Category Archives: construction

construction, Taking stock

Even Baldrick had half a plan

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half baked plan   The only difference between that which was developed by Baldrick, and the one by me; is that his was at least cunning. Mine is for an easy life.  The last month of so has seen a field of weeds arise from the now very concrete clay. Beaten down by the rays of sun, and at times boggy by the flash precipitation that we had, the weeds are seeking to lay claim to the plot. This happened last year and the weeds took over. It was difficult to see even where the raised beds were.  It took a lot of weedkiller, and then subsequently newspaper mulch to help keep a dampener on the evil misplaced plants. All very demoralising, when trying to make to make things work.

As the plan states above, this is the starting plan, for the summer work. It can not be achieved quickly. This process will take time and hard work.

section_one  section_two

The pictures evidence part of the achievements for today. The one the left, was a marked improvement on yesterday, where that view was obscured by bamboo cane and builders net. The runner beans planted there have been an abject disaster. The first job, was to get the bricks. Rescued from a skip. It took a while to wheelbarrow those to the plot. Then came the process of laying down newspaper, placing black plastic onto it; and then using the bricks to weigh it down. There are no doubt right ways and wrong ways to this. To use black plastic as a weed suppressant. The plastic that I have used, probably isn’t UV stable, and I should probably use green manure. I have used newspaper and cardboard before as barriers, so this is in addition to that.  Above all, the plot is about experimenting, and seeing if this works. I have yet to use green manure other than the fenugreek already sown for consumption.

Hopefully, the broad beans that you see above will be felled and then covered to decompose. There is a lot of open ground on the plot, and hopefully this will happen in the coming weeks.  By which time, it will be the autumn term, and a different plan will be required.

Yours in anticipation,

Horticultural Hobbit

construction, roses, success

Pods and pretty flowers

Bolting mooli pods are now waiting for us. Mooli seeds were sown, when the packet advised. However, the weather has sent them into a free for all. A tiny root, but wild foliage with flowers and pods forming. I remember these from my childhood, when they would form on a bolted mooli in the garden. We’d pluck them off and eat them like sweeties. They were potent, and firey. Crunchy, like radishes and with a kick. I think Ma even curried them at some point. Apparently, they are eaten with beer in Germany.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=542900112426135&set=a.201843363198480.48643.186302798085870&type=1&theater

Two Sisters and the rise of the triffids in the one bed. With the warm weather, this bed has burst into life. Has a few purple anemones bloom, but as you can see the foliage is now really quite strong. There are eight Incredible F1 Sweetcorn plants in there, with four squash plants. There would be nine sweetcorn plants, but one was a diddly little thing that didn’t quite thrive as it’s peer group did.  This is two sisters, rather than three as there is no Running beans in this formation.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=542900222426124&set=a.201843363198480.48643.186302798085870&type=1&theater

Making more of one’s beds, just won’t be lying in them. Two futher raised beds. This are altogether odd, with the spikes that need to be put into the ground. There for security, I know, but I will have to dig up the concrete like clay to sink them.  No, I didn’t construct them. Pops did. I asked for the drill, so that I could. Alas, pops took it onto himself to do the job to his exacting standards.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=542905822425564&set=a.201843363198480.48643.186302798085870&type=1&theater

Pascali rose  and Kestral potatos. There are nine roses on the plot, posh ones that is. Eight of them are in bloom. I think Ruby wedding is the only one of the ten that has failed to get any foliage. Still looks brown and sticky. That leaves one, the name fails me, that has died completely. I am anticipating, the one blue slash purple rose to bloom. Whilst I’ve been looking for a bona fide, blue, bloom. Blue moon is one concocted by scientists. Blue roses don’t exist by virtue of Mother Nature.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=542566072459539&set=a.201843363198480.48643.186302798085870&type=1&theater

The Christian Dior rose, has a lovely bright red bloom.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=539232816126198&set=pb.186302798085870.-2207520000.1373829003.&type=3&theater

And this one is harry wheatcroft apparently

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=536217093094437&set=pb.186302798085870.-2207520000.1373829003.&type=3&theater

The summer holidays will soon be upon us, and with that, there is plenty to do and to observe.

Yours in anticipation

Horticultural Hobbit

construction, Preparation

Parental Supervision: Gardening with our adults

I did say that I would request adult supervision. In having already put in situ the canes that needed to be strung up with netting; I asked Pops to come and help. The reason being, that I couldn’t possibly reach the top of them, and I really wanted to put up string. Whilst Pops could have grumbled, he didn’t. He came down the plot, and was rather warmly welcomed by the many folks that were down there today. Since the sun had come out, it really had brought people out to play in the dirt.

