Things soon come round

 It is that time of  year again, Covid Booster time.  I received my invitation via my surgery yesterday and it has all been booked up for 5 April at my Surgery.  They are very efficient at dealing with things and have been all through this period. Due to demand have been sent to other practices throughout the City during this time, but they really do things properly. I class myself as very lucky at being given this protection at the end of the day. So that is all done and dusted.

I am starting to wade through a pile of washing at the moment.  Not the done thing for a Sunday afternoon, but the washer threw a wobbler yesterday and I was that fed up I just left it and decided to deal with it in a different time space.  Things went much better because of this.  So now to deal with the pile.  It soon builds up what with animals bedding and consumables and the fact we have clean on every day as well without the household linen.  I always seem to have a wash on most days. 

Pottering on the Garden Front

On the pottering front I am starting to get some resources that are available to me prepared in readiness for gardening season.  I am talking about pop bottles in the first instance, recycling them into collars for brassicas and other veggies that I am intending to grow. Also keeping the bottle neck section cut off for putting into planters for watering purposes and the bottom bowl part for starting seeds in.  However I do not want a stack of bottles waiting for preparation in a bag taking up space and so as I come across bottles I am recycling/upcycling.  They are there in any event and might as well get extra use out of them without me having to spend any pennies which could go to seed or plants.  Just a little time now and then, and they will get stored in the greenhouse ready for use when needed, where they need to be.  

I have also this week prepared another batch of egg shells - we use a lot of eggs here and it is a valuable natural supplement for the soil.  They just need a little washing and then allowed to dry naturally and then baked on a lot temperature for a little while to prepare.  I am going to continue doing this to build up a good supply of the crushed shells moving forward so that I have a good supply for use in the garden and with my tomato plants in particular.

I intend to use the eggshells and the collars together when I transplant small plants aiming to keep the Slugs n Snail community away from the young plants to try and give them a fighting chance.  With seasonal weather changes, not helped by Volcanoes going off all over the World which do impact weather, plus prices going up so much I am trying to limit my footprint on the gardening front as much as I can.

Companion Planting

I also am going to interspace any plants and seeds sown with plants that will help the main plant as it were.  Traditionally I have always grown Basil in the Tomato bags as well as the Tomato plants. I intend this year to also plant some Tagates Marigolds as their strong scent is meant to deter whitefly. In the past, the Tomatoes seem to really thrive when I have done this. I also get plenty of Basil as well.  I love Basil G does not and I particularly love it with fresh Tomatoes.  I am also going to plant some Marigolds near my climbing and dwarf beans.  I may well this year also underplant some with the Courgettes.  Supposed to attract the Pollinators as well.

I am also going to use Chives around carrots as well as onions and garlic.  Supposed to deter the Carrot Root fly. Calendula (Pot Marigold) interspaced between vegetable plants as well as Nasturtiums and some Cornflowers.  All pollinators for Bees and will make the garden look prettier too, more like a Potager.

From looking into the companion further by reading posts on BBC Garden's website I am also going to consider the following.  Does anyone else companion plant, or have you any alternative plantings to the ones mentioned.  It is going to be a learning curve in any event.

Sage to be planted near brassicas as it deters flea beetle and the flowers of Sage attract the Pollinators.

Garlic and onions with Mint and Peas

Mint or Onions with Asparagus

Cucumbers, squashes, radish, sunflowers, or tomatoes with potatoes.

Cabbages or other brassicas with Strawberries; also Borage.

Brassicas and potatoes with outdoor tomatoes

Thyme to be planted with Roses; meant to deter Blackfly.

Nasturtiums I love to plant as the trailing ones are brilliant for hanging baskets and they are also a good sacrificial plant for stopping blackfly attacking a main crop.  Also can use the petals and leaves in cooking.

I am going to enjoy the playing around to see what works though.

Right am off to put my feet up.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

x