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Weekend 4 May
On the plot
Still lots of tidying up to do and clearing of beds but we are getting there even though in some parts the ground is still very claggy! As the weather has warmed up this week the weeds have started to grow again so begins the battle. The grass has been strimmed again but the dandelions have developed a strategy of flowering very close to the ground thus avoiding having their heads chopped off by the strimmer!
Rescued some limnanthes (poached egg plants) from among some weeds and replanted them between the shrub roses – maybe they will help keep down the greenfly. They are supposed to attract hoverflies which in turn will devour greenfly. I wonder if these will work on the dreaded whitefly too.
More Juliette potatoes, have been planted but we still have some potatoes to plant.
The onions, garlic and shallots are now starting to grow away and the parsnip seeds that we had almost given up on have started to germinate – this even after a dog or fox had a party, or so it seems, in the bed. We had to cover the area with to give the seeds a fair chance.
We dug up the last of the leeks and carrots which have served our table well over winter. Rather sad to think we won’t have any more fresh carrots for a while. For more information on our storage methods click here
The cardoons are growing well – so well that a rosemary and a sage plant had to be rescued from under the leaves of one plant and rehoused. The rosemary that wasn’t being shrouded by the cardoon is looking well.
Planted out peas -
In the garden,
The crab apples trees are now in full flower and looking spectacular especially Malus Profusion – it’s just a shame that the blossoming season is so short.
The banana plants are beginning to push up through the covering of straw that protected them over winter. The gunnera is definitely sprouting now and shortly it should start to grow so quickly that you can almost see it growing by the minute. The centre of the tree fern is also showing signs of imminent activity so far all appears well!
The hostas are growing well too and seem at the moment to be avoiding the attention of the slugs and snails – I wonder how long this will last. The ferns are showing a mass of new curled fronds – many of the ferns have had all the dead fronds removed but there are still one or two in need of some attention. The perennials that we bought from Barnsdale last year are growing strongly too and the new leaves of the heuchera look really rich and shiny. It seems that many plants in the garden are vying for attention and it is a pleasure to stroll around (weather permitting) to spot what has changed since the previous day.
The lawns were mowed again and the fish pond cleaned out. The duckweed and watercress are spreading quickly and seem to be in constant need of attention. A miniature water lily that was bought a few years ago and has never yet flowered is starting to grow a few leaves – wonder if it will flower this year?
A squirrel has just visited our black sunflower seed feeder much to the annoyance of a collared dove who couldn’t decide whether it dared approach to feed from the neighbouring feeder. It chickened out until the squirrel had finished and moved on.
In the greenhouse
Potted up a couple of indoor hibiscus plants that have been flowering almost permanently for about three years now – (I bought a friend one at the same time and it died within several months so no more pot plants for her)! I thought ours deserved some fresh compost and just a little more space – no doubt now they will refuse to flower again. I’m also having a go at a cutting – guess who won’t be getting a cutting if I am successful!.
Sowed flower seeds of aster – Giant Single Andrella Mixed, mesembryanthemum – Sparkles Mixed, nemesia – Carnival Mixed, petunias – Celebrity Frost, and Double Delight Mixed.
Sowed vegetable seeds of dwarf (French) Beans-
The tomato plants in the greenhouse are progressing well, let’s hope that they year our tomatoes don’t suffer from blight.
Pricked out coriander and mesembryanthemum seedlings
Bought some new herb plants, oregano – Country Cream, French tarragon, Pineapple sage, (it really does smell of pineapple) and broad leaved thyme and took cuttings from them and also took cutting from purple sage and ordinary sage which is growing on the plot and various varieties of mint that were growing in a tub in the garden – they are different varieties but they all sort of mingled and now we don’t know which is which!. We have some small rosemary plants that were taken as cuttings last year too.
In the propagator
More nemesia and petunia seeds were placed in the propagator and are already starting to germinate.
The tomato seedlings are ready to come out of the propagator into the greenhouse.
Out and About
The ornamental cherry trees are looking spectacular – it’s such a pity that the display is so short-
The dandelions are still providing a good show in the verges. I quite like them their but just wish that they weren’t so happy growing in the grass paths on our plot.
The horse chestnut trees are in full leaf and are developing the buds that will in turn become the flowering candles.
The outdoor rhubarb is growing strongly in the fields alongside the motorway.
Weekend 11 May
On the plot
The grass paths have been strimmed yet again – it’s no sooner done that it seems to cry out to be done again. In a battle against the rampant dandelions we have enlisted the support of some feed and weed. The path now have more than their fair share of dandelion clocks all waiting to add to next year’s dandelion population!
