Getting started in the garden

Out into the sunshine to start work and get ready for this year's planting.

I've bought two planters specifically for this year's crop of veg - in addition to the square foot bed which despite being overgrown is still being used as a cat litter tray.

Emptied out the pots from last year, including the growbag and used the soil to fill one of the wicker planters.  It's quite deep, so probably too deep for salad crops but I'm sure I'll find something to go in it!

Last year's salad box is looking a little weather beaten, so may not be used this year.  I've got some spare wood left over from the replaced compost bin which might do instead.

The other planter is even bigger - ideal for runner beans and of course I'll need somewhere for cucumbers and tomatoes.

As ever, great expectations for what to grow this year - what actually crops over the summer depends on slugs and snails, cats and the weather.

Spring 2011

Back from a few days away over Easter and with all the warm spring sunshine everything has suddenly grown.  Starting to see what's been lost over the winter and also as a result of all the recent dry weather and sunshine.

I came back with a few plants, including coriander and flat parsley for the garden and a replacement rhubarb as I think mine was damaged by all the snow and cold weather over the winter.

There was little point in getting any seeds planted before I went away, so that will happen in the next few days.

This year's planting will include much the same as last year - summer crops and plenty of salad vegetables and perhaps a few 'exotics'.

Peppers and Chillies

Lovely crop of peppers this year - although they're certainly not up to the sort of quality control that the large supermarkets would be looking for.

They're also not very big, although they've all come from just one small plant.

I love the fact that their shapes are so different, I'm sure they'll taste fine and have a great flavour.

Also had a good crop of chillies - haven't yet found out how fiery they are but they look good.

Today's Haul

A nice selection of cherry tomatoes and one or two small plums (tomatoes that is) and a cucumber.  Possibly going to be the last of the year as the tomato plants are dying back as it gets cooler and many of them are split with the recent rain.

Still a few cucumbers growing on the plants and the chillies are reddening up.  Not sure the green peppers are going to grow much more - they're a petite variety!

The courgettes have all but given up - as usual I didn't get very many - despite the addition of horse manure in their pots this year and regular feeding.

Wondering what might happen with the potatoes I planted.  A bit of a try it and see, as I put a couple of tubers in an old dustbin and when they finally emerged, have been earthing them up.  I noticed there's one that's grown up in the compost heap.  The squash I planted on top of the old heap never made it beyond a few inches before being eaten by slugs.

Debating planting up some purple sprouting broccoli for over the winter - I spotted a few plants in a local nursery.  Don't have the space for anything larger - like cabbage or sprouts but some winter veg might be nice for a change.

Green And Spiky

Lovely specimen.  Well at least something is doing well in the garden.

Have to admit that these 'Marketmore' outdoor cucumbers always seem to do well.  They grow well from seed and produce three or more cucumbers on each plant.

I've only got three plants growing in a pot and they're a lot easier to grow than the courgettes which never seem to do well.

Coming Along Nicely

Just eaten a few blueberries picked straight from the plant.  Last year the cold, damp weather and wind did for  most of the blossom but this year I have a few lovely, large berries.  Not more than a good handful in total, so I'll savour every one.

I have a lovely cucumber which is almost ready for picking and many more coming along.  They're outdoor ridge cucumbers, tend to have a thickish skin but delicious flavour.  You can't beat home-grown.

The tomatoes have given up trying to grow upright and are now sprawling along the ground.  I can try tying them back up again but they just get beaten back down by the wind and the weight of the developing tomatoes.

Hoping For Rain!

It's been incredibly dry this summer and we've had very little rain.  Elsewhere in the UK, they have but down on the South Coast nothing.

I've been watering the veg pots from the water butts and an occasional hose when the whole garden needs it and now all three barrels are almost empty.  Hoping desperately for rain tomorrow - there's some forecast but we've not had much more than a light shower for weeks, so I'm hoping for a good drenching.

While we all enjoy the summer sunshine - we really do need the rain for plants to grow.  The courgettes and tomatoes are just about surviving but the broad beans and mangetout have suffered from the dry weather and while I've had a few mangetouts (the slugs and snails didn't help) sadly no broad beans this year.  At least not from my little plot.

Will be recycling the shower water next.