tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43106579701820655792024-03-13T18:43:39.756+01:00Gardening at Champeau de BasI have now moved from no. 6 to no. 5 Champeau de Bas having decided that number 6 was just getting too much to handle! So no. 5 is a small garden with some flowers and a small veg patch.
Rodgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097835648909534615noreply@blogger.comBlogger424125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4310657970182065579.post-19949676985820208862023-08-20T10:24:00.002+02:002023-08-20T10:54:03.619+02:00AUGUST<p><br /> <span style="font-family: arial;"> My small garden has progressed! Courgettes, tomatoes (round red, pear shaped red, Jens orange, a heritage variety grown from saved seed) are all being gathered and enjoyed. There are still Paris (white round) salad onions and Touchon carrots. The cabbage planted way back is recovering from flea beetle attack and looks like I will get something. The other cabbage, which you pick the leaves and it continues to grow up is doing well and I am about to try it out. Wild black berries are in abundance in my hedge and are easy to pick and are also being enjoyed in crumbles and mixed in with stewed apple. Of course there is the continual problem of weeds particularly in the gravel! Real pain to remove but I have made the effort on the front drive which is now cleared and I am monitoring every day for weed growth! The wild flowers growing round the pound are starting to go to seed and I will let them scatter in the bed around the pond in the hope they will flower again next year. My common thyme sown in a triangle bed in the middle of the patio at the front of the house is thriving.</span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYFHK6708wk-Dwe2QWoJhTJtk-gt7xpI4IqwfLpRpxz-CTwPxm8-UtzJVSPkkEZajOdEB2O-bfsJz428dIU_e5qzqqdCV-3lu4YUxVX3tbxcir7ZoOVW9lXrpUbds2eH7rl53sBRj6jT9H0LkBOwjH00FDVrGSYnfwIEOJIRxDg48cgNIXfJ-MgZKQKCM/s4000/IMG_20230820_104633641.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYFHK6708wk-Dwe2QWoJhTJtk-gt7xpI4IqwfLpRpxz-CTwPxm8-UtzJVSPkkEZajOdEB2O-bfsJz428dIU_e5qzqqdCV-3lu4YUxVX3tbxcir7ZoOVW9lXrpUbds2eH7rl53sBRj6jT9H0LkBOwjH00FDVrGSYnfwIEOJIRxDg48cgNIXfJ-MgZKQKCM/s320/IMG_20230820_104633641.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Thyme bed</span></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic4eqFJAbU3J92Jrdrxcx4vF1Pgmw02W-bt-noBHki01_b_2dl5m9-kpLrcqo-xNcXxFYCC5up3HGqpqfsWR3V2qZuGzTMnVYlJ-xP2mJio5p5G7jXPLYxreESf8GXlDUcuF7VtdnfIFxnSI0_5Nhrql6RNqS8nH7zbYK1V75yPMpPyFs1m2gVKJRP7C8/s4000/IMG_20230720_163451502.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic4eqFJAbU3J92Jrdrxcx4vF1Pgmw02W-bt-noBHki01_b_2dl5m9-kpLrcqo-xNcXxFYCC5up3HGqpqfsWR3V2qZuGzTMnVYlJ-xP2mJio5p5G7jXPLYxreESf8GXlDUcuF7VtdnfIFxnSI0_5Nhrql6RNqS8nH7zbYK1V75yPMpPyFs1m2gVKJRP7C8/s320/IMG_20230720_163451502.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Wild flowers round the pond</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQTb9seM2XkvrCigow2B9wrlSxPvBkAWuy371zxPA4EkHbc6hJoVLSE3RQ1b7vbvJhvDYhoz7Ne4GLmTI3u8X79S-0wL2kuIdSAU1dXs1K0PjcaRMQTxkdO5tKF2879c8YGilcntRfdTib0HJZNOOfg7MOHd9bbBI42BrMoXDMP7rFppsWbiC2Zq_q1q4/s4000/IMG_20230722_212754461.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQTb9seM2XkvrCigow2B9wrlSxPvBkAWuy371zxPA4EkHbc6hJoVLSE3RQ1b7vbvJhvDYhoz7Ne4GLmTI3u8X79S-0wL2kuIdSAU1dXs1K0PjcaRMQTxkdO5tKF2879c8YGilcntRfdTib0HJZNOOfg7MOHd9bbBI42BrMoXDMP7rFppsWbiC2Zq_q1q4/s320/IMG_20230722_212754461.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnwck9NiuT6u-xqeEoHyQEc8UjLhj9uYc3psSr8o066ZZBw_DdnoZt-nJrZus4NgReAZQs3TpbX6sgnowgSgZn6K3YSVcq9Fus7joNcMpg8vbOuoBc55x5XfJGYgJlxXBk58H0INDt9AfuHPeBWw7kgFcdu0QYG5MVA_uT6pX7qBI7dw7Qiq_N2EIpKrA/s4000/IMG_20230820_082136621.