0 comment Wednesday, October 1, 2014 | admin
I was bemoaning the need to do some serious weedicide and grass fertilisation and that I'd maybe have to bow to chemicals to do it. I really wasn't looking forward to this idea but the rather major encroachment of weeds marching in from next door seems like there's nothing else for it. However, I did some hunting about and read up on some alternative sources and found that in addition to nettle in high concentration, vinegar is also a major herbicide. So, all hail Ebay, I managed to find some completely organic weedicide in concentrated form! Hurrah! It is primarily made of vinegar and has a few other things in it too. The price was right and I'm sure I can just fill a spray bottle and try this out on some of the back lot and down here on the patio level as well and we'll see how it does. This does kill grass so I have to be careful where it is sprayed but I am so utterly thrilled to find something which won't be incredibly toxic.
I've also managed to get some grass feed in the form of concentrated seaweed which is harvested locally and while it will prove to be a bit more difficult to put onto the lawn (that's a lot of watering!) I'm going to give it a go and see how it does. Didn't put a picture on for that but will see how we manage.
The skies are overcast today but it's still rather nice, and the buds on the fruit trees are amazingly doing their thing even when I've only had them a few months. Will we actually have some small fruits this year? The pear looks quite lovely and has set three of these big sprays of blooms, with more on the way. Hopefully not too early for pollinators but there were quite a few bees outside today so maybe it's just fine.
The apple tree is just a little behind the pear, and has even more blooms! About six or seven at my last count which could produce a few fruits as well. Since the trees are so new I'm going to limit production to maybe a handful of fruits, allowing them to work a bit more at their roots and getting situated and not concentrating so much on being productive. I think they'll do fine in the pots I've planted them in, however, and they certainly seem promising!
And what of the cherry? Well it's a bit blurry, sorry, but the buds are finally starting to burst and form up! It's a bit behind all the other cherry trees (as per usual in our weird climate up here on the heath) but it IS doing it now. I'm already thinking it's going to put a load of branches and growth out this year and I'm going to have to do some serious pruning in August whether I get fruit this year or not! I want to keep the tree compact. The first branches were all somewhat upright but I've taken advice that the weight of the fruit will eventually bend these branches down, so I shouldn't get too tempted to cut them. I'll keep that in mind.
It's all coming along, and I managed to get some marigolds planted round sproggo's bit of the garden, transplanted more strawberries, and got some of the long-chitting potatoes into some grow bags though there's another three or four to go. This year, I am option for the coir/manure/compost combination for the potatoes, though I think they're going to be needing some bone meal as well, so I'll grind down some of the boiled chicken bones I've been holding onto just for such an occasion.
Things grow well, and looking forward to sharing some more produce with my son (even though he's starting to prefer his computer to being outdoors these days, heigh-ho).
I've also managed to get some grass feed in the form of concentrated seaweed which is harvested locally and while it will prove to be a bit more difficult to put onto the lawn (that's a lot of watering!) I'm going to give it a go and see how it does. Didn't put a picture on for that but will see how we manage.
The skies are overcast today but it's still rather nice, and the buds on the fruit trees are amazingly doing their thing even when I've only had them a few months. Will we actually have some small fruits this year? The pear looks quite lovely and has set three of these big sprays of blooms, with more on the way. Hopefully not too early for pollinators but there were quite a few bees outside today so maybe it's just fine.
The apple tree is just a little behind the pear, and has even more blooms! About six or seven at my last count which could produce a few fruits as well. Since the trees are so new I'm going to limit production to maybe a handful of fruits, allowing them to work a bit more at their roots and getting situated and not concentrating so much on being productive. I think they'll do fine in the pots I've planted them in, however, and they certainly seem promising!
And what of the cherry? Well it's a bit blurry, sorry, but the buds are finally starting to burst and form up! It's a bit behind all the other cherry trees (as per usual in our weird climate up here on the heath) but it IS doing it now. I'm already thinking it's going to put a load of branches and growth out this year and I'm going to have to do some serious pruning in August whether I get fruit this year or not! I want to keep the tree compact. The first branches were all somewhat upright but I've taken advice that the weight of the fruit will eventually bend these branches down, so I shouldn't get too tempted to cut them. I'll keep that in mind.
It's all coming along, and I managed to get some marigolds planted round sproggo's bit of the garden, transplanted more strawberries, and got some of the long-chitting potatoes into some grow bags though there's another three or four to go. This year, I am option for the coir/manure/compost combination for the potatoes, though I think they're going to be needing some bone meal as well, so I'll grind down some of the boiled chicken bones I've been holding onto just for such an occasion.
Things grow well, and looking forward to sharing some more produce with my son (even though he's starting to prefer his computer to being outdoors these days, heigh-ho).
Labels: Garden Project, Good Life