Monday, October 30, 2006

plans


This is how the vegetable beds were planted this year, square foot style. I haven't any proper plans from previous years though sucesses and failures were mostly noted in a diary. Traditional rotation really doesn't fit into this style of intermingled planting so I try to be careful not to have the same crop following on in the same square. Not everything in this years plan grew, beetroot and parsnips being almost total failures.
This is the time of year when seed companys send their catalouges throught the post to tempt keen gardeners into parting with their money. I will read and make notes in the seed catalouges, my imagination will overtake ability , it will also outgrow the time and space I have available! There are still some unopened seed packets lurking guiltily in the bottom of the box so I will have to take them into account when making purchases. Another winter plan is to build a nice wooden cold-frame, for which I already have a lovely lid of tempered glass from an internal glazing unit, recycling.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Claire,

Seed catalogues coming in already?! Not quite so here, but I did receive a fruit catalogue which always gets me to drooling and making too many plans for planting come Spring!

But then I find with all the plans I make at some point they always get thrown out the window and things happen as they will. I'm not good at documenting at all... Just keep a few memories of what works or may work in my head... May be this year I will take a break, not make plans, not purchase seeds, not buy more fruit plants, and just let things happen as they will. But you know me already, come January I'll have fresh paper and pen in hand, doodling and scheming grand things, to be or not to be.

(Got it puzzled out: I think I need to sign onto blogger first, then visit your site. Then it lets me comment!)

Anonymous said...

what is beetroot?

Kati said...

Thanks, Claire, for visiting my blog and leaving such kind words of sympathy and sharing in my shock and grief at Molly's death. It meant so much!

Anonymous said...

I love seed catalogues. They're basically garden porn! ;-)

patsy said...

seed catalouges are what dreams are made of in my house in January and Feb. girl I have to say this so forgive me but you need to find a different seed corn. this purple ear of corn is pitful. i enjoy your posts.

clairesgarden said...

Wildside, I love to make plans for the garden, most of them get ignored come the time, I need to keep a record or I totally forget everything. seed companys are very pushy here, they often send you more catalouges throughout the winter, and in the spring too.
Peppylady, beetroot seems to have different names, you can see it on this link http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/veggies/beet1.html
its a veg I really like and usually it grows without any problems, not this year unfortunatley.
Kati, I really feel for you , I love animals
Madcap, well you know sometimes I have been known to push these catalouges under the cushions when people come in so maybe you have a point there!
Patsy, oh you are so right about the corn! still, I was pleased it grew, hope for better nest year with some different seed!

grannyfiddler said...

i keep my seed catalogues in the lavatory... also known as the reading room.... along with various other magazines on gardening, and mail-order extravagances i can only afford photos of. by the end of winter they're well thumbed and nearly memorized. i'm thinking of doing a collage on the lav. wall of all the best photos from these catalogues, as they become outdated and are discarded.

clairesgarden said...

Grannyfiddler, thats a great idea, it'll save on decorating costs for years to come!

Anonymous said...

Yes, soon we will be
daydreaming
about spring and new flowers.