A problem with wind...

Hi all

I'm sat here a bit scared folks - I have a big wind problem.  No I don't need charcoal tablets - but I would like to dash home and bring in all of the tomatoes and cucumbers that I put outside yesterday!  The wind is so strong today and gusty I'm terrified of going home and just finding a few pots with snapped stems with the plants being whisked off to oz!  My pooooor baybeeees!

I've had a busy busy weekend.  Got to the allotment on Saturday.  As we all know, I am struggling a bit with the allotment, but I have some new rules I think.  I shall firstly take care of what I have planted already - so the first job each visit is to weed and maintain the stuff that is already there, and secondly I will only dig a bed just before I plant it up.  This way no bed will be waiting for weeks and weeks and getting all horrid and weedy again (like they are now)...  so that's what I did.  I weeded all through the potatoes and onions and the beans and I could NOT resist seeing what was happening with the potatoes while I was at it!  LOOOKIE LOOOOKIE

I know its daft but I'm sooooo proud of them!  I AM the first on the allotments and the old fellas are all scratching their heads!  Woo Hoooo I'm going to boil them and eat them with a knob of butter!  YUM :0)

I also planted out my leeks I have grown in a bucket 2 rows - I didn't dibble them in , I kind of made a trench and plopped them in along the length of this and then filled this in... We will see if this works or not!  I seem to have read a post somewhere about Amish farmers doing their leeks this way and them getting a good crop... oh well they have 2 chances.  I also thought it was time for the Brussels sprouts to be planted out.  Not sure if these will come to anything as I have pretty much neglected them.  I've bunged them in next to the leeks and thrown in some broccoli too (shop bought plants! Couldn't resist them)  I netted the Brussels and the broccoli and watered everything and then went to my Mums to get changed.

Guess what people!  I had a play date with a new friend.  Another garden/vegetable mad other person who I made pals with on the Grow Your Own website.  I  had a lovely late afternoon coffee and natter and cheese straws were all consumed, cats were petted, seeds were looked at, allotments inspected and elderflower's were picked!  I had a FAB time.  Its great to get together with another enthusiast and have a proper full on veg chat.  My husband seems to get a glazed look and I'm wondering if he is listening or thinking about football or the crack on the ceiling.... :0)

Sunday I hoofed it to Morrison's on the quest of the flower buckets.  I got 32 for £3.96!  WOW now that's a bargain.  Now you could ask at your supermarket as some seem to give them away some sell them and some dont do either and it seems to vary from shop to shop, but Morrison's are consistent and seem to sell them at every store.  I few holes in the bottom of them with a hot nail and BOB is most definitely your mothers brother and FRANCES is his wife!  A perfect home for a tomato or a cucumber... So that's what I did for most of the rest of the afternoon. 

I also started the "Armpit challenge" featured on the GYO website.  Basically the idea is to see who can get the most producing tomato plants from ONE seed.  You do this by planting up the side shoots or armpits as they are fabulously also called!  My Tigrella tomato plant had 5 armpits potted up, my Marmande four and a Gardeners Delight just the one.  I am going to photograph all of them at various stages and monitor and record how may fruits etc they all produce.  I think that these three plants will be the only ones I keep at home.  The others can go to the allotment.

Along with one yellow cherry variety that I wont bother for this experiment/challenge I think that fourteen tomato plants is enough for the time being!  And I'll need to armpit the armpits too and the original plant.... Phew I'm gonna have a Lotta toe-may-toes.  Ketchup anyone???

Mind you.... That's if they have survived the wind....

Chat soon X

PS: Saw a lovely film last night - WIN WIN about a lawyer who also coaches the local wrestling team.  Loved it.

Big and little things

I had a wonderful weekend just gone, and it was full of big and little joys.

