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

Burgeoning

May 10, 2013 horticultural 'Obbit

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

classroom experimentation, The Big Sunflower Project 2013

Waiting in the wings #2

May 7, 2013 horticultural 'Obbit

Some of the inhabitants of the classroom windowsills have made the transfer from the sills to the 4TB. The running beans as mama H calls them have come home. These are scarlet emperor and painted lady. I think there were 20 of each sown; and at least that many have come through. Prior to the weekend, these had only just entered the universe; raising their heads they were very alien like. And beyond the warm bank holiday, they have taken off quite a bit.

As well as these, sunflowers for the The big sunflower project have also come home. These too are growing strongly. I’m concerned that perhaps these may get too big and need potting on or planting out soon. I’m hoping that if they harden off nicely in the next couple of weeks, they may make a further transfer to the plot. I’ve never grown sunflowers, never mind giant ones.

Then there are the tomatos. Some rather sadly, sulky looking things that need some love. They weren’t getting very much love and affection in the classroom, or sunlight for that matter. I forget now, exactly when they were sown; but I’ve never seen tomatos so small and need of such a pep talk. I couldn’t tell you what they were either. I didn’t label them!

There is still a lot on the window sills. I made a sowing of kelevdon wonder pea and some petite pois. The ones on the plot haven’t shown up yet. The sweetcorn is an interesting specimen. I have four babies, with another four trying to germinate. The sweetcorn looks likes what the Leeks need to eventually. Fattened up and pencil thick. Will be interesting to see if that comes off.

Squashes and cucumbers are increasingly more more triffid like. Most of which are now onto their first proper leaf. There is a waiting game with these. To harden off and plant out before the end of may with the next bank holiday.

Yours in anticipation,

Horticultural Hobbit

classroom experimentation, Preparation

Waiting in the wings

May 4, 2013 horticultural 'Obbit

The burgeoning windowsills.

Lots and lots of squashes, sweetcorn, very very very small tomatos, cucumbers that are increasingly more triffid like. Yes, I know that is a lot of squashes. They all require lots of room, lots of feeding. They might find themselves donated to a loving home. Hoping that more sweet corn will germinate. All of four, will not make for a suitable block.

Chillies are there too, I think the one that is the most rampant the moment is purple Beauty from Real seed Catalogue. There is also an early jalepeno from them, as well as Nigel’s outdoor chilli that they used to do. The seed sown was from a lovely Grape. In that squash box, there is a striato de Napoli courgette also from them. There are a couple of seeds, from another heritage seed collection Thomas Etty For the first time ever, sweet mini red has germinated. There are few patio varieties and other purple ones in the mix.

Painted lady and scarlet emperor runners have been sown. They had only just started to germinate. They do not make for pretty babies.

There are also baby sunflowers for the Big Sunflower project 2013.

Everything is waiting for the threat of frost to pass. It is going to a long four weeks!

Yours in anticipation,

Horticultural Hobbit

Planting out, success

Weekend Welly

May 4, 2013 horticultural 'Obbit

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

classroom experimentation, Preparation, success

Germinate, germinate: Triffids arise

April 25, 2013 horticultural 'Obbit

This morning I was met with a very green looking unheated propagator. We have germination. Not just your average germination either, but that of would be triffids.

In the prop, the following have risen:
Femspot, marketmore and crystal lemon cucumbers
Yellow scallop
Cobnut
Two Avalon
Patty Pan
Ghostrider and Astia-sort of.
Sunburst and giant sunflowers

They are beautiful and green, standing there all proud. They will be in need of hardening off over time. Though I might send them out under cloches before long.

There are lots of sunflowers, that will also need to feel the sun on their faces.

The race for chillies and bells has ended. No more now to be expected. There are 22 babies, I think, sat on the window sill. That is more than enough to be getting on with; they will be staying there indefinitely and will be potted on accordingly.

I have to say that the purple ones are coming on rather strongly. I will have to identify properly later on which ones are which exactly.

Always nice to see the rise of the a triffids. Unless they keel over before the morning….

Yours on anticipation,

Horticultural Hobbit

Planting out, Preparation

Daleks don’t diet

April 24, 2013 horticultural 'Obbit 1 Comment

dalek_two dalek_one

Composting shouldn’t be challenging, but I do find it challenging. Mostly as there is a habit to be started and then maintained. I found it very difficult to maintain last year. This year is about making it work. There is a kitchen caddy as well, so we can continue to compost suitable kitchen waste. Yesterday, as the weather was fine, Pops mowed the lawn. Today, off I trundled to the plot with a wheelbarrow of grass clippings and shredded paper. There are simple rules as to how and what you should put into compost, all predicated on layers of brown and green. The daleks were both filled with grass clippings layered with shredded paper. All being well, the daleks will continued to be fed. It is true what is said about the grass clippings being hot, they were certainly very warm to touch as they were piled into the daleks.

A tip given to me today by an allotment neighbour, was that if you are growing runner beans; mulch them with grass clippings to nitrogenise the soil. Not sure if this works, so answers on a post card for that please.