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnwck9NiuT6u-xqeEoHyQEc8UjLhj9uYc3psSr8o066ZZBw_DdnoZt-nJrZus4NgReAZQs3TpbX6sgnowgSgZn6K3YSVcq9Fus7joNcMpg8vbOuoBc55x5XfJGYgJlxXBk58H0INDt9AfuHPeBWw7kgFcdu0QYG5MVA_uT6pX7qBI7dw7Qiq_N2EIpKrA/s320/IMG_20230820_082136621.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Tomatoes and courgettes</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhekhtFcIU-KjrucCnBrhY9y-afOqHMKT-_QHMDfykRtZWUeCglRCRwJWxZAy9PElcp-jnHHkrvYCX3fqaiJsu-w_1_yJ02NwSH0j11lqTr4Nsz82t2h0JyCgFKGHuK5ca2TZiVMFvDRTBz0aMCDb6jwi6S40pT0UJdXw9oy7ckpGy3z7aElHMTKIlarpM/s4000/IMG_20230729_115538896_BURST000_COVER.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhekhtFcIU-KjrucCnBrhY9y-afOqHMKT-_QHMDfykRtZWUeCglRCRwJWxZAy9PElcp-jnHHkrvYCX3fqaiJsu-w_1_yJ02NwSH0j11lqTr4Nsz82t2h0JyCgFKGHuK5ca2TZiVMFvDRTBz0aMCDb6jwi6S40pT0UJdXw9oy7ckpGy3z7aElHMTKIlarpM/s320/IMG_20230729_115538896_BURST000_COVER.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Touchon carrots</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p>Rodgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097835648909534615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4310657970182065579.post-74341644348788131382023-07-17T16:20:00.002+02:002023-07-17T16:20:34.785+02:00BEEN A WHILE<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">My last post was in October 2022 just after I had moved from number 6 Champeau de Bas to number 5 Champeau de Bas. This post will bring the story of the garden in number 5 Champeau de Bas upto date and hopefully I will now regularly post a blog!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiatvapKfhVcmsT1MW3ePFR4cxK0w8IM8jail8VF60yM5o7mU8VM036EG9BlSXUlr_MY6cBay8pBbIuNSnCbC7ASasptK79G452KpfRqN4YUJ3t_l_rDGlIdUhLVnUz1WemJwQzBBJIH5ETYHujCJjF-TYDkoZMxR_BHAbT1UALrSG3FIVOpqwgPzpUjno/s4000/002%20Starting%20to%20dig%20a%20small%20veg%20patch%20120223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiatvapKfhVcmsT1MW3ePFR4cxK0w8IM8jail8VF60yM5o7mU8VM036EG9BlSXUlr_MY6cBay8pBbIuNSnCbC7ASasptK79G452KpfRqN4YUJ3t_l_rDGlIdUhLVnUz1WemJwQzBBJIH5ETYHujCJjF-TYDkoZMxR_BHAbT1UALrSG3FIVOpqwgPzpUjno/s320/002%20Starting%20to%20dig%20a%20small%20veg%20patch%20120223.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Starting to dig the veg plot 120223<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoIbSLVG069Ir_gmW0pJW4RGWyXrd1QmHMinInyzJadkCM7gxMKDjOgkGqLIpFvKWNmbS7y9mVt6n6Lb73pM7d_gJNOr4iC2J8zo7VcDh8578Xx6_UktZ6kq041qrWv5Igqd-F945L-Ca7ijdzYl5-81vdSbxnLI4qpIxuXB-hiH4SoKTsVqZqtoKtiiA/s4000/005%20Spades%20broken%20while%20digging%20the%20new%20veg%20plot%20140223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoIbSLVG069Ir_gmW0pJW4RGWyXrd1QmHMinInyzJadkCM7gxMKDjOgkGqLIpFvKWNmbS7y9mVt6n6Lb73pM7d_gJNOr4iC2J8zo7VcDh8578Xx6_UktZ6kq041qrWv5Igqd-F945L-Ca7ijdzYl5-81vdSbxnLI4qpIxuXB-hiH4SoKTsVqZqtoKtiiA/s320/005%20Spades%20broken%20while%20digging%20the%20new%20veg%20plot%20140223.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Two casulites!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS9fAabrxyJBqFF-wCZBYpkIETalwiLMkFB2DM-ohu5bJ9b9jKwDJuaVbT3YxfhFDLdO6DVM9bnKIVlz1T_dgu9qR-optj-TT-T1Eay6OhuOPjBtDRryPmNm3aQ9R0__jVhGg8lVb4DSk0_IClgBjgF8YbAcdGigKj3uJmF9hquysYOlLsU7ZrOCxIMCQ/s4000/006%20New%20veg%20patch%20140223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS9fAabrxyJBqFF-wCZBYpkIETalwiLMkFB2DM-ohu5bJ9b9jKwDJuaVbT3YxfhFDLdO6DVM9bnKIVlz1T_dgu9qR-optj-TT-T1Eay6OhuOPjBtDRryPmNm3aQ9R0__jVhGg8lVb4DSk0_IClgBjgF8YbAcdGigKj3uJmF9hquysYOlLsU7ZrOCxIMCQ/s320/006%20New%20veg%20patch%20140223.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Plot all but done 140223</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja6qaH6cWzsIyr-w80DFh9fPFtYbF28AS39SP4Oixmn0yoVoufiBrWOtynPnJO0dfQDrU73HNVDrWg_w_TLN711jrpK8-JBh4Ol65_7BFKu0MzKo0IstURv7wzjZ3qv8PN9DT65MwOGfDE2I-SCQmms_1QZlvkEYrbmVupK8DrALtBye44uMqq_VAQUWM/s4000/009%20Agata%20new%20potatoes%20Sonata%20strawberry%20plants%20and%20garlic%20230323.