Veg on the move

Thank you all so much for your comments on my chicken post. It was particularly touching after an extremely stressful day in work when quite frankly I felt I didn't have the motivation to log on to read your blogs or to see if anyone had commented on my return home.

I'm so glad I did after reading your comments I quite happily passed the drinks cupboard & left the gin where it was & skipped into the garden. Well I say skipped I'm knocking on 40  with what feels like a dodgy hip but you get the jist I'm sure.

Look what lovely things I found in the garden -

The first of the runner beans germinating. The pointy leaved one not the other two seedlings which will be dispatched this weekend. 

Broad bean flowers. I just love the scent, I would quite happily put these  flowers in a vase, its just that I love the actual beans just that little bit more. 

My purple podded mange-tout has put on quite a bit of growth, I hope to be tying these in soon.


The greenhouse was also checked for slugs & trapped bumble bees. None to be found, the plants didn't need any watering so I stroked the tomato leaves & inhaled the scent for a few minutes before I joined the boy for pizza & cherry coke. The only thing that is annoying me now is that some dipstick has parked straight across my driveway, I have yet to find where the driver is so I can get the car moved before Mike returns home.                                                                      Enjoy your day

Chickens

I don't make much secret of the fact that I would like a couple of chickens. With the garden being a fairly small size & being my veg plot I have had to think long & hard. By the way the chickens would become my much loved pets & the egg production would be a secondary consideration.  Though they will have to lay eggs as it was my way of persuading Mike round to the idea.

I had thought of some bantams but apparently they don't lay many eggs. I had also thought of ex-battery hens & while I haven't dismissed the idea in full,  from my research I believe they are let in batches of three. Ideally for the space I have I thought two would fit in nicely, though & don't think of me in a bad light, battery hens wouldn't be offended at the lack of land I can offer. The other sensible option & I have far far more not very sensible options believe me are some hybrids. Hybrids have the best bits bred into them -higher egg production being one of them.

The small greenhouse is being removed to make way for the chickens. Ridiculous idea to have two greenhouses in such a small patch, however useful it is. I will be creating a fenced area above either with chicken fencing or more than likely (to make it look nice) picket fencing with a gate. In all it should give me a 9 ft by 7 ft space.

I have decided on a plastic chicken coup for two reasons. The higher quality wooden chicken coups are hugely expensive, the second reason is when cleaning the chicken coup in the winter, plastic dries quicker than wood.

More than  likely I shall be making my purchase from Omlet While I would like the Eglu cube I will in all likely hood be going for the Eglu Go as I will be able to fit it in my chicken area on an angle with the run attached. The run being essential as they will be able to spend the day in that if I am in the office & not logged on at home. Also there used to be a fox in the area but I haven't seen or heard about the fox for a couple of years now.

I have a lovely book on the subject which as helped me no end over the problems of having chickens & a veg patch. Another  issue with Mike. With a bit of jiggery-pokery I will be able to manage just fine. Chicken Runs & Vegetable Plots. is the book you need.

Anyway in all likely hood this will not be happening until next year, the greenhouse wont be going until the end of July, & it will take a couple of months for me to get the space sorted. I really don't want to start keeping chickens at the onset of winter so I would like to think that this time next year I will be up & running.
It also gives me time to research suitable vets. Enjoy your day

Its all go

Feeling very pleased with myself this morning. I have sown some Little Gem lettuce seeds, two types of Radicchio & some Chicory & before I forget some Corn salad. Oh Oh Oh & some spring onions. I have taken the precaution of sowing the seeds in little plant pots. Also when these little plants are big enough they will be going in tubs rather than the ground. Just another precaution against the snails & slugs.

I have also planted into the ground my three globe artichoke plants & I have two spaghetti squash & two patty pan squash plants ready to squeeze in between the fruit bushes.

Also with great excitement I can announce that an asparagus spear has come forth. Only one but its a step in the right direction. I shan't be picking for the next couple of years & the crowns have been planted in a mixed bed but have a spot by themselves. I know the asparagus crowns should have a bed all to themselves but I lack the space to do that. Also my neighbour has grown asparagus for yonks & yonks amongst some flowers in a rock garden. He can often be seen picking fistfuls of the stuff, so I have a chance.

