Bills 2012 garden diary

Forgot what happened last year - maybe it's here!!
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billnorfolk
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Re: Bills 2012 garden diary

Post by billnorfolk »

Your welcome Cas ,will post on hear every couple of weeks to show how things are going ,just got to watch the very cold nights at the moment.Hope you get your netting sorted,it makes the job so much easier and they say it should last 10 years with a bit of care. )t'
A leek in the hand,is worth 2 in the roof.

Bill's Diaries.....2012 2013 2014
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billnorfolk
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Re: Bills 2012 garden diary

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Friday 13th April

Suffered a really bad frost last week ,just about put payed to me last lot of cabbage and caulies ,moved them from the greenhouse into the polly tunnel to give me more room big mistake
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Left the best to see if they pick up resowed the ones that didn't.Moved them so the wife could get her sweet peas in i ask you.
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Spuds in bags looking really well and will move them outside once we get rid of these cold nights.
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Am pleased with the Tomatoes plants ,with a bit of heat at night growing really well.
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Bin cutting lettuce from the cold frame had 3 in just over a week,the seeds i sowed in the cold greenhouse Christmas time as an experiment.
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Radishes ready in the polly tunnel,keep picking and eating them every time i go in
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Things are growing fine in there would grow better if nights were not so cold though.
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Finally got me peas i set in the gutters in the garden ,not as easy as i thought but we managed,
Getting ready to slide um out
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First lot in now for the rest
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Walla all in ,got a few peas soaking to fill the gaps ,will put the mesh cage over keep the pea weevil out
With the cold nights things are really slow ,onion sets just starting to move and i mean that literally as they can push themselves out of the ground once the roots start to form so check now and again.
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Caulies and cabbages hardly moved since i put them in .
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With the heat on in the greenhouse thought i would sow me runner beans hopefully for setting out mid may.
Chooks are still fighting ,have had 2or3 eggs off the new 3 will take a few weeks to all settle down ,hear is a better picture of the 3 new ones
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A leek in the hand,is worth 2 in the roof.

Bill's Diaries.....2012 2013 2014
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Scooby88
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Re: Bills 2012 garden diary

Post by Scooby88 »

Oh Bill why have I only just came across your garden diary?? It's wonderful! I wish I had as much space as you, your garden looks lovely and I cant wait for the next installment of your diary. I have picked up numerous tips whilst reading your diary, I am growing veg for the first time this year, so need all the help I can get! Well done and keep up the good work! )t'
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billnorfolk
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Re: Bills 2012 garden diary

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Scooby88 wrote:Oh Bill why have I only just came across your garden diary?? It's wonderful! I wish I had as much space as you, your garden looks lovely and I cant wait for the next installment of your diary. I have picked up numerous tips whilst reading your diary, I am growing veg for the first time this year, so need all the help I can get! Well done and keep up the good work! )t'


That is very nice of you scooby88 ,sadly i may have the garden but you have all the water, but we can allways drink wine )hic( (dont know about the plants :-D ).
I am so glad my diary has been of some help to you and wish you well in your growing year ,you will realy enjoy it ,both doing the work and enjoying the end product )eat( .Will post again towards the months end ,look forward to seeing some of your postings.
A leek in the hand,is worth 2 in the roof.

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billnorfolk
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Re: Bills 2012 garden diary

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Saturday 21 April

Not alot moveing outside very wet and cold ,last year was a realy hot spring ,had me runners ready to go in ,this year only just sown them in empty toilet roll tubes and when ready plant the lot in the garden. )t'
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The spuds in the bags will soon be takeing the greenhouse over,want to put them outside but to cold at moment.
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Can notice a daily difference in the tomatoes,a little heat at night makes all the difference.
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Talking about heat had a problem with the little parafin heater i got from B&Q,started smoking and going out,had bought some loose parafin from our local diy,cheaper than B&Q even on a Wednesday (oh how i luv Wednesdays at B&Q :-D ),turns out it was old stock as not alot of call for it now,filled up with B&Q stuff and running fine again.On the dear parafin works out at about 60p per 10 hr night to run so not complaining.
Took some runners off me rasberries in the winter all seem to be doing ok

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Along with me Apple and Cherry trees which are full of blossom.
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Some people find parsnips hard to germinate try it this way,some kitchen towel wetted with some of your parsnip seeds scattered on place indoors light but not to sunny,once you see them germinateing sow into toilet roll holders or peat pots or straight into the ground 100% germination ,keep kitchen roll damp.
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Finally got me cucumbers ,corgetts,chilles sown on a sunny windowsill,also do a couple of Basil plants to grow in the greenhouse with the tomatoes ,improves the flavour. )t'

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Will hopefully get me sweetcorn sown within the next couple of weeks ,never hurry it as it needs warmth all the time ,cold days or nights can realy set it back or kill it.
A leek in the hand,is worth 2 in the roof.

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billnorfolk
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Re: Bills 2012 garden diary

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When will summer finally arrive? got me sweetcorn chitting ,realy to wet to do much more.


This time last year was up in the 20s cant believe it is so cold only 9 degrees today windy with more rain.