It was one of many missions today, to get the nets strung up. As you can see from the gallery, it took some doing. Mama H and Pops are some team. Pops even had the idea of the bamboo cane across the top to form the Rugby Style goal posts. My original idea, in hindsight, did make for some weak integrity. Mama H, cut up the string so that it could all be lashed together. Between us, we got one and bit a frame sorted, before I ran out of stringy netting. Off, then, pootled the parents. I was left to my own devices.

I had taken with me, some green barrier fencing. Yet another plan today was to plant peas. That didn’t happen. I stood there, thinking, well, I don’t have any pea netting. But I did! The barrier fencing. Surely, that will do for runners too? Surely.

With that epiphany, I cut the fencing to various lengths to finish the job. In addition, it now bisects the plot too. That was where I plan to put the peas. I will get to those eventually, they keep looking at me.

Whilst there was a lot of infrastructure to play with, there was also some sowing and transplanting to do. The herbs, that have spent the best part of five months in the four tier blow away, were transplanted. Did rather look a bit sorry for themselves, but hopefully they will perk up a bit. A direct sowing of broadbeans was. This time, it was bunyards exhibition and some more suttons dwarf. These are to replace the ones that were eaten by the frost two weeks ago. The clay has got increasingly dry and concrete again. But there are things growing!

Then Mama H came back again. Just as I opened up my seed tin-another plan-and actually made me jump. The bag I had opened, was the Fenugreek, a clarion call for Mother’s arrival, I tell you. The methi was handed over. And off she went. Sowing the stuff, as well as some turnips, perpetual spinach, nero de toscana, green and yellow mustard too. I had already sunk some strawberries that Mama H has now unceremoniously kicked out of her garden. Fun was had, with the parents. Now to decide whether I direct sown the beans, or modularise

Yours in anticipation,

 

Horticultural Hobbit

construction, Preparation

Mission accomplished, job done

“Fresh dirt under my finger nails”- ‘the sun’ by Maroon5

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After months and months of worrying, calculation and foul weather; a job has been done!

All 12 raised beds are now full of dirt!

All of them were filled with last years leaf mold, garden waste, anything that I could get my hands on. So as to prevent me from having to shell out for huge amounts of compost. This was really starting to bug me.

Today offered a lovely opportunity to get a big job done. With three beds containing poop and potatoes, that was useful. There was still one and a half bags of leaf mold left. So this was used to layer up three of the 1mx1m beds, in that they were bulked up. Then, each bed of the nine got composted. I had hit the garden centre this morning, doing two trips and feeling on a mission. I was going to get this job done, it felt right today.

In the two trips, the large bags were carted to the plot and placed in situ. A quick wardrobe change-had to put the red wellingtons on- magic spade in hand, and off I pootled. Leaf mold was shovelled into where it needed to be. Then one by one, each bed was filled. It has to be noted that I am aware that beds do sink so over time and will need to be filled up. So these beds are not entirely filled. But full enough.

Whilst it is bright-there was a funeral today, in Blighty-it is windy! Very windy. I found myself stopping to stand still, so as to now keel over and into the dirt.

Filling the beds is a huge, huge landmark. Very important, if the plot as a whole is going to work. Means I can think in detail now as to what gets planted, when and how. My initial thoughts are of Ma’s fenugreek and spinach; perhaps some chard too. It’s no good filling it but not using it. Squashes will be going into the beds, but it is a little early yet.

The game is well and truly on!

Yours in anticipation,

Horticultural Hobbit

construction, Planting out, Preparation

Infrastructure

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Have planted enough onions, I think, to sink a small ship. I won’t be sowing any more. I forget now, the different varieties. But there are brown, white, red and white onions covering a good eighty per cent of the plot. This, is going to make things difficult later on, I think as I plant to sow dwarf French beans too. The reasoning was to sow DFB’s where ever there was any spare space. As you may have already read, the autumn and winter was wall to wall rain. This more or less killed all of the overwintering onions and shallots. Some of the garlic, was more hardier than expected and it has taken off beautifully. On observation, whilst it is nice to see, it does appear to be on the smaller, thinner side. This could be, the elements or the variety, it is difficult to categorically identify cause and effect. It did make me happy though! To see the garlic standing there proudly on sentry duty. With a long way to June, July and August, the crop has plenty of time to fatten up. Besides, looking at the top, means nothing as to what is happening down below.

With the one bed that is chocca full of allieums, to see the green foliage is heartening. In the dark dankness of the autumn and winter, there was great difficulty in seeing the woods for the trees when everything seemed to be decimated. One could very well end up with a field of onions. It worked for Chicago….

There must be hundreds and hundreds of onions on the plot. Might keep mama h busy for a while. Have yet to think about how to store them, or how to dry them. Answers on post card please.

