streaming through the front kitchen window and I couldn't see a thing on the screen!)

Yesterday I gave the Poly House a really good tidy out including brushing out seed trays that are now empty ready for next season's sowing. There is not much going on in there at the moment; I'm sure there is something I could be doing but can't figure out what.

I managed to do some good work on my December Daily and finished three pages. Then domestic stuff was washing done and put outside, some ironing and clothes and bedding put away. I have the boys' school uniform washed and put aside but not doing anything with that yet as not sure how much of it will fit them by the end of the summer hols!

Jon and I went to the builders yard for supplies, more of that in a moment, after he finished work and he bought this for me. Aaah.

You can just see in the background my lettuces coming on. Decided to try growing these along with the leaves that are in the drainpipe above.

I am a little concerned about the tomatoes. I have picked some and we have eaten them, yum, but the bush ones are not turning red at the moment. I have, however, been reliably informed that when they turn red they emit a gas which helps to turn others red; maybe I just need to be a little more patient and not pick any for a while when they DO turn red. My middle name is definitley "learning all the time".

Now, regarding the trip to the builders yard. You may remember back in January I wrote THIS post, and then I wrote THIS one! The end room is really coming on and this is the bathroom. The tiles I mentioned a while back which the boys were helping to carry into the shed were used for the back wall, Jon made the frame for the mirror we had in stock as well as the duck board for the shower tray. That was another freebie; the tray was lying around at the saw mill, was a bit long so Jon shortened it, glued it back together and sanded it down and you would never know, then the toilet was from Freecycle and the door was a bargain on Ebay.

Last weekend Jon painted the living/sleeping space and we chose this fab purple for the end walls and used magnolia on the other two.

Carpet is coming in a couple of days, grouting on the shower, which is to the left of the mirror, will be finished tonight then it will be done for now. Later we need to look at curtains but we have a great side unit that was going for free, you see we love that word! which will go in later of course. So, where am I going with THIS ramble you are probably asking? 

Well, surpsingly we have changed our mind, yet again. The end room was to be a guest room and nothing more but I have a friend with a self-catering cottage down the road from us and she said we should put it on Airbnb. You may remember that I said I didn't want people in the garden, the space taken up which we had dreamed of for so long etc. etc. However, Jon and I think we can do this without too much impact on ours and the boys' lives. The other thing is the field we own down the road from the house would take a lot, and I mean a lot, of money to turn into a viable plot for camping and would take a good year or more to get done. 

Therefore we are going back to, not sure what plan X, Y or Z, where we use the field as more of a smallholding to be as self-sufficient and self-reliant as we can with our pigs, Jon's agricultural building store, his tool shed, maintenance materials, all his other manly stuff and who knows what else. He would be able to give up work then as we are not looking to be millionaires, just get the qualtiy of life we have both been looking for and want for the whole family. I pretty much do as I please and always have since we got here, and I am very lucky in that, but this would mean Jon could be at home, we would work together, have our desired pace of life for us and the boys and do what we want to do.

Another phew! We may get this first room let out in around October just to see how things go and after that Jon can look at converting the next two rooms.

Isn't life a killer? What can I say but what a ride! As it says at the bottom of my blog posts - 

It isn't love that makes the world go round, it's love that makes the ride worth while.

I can't think of anybody other than Jon that I would want to travel on this wild ride of ours.

I think that really is quite enough rambling.

Bye for now.

Lou.xx

Catch up time (sorry for the uninspiring title)

Blogland forgive me, it has been, not sure how long, since my last post! 

Only kidding.

Here are my boys at the school presentation on Wednesday afternoon!

Most presentations were for Year 6 but there were others for things like top attendance for the year, most improved reading in Welsh etc.

The boys had their school summer fete on Friday and Jon hepled Alfie to make these door stops. Harry with Jon made Harry Potter wands out of branches from our twisted willow tree; he sold them all so no photo I'm afraid!

I was helping on the cake stall, of course, so set to baking and took along these three plus chocolate brownies and banana and sultana muffins. (Just realised the Victoria Sponge photo was taken pre jam and cream but you get the gist!)

At the fete I bought some quails eggs. Two things, they are much nicer hard boiled than runny - not keen on the taste at all - and if I ever should buy them again it will only be when I can afford to pay somebody to peel them for me - fiddly buggers!

Yesterday I harvested the first of our sugar snap peas, really fat and tasty and the boys have eaten them all as it was them I grew them for really, and the girls were back on form and  gave me six eggs.

Today I picked the first of our cucumbers - see the scale of it next to my glasses! I have taken some leaves off the underneath of the plants as there are lots of little ones growing and thought I might get more light to them. Try anything me! We should be able to stop buying those very soon. I have also ditched some of the compost from the drainpipe I was using to grow salad leaves. They were not growing decently anymore so I tidied it out and sowed some new spring onions; I think the ones in the same bed as the cucumber were being overshadowed by the big plants and just not progressing - another lesson learned there; learning all the time as my dad used to say!

The boys finish school on Tuesday so today we set to with sorting out a present of sorts for their teacher. They made a card between them and then decorated a hard-backed book I had in my stationery stash plus we have given her some pretty post it notes. (I was given them in the stationery swap I did recently but they were prefect to pop in the gift bag.)

This is the back of the book decorated my Harry's own fair hand and they both wrote some very nice things in Welsh on the inside cover.

I was having a fight with my cordon of tomatoes on this morning because I could NOT get the piggin' thing tied so it didn't lean too much. Eventually I strung them to one of the roof struts but I think I will nip the top soon.

Not much else going on in the Poly House although very pleased to see the beetroot I sowed a week ago are coming up nicely; Harry loves beetroot and I plan on pickling plenty! The courgette plants are a bit hit and miss at the moment; hardly anything is happening on one of the but the other seems to be coming along better with a couple growing well and more waiting in the wings so to speak.

We have had a lot of rain over the last few days so the water butts and any other receptacles with wide enough necks are over-flowing!

I do hope we are in for some better weather this week as we still yet to get the dreaded top soil. I am still ok regarding planting a few last things out but Jon has been so busy that even if the weather had been drier we probably wouldn't have managed to fetch it home anyway.

Well, my washing up is calling before the new series of Fake or Firtune; we love that!

Bye for now and look forward, as usual, to see the weekend shenanigans from everybody.

Lou.x