Done me watering in greenhouse and polly tunnel ,fed and cleaned out the chooks ,think i might spend the rest of the day with a good book,just finished, Minding my peas and cucumbers ,now reading Life on a Hillside Allotement,both recomended reading )t'
A leek in the hand,is worth 2 in the roof.

Bill's Diaries.....2012 2013 2014
Totally Scrambled
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Re: Bills 2012 garden diary

Post by Totally Scrambled »

Bill,
How do you manage to do all that gardening with no fork?
Sorry, the first time I saw your username I read it as Bill No Fork and thought, "Strange username"
Now it's just stuck in my head that way :-D
Dom
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billnorfolk
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Re: Bills 2012 garden diary

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There is an r floating about in there somewhere Dom :-D .Would be handy though no fork or spade would make it alot easier.But alas i need them both and a Mantis Tiller thats my back saver )t'
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Mallard
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Re: Bills 2012 garden diary

Post by Mallard »

The bits of brown on your brassicas may not be frost, a guy on our local market says as soon as cauil and cabbage germinate they want to be outside fleeced over. The brown is too much heat!
We shall see, mine looked the same as yours, so I've planted them with just CDs to keep the pigeons off!
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billnorfolk
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Re: Bills 2012 garden diary

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Thats something to think about ,what made me think it was the frost it was the next day after a sever frost when they started to look sick ,most of them didnt recover have replaced them with fresh seed so will get them out once it stops raining ,even the chooks are staying under cover today ,bin raining since before 7.0am and still at it now and so cold just over 7 degrees certainly cool.Keepin me brassicas with me peas under cover this year had a mass attack from cabbage whites last year,so will keep them in hear.
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Apreciate the info will let you know how they get on Bill
A leek in the hand,is worth 2 in the roof.

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billnorfolk
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Re: Bills 2012 garden diary

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28th April 2011

With temperatures struggling to make double figures ,and another day of persistent rain am beginning to wonder if summer will ever arrive ,last year we were basking in temperatures in the high 70s ,got to change soon though.
If you struggle to germinate your sweetcorn try this idea .
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Put in an airtight box sandwiched between 2 layers of wet kitchen roll,placed mine in airing cupboard 2 days and ready to go in pots ,got them in today will let you know how they perform.
Haven't lighted the heater in green house for last 3 nights as day temp bin the same as night temp,runner beans germinated in loo rolls ok.
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Every thing else growing ok despite the cold wet days
Image Tomatoes
Image spuds in the bags ,seem to be taking over the greenhouse will have to get em outside sooner than later.
Spuds in the garden are showing well bin heaped up twice but still showing some frost damage to ends of leaves but they will recover.
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Cabbages,Caulies and Onions not rotted in the ground yet and are growing.
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Sowed me cucumbers,peppers,basil and courgettes in pots on the window sill this week ,no signs yet.
A leek in the hand,is worth 2 in the roof.

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billnorfolk
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Re: Bills 2012 garden diary

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What a difference a day makes,yesterday like November torential rain and temps no higher than 8 degrees,today more like summer 18 degrees and beutifull warm sunshine.Please let it last )t'
A leek in the hand,is worth 2 in the roof.

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Scooby88
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Re: Bills 2012 garden diary

Post by Scooby88 »

I must be doing something right as my spuds in bags look like yours! Can you please let me know when you put your runner beans out please? And maybe a pic of what you use for them to climb. Thankyou :-D
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billnorfolk
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Re: Bills 2012 garden diary

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:-D :-D Glad yours are like mine scooby88 hopein g to put spuds outside tomorrow as still in greenhouse and i need the room.When to put your beans out is a very good question,i am hopeing about the second or third week in May ,will move into polly tunnel soon then 2or3 days before to get them used to a bit cooler will put out side and only bring in if cold at night.A wigwam made with canes is what alot use ,one cane for each plant ,push into ground in a circle then tie at top like a wigwam 6ft canes will do.Mine is a more permanent structure like a goalpost ,will put a picture on hear tomorrow so you can see what i mean.If i can help please dont be afraid to ask only to happy )t'
A leek in the hand,is worth 2 in the roof.

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billnorfolk
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Re: Bills 2012 garden diary

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Tuesday 1st May 2012

Today is back to normal rain wind and bl--dy cold,as promised for scooby88 a picture of my runner bean frame ,not strung yet but will acomadate 22 runner bean plants.

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And a picture of last years ,although we had a good crop once weight was on started to bend so went a bit stronger this year.

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Last years with full crop.
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Just after i had planted beans.

Now hear is something interestin g for folkes with chickens ,saved a bucket of poo from christmas time,filled one of the wifes tights and put in a 30 litre container filled with water ,every 2nd time i water in the polly tunnel i use one litre in a 10 litre watering can.

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These have been watered with it ,some of the biggest lettuces i have seen.

of the 2 rows set at the same time ,front row watered with it back row just water,the ground is very rich with plenty of manure but see the diference.

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A leek in the hand,is worth 2 in the roof.

Bill's Diaries.....2012 2013 2014
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