Grapevines. Two very brown and sticky grapevines, planted in the depths of autumn. One of which is still standing. Neither, seems to have rooted. Very disappointed, these were supposed to grow and bisect the plot. 

Broadbeans, have died a death. Those gangly, green creatures from last week; have become blackened beings. Those that I could see, that is. They have disappeared completely. I did think that they were too good to be true. I did direct sow a few last week. But I guess I will be sowing some more indoors. Very very disappointing since they were held back for such a long time. I’m not sure as to whether these will be in paper pots or traditional modules. Just very disheartening really. One could scream and shout.

Runner beans are thought of as happy saviour. This morning, I have been trying to think of the infrastructure as the title of the blog suggests. A couple of wig wams have been put up. And several rows of bamboo cane, to which pea and bean netting will be slung. It’s not very clear in the picture, imagine walls of beans. That will mean lots of beans being sown, again a matter of luck. You do realise that I won’t actually be able to reach the top of the canes to hanf the netting. May need adult supervision and aid for that one. Won’t be expensive netting either, just the cheap quidland variety. If they don’t all fall down in the wind.

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Herbs: Thyme, Rosemary, Garlic Chives, Golden and common sage, oregano, Russian and French tarragon  plus another one that isn’t labelled. This have been sat in the four tier blowaway for months-which is why the sage and chives look a bit worse for wear-and I would like to put them out onto the plot at some stage. Rather than sink them into open ground, they may take up space in the raised beds. Whilst it is still very early, squashes will be carefully considered. As to which ones, and where. Theoretically, one or two could be planted per bed. With three beds containing potatoes, that leaves nine beds in which a couple could take up residence. There are quite a few varieties in the seed stasher. To this day, Bruno the Ghost rider and Claude the courgette are very flukey, and most likely beginners luck!

Posh roses seem to be doing okay. Growing leaves and buds. The poundland ones, look exceptionally sorry for themselves and are a fraction of the size of the posh roses. So the jury really is still out on them. 

I am fighting a constant war with the raised beds, in terms of making sure there is material in them. There are two builders bags that contain leaf mold, and this will be used to add to the some of the beds. Then, hopefully, as I’ve been saying for months;  a layer of compost will be put onto the top. Today, I had half a lie in so didn’t muster of up the gusto to get it. Plus, as I look out the window; precipitation has arrived. As is expected with April. With having workable raised beds, it will feel as though there is progress and after a long time. Not sure that root veg will like it in there; what with the layers of leaf mold, garden waste and compost; can just imagine wonky carrots. Which aren’t a problem, per se! Would love to sow lots and lots of carrots. Not going to happen with the open ground, the clay is not best when a fine tilth is required. There is a bag of sand on hand, if I fancy digging that in somewhere.

Yours in anticipation,

Horticultural Hobbit

construction, Preparation

Paper pots, preparation and potage

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Buying pots, can be expensive, You then have to store them as well, when you are not using them. This is the same with yoghurt pots, they have to be retrieved from Pop’s shed. The notion of paper pots, is therefore a little interesting. As cutesy wutsey, as they may seem. They are arguably easy to make-even if Mama H does take it off you and do it properly-I did spend some time making them once she had given me proper instruction!

I had ordered the paper pot maker some time ago, on a whim really, after some positive feedback. Only now, with the New Year and the New growing season, have I given the device any thought. Reaching for an old newspaper, I went about testing it. As you see above, Mama H sought to test it before me. There are somethings that only mothers can do, testing new toys is definitely one of them.

She was kind enough to sort out a few, and instruct me on then. I was then left to my own devices, whereby I fashioned a fair few pots from the leaves of the newspaper that remained. A most therapeutic and somewhat addictive. There was a feeling of being bereft once the paper had run out. All in good time, I’m sure I will soon enough have more paper than is required.

It has been a hypothesis for some time, to have on plot 2a. The issue at hand, is whether or not they would survive. Purchased today, all rescue mind:

  • Chives
  • Thyme Doone Valley
  • Lavender Munstead
  • Russian and French Tarragon
  • Common and Golden Sage
  • Rosemary
  • Oregano

And last but not least, Victoria Rhurbarb. Bit of a bargain, at 75 pence, and therefore a bit of an impulse.

These are now all stored for safety in the four tier blowaway in the garden, before they are planted on the plot. I have no idea where I shall put them. Only that there will be some for herb enclave. My fear is that they will be eaten by not only the clay but also the inclement weather. The herbs are hardy, but this plot takes no prisoners and is likely to eat them if they are not tempered.

We shall see, if they work.

Yours in anticipation

Horticultural Hobbit

construction

Making one’s beds

The plot is wonky, in the lowest bit of the plot, and therein liable to become a pond. The clay, could probably be well worked by a potter; for all it’s nutritional value, it has given me a headache. The remedy, or means to make it practical. Raised beds.

