March

hyacinths, smell wonderful.

snow on the hills, weather is changeable with some warm days and some not

a good day, out riding.

in the garden, the first little daffodil to flower, its about six inches high, and the purple sprouting broccoli, making a nice colour and providing some to eat, I eat the leaves too, and the last leek, which is a skinny one, but tasty all the same.

Sowing Fava Beans and Planning for the Hungry Gap

rain on a Saturday

 Empire Biscuit from a local bakery, my favourite. 

not taken record of temperature every day, max 21.9, current 11.5, min 3.9.    Not been the nicest weather though its not freezing,  typical of my days off .. its raining and cold.         

seeds planted today,  7 of Aubergine de Barbentane (More Veg)  and 6 of Pepper Quadrato Asti Rosso (Blumen Sapore Italiano).. these are in a wee mini plastic propagator from B&Q on the windosill in spare room.

Epic Modern Tiny House With Library Net Loft

seed list... 2021

 

temperatures are variable.... we're under snow, and roads have been dreadful. thankfully I had a weeks holiday due so I was able to swap it for this week. 

this time last year I was enthusiastically cleaning out the greenhouse and starting seeds. ... just before lockdown and then was unable to get compost or seed trays as everything was closed down. I'm slightly more organised this year, I have one large bag of compost and several seed trays with new clear lids, still need some stuff but again the shops are ... some open some closed some selling some only selling some stuff .... I hope to get some inner trays, and some larger trays for the tomatoes to sit in.. maybe buckets for them too. will have to wait and see. 

 

so... seeds left over from last year... and two  seed collections from ebay.. its taken some time to type out , seeds are irresistable.. there are worse habits... lol

Seed List  2021.... eeeeeeek...... lol

• Asparagus Mary Washington
• Aubergine De Barbentane (finished now, last of them sown on 20/2/21)
• Beetroot Boldor F1
• Beetroot Detroit Dark Red
• Beetroot Early Wonder Tall Top
• Broad Bean Express Eleanora
• Broccoli Purple Sprouting Continuity
• Broccoli Waltham 29
• Brussels Sprouts Long Island Improved
• Cabbage Savoy Perfection
• Cabbage savoy type Cavolo Verza D’Asti  S.Giovanni
• Cabbage Winter Jewel F1
• Carrot Ideal
• Carrot Little Finger
• Carrot Royal Chantenay
• Cauliflower Caovolfiore Verde Macerata
• Cauliflower Romanescu green and white
• Cauliflower Snowball Y Improved
• Celery Giant Red
• Celery Utah
• Collards Vates
• Chard Lucullus
• Chard Ruby Red
• Chicory Cicoria Rossa Di Treviso
• Chicory Trestina Da Taglio
• Chives Middleman
• Courgette Black Beauty
• Courgette Golden Griller
• Courgette Zucchini Bolognese
• Cucumer  Armenian(wildside)
• Cucumber Lemon
• Cucumber Straight Eight
• Kale Blue Scotch Curled
• Kale (cabbage) Nero Di  Toscana
• Kohlrabi  Early White Vienna
• Leek Blue Solaise (finished now, last of them sown on 2.1.21)