No photographs of the above yet so here are some blossom ones to brighten up this post. Enjoy your day

Apple

Cherry

Pear

A seedy pen pal update

I thought it was about time for another seedy pen pal update. As I have posted before I joined in with a Seedy pen pal swap over at Carl Legges blog.

I have sown all but one packet of the seeds I received. I have yet to sow a purple leaved Pak Choi but I plan on doing this over the weekend in a couple of troughs.

Some strawberry seedlings. I received a packet of strawberry seeds 'Sarian'. I think I shall have to wait until next year for fruit though.

 I also received a packet of Aquilegia seeds. A red & yellow double variety,

also some bronze fennel seedlings. The aquilegia & bronze fennel will be planted in the same bed when they & the bed is ready.

I also received some tumbling tiger cherry tomato & aubergine seeds both of which need to be in their final pots. Another job for the weekend I think.
Enjoy your day

Potatoes on the way

I have lots & lots of pots with potatoes in the garden. A huge amount for my tiny plot but hey ho. Next year I  will have to cut down drastically  I mean with the space I have, growing three types of main-crops along with the normal early potatoes really is too much. The tubs for these have encroached on part the seating area & its not as if they look pretty.

Five of the above tubs contain the main-crop varieties. Next year I will be growing one type for roast potatoes, probably in that black bin in the back ground. The area has been weeded now by the way.

Like the fool I am I didn't label the pots of first & second early potatoes. I am looking forward to the surprise though & I am pretty sure that  'Anya' are in the small greenhouse for an earlier crop.
Enjoy your day

A rainy Sunday afternoon.

Sunday tends to be my main day in the garden. I like to potter, plan & do a touch of weeding. The plus point of  a small plot is you can keep on top of things.

Yesterday I spent an hour in the greenhouse sowing the sweetcorn & chard. I have planted the sweetcorn in toilet roll tubes so they can gain a good root depth before the final planting.I was also willing some seedlings to grow bigger so I can plant them out. I need the space now for tubs of tomatoes, cucumber, sweet peppers, aubergines & chillies.

I have read that this summer is supposed to be another washout I'm happy to wait & see. Most of my veg plants have been sown in the greenhouse this year to be of a big enough size to give them more of a fighting chance.

I rather like being in the greenhouse when it is raining. I like the patter of raindrops on the glass & the feel of the compost against my hands whilst I pot up. It also has a lovely old fashioned smell.

Anyway these two photographs were taken at the beginning of last week when it was sunny. The top photo is of a celery plant. I have six in all & plan on planting them in tubs. I filled some coir pots with compost & sowed a celery seed in each one. They are more than ready for their final planting & I hope to get this completed next weekend.

The bottom photo is of celeriac. Only three plants, just to try. I'm going to stick them in a block with the fruit bushes a couple of weeks after I feed the soil with some nematodes. With only three plants I really don't want to take a risk with the slugs gobbling them up.
Enjoy your day

The problem with having an under gardener

I find the problem with having an under gardener (Mike) is that he thinks he has any say so in the design of the garden.  Naturally we discuss plans, mainly what I want & he says no (at first). I would also like to point out he has unlimited sports viewing, playing & I'm more that happy for him to go fishing at the weekend so don't be feeling sorry for him. The man has a good life.

A new border has appeared where we had the fence/wall replaced. Mikes idea was to use it as a walkway to gain access to the fruit bushes & rhubarb. He wanted to cover it in slate chippings. Now if I have the opportunity to fill a space of nearly 2 ft deep by 10 ft wide it wont be by slate chippings.

I have planted a jasmine in the far corner & am planning on some wild garlic next to it. In the centre a wine-berry bush & then three yellow raspberry canes. Slate chippings indeed I don't know what the man was thinking of. I have backed down & agreed to a covering of bark with my plants.
Enjoy your day