2009.05.09 My Day
How wonderful not to be in the office today, although physically it has been a short week it has felt as though it was a full one. But at least at the weekends I can escape - I have my freedom I have been like the Butterfly hovering here doing this pricking out my seedlings - there are a lot of them as most of them have struck but they are going to come in useful for all sorts of things. My seedlings have now gravitated to the cold frame and I am going to need some garden prepared soon to transplant them into. I have an area behind the old wonky shed [ blow on it and it will collapse] (just like a Dandelion Clock does when you gently blow on it).
I therefore decided to take my life into my own hands and I have started to dig and reclaim my jungle and I have been digging behind the shed. Overhead is the Cherry tree and the blossom has set and the cherries are starting to form and swell They are green at the moment and the dead blossom has gone that marvellous rusty colour with the remnants still clinging to the branches.. The ground area had been covered in ivy and latterly bindweed, so there was no end of twitch to dig out. The area had been used as a general dumping ground so we have had one or two finds; but it is coming along very slowly and of course I have been out in the fresh air all day, which is an absolute bonus after being cooped up in an air conditioned office all week with no opening windows. I have also sieved and raked the top of the soil to get rid of any extra rubbish.
My back is killing me now so I need to take a break. Hopefully if the weather is good tomorrow I will be able to continue on then. I am only about half way done, but at least when it is done I should be able to transplant my marrow, courgettes yellow and green, pumpkins, pattypan squash etc.
Once we have this area reclaimed I anticipate having a go at reclaiming the Green house. Although I have tomato and pepper seed set and growing the local veg shop had three tomato plants for £1 each and Sweet Peppers at 50p a pot so have bought 6 tomatoes and 6 peppers. They are in the growing frames at the moment but as soon as I can declutter the greenhouse and get the plants in situ this should free up the growing frames and the cold frames somewhat for other bits I intend to do. My summer cabbage seeds have struck and also need pricking out - will possibly get that done tomorrow with a bit of luck. Still have so much more to set.
My Alpine Strawberry seeds and Rhubarb seeds have also taken as have my cucumber and gherkin plants. I love strawberries especially miniature ones. I would like to get hold of a couple of Tayberry Plants as well to grow up the fence and I quite like the idea of a couple of Figs as well. I just love fresh figs.
I have also done loads of washing and got it dried on the line. There is nothing like the fresh smell of clean air dried washing. Most of the washing dried wonderfully so I have hung it straight up on to coathangers to save on the ironing. I am getting tight in my old age - trying to save the electric bill and the pennies.
I have also watered up - the ground is so dry at the moment. I think I may have to invest in another water butt and stand, in which case I would have a feed barrel. When I used to keep veggies years ago we were told by an old boy that one good way of getting nutrients to your plants was to go sheep dag hunting. Then put the sheep dags into a hessian bag tie it and then immerse it in your water trough or barrel. You then used a small quantity from the barrell to every watering can of water. The feed water we have always done by watering can. I have to say that this did work very well. (Sheep in preference to anything else as it is not as strong or as harsh as cowpats).
Around here we seem to have been lucky no frosts whilst we have had blossom on the trees so I am hoping for a lot of hedgerow fruits this year like sloes and elderberries and blackberries and rosehips. I have lots of lovely recipes to try out and last year I didn't get sloes or hardly any elderberries. Sloe Gin is something I like to try and make every year as well as Rumptopf.
The elderflower will shortly be ready so must sort out some recipes to do then - its something I want to take advantage of this year.
My flowers have all taken as well the Morning Glory really has got a bolt on and My Hollyhocks and Delphinium, French Lavender, Aubretia have also taken, and the Nasturtiums.
My hands are now hurting from all the exertions in the garden and are a little itchy.
I think will have to get some Marigold salve on them to soothe them.
However I am hoping and looking forward to going shopping in my own garden for fresh produce, and to be able to preserve it in whatever way I can for the winter months.
I therefore decided to take my life into my own hands and I have started to dig and reclaim my jungle and I have been digging behind the shed. Overhead is the Cherry tree and the blossom has set and the cherries are starting to form and swell They are green at the moment and the dead blossom has gone that marvellous rusty colour with the remnants still clinging to the branches.. The ground area had been covered in ivy and latterly bindweed, so there was no end of twitch to dig out. The area had been used as a general dumping ground so we have had one or two finds; but it is coming along very slowly and of course I have been out in the fresh air all day, which is an absolute bonus after being cooped up in an air conditioned office all week with no opening windows. I have also sieved and raked the top of the soil to get rid of any extra rubbish.
My back is killing me now so I need to take a break. Hopefully if the weather is good tomorrow I will be able to continue on then. I am only about half way done, but at least when it is done I should be able to transplant my marrow, courgettes yellow and green, pumpkins, pattypan squash etc.
Once we have this area reclaimed I anticipate having a go at reclaiming the Green house. Although I have tomato and pepper seed set and growing the local veg shop had three tomato plants for £1 each and Sweet Peppers at 50p a pot so have bought 6 tomatoes and 6 peppers. They are in the growing frames at the moment but as soon as I can declutter the greenhouse and get the plants in situ this should free up the growing frames and the cold frames somewhat for other bits I intend to do. My summer cabbage seeds have struck and also need pricking out - will possibly get that done tomorrow with a bit of luck. Still have so much more to set.
My Alpine Strawberry seeds and Rhubarb seeds have also taken as have my cucumber and gherkin plants. I love strawberries especially miniature ones. I would like to get hold of a couple of Tayberry Plants as well to grow up the fence and I quite like the idea of a couple of Figs as well. I just love fresh figs.
I have also done loads of washing and got it dried on the line. There is nothing like the fresh smell of clean air dried washing. Most of the washing dried wonderfully so I have hung it straight up on to coathangers to save on the ironing. I am getting tight in my old age - trying to save the electric bill and the pennies.
I have also watered up - the ground is so dry at the moment. I think I may have to invest in another water butt and stand, in which case I would have a feed barrel. When I used to keep veggies years ago we were told by an old boy that one good way of getting nutrients to your plants was to go sheep dag hunting. Then put the sheep dags into a hessian bag tie it and then immerse it in your water trough or barrel. You then used a small quantity from the barrell to every watering can of water. The feed water we have always done by watering can. I have to say that this did work very well. (Sheep in preference to anything else as it is not as strong or as harsh as cowpats).
Around here we seem to have been lucky no frosts whilst we have had blossom on the trees so I am hoping for a lot of hedgerow fruits this year like sloes and elderberries and blackberries and rosehips. I have lots of lovely recipes to try out and last year I didn't get sloes or hardly any elderberries. Sloe Gin is something I like to try and make every year as well as Rumptopf.
The elderflower will shortly be ready so must sort out some recipes to do then - its something I want to take advantage of this year.
My flowers have all taken as well the Morning Glory really has got a bolt on and My Hollyhocks and Delphinium, French Lavender, Aubretia have also taken, and the Nasturtiums.
My hands are now hurting from all the exertions in the garden and are a little itchy.
I think will have to get some Marigold salve on them to soothe them.
However I am hoping and looking forward to going shopping in my own garden for fresh produce, and to be able to preserve it in whatever way I can for the winter months.
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