Tuesday 29 May 2007

Lettuce back-up

I don't seem to be having much success with seeds this year. I sowed a lot of flower seeds (cornflowers, californian poppies, calendula, nigella, poached egg) back in April to fill the gaps in the borders but most are no show. This is pretty disappointing as I was really conscientious about watering all through that hot spell. My beetroot just don't seem to want to come up at all despite two sowings already and my beans (French and runner) are nowhere to be seen. On top of this, my carelessness with my indoor-sown lost lettuce was even more annoying. Still, my pot-sown seeds seem to have been the most successful. Reckon we'll be munching these soon.

Thursday 24 May 2007

Lost lettuce

I left my lettuce in the porch (all glass, no shade). Nuff said?

Tuesday 22 May 2007

Long border update

This is the area I call my long border. The top pictures were taken Easter 2005, the bottom are as it looks now. Most of the curves were only dug this year (I took advantage of the mild winter and got a lot done). The structure is mostly there, although shrubs are very low at the moment (a big problem everywhere in the garden). There are a few gaps as I'm not sure how the perennials will fill out this year (they are mostly new this year too - I still buy ones of things but am ruthless at dividing everything in early spring). The idea is to hide the wall (with Griselinia) and the fence (with clematis, and a hibiscus (slow grower though). Can't wait to see how it'll look at the end of the season, a few inches higher I'm hoping.

Monday 21 May 2007

Beanfest

Well that's what I'm hoping for this year. My broad beans are doing really well even though I sowed them a bit late. So far no problems with blackfly and there's been no need to stake them. Low maintenance - top stuff. I've just sowed another row for a bit later but don't really know how many I'll get from just one row - it's all a bit new this year. Both the first early (?) and main crop (Desiree) spuds are looking healthy; I've been earthing up with soil and straw (when I ran out of soil). The netting is my cat deterrant - works a treat but is a bit of a pain moving back and forth.

Think I've had a bit of a disaster with the climbing beans (French - Neckar Queen) and runner (unknown...from my mum) as I tried soaking them before sowing. Neither have appeared so reckon they have rotted. This was my mum's 'top tip' but after I read that should 'soak' them on damp kitchen towel (not in a plastic tray, fully submersed). This meant emergency purchase of more seeds. I went with Bob Flowerdew's recommended varieties: Blue Lake (climbing French) and Scarlett Emperor (runner). I've resorted to sowing in modules in the porch. They'll be a bit later but have read somewhere that they'll catch up.

Thursday 17 May 2007

Yet another star in May

This is of my favourites at this time of year. Looking in my box of plant labels, I see it is Clematis montana Marjorie. I think this might be it's second (or maybe third) summer on this fence and I have never pruned it. It's not as vigorous as other montanas but I'm hopeful it will reach the top of the fence for next year. Another patch covered. Good.

Wednesday 16 May 2007

Rainy days

It's been raining...a lot. The water butts are all full and so is the wheel barrow. I feel bad that it may rust but can't bring myself to waste the water by tipping it away. Where are my buckets...

Tuesday 15 May 2007

Topping up stocks

After being hemmed in all day on Sunday (constant rain), I was able to venture out yesterday and sowed some more French beans (Sonesta - the nutty yellow dwarf ones) and some more radish (packet left in shed, don't know what variety). We've already harvested three radish (I'm rather weak-willed for thinning so went the opposite way and sowed far too thinly). The remaining two aren't looking very meal-like so thought best to replenish stocks. I also got around to planting leeks (finally). I sowed these ages ago and they have been sitting in a shallow tray in the front garden looking rather miserable for a couple of months. I wasn't quite sure where I was going to put them (and the thought of digging a new bed was a real deterrant) but found a couple of spaces amongst the garlic and between the young and small (so far) rhubarb (only planted this spring). This is probably the worst thing to do - I have no idea if rhubarb hates leeks...probably but there was no other space.

The Italian basil (seeds from my brother) and parsley (from my mum - she gave me a tiny pot with loads of seedlings) are doing well on the kitchen window sill. I put some of the parsley outside in my herb pot and all have survived the deluge of rain. Amazing.