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja6qaH6cWzsIyr-w80DFh9fPFtYbF28AS39SP4Oixmn0yoVoufiBrWOtynPnJO0dfQDrU73HNVDrWg_w_TLN711jrpK8-JBh4Ol65_7BFKu0MzKo0IstURv7wzjZ3qv8PN9DT65MwOGfDE2I-SCQmms_1QZlvkEYrbmVupK8DrALtBye44uMqq_VAQUWM/s320/009%20Agata%20new%20potatoes%20Sonata%20strawberry%20plants%20and%20garlic%20230323.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Tyv-komVQWIYBbNyqOGUPmELCnCFJMQiUvwtMHh5AdcNDLQ488PHnsJ03P6gvZALjxcMv4qTTAqnxSRMC4uhhSq2Was53Mf-tHahfnQk8cM4QUKEmljJQ0UrJXApC4DWdL99DRXHDjF_gzj9XpyxDtBNKMfgINRuQ5OPkw_RenQnWmxiAi6fdqAxCOQ/s4000/010%20Garlic%20sprouting%20230323.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Tyv-komVQWIYBbNyqOGUPmELCnCFJMQiUvwtMHh5AdcNDLQ488PHnsJ03P6gvZALjxcMv4qTTAqnxSRMC4uhhSq2Was53Mf-tHahfnQk8cM4QUKEmljJQ0UrJXApC4DWdL99DRXHDjF_gzj9XpyxDtBNKMfgINRuQ5OPkw_RenQnWmxiAi6fdqAxCOQ/s320/010%20Garlic%20sprouting%20230323.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Sprouting garlic 230323</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji4_PSQMkKUsSEgwK6uNIidDqK4QYXqDyeV_aSqydYsCK29t-Vit-TIIgIXxk30Uo4eIPJy-c2aklXXMSkRT4NWA0SNo9gbsd0zZs21rF_di9pLbXBUbP2O0HWKIQYliIG5EHvhnwXQxzz_fiAbeDD-nchCbqG9fMPm7GOqAWJGXMG8HKVvm6H1MKGGY0/s4000/IMG_20230521_074213312.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji4_PSQMkKUsSEgwK6uNIidDqK4QYXqDyeV_aSqydYsCK29t-Vit-TIIgIXxk30Uo4eIPJy-c2aklXXMSkRT4NWA0SNo9gbsd0zZs21rF_di9pLbXBUbP2O0HWKIQYliIG5EHvhnwXQxzz_fiAbeDD-nchCbqG9fMPm7GOqAWJGXMG8HKVvm6H1MKGGY0/s320/IMG_20230521_074213312.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cabbages </span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOakmCVF3ku8N13eO2cicCmREQbaY6m16uFG6WW8UIL0e5XALJ7ZZ0Q9wpe3ZIigcqZPW5MalwPYAWqxhtmSy_Wxxf7Vgr3rJdYlMPriR8PXp-zeksVAFK1JwIvf7oR0HbsBZZ-W9CEz-SxCczqmJBbuSYIsq4WBUBeQ0iinXr7YnqqWafCsbx9QkQ_fY/s4000/IMG_20230521_074225262.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOakmCVF3ku8N13eO2cicCmREQbaY6m16uFG6WW8UIL0e5XALJ7ZZ0Q9wpe3ZIigcqZPW5MalwPYAWqxhtmSy_Wxxf7Vgr3rJdYlMPriR8PXp-zeksVAFK1JwIvf7oR0HbsBZZ-W9CEz-SxCczqmJBbuSYIsq4WBUBeQ0iinXr7YnqqWafCsbx9QkQ_fY/s320/IMG_20230521_074225262.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Tomatoes Courgettes 210523</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwqprZr5-EoP9TGZgrD3NtVKZQlwjxWm3RxIFnYecrTn9UJCzRAJsI0G8eDKy1omaX4I-bYrjOTRmflOUb2R-V_ZTeOekZlvwBeG3at00Eonc_2706h4ge5YGYXnebR3osBStW8Mdw-_wVZC4AlW0RH9AJGBLkUwFfLfBhjAJjs0g6lg6d-KeAhxd3RK4/s4000/IMG_20230521_074241018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwqprZr5-EoP9TGZgrD3NtVKZQlwjxWm3RxIFnYecrTn9UJCzRAJsI0G8eDKy1omaX4I-bYrjOTRmflOUb2R-V_ZTeOekZlvwBeG3at00Eonc_2706h4ge5YGYXnebR3osBStW8Mdw-_wVZC4AlW0RH9AJGBLkUwFfLfBhjAJjs0g6lg6d-KeAhxd3RK4/s320/IMG_20230521_074241018.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Batavia lettuce 210523</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7nvCtJa5bsW9K4CU671JJLKQd1IuJs24mmiTNLoD54-LaKsPyY9eYOFSG3D8Ko3VTzlU2ijuDnaYv-u9cAvsNYXf6K_osN-s3nhzHPau62x-bYIzfoKPn1sEkmqkYUchRcTkhsVcOHdTQfZvC-Q1IhUO5yT1NvSsi5wenu_dVv_JPYdUu4BvXDAGB1ug/s4000/IMG_20230523_112423874.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7nvCtJa5bsW9K4CU671JJLKQd1IuJs24mmiTNLoD54-LaKsPyY9eYOFSG3D8Ko3VTzlU2ijuDnaYv-u9cAvsNYXf6K_osN-s3nhzHPau62x-bYIzfoKPn1sEkmqkYUchRcTkhsVcOHdTQfZvC-Q1IhUO5yT1NvSsi5wenu_dVv_JPYdUu4BvXDAGB1ug/s320/IMG_20230523_112423874.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">1st crop! 18Jour radish</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixCJgwcMJLogT_F6_d0uSjztaZze2ybc8-V7wCqdiqEEiuOL-ynIux0Rk-3hKlp2urIdgGHSbejnfLeRG70halIejBLWqqWl1PuhKfkM-79-jhknQD0JSifeDlig7Y8LNmHdF9xjoovjbdC6ylewl7EQ-hJt7LVwJEPPDVerQgL5Uwsky9Xj9ijR6FTqI/s4000/IMG_20230603_203125339.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixCJgwcMJLogT_F6_d0uSjztaZze2ybc8-V7wCqdiqEEiuOL-ynIux0Rk-3hKlp2urIdgGHSbejnfLeRG70halIejBLWqqWl1PuhKfkM-79-jhknQD0JSifeDlig7Y8LNmHdF9xjoovjbdC6ylewl7EQ-hJt7LVwJEPPDVerQgL5Uwsky9Xj9ijR6FTqI/s320/IMG_20230603_203125339.