The good the bad and the ugly

I suppose this is both good and ugly! Just created a place in a corner of the garden next to the veggie plot for horse poo! Our neighbours have four horses so a nice supply at hand. Really looking forward to getting this on the veggie plot come late autumn that's if we can get the muck cooking. Someone at Gardener's Corner suggested drainpipes while we build it, then removing them when the pile is built as to let air in. We're trying to use the pipes as a guide so we get a rectangle of poo rather than a heap. Fun on a hot day.



Just plain old bad this is.  I planted three types of onions (sets) and they are all pathetic - the one in the picture is one of the better ones.  I might as well have eaten the sets.  I am so sick of the sight of these they are coming out tomorrow. More bad but I couldn't even face taking a picture - BLIGHT on two cherry tomato plants now removed from the premises. Fingers cross the other plants don't go the same way.



But there's good.  Dinner today included Kale (Fizz) thinnings, new potatoes, turnip dauphinoise and mangetout all from the garden - now that's a good feeling.



The blight on the tomatoes put me in a panic so I picked the rest of the potatoes.  I'm pleased with the crop and it felt good to get another section of the veggie plot weed free and ready for planting. I'm going to plant swede, carrot and turnip in the now vacant patch - all good soup stuff.

More good in the form of yet more blackcurrants - an amazing year for them.  This is my sixth tray - I just pick and freeze these straight away. I'm hoping for at least another four trays which will see me through the winter. I'm going to lop the plants this year and see how many new bushes I can start. The only thing with blackcurrants is they are such a pain to pick well I find they are.



Well I'm off out to plant some day lilies a friend brought round it's a new one for me so my little collection grows.

 

The first tomatoes

Well there are only two of them so far but lots to come.  These were still warm from the sun when I scoffed them.  I've chopped this basil plant and left the stump growing in the veggie plot - I read somewhere you can do this and the plant will sprout again we'll see. Turnips are for roasting on Sunday with chicken (Aldi's not one of our hens).

Lots of work at the moment as all the rain has made both the weeds and the 'grass' grow.  It a bit of a juggle to keep both the garden and veggie plot in order.  I need to get out now and pick blackcurrants (they are planted in a circle on the left in the photo) so much fruit one branch has already snapped with the weight.



 

Rhubarb and day lilies...

The day lilies are out and in the sun they look stunning.  I'm hoping these will all bulk up by autumn and I can split the lot.  I was lucky enough to inherit a small collection of about eight varieties in total.  The two smaller varieties are a subtle yellow and orange but nothing subtle about these three.   I understand you can eat these but I've never been tempted.







Well enough of the flowers now for the important stuff.  I've finally got a small crop of rhubarb. I grew this frm seed last year so am well chuffed to even get this amount.  I've only picked a single stalks from the bigger plants as I'm not sure how much I can take without harming the plant. Sowing rhubarb from seed is so easy peasy I'm tempted to sow a few different varieties. I actually picked a few more stalks than this just about enough for a crumble.



Lifted about a third of the potatoes yesterday as the leaves looked a bit iffy - brown spots starting to appear.  Some very small one but they'll do for salad the rest will store in the basement.  I'm hoping to leave the remaining ones in the ground for another couple of weeks but I've got my beady eye on the leaves. Also pulled the garlic as I'm sick of the sight of those withered looking stalks. I'm going to wash this then let it dry it in the sun then freeze the lot.  I'd say about nine month's supply here so another lot going in come September. I've got some free space now so more basil seedlings going in, yet more coriander being sown along with Swede, lettuce, endive, rocket, french beans and summer spinach. Busy day ahead....



 

Freedom

Thank goodness that open garden (washout) weekend is over I have given friends instructions that if I ever mention doing one again I am to be slapped severely! Today, I picked the very first of the blackcurrants, my older bushes are hanging with green fruits but the new ones gave up a small crop of early fruit.  All of these get frozen to eat with porridge over the winter.  Think this might be the last of the rasps - we're sick of eating them - never thought I'd ever say that! The large bunch of coriander is also headed for the freezer once the leaves are all pulled off.  Our local supermarket sells coriander in little plastic packs for about 1.75 - works out at 176 euros a kilo - so well worth growing. Lettuce is from thinning out little gem (always great germination rate) and a curly type whose name I've forgotten.



Yesterday picked and even larger bunch of coriander and OH made a batch of coriander pesto - this is so scrummy I could eat it spread on cardboard.  Made the same as basil pesto but using coriander - we've also ditched the pine nuts in favour of ground seeds (sometimes pumpkins - just depends on what we've got). Currently my favourite sandwich is toast, fresh tomatoes and a coriander pesto - delicious.



Finally, no rhubarb harvest yet but it's growing well and so is the red bergamot I planted between each plant.  I'm hoping that by next year there will be a mass of red bergamot along with a mass or red rhubarb stalks. Hope springs eternal when you garden!



 

Stormy weather...

In the middle of a storm with (hopefully) some rain.  The ground is rock hard which means Mr Mole must dig deeper to find those worms and hence the mole hills get larger and larger. We really could do with a good soaking but even as I type this it looks like it's passing us by! It must be over three weeks since we've had any rain and the temperature some days has been in the 30s.