Some peas were sown out today, but not many. A handful of petite pois and kelvedon wonder pea were sown directly by way of experimentation. There is a possibility that I might soak some peas and then perhaps plant out once they have chitted. I would like to see however, if these come. These were sown by the netting that bisects the plot and also by the bean/pea netting. I will leave it a week or so perhaps, before I sow runner beans in modules. After this, there are always Dwarf French Beans to be sown as well.

Summer flowering bulbs were also sank today. I had last year thought about these, but perhaps didn’t action them as well as I could have. Especially as last year all that was cultivated was weeds and super slugs. The logic behind this was, that since squashes and others require pollinators, summer flowering bulbs would facilitate. Seeing as they were now appearing in the shops, off I pootled to a poundshop and found quite a few. There are a number below that were sown today, before I got brain freeze with sheer number. A second batch will be sunk at a later date. If you have any ideas about the lis below, that would be lovely hear. A handful of the winter pansies and primulas that were planted last autumn have been spotted, so not an entirely lost cause.

Freesias double
Acidanthera
Mixed Liatris Spicala
Oxalis Seppel
Gladioli Mixed
Purple Gladioli
Anemone Mr.Fokker
Gladioli Plum Tart
Iris Purple sensation
Mixed Sparaxis
Anemone Hollandia
Freesia Red Single
Gladioli Tradehorn
Gladioli Pink

….think I have enough gladioli….

Last year, I had also planted some dahlias. Sadly, with the rain and general misery last year, the tubers met their make and were eaten by the clay. A very demoralising event, and an expensive folly. The jury is out as to whether I would like to plant them again, I rather like the pom pom flower. I know that they are available in Wilkos, as well as a 99p shop!

In other news, Incredible sweetcorn has come through the surface of module dirt as have Crystal lemon and Femspot Cucumbers There are baby sunflowers also coming up.

On the subject of of sunflowers. May I introduce you to:

http://centronuclear.org.uk/theinformationpoint/pages/ways_to_help/the_big_sunflower_project.html

I heard about this from a fellow gardener and was rather intrigued. My seeds have just come through, and I will sowing very soon. All being well, I shall post what happens, so watch this space for that.

All to play for.

Yours in anticipation,

Horticultural Hobbit

success

Atten-shun

April 23, 2013 horticultural 'Obbit 1 Comment

The slightest bit of sun; and you know about it.

Mama H and I took an evening walk down to the plot to water the newly broadcast sown seeds. And in doing so, I observed just how sentry like the various bits of Garlic and onions were doing. Even the leeks sown in classroom, appear to have taken on a new vigorous approach in basking in the sunshine. The baby leeks have fattened up quite a bit in a matter of a few days. They are yet to be pencil thick, but they are not as wiry as they were.

It is the allieums on the plot that make me feel more positive. No longer stood as though they are sulking, but all very sentry like; garlic, onions and shallots that have been looking very miserable, look all very green and resplendent. A touch windburned perhaps, but after all the miserable moodiness of autumn and winter there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Remains to be seen how big a crop it will be, but it does look nice.

On the window sill, germination is happening at a remarkable pace. Three cucumber babies have appeared. Perhaps more. But femspot and crystal lemon have raised their heads from the modular cells. A yellow scallop squash is threatening to break out, as is a Avalon squash seed. The last of chilli seeds are being closely monitored; it will have been a month since sowing, and over a third of the seeds sown have come through. That is a lot of chillies.

The sun came out, there is all to play for,

Yours in anticipation,

Hortcultural Hobbit

construction, Preparation

Parental Supervision: Gardening with our adults

April 20, 2013 horticultural 'Obbit

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

April 17, 2013 horticultural 'Obbit

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

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

chillies

Aunt VVG’s adoptees

April 16, 2013 horticultural 'Obbit

Frauzauber, Lipstick and lemon drop.

You will have observed my chilli and pepper crisis. Namely, that they failed at one stage to germinate or keeled over.

Whilst I managed to nurture a few; grapevine Aunty VVG has kindly donated a few to keep me from losing my sanity; under the proviso that I keep her appraised of how they are going. I shall endeavour to do my best.

Sat on a sunny, warm window sill, they have been adopted and shall be observed carefully. I have no idea about any of this cohort; though I have heard of lemon drop but never sown it myself.

I know what you are thinking. Why does a girl need so many chillies and peppers?

Well, why not?

They are all going to end up in Mama H’s kitchen. If they manage to crop. Chillies-for my part-are hard to get growing. The one crop that was produced, could have been a sheer fluke.

I shall do my best to look after them.

Yours on anticipation

Horticultural Hobbit

horticultural 'obbit

Burgeoning

Waiting in the wings #2

Waiting in the wings

Weekend Welly

Germinate, germinate: Triffids arise

Daleks don’t diet

Atten-shun

Parental Supervision: Gardening with our adults

Mission accomplished, job done

Aunt VVG’s adoptees

'obbitry of the horticultural kind

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'obbitry of the horticultural kind