New life

This morning when I woke up sunshine touched my heart...
My lovely daughter gave birth to a baby boy at 00.05 this morning, my first grandchild.
Bless your mother, bless your father...bless you, bless me...

Lift off

All systems go, spring has sprung, vernal equinox and all that. Busy sowing under glass today for planting out in about six weeks when the soil's warmed up: sweet peas, snapdragons, carnations and cabbages. And the tomatoes, a trough of carrots, a pot of salad leaves and some wildflowers.

Out on the plot I've finished the digging and the spinach is recovering from the cold and starting to green up. I've dug up the last carrots and stored them in sand, there's still sprouts for eating but the leeks have finished.

Spinach

The last bit of digging: a rather patchy patch of winter tares turned in:

Wild flowers

This year's new project (ta-da!) is to extend the biodiversity of the plot with patches of wild flowers at the top of the two beds.

One will be a pictorial meadows mix (from Chase Organics) which includes Shirley poppy, Californian poppy, cornflower, fairy toadflax, red flax, bishop's flower, tickseed, corn marigold, black-eyed susan, red orache and larkspur. This is the mix developed by Dr Nigel Dunnett at the University of Sheffield and which adorns many of the highway verges and open spaces up there. Whilst not all strictly wild flowers it should look pretty good if all goes to plan. I'll be sowing them direct once the soil's warmed up and I've hoed off the first flush of weed seedlings.

The other patch will be a cornfield mix (from Chiltern Seeds) which includes pheasants eye, corn cockle, night-flowering catchfly and field poppy. The packet says to sow these direct but the website recommends sowing in pots and planting out later so that's what I've done, starting them off in the coldframe. I've also started some common flax, white campion, devils-bit scabious and ox-eye daisies in modules and seed trays to add to the mix.

In the yard

I've used the last of last year's compost to mulch the perennials:

Making a start

Time to shake a leg. Was it ever so slightly perceptibly warmer today or was that just my imagination? Whatever. I've sown the first peas in pots in the greenhouse and planted out the onion sets. Somehow that seemed to take all day. It's just as well it's not a race.

Records 2010

Mostly for my benefit, I'll keep it updated.

Antirrhinum "Crown Mixed" (saved seed) - Sown in greenhouse 21.3, 1/2 seed tray. Pricked out 17.4 to small modules x30. Potted on to 9cm pots x29 8.5. Moved to coldframe 21.5. Planted out x27 40cm apart 29.5.

Broad beans "Aquadulce" - Sown 12.9, 1/2 row.

Broccoli (Purple Sprouting) "F1 Claret" - Sown in greenhouse 15.5, small modules x10. Potted on to 9cm pots x10 and moved to coldframe 6.6.

Broccoli "Nine Star Perennial" - Sown in greenhouse 15.5, small modules x10. Potted on to 9cm pots x6 and moved to coldframe 6.6.

Brussels Sprouts "F1 Cascade" - Sown in greenhouse 24.4, small modules x20. Potted on to 9cm pots 15.5. Moved to coldframe 21.5. Planted out x12 29.5.

Cabbage "DurhamEarly" - Sown 14.8, 1 row and in a 15cm pot.

Cabbage "Greyhound" - Sown in greenhouse 21.3, 1/2 seed tray. Moved to coldframe 9.4. Planted out 30.4 30cm apart x25. More sown in greenhouse 15.5, 25 seeds in 15cm pot. Moved to coldframe 30.5. Planted out 12.6 30cm apart.

Cabbage "Hispi F1" - Sown 18.6, 25 seeds in 15cm pot. Poor growth - not planted out.

Carnations "Giant Chabaud Mixed" - Sown? Potted on? Moved to coldframe 8.5. Planted out 30cm apart x15 21.5.

Carrot "Amsterdam Forcing" - Sown 30.5, 1/2 row.

Carrot "Autumn King" - Sown 30.5, 1 row.

Carrot "Early Nantes" - Sown 21.3 in trough in greenhouse. Moved to coldframe 17.4. Moved outside 23.4.

Carrot "Royal Chantenay Red" - Sown 1/2 row 1.5.

Chicory "Palla Rossa Precose" - Sown 1/2 row 29.8.

Courgette "Black Beauty" - Sown 1.5, x3 9cm pots. Moved to coldframe 21.5. Planted out x1 29.5.

Chinese Yam - Tubercles sown 23.4 1 per 9cm pot, x7 in greenhouse, x7 in open coldframe. Indoor ones moved outside 21.5. Planted out 6.6.

