Catching up in second half of May

I spent a few hours on the plot today (Bank Holiday).  It was sunny but not quite as warm as the previous couple of days.  Compost bin 3 was half full of really well-rotted compost so I emptied that to earth up the spuds in Bed 5.  Not enough for those in Bed 6 so I used it to mulch the 28 Sweetcorn plants that I planted out on May 14th.  Sowing them in toilet roll holders worked well and I gave the spare ones to a plot neighbour.

I combined Bins 1 and 2, filling Bin 1 completely.  I almost filled Bin 3 with waste from my in-laws garden, including grass clippings.  

I watered in a pack of nematodes across the plot and removed the collars from the Brassicas in Bed 1.  Some of the Brassicas seem to have succumbed to heat or lack of moisture but I’ve applied some extra water.  Before leaving I planted a Marketmore Cucumber and a Hyssop plant in Bed 6.

Last weekend, I didn’t have much time at the plot but did nip over to plant out some Borlotti and Dwarf Beans, the latter coming from a neighbour.  I planted the Borlotti Beans in Bed 3, in the northern end near where I planted a short row of Yellow Gladioli.  I put the Dwarf Beans between the Garlic in Bed 0.  

A week later, the Dwarf Beans are doing fine but some of the Borlotti have snapped.

At home, I planted out some Peppers, Chillies, Tomatoes, French Marigolds and Aubergines in the greenhouse.  These are in 12 black pots which I filled with homemade compost, coir compost and some top soil mix from the pots last year.  The Tomatoes need some support asap so I plan to sort that out tomorrow if I can find some twist clips.

Yesterday, I planted out 4 La Diva Cucumbers, 2 in each of two pots on the patio.  

Nighttime temperatures are still quite cool which seems strange for late May.  Below 10C and this is set to continue for another couple of weeks.  And no rain.

Love in the air on Coronation Weekend

Sunday May 7th 

Yesterday was very wet and focused on non-gardening activities.  Today was forecast to be the best of the three days weather-wise.  Grey until lunchtime and quite warm from mid-afternoon.  

I had a few hours at the plot in the middle of the day.  Shortly after arriving, I spotted a ladybird on the smaller Gooseberry bush.  A lovely sight.  

I planted out the Calabrese and Kohl Rabi into Bed 1.  It is perhaps a bit crowded but we’ll see.  After applying lime and watering, I placed collars around all of the plants, including most of the lettuce.  The photo below shows just the Calabrese and Primo Cabbage.

I needed to move a few Strawberry plants, in flower, to fit the Calabrese in.  Not ideal I realise and I hope they don’t get set back too much.

I planted out 20 Spinach (Helios) plants in Bed 2.  Then I checked on the ladybird only to find it had found love.

Hopefully this bodes well for the arrival of any pesky aphids.  I left them to it.

I weeded around the Beetroot, Leeks and Onions in Bed 4, removing some more Jerusalem Artichoke shoots.  The Beetroots have come up well.  Not sure the single Red Onions are going to make it.  

Before leaving, I planted 2 of the 3 Nasturtiums in Bed 6 in opposite corners of the Broad Bean patch before planting one pot of Coriander in the corner of Bed 2 and a pot of Parsley near the Spinach.

At home, I weeded the bed in the back garden and the sunny bed in the front before mowing the lawns.  I’ve observed No-Mow May for the past couple of years but tick season is upon us in the South Downs but I’m tidying things up first before leaving the lawn for a month.

Monday May 8th

I was keen to make another trip to the plot between showers.  While waiting for one shower to finish, I sowed some Florence Fennel, more Brussel Sprouts and two pots of Swede - one from ancient seed (almost a decade old) and one from considerably fresher seed.  I am puzzled by the lack of germination from the previous sowing of Brussels - I wonder if has got too warm in the greenhouse.

At the plot, I focused on weeding around the Broad Beans in Bed 6.  The lower leaves on most of them are yellow - I figure this is down to temperature but I watered in some old comfrey tea just in case.  I did the same over the Garlic and Strawberries in Bed 0.  I also sowed some onion seeds between the Red Onions in Bed 4.  I immediately regretted the approach - I wish I’d sowed them in a line nearby to transplant if any came up.  

Before leaving, I empty the old bucket of comfrey tea and refilled it with lots of fresh leaves from the plant taking up space in Bed 7.  I topped up with water and have left that to stew for a couple of weeks.

I then dropped some plants off at my in-laws’ and saw some bags of what looks like Ivy stems.  I took 2 full bags to the plot quickly and emptied them out near the Pear tree.  The pile might provide a useful habitat for the various critters around there.  Yesterday, there were slo-worms at the top of the two compost bins I opened.  Lovely to see them about again.

I also took a piece of fleece home with me in case I feel like moving some of the seedlings to the greenhouse and want to provide some protection.

First May Bank Holiday

Saturday (Apr 29th)

Set to be the driest of the 3-day weekend, I did some gardening at home and at the plot.  At home, I set up some bean netting against the back garden fence near the greenhouse and planted out the (what I hope are) Mange Tout.  Saves so much space compared to using a whole pot and wigwam, or setting up a wigwam in the bed.  It might be that the spot is a tad sunny for the peas in late June/July but hopefully they’ll be done by then.  Maybe they could then be replaced by some late Beans.  Something to ponder…

At the plot, I weeded Bed 1 and planted out the Primo Cabbage and Cauliflower seedlings, adding lime as usual then netting.  

I also planted out Perpetual Spinach alongside the Strawberries in Bed 5 to nestle next to the Potatoes when they come up.  I also pulled out several Potato haulms and Jerusalem Artichoke stems from among the onions in Bed 4.  The single Red Onions are tiny so I don’t have high hopes for them.  Interestingly, the Spring Onions planted on the left of Bed 3 have all disappeared while the ones on the right look fine.

Sunday

I didn’t have much time for gardening except for an hour (timed) at the plot and half an hour at home.  I used the hour wisely by planting out some Lettuces between the Cauliflowers and weeding Bed 0.

The Garlic is looking ok.  The vigour of the Strawberries looks a bit mixed.

At home, I quickly planted out the remaining Lettuce seedlings, 5 or so Spinach plants and some Mizuna in some black pots on the patio.  I also planted out 2 Chard seedlings into the bed.

Monday

Today, was set to be wet but it turned out to be made up of very sunny intervals between heavy downpours.  I focused on pricking out and sowing.  

I pricked out a single Brussel Sprout, as the others seemed tiny and weak, 5 French Marigolds and 5 pots of Sorrel, and potted up the Cucumbers and Melons individually in larger pots.  There are 7 Melon,  6 La Diva Cucumber and 2 Marketmore.  Too many so I’ll need to find homes for many of them.

I sowed loads:

Just after sowing the old Cornflower seed, I realised I had some to prick up behind me in the greenhouse.  I pricked those out quickly before heading inside.

The windowsills in the house, particularly downstairs, and part of the kitchen countertop are brimming with seedlings waiting for overnight temperatures to rise a tad.  

[Note that on Friday, I nipped over with the kids just to remove the fleece on Beds 3 and 4, and the mesh over the Garlic in Bed 0].