The magic square project is taking shape. It’s probably as wide as it needs to be; now it’s time to work on the length. Already quite heavy, it is growing slowly. Have been varying the needle size. You can definitely make a patch quicker with bigger kneedles, and it helps that they are bamboo. Much nicer to knit with, and yes they do have a warmer feel to them.>
Just over a week ago, the three corden trees were sunk into the ground. they have been stood sentry on the plot for some time now. Whilst we have had some plums and apples, not has a huge bouty. It was nice to see some blossom today on the falstaff apple, and the pear. The pear had done very little in the past. There has been blossom too, but killed by the frost. Here’s hoping this lasts.>
It pained me to have tidied up the poly, and then have nothing in there. My original intention had been to leave it empty; but this pulled at the heart strings.
There is not an awful lot that can be sown at this time of year; making this altogether more frustrating. I already have broadbeans and garlic sunk. And there are baby onion seedlings, sown in the Wendy house. So I rummaged around the seedstasher, and thought about taking some chances.
Have faffed around, sinking the following:
Cosmic purple carrots
Rainbow chard
Medina spinach
Alexandra peas
Purple king fagiolo nano
Lollo Rosso
I could have sank some beetroot and other additional lettuce leaves. Only the wind was picking up and it the temperature was staring to drop. It was as rather nippy 8 degrees in the poly today. Only in the last few moments, dark clouds are setting to gather.
Not quite sure if any of what has been down today will actually come off. Not everything requires high temperatures; the lettuce for instance. It was nice to potter in the poly, actually and marvel at just how much space is in there. That’s not to say I’m going to turn it into a forest of botanical proportions. I could imagine how it might look with chillies, tomatoes and aubergines. It would me rather interesting to get aubergines in that. Perhaps a melon. The poly looks a bit sad right now, and it might get a bit cheered up with the bits that have been sown today.
My thanks to Steve at greenwood, for nominating the blog for this award. It is always nice to hear about people having positive experiences in reading what makes up the horticultural hobbit blog.
Rules of the Very Inspiring Blogger Award
Posting the award to your post
Since Steve was so kind as to nominate the horticultural hobbit blog, I am putting in the link as to how it might be posted by the future nominees. As described by Lonnie. My apologies to Lonnie for getting things mixed up!
http://thebelmontrooster.wordpress.com/2013/11/25/my-very-inspiring-blogger-award/ is the link where you can see how it is all set out. But http://gardeningingreenwood.wordpress.com/2013/11/27/the-very-inspiring-blogger-award/ is where you can see where I received the nomination,
Seven things about me:
1. I barely scrape five foot. Hence the hobbit-ism.
2.Love Shakespeare, have seen three in the last three months. Scheduled to see three more next year at the RSC, Stratford.
3. Rather liked Sue Grafton’s Alphabet Novel series, currently have ‘G for Gumshoe’ waiting to be read. But reading ‘Long Goodbye’ by Raymond Chandler.
4. Want to grow a more diverse range of winter squashes next year,
5. Got sick of the sight of courgettes this year.
6.Chilliles were fantastic this year.
7.Love having a polytunnel and a wendy house.
Nominees
I have chosen five that I think are lovely, truly inspiration and shape the writings on the horticultural hobbit page. Please have a look and see what you might like.
Allotment adventures with jean http://allotmentadventureswithjean.wordpress.com/
Gardening vix http://gardeningvix.wordpress.com/
Sophie http://sophiecussen.wordpress.com/
Sarah the gardener http://gardeningkiwi.wordpress.com/
http://theanxiousgardener.com/
Crafty Garden hoe http://craftygardenhoe.wordpress.com/
Ma said she would sort out the spuds and she did. Graded them as per a mama’s nature.
Ma assures me we can still use the ‘bad’ ones. They only have only have holes in, after all.
This is the entire plot, etched out. This is not to scale, but a representation of how the land lies.
Project othello has seven beds of varying sizes. They are all roughly rectangular with a path for wheel barrow access. The sukh shaanti garden remains largely the same.
I’ve never grown spuds before. Last year, was a complete and utter slug fest. So there was heightened anticipation with the onset of September, the wilting and keeling over of foliage. Today, king Edwards potatoes were taken up.
I have to say, I am little disappointed. I was expecting some proper, big, chipper potatoes. As you will see from the picture, there are few big ones, and a lots of little diddly ones. Diddly ones no bigger than say new potatoes. These were all planted at Easter, in lots of horse poop. Had heard horse poop would be useful for them. I think as they were in raised beds, they have suffered, There was a fair bit of grass thrown into the bed from time to time. . There a few green ones, that have caught the light. Lots of pink splodged tubers.
Lady Balfour and Maris Piper remain. These haven’t wilted or keeled over yet, if at all.
Could have collared by the fashion police, wandering down in my Smart navy school suit and red wellingtons.
I am pleased to announce the posh roses, some of them, have buds. And at least three roses are forming.
My grapevine, is looking beautiful. As tiny as she is, I think the one that you see is a red one. She had been presumed dead. So very, very happy to see her get going.
Broadies look a bit bent over; has been a very miserable, wet and windy day today. They are, however, starting to flower. That was reason for the visit today, to see if the Wendy was still there. And it was. Home to the chillies and bells, frauzauber has some rather nice yellow tinged floo’ers. Lipstick does too, so we shall see!
Whilst the garlic is sending up scrapes, shallots show no sign of wanting to budge. Will be keeping an eye on them. Pickle, perhaps.
The difference a spot of rain makes. Potatoes are going crazy. Didn’t think they got that tall.
Out of 9, I have seen 3 cucumber plants. Have started to grow a little. But still not very big.
Some of Ma’s mustard has bolted, is sending out floo’ers that will be yellow.
All is not bad ^_^
Yours in anticipation,
Horticultural Hobbit
Counselling for Courage and Change
Developmental and Substantive Editing
Confessions of A Musing Freak
Making the most of your time in sixth form
Essays Exploring Craft and the Writing Life
A fine WordPress.com site
Writing and Editing by Ekta R. Garg
The Cricket Pages
Gunn4
“It’s the job that’s never started as takes longest to finish.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings
Growing Your Own Produce and Remedies
A Whimsical Food and Travel Blog
Allotment, garden and other stuff
Recipes from my Kitchen and Cookery School at Number 4
sow and scoff: allotmenteer meets baker
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