Dahlia "Cactus Mixed" - Sown in greenhouse 17.4, small modules x20. Only 2 germinated - old seed - potted on to 9cm pots 15.5. Moved to coldframe 29.5. Planted out 5.6.

French Bean "Masterpiece" - Sown in geenhouse 30.4 x40 medium modules. Moved to coldframe 15.5. Planted out (at Inas) 24.5. And another 30 sown 22.5. Planted out 1 row, 20cm apart 6.6.

Garlic "Vallelao" - Planted out 7.11, 20cm apart, 2 rows 30cm apart, from about 10 bulbs.

Kale (Cavolo) - Sown 18.8, 1/2 row and in 15cm pot.

Leek "Musselburgh" - Sown 30.5 in 2x13cm shallow pots. Moved to coldframe 5.6.

Lettuce "Red Salad Bowl" - Sown in greenhouse 17.4, small modules x10. Potted on to 9cm pots 8.5. Moved to coldframe 20.5. Planted out (at Inas) x7 24.5; in garden x3 29.5.

Onion "Stuttgarter Riesen" - Sets planted 13.3, 30 cm apart, 1 double row (approx 50 sets).

Pea "Early Onward" - Sown in greenhouse 13.3, 36 x 9cm pots, 3 seeds to a pot. Moved to coldframe 3.4. Planted out 9.4.

Pea "Onward" - Sown 8.5, 1 row. And 13.6, 1/2 row.

Pea-Bean (climbing) - Sown in greenhouse 30.4, 12 x 9cm pots (only 3 germinated). Moved to coldframe 20.5. Planted out x2 29.5.

Perennial Sweet Pea (Lathyrus Latifolius) - Sown in greenhouse 22.3, 3 x 10cm pots, 4 seeds per pot. Moved to coldframe 17.4. Planted out in garden 29.5.

Phacelia (green manure) - Sown 12.6, 3 sq m where garlic was. Dug in 24.7.

Potato "Pentland Javelin" (first early) - 3kg bought in for chitting 11.3. Planted out 3.4, 15cm deep, 30cm apart.

Potato "Desiree" (maincrop) - 3kg bought in for chitting 11.3. Planted out 24.4, 15cm deep, 40cm apart.

Runner Bean "Enorma" - Sown in greenhouse 24.4, large modules x30. Moved to coldframe 8.5. Planted out (at Inas) 17.5. Another x18 sown 8.5. Moved to coldframe 21.5. Planted out x3 29.5.

Salad Leaves "Lakeland Mix" - 1 x 15cm pot sown in greenhouse 21.3. Moved to coldframe 9.4. And another 1.5.

Salad "Mixed Leaves" - Sown in greenhouse 17.4 in 15cm pot. And another 15.5. And a short row 19.6.

Spinach "Mikado F1" - Sown 13.8, 1 row.

Sunflowers (saved seed) - Sown in greenhouse 24.4, 7cm pots x6. Moved to coldframe 8.5. Planted out 22.5.

Sweet Pea "Royal Mixed" - Sown in greenhouse 21.3, 12 x 9cm pots, 1 seed per pot. Moved to coldframe 9.4. Pinched out and planted out 23.4. Pruned for cordon training 22.5
Sown for next year: toilet tubes x7, 1 seed per tube, in open coldframe 19.9.

Sweetcorn "Minipop F1" - Sown in medium modules x30 1.5. Moved to coldframe 14.5. Planted out 21.5.

Tomato "Gardeners Delight" - Sown in greenhouse 21.3, 10 x small modules. No germination after 2 weeks, more sown in heated propagator 5.4. Moved to greenhouse 9.4. Potted on to 9cm pots x7 30.4. Potted on to 15cm pots 15.5 x4. Planted in growbags 29.5.

Tomato "Tumbling Tom" Red - Sown in heated propagator 3.4, small modules x10. Moved to greenhouse 7.4. Potted on to 9cm pots x8 30.4. Potted on to 20cm pots 15.5 x3.

Trefoil "Virgo" (green manure) - Sown broadcast with sand 1.5.

Wild Rocket - Sown in greenhouse 1.5 in 15cm pot.

Winter tares - Sown 31.7, 4cm deep, 10 cm apart in 6 rows 15cm apart.

WILD FLOWERS / MIXES -

Common Flax (Linum Usitatissimum) - Sown in coldframe 21.3. Planted out 30.4.