This summer, the boon of online sales of the gardening sales, led to raised beds being purchased. These were addition to the one, bought last autumn. The reason why, was that Mama H nearly clambered into the claggy, heavy clay, and then very nearly couldn’t come back out again. She had sunk nearly a couple of feet. This would not do! Especially, as part of the remit of having a half plot is that there would be indian food grown there. This in the most generic sense, involves Spinach of the Indian variety. I don’t what Indian Spinach is specifically. Only that red cardinal leaves really don’t cut it.

So to keep Mama H safe, and to have a productive plot, the raised beds are warranted. There are 12 beds in total. The vary between 1m x 1m  and 2m x 1m. All were delivered, swiftly by an online shop. All were straight forwards in their construction. The only issues, blisters, and pops making some of them.

I was more than happy to construct them! Alas, pops didn’t want them cluttering his garage, and before I got around to them. He took a screwdriver to the last one. I had managed to construct three, and fully anticipated the fourth one. The four smaller ones, I did construct. However, Pops being Pops, had to reinforce them before they were taken the 80 yards down to the plot. There was blisters, I might add. Though that was not me being a bit feeble. I attribute that to the screwdriver. An old one that belongs to Pops, that has been around since the arc. No good using the newer one, it didn’t feel right. Once constructed, these were placed on the plot on top of newspaper.

As it stands, and the water does-badoom, crash-the beds are filled with leaf mold. This is most likely going to sink over time as it decays. The plan,or half plan rather, is to fill these with compost. There is the poop that Pops shovelled to also put into them.

Yours in Anticipation

Horticultural Hobbit

construction

Pops, the poop pile and the plot

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popspoopone  popspopptwo

Having found out where the local stables where, I asked pops if he would help in getting some poop to put in the raised beds. The stable is very local, a few minutes down the road; it is home to 18 ponies and horses that for one reason or another their former owners couldn’t cope with. When we went this morning, there were already riding lessons happening for the local children.

I had been advised of this place only this week; and looking at the plot, felt I had to make a start on filling the raised beds. There are 12 raised beds, and these will need filling if they are to made use of. Today, pops and I filled 12 rubble bags mostly full of rotted down horse manure. This is manure that is trusted; it has been there for many many years, and the ‘lotment neighbours have used it for many years. Compared to a retail prices, where one bag would cost approximately £5, this was a bargain! Pops actually did all the hard work, I must say that there was a technique to his digging.

As it stands, I think we have enough to put into but not fill 6 bags. I will most likely have to make a return visit after the festive season. The pile is huge, but i don’ think I am about to take it all! It will have to be slow and steady in filling the beds. These are beds that already contain leaf mold. So I don’t expect the beds to be filled entirely

The bags were positioned on the plot. We’d wheel barrowed them all to the car; and then had to make two trips to pick it up. The plot that is still very very boggy. The ice that has covered it has thawed greatly, returning the massive great big puddles. Still a shame, but one must keep plodding on

Don’t worry, pops has been brewed a cuppa as part reward, the rest would be to actually grow stuff. He hurts, and so do I!

yours in anticipation

Horticultural Hobbit

construction

Life gives to leaves, make leaf mold

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This time last year, there was only the one builders bag compared to this years for. At that stage, I had started to collect leaves rather late on. Must have been about late November, and the last remaining few were hanging about. This one bag, was filled with approximately eight to ten bags and these were then left to cook. I think may be once or twice, I may have added some compost activator. I don’t think this did any harm.

Taking a matter of months, the leaves decayed and broke down. Forming the dark material that you see wih the magic fork stuck into it. That was summer this year, once I had built the beds; I wanted to fill them. I don’t think, that at that stage it was entirely fully cooked. I have heard variable estimates as to when it is ready to go.So half cooked, it is in the raised beds. Covered with newspaper for some protection against flying weed seeds. The one builders bag, filled four 1m x 1m beds. So all in all, that is quite a lot really. Not bad at all for a first time experiment. This year, there are four beds. There are also more beds. With 12 beds in all, they will all need filling.

This year, as soon as the descent of the leaves started; I was collecting. Well, it was mostly Dad and and Grandad Mike, but that’s technicality. Between us, 13 bags a week were collected and taken to the plot. These were then emptied into builders bags and also the raised beds.

I have yet to understand the fill science of what actually goes on. I think the breakdown is bacterial, and the decay is facilitated by moisture. I really couldn’t tell you the exact details!

So whilst the raised beds are part filled, next year, the aim is to fill these with compost. The builders bags may well be used to top these up. However, the plot being heavy clay; the area not covered with raised beds may benefit from it somewhat. That is, however, if it doesn’t say water logged.

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Yours in anticipation,

Horticultural Hobbit