Think the Garden is all planted

Hey,

   I know it's been a while since I blogged but it's been a mad few weeks and am only now really in the headspace to take the time to blog.  The garden has kinda been looking after itself over the last few weeks and is looking very well, I have to say.  The Peas are beginning to pod and it won't be very long before I eat the first of the crop this year.  Having never grown Turnips before it's all been a bit of an experiment.  God, the main thing I notice with them is that the foliage is HUGE!! It really does take up about 4-times the actual size of the veg itself.  Yesterday, with the most helpful assistance of my nephew, I planted out some 'Veritas' Savoy Cabbage, 'Helenor' Swede and some 'Nantes 2' Carrots.  I made sure to give both the Cabbage and Swede the necessary room to grow without it crowding other veg.  

I'm not sure if I posted this in a previous blog, but I do not use insecticides, chemical fertilisers or nothing like that.  When we were putting in the beds (see photos in previous posts) we threw in compost from our own garden and some well rotted horse dung, as well as a good sprinkling of dried seaweed powder.  In saying that we are no where near Organic in our practices.  For the smaller beds by the wall we did not have enough soil to fill them, so we added some shop-bought topsoil, horticultural sand and bags of Westland Garden Multi-purpose Compost with added John Innes.  Stuff that we planted in those beds appears to be growing fine and all looks ok.  

A gardeners main enemy is the slug/snail I think.  Over the last few years we have used the slug traps in which you put some beer/yeastie goodness in them and the slugs go for a little swim and die.  This year, I found it difficult to find these (they tend to disintegrate a bit over time) so a local garden centre Windyridge Nurseries & Garden Centre advised me to use some Organic Slug Pellets.  They gave me 'Growing Success Advanced Slug Killer'.  It works a dream...only been a few little nibbles on some of the foliage at this stage.  You just need to give a little sprinkle of it all over the patch.  The great think about it is that it contains Ferric Phosphate which supposedly gives some nourishment to the soil.  It will eventually disintegrate into the soil so there is nothing else you need to do.  I probably re-apply every week or so.  

That's the goings-on in the back garden.  In the front, all the spuds are growing nicely.  The amount of neighbours that have commented on them is brilliant.  It might actually get some of them to start growing in their own gardens soon.  Maybe even digging up their front gardens and planting a few spuds or something else easy-growing to give them the confidence to continue. 

Anyway.....more soon!!

And so the Heaven's erupt

So,
     Haven't done much in the garden the last few days.  Have had two college essays to get finished for the end of term.  Now that I have the time to spend in the garden the Heaven's have decided to give the garden a well needed drink.  Haven't needed to water the garden for the last two nights which is great!!  Just hoping that it doesnt last too long because there are a few little tasks that need to be done soon.

It's far eaiser weeding in loose, dry soil, so have decided to hold off on it for a few days at least.  Am having to keep an eye on the seedlings in the Coldframe and the mini Greenhouse.  Although it is dull and wet out, these little things don't get much benefit from the rain.  The best way to water seedlings is from the underneath, as the heavy droplets from either the rain or a can/hose can damage/dislodge the tender seedlings.  As a result, we are having to keep an eye on them and water when necessary.

And in the front garden the grass and weeds have decided that they like the lazy-beds so much they will make home there.  And again, the wet weather isn't helping here!!  Will have to get out in the next few days and hand weed the spud drills as well as earthing them up too. 

Apart from the above, there isn't much else going on in the garden at the moment.  Planning on filling a mini skip with some garden waste material over the next few weeks, weather permitting.  Oh, and there is a great need for a new garden shed as the one that is standing (I use that term very loosely) is in a very bad way.  There is holes all over the sides of it and the ferral cats have been making it a temporary home during cold/stormy weather.

More to follow soon!!

And so it grows

Ok so, this is the first time I've ever blogged in my life so please go easy.
Why start righting this blog, I hear you ask.  Well, I just thought I'd begin to share with people how my garden grows (or not as the case may be.  There has been increasing interest in all things gardening in recent years and it seems to be continuing in earnest.

I've been grow veg for about 4 years now in my suburban back garden.  It's a grand space to be growing in, but over the last few years I bace a bit disheartened with it due to the disorganised nature and lay-out of the garden.  So this year, with the help of my Brother we put in two raised beds to try and contain the growing area.
  So this is how the back garden looked on 14th of April 2011.  A big thanks to my brother who was the brains behind the operation and a huge help.  Ok so, we now had the Raised Beds....needed stuff to grow in them.  The ole reliables of Carrots, Peas, and Broad Beans were brought on in this Coldframe I built two years ago:



Again, the brother came in hand when he showed me how to make lazy-beds for spuds in the front garden.  He had been on at me for a few years now to dig up the garden and put in some spuds, but I held off for some unknown reason.  I think I was a bit apprehensive of the reactions from the neighbours, but I have to say anyone I've chatted to has been very interested in what I'm doing.  Some of the older neighbours have told me stories of how they remember their parents growing veg in their gardens as children.  The younger people are not sure what to make of it at all!!  I might have to bring them around to the 'Way of the VEG'.

Along with thw coldframe above, we picked up a little plastice mini-greenhouse from Woodies to help bring on some of the plants:









After a few weeks this is what the garden looks like:

 

The veg we have on the go at the moment is: Carrots, Peas, Broadbeans, French Beans, Cabbage (two different types), Garlic, Onions (two different types), Lettuces, Lemon Balm, Oregano, Rosemary, Bronze Fennel, Sage, Thyme, Lavender, Wild Flowers, Camomile, Mangtout, Turnips, Swede, Strawberries.  That's probably all of the veg on the go at the minute.  I'm not made on the Flowers end of things....that's more my other-half's department.  But they are all good.....they'll hopefully bring in all those lovely insects needed to bring the garden alive!!
Have invested in some Organic Slug Pellets today.  We have the first drop of rain last night in a long time, and when I went to the garden this morning there were so many little horrible slugs that intervention was dearly needed.  I'll keep you posted on how the battle with the slugs is going over the next few weeks.

For now, I must away!!  Chat soon!!