Tuesday 28 April 2020

A Stroll around the veg garden and greenhouse - end of April


 We,ve had some rain over night , for which I am very grateful , but we could still really do with some more .


Especially in my vegetable garden . No sign of any pea shoots coming up yet .


However , I am very surprised and happy to see potatoes my coming up !
  Hooray ! I was so worried because I thought I had planted them too deeply .
 No sign of the ones in potato bed number two , but I planted  those about a week or two later , so now I,m not so worried !


 I re-potted my Blueberry plant and it is already flowering . I can see the beginnings of a good Blueberry harvest to come . I couldn't get any Ericaceous compost ,  so I have used just the earth that is in our garden . We have rhododendrons and Azaleas in the garden , so I hope it should be o.k .


 I need to sort out a cage or  netting of some sort to keep the birds from taking my Blueberries .
 We are preparing a new Fruit Bush zone up in the Veg - garden . We have been working very hard clearing and burning that area of brambles . It is involving a lot  more work than we expected . So my fruit bushes will have to remain in their tubs for a bit longer . May be we'll get this done next Autumn . Autumn is a better time for planting shrubs and fruit bushes .


 We cut another bundle of Hazel poles for my daughter , who is starting her first Vegetable garden this year . 
 I think that due to the ongoing Corona Virus  Pandemic , a lot of people are having a go at growing their own vegetables this year for the first time . 
  If you have a garden , it really does make sense  to grow your  own lovely fresh vegetables . There are plenty of books and videos and things to read online about growing  your own veggies .
  I have grown a few extra this year for my daughter and neighbours , but not as much as I would have liked to because I just cant get hold of compost  . I need every last little bit of the compost that I have for my Tomatoes . I only managed to have two bags delivered  .


 So we dropped them off , keeping a very safe distance and only the second time we,ve been out since February and we drove straight home again . This felt very creepy indeed . She had some shopping to give us too , as we couldn't get a delivery slot with any of the supermarkets .
  Anyway , she wasn't sure how to put it all together  , and ordinarily I would have gone in and helped her in her vegetable garden , but we cant right now , because of having to stay a safe distance  .
   Such worrying and difficult times  . So that's why I have I put on these extra pictures , showing how we have done ours .
  Soon we will all have fresh vegetables !


 I am using these bamboo canes , probably  for the last time as these are now so old and very brittle . Beans will climb up trimmed Hazel branches for poles so much better than Bamboo , they can get a much better grip . I might push in some twiggy pea sticks to help mine off to a good start .


 I put cardboard down along the middle to keep the weeds down and help the earth stay good and moist .


 The ghostly shrouds are the last two remaining Purple Sprouting Broccoli plants which need protection from Pigeons . Pigeons love PSB !
 In this bed are onions , carrots , turnips , lavender and thyme . The wigwam is ready for French Beans that I am growing in the potting shed and also in the greenhouse .

 In this bed I am growing Garlic and it looks quite good this year . I,ve never really been all that successful at growing Garlic , so I,m feeling quite pleased with these . After these are harvested , I will plant out all my brassicas , which are waiting in the wings .


 The celery has been fantastic ! It  has continued growing over the Winter and I just keep pulling leaves from it to use in the kitchen as and when I please .


 Not a good picture , but under this fleece are Spinach, Beetroot and Spring Onions.

 To the side of them are Autumn planted Onions , which are just starting to grow away nicely now , especially after this little bit of rain .

 
I left two or three Leeks to flower , for the bees and also so that I can save the seeds for next year .


 The Rhubarb has begun to flower , due to the unexpected hot weather we have been having over the last week or so . I will cut these flowers off . I want more leaves for crumbles ! :)


This is the African Keyhole bed , presently nothing much in there . Just a couple of clumps of Egyptian Onions .
 Ah ! The Butternut Squashes are all germinating up in the potting shed !
 They do very well here in the deep compost that I have built up in here  .
 I will fix up some pig-wire supports for the Squash to scrabble over .

                                   
                                          Egyptian Walking Onions .


  Buccaboo the scarecrow ! He is not quite finished yet , but gives me a fright every-time I walk up to the greenhouse !


 My other daughter who loves herbs, wanted to see how my Lemon Balm is doing . It returns and does very well every year . Such a cheerful plant !


                                     All is well in the potting shed .


               All is well in the veg trug . ( Salad leaves and Spring Onions )


 So let's take take a look in the greenhouse , through the window I can see RED !


                               Look at all the Epiphyllum buds !


                                This is the first Epie bloom of the year !


                               Dioscorea elephantipes is dormant .


                                          Cactus Guardian :)


                                          No beans coming up yet .
 These are French Climbing Beans , St Anthony , Coco Sophie and The Nun's Belly Button .

I,ve been so busy sowing vegetable seeds and preparing the vegetable garden that I haven't had time to look at the cacti . For some of them it is time to begin a gentle watering .


                         My happy , peaceful place , in my greenhouse .


                                             Haworthia limifolia


                                              Euphorbia stellata


                 With a nice Ammonite fossil that I found on Charmouth Beach .


              Lithops and the leaf cuttings from an Adromischus rupicola ( I think :) )

 
Pleased to see the Yucca elephantipes cutting ,that I took last Autumn , seems to be doing really well .

                                               Smothered in buds ! :)

The Cactus that we bought from Groves Nursery in Bridport , my husband named it " Billy No Mates " on account of it not having a plant label .
 


 The hedgerow is full of Wild Garlic and Red Campion Silene and Bluebells  .
    I hope you are all well , staying safe and keeping cheerful during these difficult days .
 THANKYOU  to all our doctors and nurses on the front line , you are all in my prayers along with all those you are caring for right now .
   ......and all keyworkers ....from my heart , thankyou  .
                     

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