Up A Gear Now That Spring Is Here.
0 comment Saturday, September 27, 2014 |
Another lovely day today, and the whole weekend looks to be glorious. This is A Good Thing.
I can't do much today, so I'm just staying chilled and giving myself permission to do the bare minimum. What I am doing today however is gardening; LOTS of gardening. I've potted my toms and peppers up and I'm letting them sit outside in the sun as long as it's over 10 outside, but the toms will take a bit of planning as both varities are interdeterminate. I'm debating doing a wire-system on the eastern wall of the outbuilding, but I don't think that's going to be anywhere near enough light. I could maybe get creative when the fence is installed, provided I can keep Ludo from eating my tomatoes.
Sunflower seeds have been started, and I hope to place them along the back garden fencing if possible, to provide them support and allow them plenty of sun. The zinnias are just about ready to bung into the ground, even though evening temps might drop a bit - I have an old sheet I can use to cover things up toward the end of the day to conserve heat. Swiss chard is planted - I discovered a few years ago that I adore swiss chard, red onion, and bacon fried with a bit of olive oil and garlic, and I can't wait for the stuff to grow! Sprog's experimental turtle bean is potted up (it needs hotter weather though so I don't think it will do much). Peas are just starting to break free from the ground, so it will be time to plant the next lot soon. Round carrots are planted - I normally wouldn't bother with carrot plants bought from a nursery as transplanting carrots is iffy, but I've wanted round carrots this year for sprog and yet couldn't find any seed for them for some reason. So, taking a chance on the experiment and I've got some now. I will still plant the Rothchild carrot seeds I have, however, possibly in between the zinnias. They're a few years old, though, so I have no idea what the germination rate will be like, but we'll see how we do.
I potted up more potatoes but I still have about ten more. Good grief, where to put them?! I have an old-style bin in the shed area which I am considering cutting in half - one half for the rest of my potatoes, the other half for the squash, which is growing like mad and soon will be ready for hardening off. That should do; I'll be utilising the compost in a half-and-half growing mix for both the toms and the squash, to give them a good start.
Even with the pots I managed to salvage from the far neighbours, I'm running out of containers to plant in. I'll be turning my attention to all kinds of stuff kicking about the house which I may be able to press into service; juice cartons, plastic buckets and old storage bins. If I can fill it with dirt and give it a bit of drainage, I will plant in it. I've done it before, and I'll do it again. I may just cut slits in the tops of the compost bags I have and use them as growbags.
Strawberries are enjoying their new planting system, and I am topdressing with compost and watering in well. I want a good crop this year, and this means lot of fertilising. I have used organic strawberry fertilising pellets in the barrels this time round when I planted in, but I'm going to do my best to keep on top of the fertilising this year - the crop last year was pretty crap, so going to do things right this year if I can manage it.
Fruit in general seems to be promising; the rather weedy looking raspberry cane I planted is now going great guns in the compost I've placed them in. The cherry tree is starting to bud out, and seems to be happy in its pot. Just going to nuture this fruit this year and make sure it gets a good start so that it will hopefully produce next season - the raspberry canes may find themselves in one of my big pots, tied to a centre stake, once the spuds are done and I have a large pot free. I still want a mulberry but all in good time.
The water-barrel is nearly empty, which is good as it's never been cleaned out, and the bottom is filled with a rather nasty, slimy sludge - hence I've had to fill my watering can from the top rather than the bottom. In the next few days, I hope to nearly empty it entirely of water so I can give it a clean out in time for what appears to be next week's rain. I seem to collect a lot of rainwater with the system so I'm very grateful for the barrel being there and I want to keep it in good condition.
Wumpy house has been chosen! With luck we can get the ground level enough that we can place the house on supports or some substrate and put it right into position in mid-May. At least that is the hope! Of course, sprog wants it painted blue, so outdoor paint and primer will be sorted, as well as a spider-scarer. Nasturtiums have been planted in the salvaged blue and white pots to go outside the Wumpy House, and I've found a really cool sand pit which has a cover so I hope to get that some time in June, cash allowing.
I've got dirt under my fingernails and my leg is throbbing a rhumba up my nerve endings, but I'm sitting on my bed in sunshine and gazing outside at spring with a huge smile on my face.
Bring it!

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