The rest of the broad beans have now been planted out. Some of the earlier planted ones are showing signs of bean weevil activity -
More weeding and rotovating.
Planted the last of the potatoes – Pixie, Juliette and Charlotte. The earlier sown ones are just popping through. We were a bit late planting this year due to the poor soil conditions but the plants will catch up.
Planted out lettuce red and green salad bowl and peas – Avola. Last year when we cut out canes from our bamboos we left them hanging to dry and have used some of the smaller ones to support the peas.
Sowed spring onions and radish and also planted some additional garlic cloves.
We seem to have quite a few blue butterflies that I don’t remember seeing before.
In the garden
The tree fern has sent up its new fronds which are now growing at speed – each time I look they have shot on. We’re always glad to see the new fronds confirming that the tree fern has made it through winter. Many other ferns in the garden are also unfurling their new fronds.
All the perennials are growing quite quickly now.
The hostas are doing really well and as yet not fallen prey – other than a little nibble here and there-
We have also seen evidence of hedgehogs so we started to put out food for them, now the blackbirds have decided that they love hedgehog food too. As the dish is under the patio table the blackbirds aren’t too happy when we are sitting out. It’s quite comical to see them on tip-
The great tits and blue tits are busy flying back and forth to the nesting boxes. Everything that I have read tells me that these birds will not nest in boxes if the holes are too large – so why have they ignored the tit boxes and taken up residence in the ones designed for house sparrows?
Alongside the box that the great tits have adopted are a couple of banana plants which have started to grow and push up the straw that protected them over winter so we have to sneakily removed the straw without disturbing the birds. Even when we are so considerate to them they sit in trees complaining when we are in the garden.
The gunnera that we thought had succumbed to the frost is now sprouting well. It needed pruning. Doesn't look too much yet but we know that soon it will be of monstrous proportion so out came the saw. The 'branches' are like solid wood!
In the greenhouse
Sowed flower seeds – 4 varieties of French marigolds – Durango Tangerine, Durango Red, Durango Bolero and Durango Bee, sunflowers – The Bees Knees, cosmos – Candy Stripe and agrostemma – Ocean Pearl. Also sowed the seeds for the sunflower competition.
Sowed fruit and vegetable seeds, melon – Medley Mixed, rocket, red and green Salad Bowl lettuce, cabbage – Kalibos and Red Jewel both red cabbage varieties, sweet corn – Earlibird, courgettes – Clarita, Goldrush and Zucchini, cucumber – Burpless Tasty Green, runner beans – Celebrations & Galaxy and climbing French beans -
Pricked out cabbage – Puma, broccoli – Olympia. Arcadia and Long Season Mixed, earlier sowing of cabbage – Kalibos and French Parsley
In the propagator
The propagator is now completely empty
Out and about
It has been a really lovely week with the countryside taking on the fresh green spring look. Sadly much of last week’s spectacular display of blossom has faded although the lilac is still blooming. We should also, now be happily casting clouts as the May blossom is coming out!
The verges are now taking on a feathery look as the cow parsley is starting to flower and the horse chestnuts are starting to bud.
The fields are acid yellow courtesy of the oil seed rape.
Weekend 18 May
On the plot
More weeding and feeding to control the dandelions – some are starting to show signs that it is working, but they are tough cookies and it is probably only a temporary reprieve. It’s a shame as in the verges they look lovely but just can’t cope with all the seeds that they spread onto the cultivated areas.
Also more weeding of the beds and strimming the grass – it’s a Forth bridge activity. We like the grass paths though as not only do we like the look but the grass provides a home for many beetles and the like that emerge on a night to patrol the beds in search out tasty morsels such as slugs and other garden nasties. Most beds have now been rotivated. We have some bindweed in a couple of places and so that is being removed and brought back to the wheelie bin. I have tried to get every little bit of it but no doubt will have missed some and it will go on the rampage again.
The potatoes that we were late in planting are now shooting, earlier plated tubers have now been earthed up and the broad beans are coming into flower – the mixture of red and white flowered varieties adds decoration to the plot.
