Weekend 2 December
On the plot,
One of us had man flu this week so we didn't visit the plot. The weather was pretty miserable and so we wouldn't have got much done anyway.
On the plot,
The fatsia has flowers and the garrya that I have trained into a tree shapes is loaded with catkin buds. The mahonia also has lots of buds and will soon look really good - that is if the birds don't peck ll the buds off.
Bulbs have started to pop through the ground in the garden and in tubs, mainly hyacinth and daffodils.
Weekend 9 December
On the plot,
- Wet, windy and horrible this weekend but we had to pay a quick visit to harvest some vegetables for the week. We harvested parsnips and some broccoli which still seems to be going strong. We also still have lettuce growing on the plot.
- There was some evidence of frost damage – the strawberry plants were still flowering but the centres have been blackened.
- Something has obviously been feeding on the sunflower heads as some of the seed heads are now devoid of any seeds.
- A couple of skeins of geese headed over the plot.
- One or two rather unusual sights too as the photographs below will show.
These small pea plants are 'volunteers'. We had peas growing in the spot earlier in the season and they seem to have decided to plant there own seeds. Amazing isn't it - if we were to have planted them they probably wouldn't have even germinated or something would have come along and gobbled them up! I am going to leave them there just to see what happens to them.
The tomato seeds that we ordered from Association Kokopelli who sell unusual seeds arrived. We bought Tondino do Manduria (red plum tomato), Sebastopol (red, cherry tomato) Black Crimea (black – well a reddish brown, it’s supposed to be one of the sweetest tomatoes) Red Siberian (red) and Sasha Altai (red). The last two apparently grow in Siberia so hopefully we should get something whatever the weather throws at us!! We will keep you posted during the growing season.
In the garden,
- Bulbs which were left in tubs from last year are starting to sprout as are some in the flower beds. I think they are hyacinths and daffodils.
- The birds are still flocking to our feeders. On strange sight was that of a wood pigeon balancing on the tray attached to the feeders helping itself to seed. It had to contort itself into a very strange position to manage this.
Out and About
It has been very windy this week and also wet and miserable.
Weekend 16 December
On the plot,
Just a quick visit this weekend to pick some vegetables for next week’s dinners. Harvested parsnips and broccoli
Everywhere looked forlorn and desolate and it was bitterly cold.
In the garden,
The birds aren’t really straying far from the bird table – especially the blackbirds and robins. I made a batch of fat cake for them as they are really going to need some fat to keep the warm. The bird baths have frozen up but I have seen birds managing to take a bath in the pond. They also have developed the knack of leaning over and catching a drink from the water that is running back into the pond from the filter.
The gunnera that dominates the pond area in summer is now brown and shrivelled.
We have popped some fleece into the middle of the tree fern in the hope that it will survive this week’s keen frosts. It has worked before but every spring is a tense waiting game until the first of the new fronds uncurl.
Out and About,
It has been a very frosty week – the sort of week that makes you glad to have heated seats in the car. I don’t really notice too much going to and from work now as much of the time it is dark. There have been some very vivid sunrises though.
One field on the way to work is absolutely covered with rooks. Well I think they are rooks as it is difficult to tell from a distance especially when the ground is white over as the white beaks wouldn’t show up really. I’m not sure what they are managed to get from the frozen ground.
The trees are really bare now – it’s this time of year when you can fully appreciate their shape.
Weekend 23 December
On the plot
We haven’t really managed to visit the plot this weekend. But hopefully on Monday we will manage to pop onto the site to gather the vegetables that we will need for Christmas.
In the garden
The snowdrops are just starting to push through - always a welcome sight.
The birds are still flocking to our bird tables and feeders. We have lots of blackbirds and robins. We are trying to keep some water available for them but the bird baths keep freezing solid. Fortunately water running into the pond means that there is always water available – it just takes a bit more effort on their part to get a drink.
In the greenhouse
A garden centre near to us was selling camellias at half price, (they had absolutely loads of them) so as my sister had been wanting one for her garden it made an ideal Christmas present – even though it will have to sit in the greenhouse for a little while before we can actually plant it out in her garden. They also had masses of orchids at half price too and I was really tempted but in some way there was too much choice as I really couldn’t decide which sort I liked the most!!!
Out and about
Global warming has really kicked in. It has been freezing cold most of the week and some mornings have been quite foggy. The sun has broken through occasional though which lifts the spirits a bit. Also the fact that the shortest day has been and gone and we can imagine the days gradually getting longer again, even though it will take a while before we really notice the difference.
We noticed a heron flying over the motorway - no doubt frozen water is a bit of a challenge for them. The lake at Newmillerdam quite close to where I work even had ice on its surface one morning this week.
Weekend 30 December