Have you ever been back to a childhood haunt and found it to be so much smaller than you thought it was?  It was my primary schools 150th Anniversary celebrations this Saturday and my SIL and I wandered down (we were just down the road).  This must have been how Gulliver felt amongst the lilliputians - Gigantic.  Teeny tiny rooms and desks, and the loo's too (no trace of tracing paper loo roll these days we checked!).  Teachers who we thought were old when they taught us were there and gasp - still alive (in all honesty some of them have only just retired!)  It was wonderful to visit and see some old faces.

We also had my Nephews christening - which I shall hasten onto next - at the church I attended all through my childhood until about 14.  Again it felt much smaller - but large in grandeur, high churchiness and incense.  Quite a serious service by modern standards, but the vicar was light and joking and just right.

My Nephews christening, Mr B and I as Godparents!  Such a small thing, but how big an honour, how huge is my love for our dearest little boy, our godson!  Such a tiny bundle of enormous joy.  Already his wish is our command and only 9 months old...

And from the sublime to the ridiculous - flowers on my Tomatoes at last.

Happiness can be found in many places but don't over look the big or the little things!

Chat soon X

I drowned a Bee!

It dived into my tea yesterday while I was in the potting shed!  I promptly threw the tea out but it was already deeeeed... I hadn't even drunk any of it!

BAHHHHH on both counts

I did however fill up my own hanging baskets, sowed some more beans green and yellow bush french beans and some green kale (thanks for the Kale seeds goes to Jono at http://www.realmensow.co.uk/ a truly fab veg growing/allotmenteering site with added geekery and excel spreadsheets - awesome!)  So all was not lost.  Thinking about it I think the big looser here was probably the bee..... :0<

Chat soon X

Ooooh I did however buy new shoes for the me nephews Christening next Sunday!  :0>

Return of the Triffids

Okay, it seems like ages since last weekend but its also gone in a flash and its Friday again.  Seriously suffering from Bank Holiday Lag.  All week I've been thinking that Tuesday was Monday the Thursday was Friday.  I'm glad to get a lie in bed tomorrow just to stop my head from spinning.

Last weekend of course was the Royal Wedding!  Absolutely FAB I loved it.  I also went to B&Q in the morning to get something for My Brothers 40th.  Had a nice chat with the reductions guy and he cheekily asked if I'd like 50% off the herb planter I was eyeing.  After a second thinking "OMG" I spluttered out yes and he did!  Waaa heyyy! With a 10% voucher also I properly felt like scrooge! 

After the TV event we went to the local hall and had tea and cakes with the local biddies, then over to my Mums for a birthday takeaway for my brother.  Saturday we went to see Mr B's Mum and Dad, MIL took me to the Sweeps festival (Which seemed like a Morris Dancing meet up) and she also found time to stuff us full of food (practically from one end to the other)  Don't know how they are both so slim.  Sunday we visited TWO national trust properties and on Monday we had a full on Xmas dinner.  Tuesday I cried and begged to be allowed back to work for a rest...

I had a spare hour on Friday so I have started off all of my squash.  I was lucky enough to be included in one of the seed parcels on the Grow your own website (http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/forum.php)
My very favourite place on the web to hang out.  So I had lost of varieties to try from there and I had some of my own too.  I have sown, jack be little, spaghetti, hasta la pasta, red kuri, yellow courgette and green courgette, tromba d'albenga (I've probably forgotten some too).  I also sowed some runner beans.  Now peeps I sowed these in small peat pots in a heated propagator.  Don't do this!  The seedlings were up in days and now need potting up (yes in one week)  I could virtually SEE them growing.  Some are about 6 inches high and some of the beans are in a right 2 & 8 sprouting every which way.  Also I was careful to plant 1 squash per pot I do have some with 2 seedlings in.  I now have a grand total of 27 squash seedlings.  I don't know where I'm going to put them either!  I guess I can sneak some to my mums and some at the allotment.  I'm going to try and get some Trellis to grow stuff up and maybe build some sort of wooden obelisky type things for the garden and allotment... we will see!  If I cant place them then I will have to give them as presents... I love presents (giving and receiving!).  I also sowed 12 little gem lettuces, 12, Webb's wonderful lettuces, 24 beetroot, and 18 french beans (three different varieties which have NOT Germinated).  I have also done during the week most of my potting up, so no more cukes languishing in starter pots.  It does mean I'm running out of space so currently the poor aubergines are in the blowaway greenhouse outside with the non germinating beans and the lettuce/beetroot.

