Greenhouse Tidy-up

I've recently had a birthday and Uncle Stephen was kind enough to send a little money; which I promptly went out and spent! We took off on the Saturday to Jimmy's Farm, and had a really lovely day out exploring with the pigs and piglets! The little shop there displayed a range of gardening and growing gifts and I spotted this on the way in. It was perfect for tidying away all those little things that end up left around the greenhouse, so I bought it. A bit of an impulse, yes, but it fits perfectly (after the removal of a shelf!), and keeps everything neat and tidy.

Return of Merlotti

It's the middle of half term, not much inspiration to get outside, what with the grey, overcast days, and my love of daytime tv! I did, however, manage to drag myself off the sofa, and the cat came with me to enjoy the digging and running across the newly planted beds. The old cabbage and broccoli bed is the second winter patch to be done, so first, I removed any cabbage leaves I could use for Spring Greens (even though it's not spring!) That reminds me, I left them in a trug in the greenhouse so will just go and collect them now while I remember...back in a mo...

Ok, job done. All in ready to go with the roast tonight. So, having dug it all over and added some compost, I planted up all the onions, about 49 of them, and two heads of garlic, kept from my own garlic last year. I've gone for an onions set: Troy. The garlic is Solent Wight and grew brilliantly last year. After planting, I've covered with fleece to keep them warm for the first few weeks, and will change the blanket into a tunnel as the shoots begin to form.

I've also sown some Winter Gem lettuce in the greenhouse. Now, call me stupid, but I thought that if I seeded them all at the same time, then I could grow them in sets, stage by stage. I have now realised its the sowing, rather than the planting out, that I needed to do in stages! Doh! Oh well, first set out under cloches as a catch crop between the broad beans, which are looking much healthier now they're in the ground.

The cat loves exploring the different patches, and whilst digging, I found a little hoard of squirrel nuts! I've left them out on the corner for him to find again. This bed is still a muddle as it has leeks planted in summer, that I've just begun to harvest, new broad beans and now Winter Gem.

I also finished off planting out the cabbages and you can really see the difference. Apart from the slugs enjoying their fill, I think they're going to do well and hope that this variety, Round head, do actually produce a head, rather than a few leaves and a bit of a point as last years' did.

Ready to Grow

Here are the first pictures of the new spring cabbages. I've cloched them to try to prevent the slugs and snails getting at them so early on, but will have to remove them soon as they won't fit inside!

I've also sown some winter gem lettuces. Now, it's a case of waiting a little longer so I can transfer them outside. I'm gong to grow them as a catch crop, between the rows of broad beans, so we'll see what happens.

These colourful seedlings are Rainbow Lights chard. Hopefully, not only will it provide colour and texture in the border next to the wall, but we'll also be able to use the smaller stalks as spring greens.

A New Start

Just a few pictures to show the winter/spring cabbages and broad beans that are starting off.

Getting ready!

Still Harvesting!

Just a quick photo gallery today so you can see what else is ready to go! the onions are still drying nicely in the greenhouse, but are on the small side. A shame really and I'm not sure why...I've gone for a different variety this year in the hopes they'll be bigger.

First we have husbands chillis, although we have since discovered the chillis he planted were the very mildest you could possibly choose! They're still very cookable though, and have found their way into several recipes recently.

As you can see, we've still got many tomatoes of all sizes and the raspberries have decided to give us a small second crop too. As for the corn...well, I think lack of water over the summer and a place that wasn't in direct sunlight may have contributed to their downfall. Oh well, we'll try again next year and hope that a different position will help.