Tuesday 8 May 2007

How we built our deck

This was our big project last summer (2006). As you can see we had a metre drop from our back door onto the ground. We lived for two years taking death plunges from the door onto the two logs in the pictures. This was okay except on wet days and when you had a basket of washing. Amazingly neither of us (nor any brave guests who dared it - well done Babs, we
remember your elegant attempt) suffered any injury. It was hard work and extremely hot. Here's how we did it:

  • cleared the area
  • made the platform grid (thick wood struts every 40cm in both directions)
  • used the platform on the ground to measure location of holes for the supporting posts. Holes had to be 70cm for each main post. Each was filled with 15cm hardcore (we used gravel as we wanted something fine that could easily be levelled), post in, kept upright with spirit level and filled with postcrete. Kept platform at ground level while posts went in. We later went round the base of each post, building up the the concrete so the rain would drain away
  • when posts firm, rasied platform little by little, we found using blocks helped (our tressles weren't tall enough). Attached posts with two coach bolts (in both directions)
  • Nicer job was laying the boards on top - we used clothes pegs as spacers - worked a treat
  • Realised we needed second platform for steps (so they wouldn't extend too far into the garden). This meant two more posts and holes needed.
  • Diagonals needed for steps - we fixed the wood sides and then concreted these in where they met the ground
  • Level supports for steps attached and then two boards for each step
Took a few weekends to complete as we hadn't done this before and were thinking/designing as we went. We are really pleased with the finished deck though.

Another star in May

Okay, so it's completely impossible to have just one star plant per month. This is one I inheritied in the garden (one of the few things). It used to sit outside the shed but didn't really have anywhere to scramble over so I moved it to the long border (yes, behind the washing line) hoping it would realise it was supposed to hide the not very attractive fence. The silly thing seems to think it's a shrub and despite my alluring canes and ties refuses to climb. I'm not sure I would have picked this clematis myself (a bit blousey for my tastes) but have been impressed by it's impact (if you know where to look for it). It's called Sugar Candy.

Star plant for May

I'm a really big Euphorbia fan and have no resistance over buying them. This was one I bought last year although it didn't do that well last spring (it was only wee). This year I moved it to a more central location, behind the washing line, which I call my 'long border' (although it doesn't quite look like Monty's). This year it's been stunning and so qualifies for my new 'star plant' category. I'm hoping it takes over like Robbiae. It's full name (lest I forget) is Euphorbia griffithii 'Fireglow'.

Friday 4 May 2007

Too soon to plant?

It's now the daring time of year - should I risk a late frost and get things in the ground? My corn is getting big and moving all the trays (not just the corn) in and out of our small porch is becoming a chore. Not to mention all the watering the little pots need. Maybe it's not that daring - May has crept up on me this year. It's more the knowledge that I lack the necessary fleece for a spot of last minute protection in the event of a nasty weather forecast.

Anyway, chores for the weekend will involve some planting - corn, maybe toms (might risk a few - definitely two tumblers (Gartenperle) that are going into the new planter on the patio (self-built)) and leeks (I'm a bit overdue with these but there's a good reason - no room which means more turf to dig). I'll sow some bean seeds; this year I'm sowing unknown runners (from my Mum), French beans (Sonesta - they're yellow. Did them before but not enough, they are truly tasty, very nutty) and some climbing French (Neckar Queen - not tried before).

I also have to pot up three new shrubs I got from my Dad for my birthday (2x shrubby lilacs (Syringa meyeri 'Palibin') and a vibernum (Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum 'Mariesii') - all are drying out daily). These already have a home in my plan but they will have to wait until later in the year to get into their places.









Thursday 3 May 2007

Spring in bloom

Things are definitely on the move (although haven't had to wait long at all this year). This is my first Guelder Rose (Viburnum opulus 'Roseum', aka Snowball Tree) which I bought in the neglected plant bargain spot at Westonbirt at the beginning of the year. I'm hoping it will soon hide the fence behind it although as it's such a long way down the end of the garden (beyond the end of the hose) so I will have to remember to give it a few drinks. BBC gardening has a great pic of it in winter so looks like it will be a good one to watch over the year.

All set up

This is my brand new blog. It's about what I do most...digging around outside.

It's also about 'my big outdoor project' which is involves my ongoing attempts to create a garden out of the strip of field that was (allegedly) the garden that came with our house. It's long and thin - 21 by 275 feet - so needs careful planning as well as determination to get through the weed-infested turf to the beautiful clay loamy soil that lies underneath.

Here are my 'before' (we moved in) pics (Winter 2004):