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Front of house triangle bed sowed with common thyme</span></blockquote></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfIz9JkSmrbVOU7PsMJsDT0rQxc3FVAP86C0sKi4M_fMQeJsZzxawgYjANv0g0dq25HV6fbPzVcPUm1umTneMooMaEjsHziTqqFv0NwaN7NXx-gEt8BGH-AzkAE7hYZY8nucEkwp3bVquAzaJ0OH9mu3h0Ayv0I_JovE9WS3w06qb1IxC8upJEtnPffwo/s4000/IMG_20230618_173649243.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfIz9JkSmrbVOU7PsMJsDT0rQxc3FVAP86C0sKi4M_fMQeJsZzxawgYjANv0g0dq25HV6fbPzVcPUm1umTneMooMaEjsHziTqqFv0NwaN7NXx-gEt8BGH-AzkAE7hYZY8nucEkwp3bVquAzaJ0OH9mu3h0Ayv0I_JovE9WS3w06qb1IxC8upJEtnPffwo/s320/IMG_20230618_173649243.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">1st early potatoes from a pot sown by Toby 180623</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis2ZiqDovRBvwnVAvtYuJE_EIywPnFqTb78D6r5NEq7o1ObUWtUDsjBjE81tH9vJMI4CSUXuEuopJApzH-ghS-N3i7_NtuTqlrrHmILXlqmRmVOaNKh1YrZmaMUhSDueUX5wQ3Pa2I-WKm41uOiBkv0X6V2vbfvxnpAZ0zb1m5Y8zZck4yzoXlpr0xgSc/s4000/IMG_20230706_205613645.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis2ZiqDovRBvwnVAvtYuJE_EIywPnFqTb78D6r5NEq7o1ObUWtUDsjBjE81tH9vJMI4CSUXuEuopJApzH-ghS-N3i7_NtuTqlrrHmILXlqmRmVOaNKh1YrZmaMUhSDueUX5wQ3Pa2I-WKm41uOiBkv0X6V2vbfvxnpAZ0zb1m5Y8zZck4yzoXlpr0xgSc/s320/IMG_20230706_205613645.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Sunflower from bird seed holder!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw-LCwICbGCIBIYnmuvvEiETsSWMgLsGXPof2EIFFRTKxfh7wT05W_lCjaschYcwSjiToir6g7ZfWPqJzmiW18qny4IqdNP-cCCZjVhEIY2okFvsA6KAwP2jBN8L3x9ps-7dH5oMLuxR9FjGLhCEgAK9peKMF4eadFAeOJ1pfGNzRIpdjNA_HtAaCC-TQ/s4000/IMG_20230715_123302083.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw-LCwICbGCIBIYnmuvvEiETsSWMgLsGXPof2EIFFRTKxfh7wT05W_lCjaschYcwSjiToir6g7ZfWPqJzmiW18qny4IqdNP-cCCZjVhEIY2okFvsA6KAwP2jBN8L3x9ps-7dH5oMLuxR9FjGLhCEgAK9peKMF4eadFAeOJ1pfGNzRIpdjNA_HtAaCC-TQ/s320/IMG_20230715_123302083.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">1st tomatoes 150723</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p>Rodgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097835648909534615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4310657970182065579.post-18422878574712978932022-10-09T12:18:00.002+02:002022-10-09T12:18:31.847+02:005 Champeau de Bas<p> <span style="font-family: arial;"> So 6 Champeau de Bas is now in the past and I now move onto 5 Champeau de Bas and a different but smaller challange with more emphasis on flowers I suspect. I still intend to have a small veg patch but I think it will be for salad type stuff with a small potato patch to grown some new potatoes and a few tomatoes! We shall see!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmY_stGU9FFfkSZZHcDcO-wuBWmrFqiW-4hAu9Hf3BM6PzKLhUHaxKOmrsl7UXkcUIN7aNmXz84iveO4jsXNcekPq_ms67tjd2E8qBMuce0Dtvmz4tdsFIrF5K8DamB1yPhwBsBCTr7foi8m4w95pTJzLsPescLCZGx1WIkDp7pvXTwj8H3bd9Ebhv/s4000/001%20So%20it%20begins%20100922.jpg" imageanchor="1" referrerpolicy="origin" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmY_stGU9FFfkSZZHcDcO-wuBWmrFqiW-4hAu9Hf3BM6PzKLhUHaxKOmrsl7UXkcUIN7aNmXz84iveO4jsXNcekPq_ms67tjd2E8qBMuce0Dtvmz4tdsFIrF5K8DamB1yPhwBsBCTr7foi8m4w95pTJzLsPescLCZGx1WIkDp7pvXTwj8H3bd9Ebhv/s320/001%20So%20it%20begins%20100922.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The start 081022</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p>Rodgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097835648909534615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4310657970182065579.post-10843566471330567782022-09-18T16:01:00.002+02:002022-09-18T16:01:34.124+02:0012 years and now its over<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">Since the last blog entry on August 14th I have finished lifting the main crop potatoes, Desiree, with a reasonable crop some 54 kgs and total crop for this season of 87.5kgs. Not bad but definately smaller than previous years. That pretty much concludes my gardening exploits at Watermeadows. Ther might a cabbage to cut and a few carrots maybe before the new owners take charge on the 20th September 2022 but that is it. Onto a much different and much smaller garden and a blank canvas to work with. My aim is to grow some veg but probably just a few lettuce and maybe a cabbage or three but no over winter stuff. We will see. No chickens! It will be strange not to have ones own eggs.