Well, we've scoffed all the strawberries and have now started on the rasps, below is the second half kilo we've had off the bushes (Aldi's best!) I planted last year. The pak choi was picked for a stir fry we had at lunch time with our own fresh garlic.  The garlic bulbs are a bit small so we're going to leave them in for a couple more weeks to see if they bulk up. Radishes are so easy to grow but I'm not that fond of them so I don't think I'll be planting them again.



Think this will be the last post until after the open garden days on the 28th and 29th still lots to do outside the veggie plot.  That henny penny fence around the veggie plot is great but I'll need to take it down to cut the grass then put the thing back up -  hmm... not really looking forward to that task.  Hopefully, next post might include a photo of a rhubarb crop - fingers cross crumble on the way.

 

27 Days to go!

Time to get a move on.  The garden is open for charity on the 28th and 29th (gulp) of this month.  Well, the irises are now well past their best but a few late varieties are still putting on a show.  This orange one is tagged for moving though as it just does not work where it is.



The veggie plot is going to have to get on with it now that I've finished planting. The tomato (19) chilies (6) and cucumber (4) plants are in with only the tomato plants left to stake.  I've planted two butternut and three gold nugget squashes the rest of my squash plants I'm going to plant around the garden some will go in the asparagus bed once I get round to edging and weeding that bed.



Everything planted and weeded what a good feeling!  Most of the seeds I've sown have started to germinate but no sign of the parsnips yet just as well I planted poached egg plant along side so if no parsnips at least there will be some flowers.




Tiny wee squashes in front of the Omlet sign and some seedling starting to show through. The comfrey I thought I had removed appears to be back!  That's OK the bees love the stuff and it's good for the old compost bins. I like to have a single row of flowers (or little shrubs) across the beds - so far I've got the comfrey FoC , a row of perennial geraniums from cuttings and to come from seed Zinnia, poached egg plant, nasturtium oh and some freesia.   Along with the veggie I've planted out basil seedlings and sown masses of coriander.  I've sown a single row of dill in with the cucumber as it's supposed to help root growth.  The little wigwam I made from twigs and twine to support the runner beans.  Not sure if it's up to the task but I like the look of it.



I've got rasps and a grapevine on the wall next to our neighbour's field - they seem to be doing well and take no looking after.  Last year I got about 6 bunches of grapes the first I've had off the plant.  Now if this little lot can just get on and grow I can tackle the rest of the garden.

Calm before the storm

After days of constant rain we were blessed with a few days of dry warm weather.  It's not going to last though and storms are on their way according to my farmer neighbour and the look of the sky and a low rumbling.  Thought I'd take a few pictures of the garden in case the rain reeks havoc.

Most of the iris are in flower abut some late ones are still to bloom.  This is one of my favourites I think it's called Carnaby.



The majority of my iris are in the white to deep purple colour range you can just about make them out in this photo.  I'd love to go on a spending spree at a place called Cayeux their iris are to die for.  The patio is covered with plants I'm bringing on.  Some seedlings are really struggling and the slugs have eaten all the melons and cucumbers.  They don't seem to have an appetite for the squashes - just as well or I'd have little to plant out! Gold Nugget is doing really well butternut Metro less so.  I'm trying to grow as much coriander as possible so the 'weeds' in the patio are coriander.  Pesto made with coriander and pumpkin seeds in place or pine nuts is delicious!



The back of the garden is coming along nicely - thanks to lots of water! I'm sure by next year the island beds will have filled out nicely.  I must resist the temptation to plant more stuff.  I am hoping the day lilies all bulk up nicely for a huge split in autumn.



The top of the garden gets the least amount of attention and is my favourite part.  This is the place to enjoy a nice cold beer after a heavy day's gardening. The wild flowers are just allowed to get on with it here the only thing I try and keep in check (a bit) are the nettles.  Left alone they would take over the whole place.



This is from the back of the garden looking toward the house.  They're not out yet but when they are the Buddleia will be covered in butterflies and humming-bird moths.  The little oak on the left hand side was grown from an acorn - it is the most precious thing in the garden.



Back down the garden near the pond is the new herb plot - full of bramble last year but doing pretty well. The herbs brought back from Spain seem to be thriving except for the Rue which looks like it is struggling.  You can see the bramble wants to come back so I'd better get out there with a spade.



This is a bit boring - back of the house and the strawberry patch.  I moved them from the veggie plot as they were getting baked in the full sun. They seem to be doing OK here where they only get full sun late afternoon. I've got a heavy mulch of bark chipping over the lot in an attempt to keep the moisture in. Not sure if  I like how this looks but it's practical.



Finally, what has been keeping me busy for the past week.  I've now got a bit of a border around the enlarged plot with chives at either end and rhubarb and begamot down the long side. The side by the wall is mainly rasps with a grapevine in the middle of the row - that is tied into the fence which it will cover come summer.



The damp patches you see are newly sown.  If I remember - parsnips with poached egg plant, celeriac, carrot, turnip, spinach, beetroot, mangetout, dill, coriander, salad stuff, calabrese, and  kale. Oh, and radish, rocket, sweet fennel and beet leaf. They join the onion, garlic and potatoes. I've still to sow runner beans  plus plant out tomatoes, squashes, chilies and cucumber. I might have bell peppers if the seedling ever start to grow. I've had to go buy some cucumber plants given the slug attacks and perhaps I'll sow some melon into the ground and see what happens. I really should sow the beans this afternoon before the storm arrives at least everything will get a good watering free of charge!

Well best get out there and get some work done.