Sunday, September 02, 2007

falling standards?

I usually sieve my compost and then apply it to a recently weeded bed, but trying to fit everything in round the weather is taking its toll. Today I layered the compost complete with lumps and bits straight onto the garden, weeds included. Then I realised what's missing. . .a team of gardeners and a row of cottages at the bottom of the garden for them to live in. . .
the veg beds are being cleared as things finish, showing bare soil again. my recently emptied compost bin was filled to the top again with 'clearance' items.
and one small pumkin, yipee!! its raised off the ground to try and protect it, hopefully it will begin ripening before it gets too cold.

8 comments:

Matron said...

I'm about to do the same with my compost, there is so much greenstuff to clear up at the moment, I will have to start a new heap. I keep finding that my compost just has so many weed seeds in it, I spread it and they just pop up! Nice pumpkin!

Anonymous said...

Oh, the joy of a pumpkin crop, no matter how small! (Can I have one of your cottages at garden's end? I'll bring my sleeping bag!)

Wildside

clairesgarden said...

Matron, I have two bins on the go as it is and contemplating another one. looking forward to pumpkin soup.
Wildside, you can have the head gardeners house, beside the acre of walled garden by the river. . . .

tlchang said...

You are apparently much more ambitious than I. Sift my compost? Ha!

clairesgarden said...

TLC, I would have done if it was for using in pots, but days like yesterday for example I had a cup of tea instead of cutting the grass. see I need a team of gardeners.

bonnie said...

My poor japanese pumpkin - after nearly dying in a post planting drought/heat wave, then being attacked by filthy rotten squash borers (aka "fish food"), and now suffering from some as-yet-unidentified ailment that's turning all the leaves yellow - it's STILL trying to have a pumpkin. There's a nice female blossom just about ready to bloom. Poor plant. It's trying so hard.

Unfortunately, that's the only bud on the plant right now. So I think my entire pumpkin crop this year is the one I had to pick early before the borers got into it, which is sitting in a cupboard in hopes that it might be edible after a while (I read that you're supposed to let a kabocha sit for a looooong time after you pick it).

Better luck with yours!

grannyfiddler said...

i've missed having a garden this summer... next year i'll make up for it! i've a cousin who's a landscape designer. over the coming winter she's going to help me make lovely plans for the new place.

i built a lovely 3-sided compost bin of concrete blocks at the former house... can't very well bring that with me, but i'm going to do my darndest to move the compost in it! but, i confess i NEVER sift my compost. if it's lumpy and i need it for pots, i just put it low in the pot and plant into fine soil put at the top. i figure that encourages the roots to develop, as they go looking for the compost.

a granny i know scratches the names of each of her grandchildren on the pumpkin of their choice in mid summer while it's still green. the scratch heals over, leaving each child's name embossed in their own personalized pumpkin for halloween. it's become a family tradition with them.

clairesgarden said...

Bonnie, here's to pumpkin soup! if we get any!
Grannyfidler, no you don't want to leave the precious compost. nice idea with the pumpkin names.