The diary of two novice gardeners and chicken keepers
Posted in Allotments on Apr 13th, 2010
I have bought two roots of Dianthus: Dianthus Doris and Dianthus Houndspool Ruby. I love pinks both the look of them and the fragrance but they have a special place in my heart because my Mom grew them in the garden at the prefab where I grew up. These modern pinks are scented and bloom right through [...]
Posted in Allotments on Apr 13th, 2010
The Asparagus crowns have arrived from New Park Farm in Tunbridge Wells and they look very healthy. We have already prepared the bed for them and plan to get them in this week. They arrived with very detailed planting guidelines and a warning not to be tempted to cut any spears this season. (The crowns [...]
Posted in Allotments on Apr 12th, 2010
Brussel Sprouts are a good source of Thiamin, Riboflavin, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Folate, Potassium and Manganese. Today we planted up the new brassica cage with twenty Brussel Sprout plants and fifteen Cauliflowers. We gave them a feed of [...]
Posted in Allotments on Apr 11th, 2010
We spent a lovely few hours at the plot this morning and caught up on loads of jobs. We put in the last of the potatoes which were the second batch of Charlotte and British Queen. We planted up the three courgette plants All Green Bush and put a polythene cover over until the plants [...]
Posted in Allotments on Apr 9th, 2010
This morning I have filled a big oblong planter with Iris bulbs. I got the bulbs from Aldi for £3.99. I shall eventually put these straight into the ground but want to grow them on a bit first. After planting, water well, thoroughly soaking the area. In colder regions foliage and flowers will wait until [...]
Posted in Allotments on Apr 3rd, 2010
This afternoon I have sown ten modules of the tomato Gardeners Delight. This is a reliable favourite producing tasty smallish fruit that all our family enjoy. Germination should be in seven to ten days and plants should be moved to a 7″ pot when roots are seen at the bottom of the module. They should [...]
Posted in Allotments on Apr 2nd, 2010
I have just sown some chive seeds in a shallow terracotta bowl and think I may have made a mistake as they may need a deeper container. I shall leave them to germinate and grow on and maybe transplant them into a deeper pot next season after they have formed their bulbs. The easiest to [...]
Posted in Allotments on Apr 2nd, 2010
Over the last few weeks I have sown a succession of runner beans. The White Lady were saved seeds from last year so they are familiar to me and I know they will give a good harvest and be good to eat when picked young and tender. The Blue Lake I have bought this year [...]
Posted in Allotments on Apr 2nd, 2010
I have sown three seeds of Courgette Di Nizza. This is the first round courgette I have tried to grow and I am looking forward to the results. The Tonda Chiaro di Nizza courgette is also known as ‘Ronde de Nice’, a trailing vigorous plant with an unusual spherical zucchini with a light green, thin [...]
Posted in Allotments on Apr 1st, 2010
After torrential rain all day the sky cleared just long enough for us to pop to the plot and put in the main crop potatoes. We chose Maris Piper this year and the seed potatoes had been sitting on the window ledge on egg boxes to chit. They all had healthy green shoots and we [...]
