If you thought that all my focus on the Gardeners' World show was affecting my planting and growing for the suburban veg plot you wouldn't be far wrong.
I think I've managed to keep up with some things; we have peas and broad beans planted out and flowering already, the potatoes are in and growing vigorously.
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| Exquisite Aquadulce broad bean flowers |
But I've sown only one set of beetroot and carrots and the tomatoes are sulking in their very small pots in a corner of the greenhouse.
It's a matter of space at the moment – the tomatoes are usually potted on into their pots or grow bags in the greenhouse by now, but that space is still needed for my plethora of chard, basil, cucumber and cucamelon plants for at least another two weeks. I spent most of yesterday moving pot after pot of lettuce out to the cold frame, which now being fully glazed is fairly slug-proof.
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| The cold frame filled to capacity |
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| Chard 'Bright Lights' for my Gardeners' World raised bed |
Thankfully, I have a lot of fruit that are perennial - from blueberry bushes to raspberry canes, tayberry plant to wild strawberries, so all of those seems to be taking good care of themselves and seem to need only water from me in order to do their thing.
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Apple cordon with lots of buds - sadly, none of them have formed fruits.
And below, raspberry and tayberry flowers respectively. I have high hopes for a good harvest from both of these in 2014. |
That's the problem with these sort of projects isn't it? When I grew plants for our school carnival plant sale I had a similar problem. When I gave up they thought I'd taken my bat home but the truth was that I wanted my greenhouse back.
ReplyDeleteI've also been germinating a lot of plants indoors (in a spare bedroom) but these have also gone outside now. Lots of pots are moving outside now - but then there's the increased risk of various pests arriving...
DeleteI'm hoping for lots of raspberries and tayberries this year as well. Lots of buzzing in the garden today which is good. I hope your garden show growing goes really well. CJ xx
ReplyDeleteI've got lots of raspberries and tayberries forming now. Tayberries were all turned into jam last year, and I used the last jar up in April, so I can't wait for this year's crop.
DeleteHi Jules, Sounds fairly typical of what hit me last year. I left the garden to it's own devices while I got on with college work; This year it's the other way round and I have a lot of college work backing up on me! (As well as a balcony full of seedlings.) I planted borage, tulips and other bee friendly plants under my fruit trees this year so that the bees would be in the right vicinity - what a shame to have no fruit on your lovely cordons. Btw, I have won one of the pairs of Chelsea tickets so will be at the show next Saturday! Will DM you on Twitter as it would be lovely to meet up!
ReplyDeleteThankfully, my ever-willing hubby is increasingly enthusiastic to take on gardening tasks - just the 'grunt work' as he describes it. But that includes watering and digging holes for new plants, which are time-consuming and not good for my back respectively. Now, if only I could interest him in removing the flower buds from 22 pots of limnanthes every couple of days... Fab news about the Chelsea tickets! - I will await your DM.
Deleteyou will be busy planting out soon - all those wonderful seedlings! it's a joy to see UK gardens springing to life just as we are starting the winter hibernation here in hobart.
ReplyDeleteps aren't broad bean - and any bean, and pea - flowers so lovely?
You have sowed many seeds! Hope you get good harvest this year! ;)
ReplyDeleteI'm amazed you are managing to do any growing for your own garden! What a wonderfully stuffed cold frame.
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