Cut all the fluffy heads from the cardoons – I was asked by another plot-
Planted one or two remaining strawberries and surrounded them with straw that had been recycled from the greenhouse having provided a protection for some plants over winter. The strawberry bed with last years plants is looking really good – plants are loaded with flowers so we have thrown a covering of environmesh over the bed to try and prevent the flowers being blackened by a predicted late frost. Last year a bumper harvest was ruined by heavy rain – can’t bear to lose all the fruit again this year
Planted more peas – Onward, Purple Podded and some mangetout peas – Sugar Snap. Peas planted earlier are showing signs of being nibbled by the bean and pea weevil. They have been hoed around so I hope the resident robin will find some of the grubs or eggs to feast on. Also planted sprouts -
Planted gladioli corms, hope they do better than last year as we didn’t really get many cut flowers from them. This year they went straight in to the ground again. Last year we followed the recommendation of a gardening programme and had the worst turn out of flowers yet!
We have our first flower on our shrub roses which were bought for their perfume – I can’t see the point of a rose that doesn’t have a rose scent or for that matter a sweet pea that doesn’t have scent. I have a small vase of lily of the valley in the house – it’s my birthday flower so my sister picked a bunch for me – they are always reminiscent of childhood. It’s just a pity that they are also loved by slugs when we try to grow them in our garden but I am determined to have another go this year. Also the perennial cornflower – centaurea are in full flower. The Sweet Williams will soon be joining them to provide cut flowers and the foxgloves are sending up the spikes for what I hope will be a good display as we planted a whole double row of them.
The swallows are back so it must be summer. Another wildlife encounter was with with a couple of ladybirds working hard to increase the species -
On a more unpleasant note – thieves attacked us twice this week. We guess that as they were disturbed on the first visit they came back for another try. The annoying thing is that the damage that they have caused to sheds and the like must outweigh the value of any items stolen. They seemed to be targeting stoves and fuel. It’s made us think again about our intention to buy a shed.
In the garden
Trimmed the rest of dead fronds from the tree fern so they don’t interfere with the shoots which are growing really strongly now. We have placed one of those fleece pillowcases over the newly unfurling fronds to try and protect it, just in case the predicted frost becomes a reality.
Cut some canes from a couple of the bamboo clumps. It took a while for us to pluck up courage to thin clumps down to just a few stems but it is now showing the effects as the canes are thickening and look much more dramatic.
Pruned out some of the branches of one of our camellias. I don’t want it to grow too tall and wide or it would block the view from the house. It has to be pruned straight after flowering as if it is done later there will be no flowers next year. Also pruned an aucuba which was growing too large for its allotted space – it should have been pruned earlier but I never got round to it. Pruning it now means that we will probably sacrifice some berries for next year.
Perennials are really growing well despite the fact that someone’s cat has decided to use a patch amongst them as a toilet. The smell is horrible! I’ve popped some of my bamboo prunings in its chosen spot to try and deter it by not having sufficient space to squat in comfort!
The crab apple trees have dropped their petals – their show doesn’t last long which is why they need to have more to offer than just blossom. Malus Profusion has it reddish brown leaves and John Downie provides us with masses of crab apples. The trees also provide the birds with suitable perches when they flock into the garden to raid the seed dispensers.
The bananas are really pushing up the straw well now but as they are near to a nesting great tit we can’t remove the straw completely yet.
In the greenhouse
Pricked out about half a dozen salpiglossiss – that’s all that managed to germinate. Also pricked out some nemesia, petunia and asters.
The squash, and courgette seeds are germinating well as are the sweet corn seeds.
Several varieties of tomato (Sebastapol, Yellow Perfection, Sasha Altai, Black Crimea, Legend, Tondino di Manduria and Red Siberia) have been placed in grow-
Out and about
The horse chestnuts are now in flower and the hawthorn is in full flow too – I always consider spring is on its way out once the hawthorn loses its flowers. The large horse chestnut trees look magnificent as the light plays on the leaves producing many shades of green.
Although much of the earlier blossom has faded and dropped the lilac trees are looking good. It’s another of those childhood plants – I can remember taking bunches of it to school.
Buttercups are beginning to take up the yellow baton from the dandelions. Daisies both common and dog daisy are also joining in the display and I noticed a big clump of red campions in a roadside verge.
In the fields alongside the motorway, the outdoor rhubarb is also beginning to send up flower spikes.
Weekend 25 May
On the plot
The weekly grass cutting exercise. Even more weeding and lots of watering as now the soil is very dry – it’s either one thing or the other and never like baby bear’s porridge i.e. just right! Our soil is a clay soil (in some parts it is almost pure clay and could be used to make pots) so when it is wet it is horrible and claggy and when it is dry it forms hard lumps and cracks!
We had a frost on a couple of nights this week and our newly emerged potatoes had their leaves nipped. I was concerned that the strawberry flowers would frost leading to no strawberries and so I covered the plants that were furthest on with some environmesh. Last year we lost a bumper strawberry harvest due to torrential rain and i didn’t want to lose all the berries again. In fact this week we harvested our first berries – the very first was from plants being cosseted in the greenhouse.
