I’ve been a bit busy!
So two weekends ago (12th/13th) there was a max exodus from the blowaways. I planted out:
- Summer Cabbage (6)
- Cauliflower (6)
- Brussel Sprouts (3 + 3)
- Turnips (many – pinch per module method)
- Brocolli (6)
- Beetroot (two varieties pinch per module method)
- Onions (pinch module)
- Leeks (weird combo of dibbing and module methods)
- Mangetout
- Peas
- Sweet peas (with legumes)
- Nasturtiums (with the potatoes and legumes)
- French Marigolds (with potatoes and brassicas)
- Comfrey (Russian, Boking 14)
And I mulched the potatoes with wet newspaper and grass clippings, put a bird scarer over the brassicas.
Photo time!
Leeks closest to camera, then a mix of onions and beetroots at the top.
Closer view of onions and beetroots – the nearest are the red Detroit 2 and Bikores which appear to be further along than the yellow Golden.
Pea cage, with mangetout new the camera (mixed with sweet peas) and the birdseye peas at the far end.
My favourite plants! Nearest are six brussels of two different varieties, a herd of turnips (light green), then six caulis, six cabbages, and six brocolli. Brittney Spears and a computer CD became two bird scarers 😉 and every non-turnip has two layers of cardboard collars to protect from cabbage root flies.
The mulched potatoes with added nasturtiums and french marigolds.
Overwintering garlic – over an inch thick! It’s practically a leek! My grubby thumb is there for size comparison. Note also how the overwinter mulch of grass and oak leaves (only applied twice) has really done the job at suppressing weeds, especially giving a similar unmulched area is also sprouting thousands of marigolds so fast they’re swamping the asparagus.
And an overwintering onion. With a broken flower spike (naughty bolting veg). The onions, shallots and garlics are almost ready… the onions are eat as we need, the garlic to be lifted and stored. I learnt a new trick for the shallots – pull up a bunch and replant one of them – perennial shallots!
At home I planted some new Dwarf French Beans and some more mangetout and peas for successional sowing and some more French marigold as the first batch didn’t do so great. The herbs (dill, coriander, sage) were also potted on and the bag potatoes earthed up. I planted raddishes too and replaced some cucumber crystal lemon that slugs had eaten the heads of. Oh and planted a load of flowers for the garden – re-used my 36 cell jiffy propagator. Lupins, sunflowers, some weird plants from Ding’s garden that used to be in Grandma’s as well, Mim..something, G…something and a silver leafed plant. 😀 I’ll find out what they are when and if they germinate lol.
Phew! I also popped in on the way out Monday and checked on everything; the mulch is yellow, the turnips and nasturtiums look a little ragged but everything is alive, the asparagus is making yet another attempt to grow, and the gooseberries look lovely. I chucked BFB over everything. It’s all going fairly well (bar carrots and parsnips – need to de-couch grass the bed :()
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Ding’s due date has come and went (May 14th) so we’re all on tenterhooks now awaiting baby Ding Dong. All poised for action! Mum and I visited May 6th, to help get things ready and I decorated the nursery, which was fun! Nothing much more we can say at the moment until the wee one arrives… *twiddles thumbs*