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> 34 eggs were laid up until the remaining four chickens went off to pastur</span><span style="font-family: arial;">es new.</span></p><p> <span style="font-family: arial;"> The next blog will be about the garden at 5 Champeau de Bas and that will probably be sometime in October.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> It has been fun and an experience!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgWiW9Bc5JozNptfLyVzUDcKOd7pNV8GyOVr62xuK-dq6kRgnugWwqC4tut68tj_nKfMOELadmMQKuUCpLwBPoaxzg5T7HqmIRV7Mhg0xfCDY8sOuYgDuEgxJqcL9-r_-PAbpkafHtVJjWNgf-dBtJK1B5SMFbmvqSvIny5Mwgg6k8jVD5F1K1J3jd/s2048/041%20Watermeadows%20210311.JPG" imageanchor="1" referrerpolicy="origin" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgWiW9Bc5JozNptfLyVzUDcKOd7pNV8GyOVr62xuK-dq6kRgnugWwqC4tut68tj_nKfMOELadmMQKuUCpLwBPoaxzg5T7HqmIRV7Mhg0xfCDY8sOuYgDuEgxJqcL9-r_-PAbpkafHtVJjWNgf-dBtJK1B5SMFbmvqSvIny5Mwgg6k8jVD5F1K1J3jd/s320/041%20Watermeadows%20210311.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Watermeadows March 2011</span><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p>Rodgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097835648909534615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4310657970182065579.post-13465064781949673782022-08-14T12:14:00.003+02:002022-08-14T12:14:39.859+02:00IT IS HOT!<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">Another week goes by and the weather has been hot hot hot! The ground is very dry and the grass, well , what grass? Even the weeds are starting to give up. My small sowing of sweet corn is struggling and I do not think there will be any. If maize is struggling, its hot and dry!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> Nothing done in the vegetable garden and or any part of the garden. Cut a cabbage, the last one, lifted a few AGATA potatoes and dug up a few carrots. </span></p><p> <span style="font-family: arial;">The chickens are not enjoying the hot weather but they have been laying a little better. Round about two eggs a day over the last seven days with only one day with one egg.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR7QBqOBRW4cRnhPTHehXaW1pI9YyUa2hDNmdm2qDDn-ncsHv_NNaiPLc9bm77KHjFSiH6uH-lsRd-96Z54EiLJB39OHgD7mgnhyVJyExt_7wOnlwIht-Mh4-bfgNV63rB-CEwp8TnYbxxR9a_f0aG2lTq_pbOjEvkwUG_hFydpzt0aixMgDIIKUkt/s4000/001%20Tabitha%20in%20the%20weeds%20120822.jpg" imageanchor="1" referrerpolicy="origin" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR7QBqOBRW4cRnhPTHehXaW1pI9YyUa2hDNmdm2qDDn-ncsHv_NNaiPLc9bm77KHjFSiH6uH-lsRd-96Z54EiLJB39OHgD7mgnhyVJyExt_7wOnlwIht-Mh4-bfgNV63rB-CEwp8TnYbxxR9a_f0aG2lTq_pbOjEvkwUG_hFydpzt0aixMgDIIKUkt/s320/001%20Tabitha%20in%20the%20weeds%20120822.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Someone enjoys the weeds...Tabitha Sophies cat</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p>Rodgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097835648909534615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4310657970182065579.post-47999494501412907012022-08-07T08:58:00.000+02:002022-08-07T08:58:03.518+02:00The garden still give<p> <span style="font-family: arial;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5HMSNgJsr9iPnG4sZFmBbE-rJoAoNHngVVvZVNTiOEfErw0y9hFlSCHskB0LdrjGmskvzMobllMLB3ktxwcoVl37FTO0nXQzbzP0qjn5dKR0IyVvhO-WWnqwVVAaPCuak3uqy-rIhvdHVKLLOy8mcYXhYyBEbJZMyERB3XUL6DQp1P8IGuXtz8K9Q/s1600/041%20Agata%20potatoes%20Touchon%20carrots%20Greyhound%20cabbage%20070822.jpg" imageanchor="1" referrerpolicy="origin" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5HMSNgJsr9iPnG4sZFmBbE-rJoAoNHngVVvZVNTiOEfErw0y9hFlSCHskB0LdrjGmskvzMobllMLB3ktxwcoVl37FTO0nXQzbzP0qjn5dKR0IyVvhO-WWnqwVVAaPCuak3uqy-rIhvdHVKLLOy8mcYXhYyBEbJZMyERB3XUL6DQp1P8IGuXtz8K9Q/s320/041%20Agata%20potatoes%20Touchon%20carrots%20Greyhound%20cabbage%20070822.