It's like we are being taken over by Triffids... If I don't post next week, alert the police.... Or the Royal Horticultural Society or summat... I don't fancy being plant food much!

Chat soon X


EDIT: Oooooh we saw Thor at the Cinema - Chris Hemmsworth - HUBBA HUBBA!

Easterama

Hi guys

Well Easter has been and gone.  We have been having such FAB weather we had two (YES TWO) barbeque's in the four day Bank Holiday weekend... If I even look at more BBQ meat I shall turn into a sausage... Blech its enough to make me turn Veggie (yeah right) for about two minutes!

I have mightily calmed down since my last post, and having made the decision to only work on half the allotment I have made my opinions known and others can take/leave as they wish! 

I have also hit the interweb job boards about the chops again and have two interviews lined up - one tomorrow (near Piccadilly circus!) and one next Wednesday, and another to be arranged.  If something does not come out of this flurry of activity, well I may have to rethink the whole working for a living scenario and bag myself a sugar daddy/investigate bank robbing/some type of insurance scam. Although the last may involve me wearing neck braces rather a lot, the second however could take care of the mortgage as I would probably end up living at HMP.

Royal wedding this weekend!  I for one can't wait - oooh I know its controversial - but I LOVE WEDDINGS... I'm all sentimental in "me ole age" and I love all of it.  So there.  Like the Royals or not, there is something about young love so I wish them all the best.  It's not going to be easy, but what marriage is.  PS I have royally forgiven Mr B for unfeeling, man suggestions mentioned in my last post.  Well I say forgiven, I probably sulked for an hour or so, gave vent on here and then forgot about it....   :o)

Anyway I have finally potted up all tomatoes and all but three cukes, the final counts not in but I think I went a TEENY bit berserk...  I will count them and finish potting up tonight.  May sow my squashes too...  Also completed are my Mums hanging baskets.  Pretty good if I do say so myself!  I used the new snazzy baskets and am going to attempt to put up a pic or two to illustrate the snaztasticness of them...

Hmmm that's taking longer than expected - I will try again later.

Never mind the RW - Its also my brothers 40th birthday.  I am going to get him some B&Q vouchers as this is what he wants to do up his garden.  I have to get these and a birthday card QUICK - running out of time...  We are apparently having a takeaway on friday then a Christmas dinner on Monday - random.... Mr B is pissed off as he wanted to go and watch cricket, but I am forcing him to go.  Also hope to get some allotment time, tidy the house and see Mr B.  Seeing the in laws on Saturday - but that's a whole other food issue...  Someone line me up a new diet for Tuesday, I'm gonna need it!

Have fun everyone

Chat soon X

Edit: 28/04/11

You can see how easy these baskets make it to get your plants round the sides of the baskets with the little snap in gates!  Should be great when the plants (lobelia) have grown a bit bushier :o)

Madness this way

Okay peeps - generally I'm quite a happy go lucky sort of a gal - but a few things get my goat.

1. When I'm upset, never ever tell me "Cheer up you're not dying or starving - lots of people are you know" or "Well I don't know what you want me to do about it" - sometimes all you have to say is "What idiots, they made a huge mistake, of course you are the best... Why let me go bop them on the nose!"

2. If you ask for my help... say oooooh with an allotment, don't rub your hands chuckle and think "What a mug" and sit back and watch me work myself to death and  invest all of my time, worry, energy and money into it!  Its supposed to be a joint project.. and you live two minutes walk away.  To only have been there once and only have done one hours worth of digging is taking the piss, and you know it. 

