Sues Vegetable Diary 2012

[Maggie1]

[quote="little brown hen"]http://www.flickr.com/photos/12177179@N03/?saved=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


This is coming as photos of cars and bikes

[little brown hen]

Sorry Maggie, The first link on the first post works, but Im putting the pictures directly onto each post now Ive worked out how. Thanks for looking.

[Sue99]

Your allotment looks great! I have a half plot and this is my second year - would love to get up there now but it's cold and rainy. At our local Potato Day I bought 6 tubers each of 10 varieties including Yukon Gold, I'm looking forward to tasting all my varieties later in the year Still have a few leeks in and the sprouting broccoli is doing quite well despite being blown over in a gale!

[billnorfolk]

Alot of hard work gone into plots well done

[little brown hen]

I put my cloche up today, I have a second one to put up at the weekend, when I can find the poles,
I moved the rhubarb a few weeks ago, and its started coming up.
This is my husbands plot, I lined the trenches with compost, and dug the back corner and right hand side this morning. Planting time is coming closer.

[Spreckly]

You have been working hard.

[little brown hen]

Its great fun, I love being up there. I wear myself out digging,then sit and have a nice cuppa and plan where everything is going to go. Saturday Ive got to empty out the greenhouse to find the poles for the other cloche. Its such a mess in there, its become a bit of a dumping ground.

[little brown hen]

Cauliflowers

All ready for tomatoes.
Spot the carrots.
Went up to do some work, I put up the thingy for growing tomatoes in, it's supposed to have a grow bag in the bottom, but Im going to plant straight into the soil. Ive planted 4 loo rolls innards up with tomato seeds.

[little brown hen]

first tadpoles
mini greenhouse
latest bed dug over,
fruit bed all ready for the new cage that's going on it next week.

It has been really cold at the allotment the last couple of days. To day was worse, but I took my lunch and got some digging done. I was delighted to see the tadpoles that have hatched. I put up the little greenhouse, and put three dahlia stakes behind it, and then tied it to the stakes, because when the wind blows up there there is nothing to stop it and everything is swept away before it, so it has to be tied down. I have some tiny carrot tops showing already and in the green house I have cauliflowers started, I cant wait for it to warm up so I can start planting out.

[little brown hen]

Had a lovely day today. We went to Stoneleigh near Warwick to the Edible Vegetable Show. There were all sorts of gardening things, food, animals, goats, sheep, and chickens. There was a person giving a talk about chicken health. She had an enormous Brahma cockerel, and two tiny bantams which we were invited to hold. The little hen which just fitted into my hand, fell asleep as I held and stroked her. I had fun spending money on an obelisk, some metal plant supports, a beautiful bright red watering can, and black berry and gooseberry plants. Also some cane toppers. Two owls, two bees and a mouse. A really good day out.

[perchy]

Wow, sounds like you had a lovely time, I wonder if it is the same show as Mrs B went to?

Pics of your new purchases when you are ready

[little brown hen]

Will do Perchy.

[little brown hen]

My OH and son discussing screw holes.
Putting the wood in place.
Husband and both sons surveying the building work.
Fruit cage with all the wood in place. Just the door to do tomorrow and wire to put up.
A row of chitted potatoes ready to cover up.
We spent the day doing the work. I also planted leek seeds, and sorted out my canes and dahlia stakes. It's lovely being able to stay up there almost all day. My oldest son came up with a bunch of flowers for Mothers Day, (he was in France at the weekend) and a lemon drizzle cake. Yum!

[little brown hen]

Fruit cage all finished. I planted black berries and a gooseberry plant in it.
The main gate, I bought finials to go on top, just makes it look a bit posh.
The weather vane, I bought it a while ago, its lovely to see it up at last.
This little lady bird has a smiley face on its back.

[little brown hen]

Finally all the beds are dug over. I got the last one done today. I planted some radish's and Ive got lettuce started in the greenhouse. Now its a waiting game for the end of April and getting things planted out in May. I expect the weeds will still pop up so there will be weeding to do over the next few weeks.