I have started uncovering the dahlias which have been overwintered under straw and black polythene. The straw was recycled by being used the surround strawberries that still needed to be done. No doubt after the winds of Sunday all the straw will be scattered across the plot! The dahlias are showing signs of growth which is very pasty looking at the moment courtesy of the black polythene but they will soon green up. (Click here to read about how we protect dahlia tubers over winter). One or two frogs and toads were temporarily made homeless but we did rehouse them under some herbs.
We have also deconstructed, moved and reconstructed a greenhouse. The transported of the glass was a bit hair raising but most arrived safely. A few panes needed replacing but as the greenhouse is about 30 years old – it hasn’t done badly. This is its third move! Unfortunately the whitecurrant bush had to be sacrificed to make room for the greenhouse so I have taken lots of cuttings in the hope that at least one may grow. The bush did seems to have a lot of scale insect so I tried to remove as much as possible from the cuttings – yuk!
The greenhouse now has been half planted with tomato plants. These have been planted directly in the soil borders. Let’s hope this affords some protection from blight.
Original location -
Base partly laid
Base completed and frame transported
Frame erected
8:00 p.m. glazing completed as far as possible
Planted out some rocket in what is going to be a patchwork of salad leaves. We saw some pots in the garden centre with mixed leaves and took note of what they were using and also had read a gardening magazine which recommended different salad ingredients so we sent for a few seeds which we couldn’t find in the garden centre. We hopefully will get lots of produce at a fraction of the price of the pots being sold.
Planted a couple of black lace elders in the flower bed.
I also cut off some of the new shoots growing from the base of the tayberry/loganberry just keeping one or two strong shoots from each root for next year.
It also seems that a fox has left the remnants of a meal under our plum trees – it must have decided that this is a good place to have a picnic.
In the garden
There are dead crab apple flowers everywhere! Such a pity that the display is so short-
Cut the lawns
The banana plants and tree fern continue to grow at a fast rate and at the moment the gunnera is not quite matching them – this will change shortly once the gunnera gets going it will knock them into the shade. In fact it will literally put some plants in the shade namely the rogersia growing alongside it!
The irises planted last year are growing strongly and one is about to flower. Last year they were shredded by slugs or snails but this year seem to have survived relatively unscathed – has so far have the hostas. Maybe this is due to the dry weather or has the snail grapevine passed on news of our resident predators!. We have copper tapes around the pots containing the hostas but last year I think the snails and slugs abseiled in from nearby plants. I did see a hosta grower of TV saying that she used a garlic spray that she made herself but I can’t remember how she made it – if you can email me to let me know! I wonder if it works on whitefly but there again if it does it would probably leave the cabbages etc. tasting of garlic!
I noticed that under the aucuba, that I chopped back last week, small plants had germinated from the dropped berries. I have potted half a dozen up – I don’t really want any more aucubas but I just couldn’t resist!
The choisya is on flower in spite of being cut back hard last year and the climbers are starting to climb. The medlar also is showing signs that it will flower this year. I hope it manages to produce at least one medlar so that I can see what they are like. The figs are now shooting and I noticed that one has a tiny fig.
The wisteria is looking lovely and flowering well which must be a miracle as the climber is very much left to do its own thing and I keep hearing that it has a particular pruning regime so -
The variegated weigelas are also in full flower. We have one on the plot as well -
In the greenhouse (well the one in our garden)
We are really pressed for space in here now.
Pricked out more nemesia and petunias.
Pricked our courgettes and cucumbers – thankfully we hadn’t been tempted to plant them earlier. Last year we resisted when we could have got away with earlier planting and consequently ended up planting during the worst months of the summer so the young plants suffered. Generally though sticking to the unwritten rule (or is it written somewhere) that in our part of the world we don’t plant tender plants out until the last week in May/first week in June (in spite of global warming) seems a good plan.
Sowed cauliflower seed – Autumn Giant and beetroot – Blankoma (white), Chioggia (white and red rings when sliced) and Boltardy (red).
For a crop of salad leaves sowed chard – Bright Yellow, Giant Red Mustard, Lettuce – Yugoslavian Red, Oriental Mustards and Sorrel-
Potted up squash – Crown Prince.
Out and about
The colour palette for this week seems predominantly white and yellow -
The flowering horse chestnut trees are looking lovely but sadly the magnificent specimen in the grounds where I used to work has been felled. They say it was diseased?
The winds are playing havoc with the newly leaved trees -