3. Being turned down for the job in Uxbridge which I seemed to be stupidly pinning all of my hopes on and for which I would be paid quite a bit less than I am used to and for which I had to dumb down my CV.  (Which quite neatly leads back to get my goat point number one).

Solutions for these

1.  You just wait until your football team are relegated (a very real possibility this season!)  I can't bloody wait Mr B... When that tear rolls down your cheek - I will save up that GEM and serve it straight back to you!  

2.  I can only cope with half an allotment and will never take on a project with you again. Mug I may be but a repeat offending mug I am not. 

3. Gaaaaah - send a crawling email to the nice chap who interviewed me and thank him for his time and should anything else come up Please consider me again....

Well I can only do soooo much....  I will be back soon in better humour

Chat soon X

Do you dig it?

Hi Everyone!  Soz for the two week hiatus!  WOW how busy have I been - let me count the ways.

I went for an interview last Thursday for a Maternity Cover position with a FAB sounding company in Uxbridge... I get the warm fuzzies about this one so keep those fingers crossed (YES again!)  You know when you get on well with someone when you start saying the same things at the same time and laugh about it... Well that's how it went so.... They have one more person to see today and then they will let me know.

I have done loooooooooooads at the allotment (digging and I have the blisters to prove it!)  As the weather has been really fantastic for the past week or so I quickly booked off Friday and Monday so I could get stuck right in.  Mum and I had dug out the Beanery area (to our horror FULL of bindweed roots).  So I redug over this on Friday and buried some newspapers under the area where the beans will be planted (hopefully will be able to water less this way)  I also put up the poles and even tied most of them up... Spotted a couple the next day that I missed!  I also grabbed the communal mower and got three quarters of the way up one path before stalling it.  So not too shabby.  Saturday and Sunday consisted of me digging over three new beds in a slight revision to the plan. I also planted out my first few broad beans - Although my Mum and I got very confused in one of those conversations that went ....

"How do you plant broad beans?", "What Runner Beans?", "No Broad beans", "do you know the difference" "Errrr, yes of course I do, now do they need a support or not", "yes"  .... Later Mum says "were they runner beans you planted...?", "No Mum Broad beans", "why did you plant them by a pole then?" !!!

Monday I went to visit a pal and got some interesting bits from poundland (gardening fleece and a minitunnel cloche system) and some herbs from Wilkinsons!  Went back to the plot and planted them straight away in front of the beanery.  Oregano and Thyme - my favourites. 

I also picked more Rhubarb... MORE RHUBARB... I currently have some Rhubarb wine fermenting, Rhubarb and Ginger Ice-cream - Ive given some away... I will open freeze this batch.. Or maybe some more wine... Hmmmmm.  I have picked about 8lb - Yes Eight..  That's Nearly £10 worth...  Rhubarb Schnapps... LOVELY.

My brilliant seedlings are coming along a treat at home in the conservatory and looking really healthy although I havent potted any up yet - naughty mummy.  I have stumbled upon the brilliant idea of putting them under the coffee table and covering the coffee table with newspapers for some shade... Brilliant eh!  Up here for thinkin', down there for dancin'.  I haven't lost a plant yet - which is a revelation as I make a mean frispy seedling and have to run out and buy plants most years!  A thing I just can't afford to do with the allotment and no real job to call my own...

Anyway I now estimate that I have about a half of the allotment in shape with a third being dug over and the other bit being fruit bushes and perennials.  I have dug a bit of the top beds but they are now covered in dandelions, which as pretty as they are - can not stay!  I made a few new allotment friends this weekend and think I will have gone up in the "old guys" estimation since being there at 8ish on Friday morning and working alllll day.  I have never slept so well.  I'm still tired now - back to work for a rest.

I must go I've been gabbing on for aaaages, thanks for reading this far!  Chat soon X

Edit 28/04/11

This is the SECOND digging out of the Beanery area.  The bindweed roots filled the wheelbarrow several times the first digging through - Sadly the weed is still growing in this bed!