Cornfield Mix - Sown in coldframe 21.3, 36 x 9cm pots. Planted out 30.4.

Devils-bit Scabious - Sown in greenhouse 22.3, small modules x 50. Moved to coldframe 5.4. Only 1 germinated (!) Potted on to 9cm pot 24.4. Moved to coldframe 1.5. Planted out 15.5.

Ox-eye Daisy (Chrysanthemum Leucanthemum) (HP) - Sown in coldframe 21.3, 1/2 seed tray. Pricked out to small modules x30 and moved to greenhouse 23.4. Potted on to 9cm pots 14.5. Moved to coldframe 21.5. Planted out 40-50cm apart in drift in orchard 29.5.

Pictorial Meadows Standard Annual Mix - Sown broadcast with sand 25.4.

Simon's Mix - Sown broadcast with sand 1.5. Only phacelia germinated (dry weather).

White Campion (Silene Alba) - Sown 21.3 in coldframe, 50 x small modules. Moved to greenhouse 4.4. Potted on to 9cm pots x12 30.4. Moved to coldframe 15.5. Planted out 21.5.

Home again

Back from a month in Australia. Not that I expect anyone to have noticed. You can read about it here if you haven't run out of better things to do.

Out on the plot everything still seems to be the right way up. There's still carrots and leeks to be had and the sprouts, which haven't blown yet. And the garlic's come through.

I seem to have brought the sun back with me though I notice it's still bloody cold. Soon enough I'll be lashing myself into a frenzy of activity but for now I think I'll just chill a little longer.

Broad beans

I sowed these at the back end and they seem to have survived the snow and ice so today I've put up some roadwork netting to give them some protection from the wind. I've got a brand new 50 metre roll of this stuff which came out of a skip. Happy days.

Big garden birdwatch

I managed to miss the big garden birdwatch. I did see a redwing on the plot the other day but not today so it doesn't count. Such is life. Still eating sprouts, carrots and leeks from the plot so it's not as if I'm going to lose any sleep.

More winter plantings

Where I cleared some of the brambles at the back of the plot I've planted a young Sweet Chestnut - Castanea "Marigoule". This is a Marron type giving one large nut per cluster rather than lots of small ones. And also a Juneberry - Amelanchier "Ballerina" which should provide fruits in July. Both of these from Cool Temperate Nursery, Cossall, Notts, as recommended by Ken Fern's Plants for a Future, situated round the back of Trinity Farm farm shop. The nursery isn't open to the public so if you plan on buying anything there you'll need to check the website and contact Phil to make an appointment.

Winter jobs

Now the snow's gone I can crack on with some jobs on the plot. I've pruned the apples, gooseberries, raspberries and grapes, now I'm getting on with clearing a few brambles.

Apple trees pruned.

Brambles

Brambles are a great multi-purpose plant. Shelter for birds and mammals, flowers for the bees in spring and blackberries for me from summer into autumn. They also make a great barrier which is why I've left a deep layer of them on two sides of the plot to stop Billy the burglar getting to the houses on the other side, one of which happens to be mine. But they were starting to encroach too much into the orchard which is why I've been cutting them back a bit.


Winter's a good time for digging out brambles, the roots come out much easier when the soil is wet.

Hedging

As the fence panels between me and my neighbour start coming apart I'm replacing them with a hawthorn hedge. Here I've planted a stretch up with whips:



Here's some I planted further up a couple of years ago growing away well now:


Spot the fox trail!

Winter walkabout

Carbon footprint

A gang of us planted these stands of trees as little saplings for the council twenty-odd years ago so it's good to see them doing well. (And yes, some of those years were very odd).

Happy New Year

Hello boys and girls. My resolutions this year are to eat more from skips and resume shoplifting. And get out more in the countryside. Starting today.

Turkey genocide

So how was it for you?
Check out my cool pressies:

Bungee-jumping bird feeder

Trailer-shaped nesting box (makes me feel all nostalgic).
Cheers Jax. xx

Another gratuitous dig at those barmy americans

I haven't shown you my air raid shelter before because it's top secret. Or possibly because up till now it was buried underneath the brambles. Apparently they're very fashionable at the moment so I was thinking of inviting offers for it. On the other hand I may just hang on to it in case those barmy americans turn nasty.


There's quite a few of these knocking about on our site, most of them sawn in half and tipped on their sides for stashing manure. But in case you can't get enough of them here's another one that's still intact: