Category Archives: Planting out

classroom experimentation, Mama H recipes, Planting out, success

Mama H’s Mooli pods

You’d think I was telling tales. Recounting everything that happens. Well, it’s nice to share.

Sat in Dad’s garden are the surviving classroom cabbages. Not many, but enough. I say cabbages, there could easily be cauliflowers in there too. As ever, they are not labelled. Some of them are getting quite big, whilst others look as though they are resting on their laurels. Perhaps these are seeds sown too early, and for an autumn crop.

You will see Mama H, harvesting radish seed pods. These are from the bolted moolis. Moolis that Mama H was rather relishing, alas the weather put paid to them.  Whilst the root, is a write off. The rest of them, was not. There are spicy, crunchy seed pods to be had. I remember as a child, eating them whilst playing in the back garden. Wonderfully potent. Mama H has been known to curry them with a couple of potatoes.

Talking of which; the last of the ‘new’ batch was taken up. Kestrel and orla potatoes. Next year, I might do better in leaving the kestral in a bit longer.

Mama H and I surveyed the plot today. Mum dug over a bit of the raised beds. The Cabbages will go in some of them; leaving me to review what can be put into the bed when summer has gone. Yes, I said summer, but thunderstorms are forecast tomorrow. I really need to think about that. Of course, there will be overwintering onions and garlic. That is expected tradition for me. I like doing that; only to be disappointed by the rain that ravages them over the dark and dank autumn and winter months.  I really haven’t thought too much in detail as to what will follow what. Everything was just broadcast sown and plugged in, with no logic. Successful, but does mean things get pushed around a bit in terms of organisation.

Oh, well, tomorrow is the start of another week.

 

Yours in anticipation,

 

Horticultural Hobbit

Mama H recipes, Planting out, success

Sunny Saturday

I was awoken by mama h this morning, she was in full bounce. Whilst I would be having a short lie in; she was going down to the plot to harvest fenugreek for dad’s dinner.

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So it had to be cooked, didn’t it.

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We had also gone to the shop around the corner, as mama h wanted a second watering can-the kenny-for the plot. As then it would be quicker to water things with two of us. Whilst we were there, we picked up some bedding plants.

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On the left are some red, white and salmon pink geraniums. In the middle Are marigolds, with Indian pinks on the right. There is a part Bollywood theme going on here, I think.

There was some shuffling in the Wendy house. Was about 30 degrees in there today, not the 40 as seen during the week. I have decided to carry out an experiment.

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I used to grow chillies like this many years ago, when I actually as some success with them. The black pots are very heavy, space in the Wendy at premium. So these are sat outside, near the raspberries. Each pot is effectively a a small greenhouse/cloche with bag over it.

Still have a bag of 75pence experimental wilkos bag of onions to sink.

Yours in anticipation,

Horticultural hobbit.

chillies, classroom experimentation, Planting out, success

Chockablocka chillies and bells

The classroom cache:

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Is a Spanish pepper mammoth from Thomas Etty.

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Purple Beauty from http://www.realseeds.co.uk/.

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Purple rainbow Chillies from http://www.realseeds.co.uk/

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Nigel’s outdoor chilli, saved by a grape; but can be found at http://www.realseeds.co.uk/.

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The other batch, have been reported yet again. There are further assorted varieties here. Such as frauzauber, lipstick, lemon drop, sweet mini red, early jalepenos, cayenne, that I can remember at the least. I remembered that I had the Morrisons buckets in Dads shed. And since I don’t want to keep reporting. A fair few of these had roots creeping out anyway, so that was a job done today.

The Wendy house was a balmy 42 degree today, so i am hoping that this will help them.

Yours in anticipation,

Horticultural Hobbit

Planting out, success

Casting a clout

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The fleece is off! Not quite June, by 24 hours, but let’s go!

Mama H and I took a walk down, bits and pieces tucked under our arms. All of the squashes were uncovered as were the cucumbers, sweetcorn and the one tomato that was down there. Mama H huffed and puffed at me; taking off the fleece there. Whilst I was planting out broadband and dwarf French beans, Pops came by. As you do. With two big bags of grass clippings. These were then tucked around the potato foliage. Looking a big ugly, if I might add. Pops pottered around too. Surveying, it’s a Dad thing. I haven’t put the leeks out yet.

Avalon and sweet dumpling have taken a hit. Big leaves eaten. There are smaller, leaves starting to come through. The sweetcorn is 3×3 with yellow scallop and patty pans dotted in between. Looking a bit windburned actually. This years ghost rider has rallied, it looked a bit ropey last week. Womble-wonder which courgette that is-is looking a bit on the petite size; whilst Astia looks all right. Baby marrow is similar.

Cucumbers didn’t look too bad. A couple of crispy leaves. Four of the second sized tomatoes were planted out.

Planted out some Cherokee trail of tears. With the runner beans looking a bit scruffy; not sure if they will actually survive.

Cauliflowers and kale didn’t look too bad in their beds. Having raised beds is certainly making a difference. I’m not quite sure what Mama H is going to do with all her fenugreek and spinach. It does all look very green.

There was a moment of hilariousness. Mama H picked up a big fat black slug, and launched it; screaming at the top of her lungs that I had a big fat slug. It didn’t land far. I then picked it up after and I’m afraid to say; it was euthanised by being slung against a wooden fence. Don’t think it felt a thing.

Not a bad start, eh?

Yours in anticipation,

Horticultural Hobbit

Planting out, Preparation, success

Tiddler tomatoes

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These things are still waiting, and apparently it is British Tomato Week. With the exception of Aunt VVG’s Ukrainian purple; these are sat here not growing very much. The Ukrainian purple is sat on the plot in a raised bed, sporting her fleece jacket.

But what do I do with these?

I couldn’t tell you what varieties there are, I very rarely label. Some are in fact flourishing, others not so much. There are both bush and corden varieties in there. This time last year, the tomatoes were easily three times as big. I’m not in a particular rush for these to crop; but it would be nice to see them crop.

Do I keep them as they are, or do I plug them into the plot. They can’t just sit there?

Yours in anticipation,

Horticultural Hobbit

Planting out, Squashes

Out for the count

1 Comment

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All of the Squashes were planted out today. As were cucumbers. A couple of these were looking a bit ropey as I did so. The ghost rider was the ropiest of the squash. These were planted, with a small pot sunk next to to them; in addition there was a layer of mulch around them. With the exception of two, all were plugged into raised beds. The incredible sweetcorn was planted 3×3 in the raised bet, interplanted by way of experiment with trailing squash.

Running beans were also plugged in; scarlet emperor, painted lady and a handful of enorma.

Lots planted out. All in the lap of the Gods.

Yours in anticipation,

Horticultural hobbit

Planting out, The Big Sunflower Project 2013

Sunfloo’ers

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I couldn’t take it anymore. The sunfloo’ers were looking at me.

Today, approximately 60 have been transplanted out onto the plot. Mainly in borders, but also up a few wig wams just because. Two or three of the giant ones were actually looking a bit ropey, to be honest. I didn’t realise quite how many seeds I had sown.

I’ve never sown or planted sunflowers before, and these are sunflowers from the big sunflower project

Fingers crossed for these, as I planted them out today, it was very windy. There is also winds forecast for the next few days.

Lets hope they survive.

Your in anticipation,

Horticultural hobbit

classroom experimentation, Planting out, Preparation, The Big Sunflower Project 2013

Burgeoning

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Have made something of a transition, in shuffling things around onto the window sill.

The cucumbers and the squashes have been brought home and placed into the four tier blowaway. I don’t think that in the time that I have had it; it has ever been this full. The contents is getting bigger and bigger; and need hardening off. Am bit fearful actually, for the cucumbers. Might throw a bit of fleece over things tonight as they have been sat in a semi warm classroom. If they don’t make it through the night, that will be a problem.

We almost have a block of sweetcorn. Just waiting on a few more to germinate for security. I witnessed yesterday. The leaves of the sweetcorn transpiring. I have clearly over watered them! It was a wow moment that you had to be there for.

Another batch of runners have been sown. As have loads of petite poise and kelevdon wonder pea. Handful of caulis have been sown too.

Will update further soon!

Yours in anticipation,

Horticultural Hobbit

Planting out, success

Weekend Welly

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With the heralding of the May Day bank Holiday, you would have been forgiven this morning for being bah humbug as the heavens opened. Everytime I went to even think about putting my wellies on, the heavens opened. It was noon before the threat of rain dissipated. Having spent over a week away, this was an opportune time to see how the land lay as Mama H had been watering in my absence. I have also resisted, in clearing my window sills.

So down we pootled, my mother and I. You go to do one job, mum finds you another 76 to do. The one urgent job to do was to plant out the caulis from
Aunty Tish and net them. There was also a Sunderland Kale that needed to be put out too.So mama H did that as I was charged with watering things. As you can see, lots of fenugreek and various spinach like seedlings are germinating in a carpet of green. Looking good there.

With being charged with the watering, if did so. The potatoes are still asleep, no green shoots there yet. There is still a threat of frost. Frost, that hopefully will leave the blossoming Concorde tree alone. Last year, this was the one tree that stood there sulking; with the apple and plum flowering and fruiting. Something positive to take note of there.

Carrying out a couple of experiment, early direct sow. Dwarf French beans. Varieties sown were purple queen and borlotto dwarf. These are somewhat speculative, as we only just into may. The other experiment, is the laying of shredded paper as a mulch on a potato bed. That one is for further observation.

The Garlic, looks lovely! As do shallots. They in particular seem to have bloomed out of nowhere. Looking fairly sorry for themselves, they have taken on a whole new look for themselves. Some of the spring planted garlic is starting to send out some green shoots as are the onions. These were all mulched today, I really don’t fancy the weeds that have started to pop up.

Finally a few splashes of colour. Not as many as last year, but the tulips are blooming and looking lovely. More anemones were sunk today; whilst racked with pansy envy. There are no survivors on the plot, but at home we have about five or six that were pinched by Ma and put in pots. Providing a burst of red, white and purple.

So much to do. Really would have wanted to plant out a couple of squashes. Might try with a couple later this week. Another experiment….

Have a lovely may bank holiday where ever you find yourselves.

Remember.

Wear Sunscreen.

Yours in anticipation,

Horticultural Hobbit