Tuesday, June 19

It was plant, plant, plant ...

How glad were we that we didn't have to go to work on Monday and we could make the most of the good weather. I do feel sorry for those of you who are stuck at work during the rare  spells of good weather.

I spent the morning planting in the garden (but that can wait for now) and we spent the afternoon planting and sowing on the plot. At last things are beginning to fill up nicely.

Martyn planted lots of bean and pea seeds. For some reason we are struggling to get peas to grow this year and we do like garden peas. In desparation Martyn has planted as many peas as he could fit in.

If you remember we sowed two lots of carrots - one lot was sown in 'holes' cut into weed control fabric and the other lot just, as we normally do, into trenches of compost. The ones growing in the bed covered in weed control germinated and although one patch has been munched by slugs - despite watering with nematodes - are continuing to grow fairly well. The other bed was quite a different story. The seeds germinated but the growth had been strimmed off by slugs or snails. Strange - as if anything I would have thought the weed control fabric would be more likely to cause a slug problem in that the slugs would be able to hide under the covering. Martyn has resown the munched area and will not be a happy bunny if the slugs repeat their attacks - in fact any repeat performance and we will both be very angry bunnies.

We planted lots of sweetcorn - we will need it as a pea replacement if the peas remain reluctant to grow. Two patches have been planted - one lot was planted alongside runner and French beans. Unfortunately we only have a two sisters' bed as none of our squash seeds have germinated which is very strange. Of the two varieties sown not a single seed has made any effort.
The runner and some French beans had been planted earlier but I planted a second lot in the bed above and another lot at one end of the bed that Martyn has filled with pea and bean seeds.
The photo was taken at an angle - the beans were lined up properly - honest.

I also planted come cauliflowers in the brassica bed so hoed the rest of the bed whilst the net was off. No butterflies were about and the wood pigeons could only watch from the 'safety' of the power lines - I wonder why they don't end up with sizzling feet!
Martyn planted lots of courgettes - more than usual but this year who knows whether they will survive never mind actually grow and fruit.
He also planted our outdoor cucumbers which will grow up the canes at the opposite side of the sweet pea frame.
Oh and I nearly forgot we planted some lettuce too! The ones at the far end were planted earlier so hopefully we will have a succession to harvest.
Then our efforts were rewarded with a little treat!


22 comments:

  1. i envy your strawberries...;-P

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  2. Welcome Wanie - I'd send you some if I could (on second thoughts maybe not!) :)

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  3. So it's not just me having problems with the Cucurbits again this year then...
    I spotted your luxuriant patch of Comfrey, Sue. Is it Tea-time by any chance?

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    1. Martyn started some off yesterday (Tuesday) Mark

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  4. We seem to be ahead of you here in north Lancashire.
    Emerging From The Undergrowth
    I'm doing my newly won plot in wide beds with narrow earth walking paths between.
    Lots of broad and french beans sown but have not planted many peas as these always seem more trouble and less productive.
    Your grassed paths seem very wide.Could make them narrower and grow more peas and beans?

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    1. I'll visit your blog and have a look at how you are getting on. Most of the paths are actually only a mower width. I think the photos seem to make the paths look wider and the beds narrower. Maybe it's the angle I've taken them. Peas are troublesome this year but we do so love them

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  5. It looks like it will all come good in the end, Sue, things are filling up now. All we need is a little fine weather. The strawberries lookk delicious.

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    1. The strawberries were delicious Jo. If only the weather would stay as it has been these last two days but I guess that's too much to hope for!

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  6. Re: the birds - my understanding is that if they are only touching one wire they are fine - its when birds or animals touch more than one wire at the same time that they get electrocuted. I'm not sure why this is but this is what I've always been told.

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    1. It must be something to do with completing a circuit then Liz.

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  7. You've so much going on and such good looking plants. My cucumber seed never germinated this year so I've no cucumber. My courgettes are being battered constantly by our June rain and wind. It doesn't seem like June weather at all!

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    1. It seems to have been a poor year for the squash family Kelli. Out of two packets of different varieties a squash seed you would have expected at least one to try and grow but we didn't get one. Our cucumbers are an outdoor variety which maybe makes tham a little tougher but time will tell

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  8. I think the worst thing about growing brassicas is having to net them and then keep taking the nets off to weed and hoe - it is such a pain, but necessary. Your garden is looking good and nice to see it gradually filling up. Strangely, I have had no problem with peas this year - hope I'm not tempting fate!

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    1. It is a pain Elaine but looking at the brassicas of others on our plot who have taken nets off worth the effort. The pigeons are even attacking quite large plants too at the moment.

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  9. It sounds like you had a great day. I am hopefully going to get some re-sowing done at the weekend. I know what you mean about the feeling of finally getting plants in...this year for such a long time my allotment really didn't look like one!!

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    1. It's just a case of seeing how things survive now Tanya

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  10. Fresh strawberries from garden! yummy!
    YOur vegetable beds are so tidy!

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    1. The strawberries are yummy Malar although we don't think they are as yummy as in previous years. I think they need more sun to sweeten them and too much water seems to dilute the flavour.

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  11. Your allotment is looking great - and you've definitely given me a craving for strawberries. I hope you get the slugs under control, I always find that having beer traps does my garden no end of good.

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    1. Welcome Simon - I am hoping all the rain of the past two days hasn't turned the rest of the strawberries to mush! It hammered down.

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  12. Oh yum fresh strawberry. Not eating healthy at the moment all take-away.
    I enjoyed the tour very much. Hope you have good crop with your courgettes.

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    1. We'll settle for any sort of harvest from them Diana

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