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Agata spuds Grehound cabbage Touchon carrots</span></td></tr></tbody></table>Two weeks since the last blog. Agata </span><span style="font-family: arial;">potatoes lifted, the last pointy (this one a Greyhound) cabbage cut and some Touchon carrots dug up. The weeds continue to grow although they are showing signs of suffering from the lack of rain!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> Looks like my blog will be every two weeks rather than every week as my activity in the garden has dropped to next to nothing. I did manage to cut some hedging though! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> Egg laying is pathetic to say the least with maybe one a day if I am lucky. I lost another hen so now have four left. They are being kept shut in for their own safety. I am stopping putting the average daily lay in the blog as the egg count is so low.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> It is sad to see my veggie plots go to weeds but the priority is to my move and there is lots to do! I do wonder though with the drought we are now suffering as to how much whould have grown successfully this year.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p>Rodgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097835648909534615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4310657970182065579.post-45956153485199884612022-07-24T11:05:00.000+02:002022-07-24T11:05:06.048+02:00Stopped<p> <span style="font-family: arial;"> Well any work on the vegetable garden and the garden in general has pretty muched ceased. Some lifting of potatoes, watching out for Colorado beetle, cutting the odd cabbage and pulling a carrot or two is about the sum of my activities. The weeds and hedges are growing and I look at the grass thinking that I need to mow and I need to cut the hedges! My time is now spent on my move rather than the garden.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> I lost Mrs Brahma hen this last week. She has been off colour for a while and I think the heat finished her off. No real sign of any illness. Her comb was bright red and she was still getting about without any sign of effort. Chickens are very good at hiding any illness. So down to five hens now and the beggars are not laying! Average daily lay this last two weeks is 2.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> My field was mowed for the last time under my ownership and it was mowed rather than cut for hay. I did not need any bales and I guess the farmer did not either.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> This is how it is going to be over the next six weeks or so but I will have to spend a day cutting the hedges that is for sure.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWoDKVne4F46M5oOU76ynuFeOd48rlLo7kJvGZMvVDxjw30qsI-kFCedhjSj_I25uluF3-IwwV4wwyzXwLbP3__8oJvTpypl2Q7ZfE3UUvxBfqWGxSp4f5zOrsIImD3kS-IvSr9bUxCH6a_uRauXD_DlCbt_W521C1E3bpJRSKz1CdlFZuyPbrsPSK/s1600/015%20The%20field%20has%20been%20mowed%20200722.jpg" imageanchor="1" referrerpolicy="origin" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWoDKVne4F46M5oOU76ynuFeOd48rlLo7kJvGZMvVDxjw30qsI-kFCedhjSj_I25uluF3-IwwV4wwyzXwLbP3__8oJvTpypl2Q7ZfE3UUvxBfqWGxSp4f5zOrsIImD3kS-IvSr9bUxCH6a_uRauXD_DlCbt_W521C1E3bpJRSKz1CdlFZuyPbrsPSK/s320/015%20The%20field%20has%20been%20mowed%20200722.