• Leek Large American Flag
• Lettuce Black Seeded Simpson
• Lettuce Iceberg
• Lettuce Mixed
• Okra  Clemenson Spineless
• Onion Walla Walla 
• Onion Cippolla Rossa Di Tropea
• Parsnip Hollow Crown
• Pea Ambassador
• Pea  Asparagus Pea (not a pea.. lol)
• Pea Delikat sugarsnap
• Pea Kelvedon Wonder
• Pumpkin Small Sugar
• Pumpkin Sugar Pie
• Pumpkin Zucca Marina Di Chioggia
• Radish Cherry Belle
• Radish White Iceicle
• Salad Arugula
• Salad  Baby Leaf Bright and Spicy Mix
• Salad Corn Salad Vit
• Salad Curled Cress
• Salad Endive Green Curled Ruffec
• Salad Oriental Nice and Spicy Mix
• Salad Mustard
• Salad Pak Choi
• Salad Radiccio Rouge De Verona
• Salad Rocket
• Salsify Sandwich Island
• Spinach Giant Nobel
• Spinach Giant Winter
• Spinach Leaf Beet Perpetual  Spinach
• Sweet Pepper Largo De Reus Pairal
• Sweet Pepper Peperone Quadrato Asti Rosso
• Sweet Pepper Peperone Friggitello
• Tomato
• Tomato Pomodoro Ciiegino A Grappolo
• Tomato Pomodoro Costoluto Fiotrntino
• Tomato Pomodoro Lungo S.Marzano
• Tomato Pomodoro Pantano Romanesc
• Tomato Pomodoro Pera D’Abruzzo
• Tomato Pomodoro Verduro Sardo
• Tomato Raspberry Oxheart
• Tomato Tigerella
• Turnip Purple Top White Globe
• Turnip Rapa Di Milano Colletto Viola
• Turnip Rutabaga American Purple Top
• Turnip Sweetbell F1
• Turnip Tops (broccoli ?) Cima Di Rapa Barese
• Winter Squash Butternut Squash
• Winter Squash Pink Banana Jumbo
• Winter  Squash Sweet Dumpling

 

Herbs

• Annise
• Basil
• Basil Basilico Italiano Classico
• Caper Cappero
• Caraway
• Chervill
• Coriander
• Coriander Green Aroma
• Dill
• Fennel
• Mint Pennyroyal
• Oregano Origano
• Parsley
• Parsley Bravour
• Rosemary
• Sage
• Summer Savory
• Thyme Large Leaf

 

Flowers

• Flowers for Bees and Butterflys
• Poppy Papaver Orientale New
• Sunflower Gelbe Riesen
• Sunflower Herbstschonheit

cold Sunday

not giant snowdrops.... but a tiny jar... I brought them in because, though its a shame to pick them, it means I can see them as I'm tired out from work and they cheer up the kitchen.

greenhouse temperatures, outside the wind chill is unbearable.

lettuce that was germinated in the house and sat on a window sill... they haven't grown so I shoved them out into the greenhouse last week and they are still alive , hopefully will grow at some point

 and this is my broccoli harvest for today. added to some soup.

 

a lucky capture of a robin who had just picked some suet from the bird mix, sitting in the twisted hazel

vegetable growing advice from Mother Earth News

 https://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/gardening-techniques/crop-guide-growing-organic-vegetables-fruits-zl0z1211zsto?fbclid=IwAR1up-O2KKWYz2RydupMJEFfhScp2hc_G18gXN9AHzTgYWxtsA9q6fbfatc

EASIEST WAY TO GET RID OF APHIDS FAST | NO SPRAYS NEEDED | WINTER EGG RE...

Nest Box Design: Our BEST DESIGN Details from 25 years of Practice

The Traveling Wilburys - End Of The Line (Official Video)

Everybody Needs a Little Sanctuary

Sunday

snowdrops just about ready to bloom. I might pop some into a jar in the house. otherwise I'll never see them

inexepensive bulbs all coming up, hope they're nice and bright when they flower.

I did about an hours work in the garden yesterday, weather was better than expected and cleared up a bit in the afternoon. filled a bin and a feed bag with leylandi cuttings, its smothering a small bed at the bottom of it.

uncovered a bunch of snowdrops below the leylandi, there is also a peony and should be some erythroniums though they're not showing yet.

Saturdays temperatures

Sundays temperatures.

spot the cat. lol. he is funny.
 

dreich

driech is a scottish description of a dismal, drizzley rain, foggy, cold day. todays temperatures are Max 6.7c (44f), Min 0.9c (33.6f) and current also 6.7c. Yesterday I recorded ( probably for the week as I hadn't been able to open the door for a few days... frozen shut!) Max 8.1c (46.5f), Min -8.4c (16.8f) and current of 1.3c (34f). So it's a  milder day , but preferred the cold with the sunshine....

leeks and onions , a flimsy plastic cover

and then the hard plastic domes over the top of that.  there's a post somewhere with the trays covered with garden fleece, must have been before I discovered the high dome tops and I have photo evidence of them in 2007,,,, they have some age to them and are cracking, discolouring and disintegrating.. I have purchased some new ones that are still in the house and will come out to be used when needed. I hope they last as long !!

