Yearly Archives: 2018

Slug Eggs

Slug Eggs, French Beans to Parsnips

Slug eggs laid in the root trainer, they got squished. Planting out French beans, parsley and basil. New way with parsnips looking promising, brilliant foliage and great crowns.

Rain, Hosepipe Bans, Horseflies

A little rain arrives which is helpful but not enough to sort things. Horseflies making life a misery with their razor jaws biting

Cat Sleeping on Compost Heap

Making Compost

Making a new batch of compost for the veg plots and using the compost from last year. Plus the hotbin composter in action.

Black Russian Sungold Tomatoes

In the Greenhouse & Polytunnel

Despite my worries about the heat causing problems in the greenhouse and polytunnel, they're actually doing very nicely thank you.They are producing well for me - aubergines, tomatoes, peppers being the main crops

Lettuce Shade

A little drop of rain

We had a little drop of rain. Things doing well generally on the veg plot. Leek experiment, onions ready, lettuce in shade, blight warning, old beans germinate well, new watering cans and cabbage whites attack.

Fire Aftermath

Fire Aftermath – Praying for Rain

If you'd told me that we'd be hoping for rain here in Snowdonia, I'd have questioned your sanity and laughed. Well I'm not laughing now, this drought is getting serious.

Sprinkler over Raised Beds

Using a Sprinkler Properly for Efficient Watering

There are many ways to water your plot but for a large area a sprinkler can be most efficient and used with thought not wasteful at all.

Garlic Drying

Quick Catch Up Around the Plots

In theory this wonderful hot sunny weather should mean more time on the plot but it’s not quite working out like that. Most days it’s just too much to do anything in the open after midday until early evening. Much
Hot Greenhouse

Be Careful What You Wish For

Every year I look at the rain coming down and wish we could have another summer like 1976. Now we seem to be getting one and it's not quite the same as when I was 21.

Fire! The Hill is Blazing

Up from us the gorse on the hillside has caught light – it’s very dramatic and a little scary. If we lived up there I’d be terrified. Looks like the fire brigade are in attendance.
Sunset Over Sea

Happy Summer Solstice

Just wishing you a happy summer solstice and reflecting on the mystery of life which is to be found even on the veg plot.

Inside Greenhouse

Greenhouse Tomatoes Aubergines Doing Really Well

The greenhouse is doing rather well this year, even if I do say it myself. The tomatoes are sturdy and a very healthy deep green. There's a load of fruits developing and some of the Ailsa Craig and Black Russian fruits are a reasonable size already.

Hanging Basket Strawberries

Back in Action After the Storm

Post storm repairs and reconstruction. Brassicas planted out after the cage was rebuilt. Tasty calabrese and strawberries doing really well in hanging baskets.

Flying Polytunnel

Storm Damage – Mini Polytunnel Destroyed

I thought we'd escaped damage with storm Hector until I went up to the vegetable garden and saw just what the power of the wind can do.

Inside Shaded Greenhouse

Greenhouse Shading, Netting Currants, Figo Cane Connectors

The greenhouse is shaded to protect the plants from scorching sun, the redcurrants are netted to stop the birds eating them and the best cane connector from Figo

Redcurrant Without Leaves

Pests & Problems, Homeguard Potatoes

Not everything goes smoothly. The caterpillar swarm has attacked the redcurrants, a homeguard potato was killed in action and even the Merry Tiller has needed attention.

Pricking Out Brassicas

Propagation – Sowing to Pricking Out

Making better use of space when propagating using the heated propagators and the process of pricking out the seedlings to transplant into pots and modules to grow on.

Potatoes Path

Challenging Weather, New Bed Finished, Potatoes

Challenging weather isn't helping on the plot but I've a new bed ready and the potato patch is organised and mulched. The path is refilled with clippings too.

Organised Greenhouse

Shed Repair – Setting Up The Greenhouse

The greenhouse has been set up differently this year and should be easier to look after - it's less crowded for a start. The shed leak is fixed and things are looking good in the polytunnel.

Propagators with Lights

Grow Lights – Do they work?

I thought I'd answer a few of the questions I often get about grow lights like Do grow lights work and which grow lights to buy.

March 2024
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