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Mowed field</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p>Rodgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097835648909534615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4310657970182065579.post-89928406651049708602022-07-12T10:01:00.005+02:002022-07-12T10:01:41.186+02:00Even less<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">This is late posting mainly due to there not being a lot to say about what has been going on in the garden mostly due to my sorting stuff out for my pending move.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> So, grass cut, cabbage cut and potatoes lifted. The odd onion pulled. Talking of which the onions are looking quite good! Weeds are growing well and I guess at some point I should try to remove some.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> I think the heat is hitting the chickens. Average daily lay this week was 2.4 eggs. A drop on last week and I suspect I have another broody hen!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIS9BfIPViAUf6sMmLJqhqMQIvfKS26hvzqDNigBkdEINmt1Cn_tKSCVIoIljF48x5o4HGQHZhnRxJdzdP5JT3HmsLNb3QPdJFVExeo8A_gat2kq4dlDtGOwKpWFzlNunWsTQTnFbVSlEfWK9Q7pXJta_kfahmivAermuScxDnToTxLJfIiJDDsDUX/s4000/010%20Harvest%20under%20way%20120722.jpg" imageanchor="1" referrerpolicy="origin" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIS9BfIPViAUf6sMmLJqhqMQIvfKS26hvzqDNigBkdEINmt1Cn_tKSCVIoIljF48x5o4HGQHZhnRxJdzdP5JT3HmsLNb3QPdJFVExeo8A_gat2kq4dlDtGOwKpWFzlNunWsTQTnFbVSlEfWK9Q7pXJta_kfahmivAermuScxDnToTxLJfIiJDDsDUX/s320/010%20Harvest%20under%20way%20120722.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Wheat harvest under way locally</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p>Rodgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097835648909534615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4310657970182065579.post-21139484308525458132022-07-03T13:23:00.001+02:002022-07-03T13:23:18.465+02:00Slowing down<p> <span style="font-family: arial;"> It is strange to be winding down my vegetable garden. After eleven years to nnow let it go and not be working the soil and not sowing and planting out and thinking of what to be doing for the autumn and winter.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> Over the last week I have mowed grass and lifted AGATA potatoes. Not that impressed with the AGATA potatoes. A reasonable amount of potatoes per plant but on the large size and that is not what I want from a first early potato! The weeds are growing well and I need to harvest my shallots which because of the weather have finished growing rather early this year. Too hot and dry at the wrong time! Onions are now benefiting from the latest bout of rain and I am hopeful for a decent crop. My two rows of carrots planted early in the year are giving me a decent number of roots, certainly for the amount I need. Parsnips are a complete waste of time most of which have gone to seed. The golden batam sweet corn is looking good and as I have probably said before sweet corn is tolerante of a hot dry spell. </span></p><p> <span style="font-family: arial;">So just to put some gardening stuff in this weeks blog I have included some work done on Sunday 3rd July. Usually my blog week goes from Sunday to Saturday. So on Sunday I decided it was time to tackle some of the weeds. Summer cabbage, onion and a potato patch cleared. To my dismay I discovered Colorado beetle on my main crop Desiree potatoes so now it will be a daily check for beetles and eggs and no doubt squishing of said beetles and eggs! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> Egg production up this week. Average of four eggs a day. I have decided to let them out to room the garden with hope that they may eat some of the Colorado beetles (some hope that is! Lol!).