Casper joined me in the greenhouse.. on the wicker footstool which is in there with the wooden garden chair to be protected from the weather .

little clumps of snowdrops coming up through the leaf litter beside the hedge

nearly nearly  but not quite open yet

and again , himself , quite the gardening cat today, lol

I received some amazon tokens for christmas, along with the max/min themometer, so I've just spent about an hour online choosing a garden journal , and also a plant journal to record the plants in the garden. I have attempted to keep a diary on my laptop but would prefer to write the notes , also the journals are 'prompted' so you just have to fill in info. I'm nearly finished typing up a current seed list, too many - too exciting....
 

link to recipe from MotherEarth News

Fire Cider and Chutney , useful for colds

https://www.motherearthnews.com/natural-health/fire-cider-recipe-zbcz1512?fbclid=IwAR2FocHTYwMtZmY6gMzMCmyU7ymtVYC0V9_NhtM6RCIXZwF_7tpOxUagNQA

garden update

 

I forget if I've posted this photo ...  must really make a seed list. And I really can't keep garden notes on the lap top, I never update it.

there are some snowdrops showing,  but not in flower yet, and can see some cyclamen green leaves in a couple of places.

 can still  pick some broccoli, some leeks and some spinach, so those are things that need 'more of' for this year. 

in the greenhouse today – using seed trays and old high dome propagators.....

Onions sown.... Walla Walla and Cipolla Rossa Di Tropea

Leeks sown..... Blue Solaise and Large American Flag

the best christmas present, a digital Maximum Minimum thermometer.... todays readings are...  max  9.9c (49.8f), min -3.9c (25f), temperature as I was planting about 2.30pm was  5.2c dropping to 3.9c by the time I was done. Casper kept running between the house and the greenhouse telling me that he's not a gardening cat at the best of times, and it was too cold!!

The Atomic Tree (360)

because I always forget the words... lol

 On the twelfth day of Christmas
My true love sent to me
Twelve drummers drummin'
Eleven pipers pipin'
Ten lords a leapin'
Nine ladies dancin'
Eight maids milkin'
Seven swans a swimmin'
Six geese a layin'
Five golden rings!
Four calling birds
Three french hens
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree!

editing to add this link from the RSPB with their version of birds from the song. 

Today I Rise

Jerome Osentowski-Growing Indoor Tropical Gardens on Top of a Mountain!

Pauline Pears-Composting Tips to Get You Started with Healthy Soil!

a lovely , no nonsense , how to compost everything .

The Family Plot - October 31, 2020 .. to watch later

Urban Permaculture with Morag Gamble, to watch later

Next Steps In Hand... to watch later

online gardening talks

 I've signed up for this ... so have copied and pasted the e-mail asking to share the link to join.

'''Creating healthy food sources no matter where you live!

 

Can I ask you a quick favor?

 

I'm on a mission to help people grow better food, more abundant food, in easier ways.

Would you help me spread this event by posting this link? 

http://gardeningmadeeasy.show/

on Facebook and by email to anyone you know who can benefit from better food and gardens?

Lets make this planet a better place!

 

Much love, 

 

Cathy Hague

Gardening Made Easy

A division of The Magical Herb & Vegetable Garden'''

garden day

thats all the tomatoes removed from the greenhouse and the plants into the compost

love sunflowers

always cheery

still will need to be completely tidied out, but its starting to look a bit empty

in the back of this crack between bricks, on the right hand side, is an out of focus pink bit... that is a leg of frog or toad... as it jumped in there when I moved the crate out of the back corner... eeeek..
 

first weekend in October

 weather not pleasant.