May 2011 Blog Posts (118)

Light nights

Not sure I like all this daylight - it's 9.30 and no sign of darkness yet - it makes me feel guilty that I'm not outdoors doing something. I like proper evenings, when after a good day's toil you come indoors, light the lamps, get a good fire going and relax, with no guilt attached.

Added by elaine rickett on May 31, 2011 at 21:23 — 6 Comments

Larch Cottage

No gardening today as I had a trip out to Larch Cottage Nurseries at Melkinthorpe near Penrith. To describe it as a garden centre would do it a great injustice. It is another world, a magical place which I like to think is frequented by real gardeners rather than just somewhere to pick up the latest 'lifestyle' items.

To give you some idea I've included a few pics at.…

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Added by Colin Robinson on May 31, 2011 at 20:48 — 3 Comments

Growth spurt

Since the day- long rain we had yesterday, had a wander this morning, slug-hunting, and noticed that everything seems to have doubled in size - it's amazing what a good drop of rain will do.

Added by elaine rickett on May 31, 2011 at 16:25 — 2 Comments

Little things mean a lot

I have managed to put a couple of hours work in the garden today, doing the little jobs that soon mount up when you have bigger things on your mind. Like tying in the tomatoes and adding to the pea supports, staking the broad beans that have been blown down, pulling out all those fiddley little weeds that grow inbetween the onions. Completing all these minor tasks gives you a satisfied feeling where you can say to yourself 'Good job done', now what's next on the list?

Added by elaine rickett on May 31, 2011 at 16:18 — 6 Comments

Colour!

The c. Jackmanii outside my kitchen window continues to flower rather prettily. I only wish clematis had a longer flowering period.

Im planning on taking a bunch of cuttings in a month or two.

…

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Added by Melinda Que_Linda on May 31, 2011 at 16:00 — 3 Comments

Rumbled!!

I imagine I'm not the only one who has to engage in the lesser known sport of garden space bartering.

The thing is Matt likes the lawn, & as our garden is mainly comprised of lawn in order for me to re-designate a space as a flower bed, or a veg bed, a pond, or a meadow, it takes a little cunning.

Friday afternoon I set about a little 're-designation' of a small section of our front lawn, on the right side, along a sloped edge. I had marked a straight line out with the…

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Added by Zoe on May 31, 2011 at 13:50 — 4 Comments

Slow Progress- nothing to eat yet!

Growth has been very start/stop so far this year.

I prepared pretty well, but so far Ive eaten nothing I planted this year !

There have been limiting factors:

Inconsistencies in the weather- drought, gales, hailstones and downpours

Heavy clay - often dry, despite my attempts to keep it hydrated and aerated.

Heavy shade - Nothing I can do about that until I grow a pair.

Snails and Cats- bane of my existence. Cats have taken to…

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Added by Melinda Que_Linda on May 31, 2011 at 13:30 — 4 Comments

Sensory Pleasures.

The house has a side return and I've filled it on one side with white roses, and the other side with jasmines which are just opening.

Yesterday I opened the back gate and was overwhelmed with fragrance. It was so utterly gorgeous to be completely immersed in a warm, sensuous wave of rose, jasmine and vanilla. I closed my eyes and took the deepest breaths possible.

Icebergs arent particularly known for their fragrance, but because it flowers so profusely in a relatively…

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Added by Melinda Que_Linda on May 31, 2011 at 13:02 — 3 Comments

Beans and Peas....

http://pot-to-plot.blogspot.com/2011/05/beans-and-peas.html

Added by Crazii_C on May 30, 2011 at 23:30 — 2 Comments

Our slimey friends are out in force

I haven't been able to get out in the garden today as it has rained non stop - but guess who has - yes, you've guessed Mrs. Slug and Mr. Snail. A friend of mine gave me some Cliome seedlings - they are a pretty pink flower with spiney stems but the slugs and snails love them. I went out to check up on them after the rain had stopped and four of the dozen small plants had been felled. I knew there was a reason why I didn't grow them myself I had just forgotten they were so attractive to the… Continue

Added by elaine rickett on May 30, 2011 at 22:17 — 5 Comments

Scam/porn

I have only just joined this site and already I am having email via UK Veg Gardeners web page in which ladies of desrepertable repetation ie porn are accessing my email. This I find very distastful. Will you therefore remove me from you site imediately. Having only recently been widowed I find this very nasty

Added by Vincent Neale on May 30, 2011 at 19:20 — 8 Comments

All Good Intentions

Whilst I write this post, it’s raining quite nicely at the moment here in Bucks. I’ve just harvested a couple of my yellow courgettes which my wife has popped into a lasagne...

www.thevalegrower.com

Added by Matt Richmond on May 30, 2011 at 14:36 — 3 Comments

Another Three Weeks...........

http://twochancesvegplot.wordpress.com/2011/05/30/another-three-weeks/

Amazing how quickly the veg is growing..........

Added by Damo on May 30, 2011 at 10:41 — 2 Comments

My Flighty's plot blog...

is four years old today!

Added by Flighty on May 29, 2011 at 15:35 — 5 Comments

Greenhouse Sort Out

A really good greenhouse tidy up this morning...........

http://twochancesvegplot.wordpress.com/2011/05/28/greenhouse-sort-out/

Added by Damo on May 28, 2011 at 14:16 — 3 Comments

Plot 13

After disaterous couple of weeks which resulted in this week me being made redundant and breaking my iPhone I finally managed to secure myself a sizeable allotment on Friday!!! Hoorah!!

I received some useful and helpful advise from the allotments secretary I chose a location close to the water source, near the entrance and also to the car park. All agreed and just about to sign when was informed it was plot 13!!!

Having tought about the luck I have had of late I…

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Added by Steven Monks on May 28, 2011 at 13:39 — 11 Comments

The conditions of marriage!

Good news! The chap who owns the allotment plot next door has finally turned up. His excuse for having done nothing whatsoever this year to his allotment is that he is busy with all the arrangements for getting married next September. A reasonable and happy excuse.

He has the rolling accent of someone from Liverpool. In other words, he is a ‘scouser’ as we affectionately like to call folk who come from that part of the world. The plot belongs to his wife-to-be. Perhaps her terms and…

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Added by mike hazeltree thompson on May 28, 2011 at 12:38 — 1 Comment

Exclusive: Tidy Shed Picture

Added by elaine rickett on May 28, 2011 at 8:42 — 9 Comments

The Gardeners' Refuge

I decided to clear out the Allotment Shed this afternoon. I discovered rotting egg boxes, a left over from when I sold eggs, a pile of hard potatoes that rats had dragged out of the paper sacks they were stored in, split buckets, piles of baling twine - the list of rubbish is endless. The stained kitchen rug I put down to give it an air of domestication was full of winter mud, and generally, it looked a right mess. I hoiked everything out, bundled canes neatly, hung all the tools, swept, got… Continue

Added by elaine rickett on May 27, 2011 at 15:51 — 9 Comments