</span></p><p><br /></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipAQt-CTzLDIKsQ5sR95Mzlq33I-__ytGrPXyMGx4f2dWsxy43IDAKedd7um9nAv29DT916Az4p0g8Cfa8k4CzdroL1P1E0LMgVgyYgtDtVU81VMuEjpYjlWLY-qfyFzqB767zZylUFH2b8Md033HTO4qiB3eTlJpOEygTeRP_qigtBDTpPVJosxiZ/s4000/036%20Summer%20cabbage%20before%20weeding%20030722.jpg" imageanchor="1" referrerpolicy="origin" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipAQt-CTzLDIKsQ5sR95Mzlq33I-__ytGrPXyMGx4f2dWsxy43IDAKedd7um9nAv29DT916Az4p0g8Cfa8k4CzdroL1P1E0LMgVgyYgtDtVU81VMuEjpYjlWLY-qfyFzqB767zZylUFH2b8Md033HTO4qiB3eTlJpOEygTeRP_qigtBDTpPVJosxiZ/s320/036%20Summer%20cabbage%20before%20weeding%20030722.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cabbage before weeding</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJdWU1tLYwJSJ39FmPJQvUwnuq0gSGqJd-4Ia1vkGNja8xBQNex5uX4Pgckr5xp7j-vFk2S4PoJjvYDaav8Ljuh43ETiIaqYl3_UfVRTpD9NkMao0UdoQrJDWB6XV3OovzdCv4yGznaAXQie5gMHxEGQ3sXYUP_8F5SOyRGtbgFiLptJXOXSI4XXnW/s4000/037%20Summer%20cabbage%20after%20weeding%20with%20helper%20030722.jpg" imageanchor="1" referrerpolicy="origin" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJdWU1tLYwJSJ39FmPJQvUwnuq0gSGqJd-4Ia1vkGNja8xBQNex5uX4Pgckr5xp7j-vFk2S4PoJjvYDaav8Ljuh43ETiIaqYl3_UfVRTpD9NkMao0UdoQrJDWB6XV3OovzdCv4yGznaAXQie5gMHxEGQ3sXYUP_8F5SOyRGtbgFiLptJXOXSI4XXnW/s320/037%20Summer%20cabbage%20after%20weeding%20with%20helper%20030722.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Cabbage after weeding<br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiie9hy950UjHdOGennXFvcs4wWvW0C90EQUOOxYjRw4PXvCz1aw3FDD5Lfm6C0aufj-qJkbAsmva5f3ShaPB3eq0krIoniq7_kuc_HoRVDkEwJY8yhw_7xwg7waOewJOqYgEOiIhs-PIRveLRuoFBLkvEOTGk69Q6IgGO9OssIWZyrjg55B-YT9qw/s4000/038%20Onions%20before%20weeding%20030722.jpg" imageanchor="1" referrerpolicy="origin" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiie9hy950UjHdOGennXFvcs4wWvW0C90EQUOOxYjRw4PXvCz1aw3FDD5Lfm6C0aufj-qJkbAsmva5f3ShaPB3eq0krIoniq7_kuc_HoRVDkEwJY8yhw_7xwg7waOewJOqYgEOiIhs-PIRveLRuoFBLkvEOTGk69Q6IgGO9OssIWZyrjg55B-YT9qw/s320/038%20Onions%20before%20weeding%20030722.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Onions before weeding<br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR-s9r0T8MyYuxX6ZDt9Km-uB9MNGA_J1g6Z3fMD9Nd3GV0Rfh8mYUp6Jg2i-0JRJGfCBBDrLN4zcUJ9dF-zFIWsw21UnA9-ifdrI1UuUW5nXFLInAmeSD_kWyVKlFjNdM5PPt-G04f9xM3sQP2dwZB5-85lo7IrjNLlGXvyHWjMaSt3uRIbrNfPt6/s4000/039%20Onions%20after%20weeding%20030722.jpg" imageanchor="1" referrerpolicy="origin" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR-s9r0T8MyYuxX6ZDt9Km-uB9MNGA_J1g6Z3fMD9Nd3GV0Rfh8mYUp6Jg2i-0JRJGfCBBDrLN4zcUJ9dF-zFIWsw21UnA9-ifdrI1UuUW5nXFLInAmeSD_kWyVKlFjNdM5PPt-G04f9xM3sQP2dwZB5-85lo7IrjNLlGXvyHWjMaSt3uRIbrNfPt6/s320/039%20Onions%20after%20weeding%20030722.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Onions after weeding</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p>Rodgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097835648909534615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4310657970182065579.post-16371738150035636882022-06-26T19:33:00.002+02:002022-06-26T19:33:23.408+02:00Rain, glorious rain...<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">Ok, you can have too much of a good thing. Too much sun, too much rain! Man! No a lot achieved. It has been a damp to wet week. Lifted some Agata first earlies. So far not impressed with this variety and if I were planting next year I would not bother with these. Good ole Touchon carrots are producing again. I love this old varity and have had success over multiple years. Cut off the broad been stalks. Left the roots to so as to fix nitrogen in the soil from them. Violet garlic lifted. Poor crop but at least some! Elephant garlic has been a disappointment with most going to seed and the rest not producing any sort of Elephant garlic at all! Did some tidying up of the chicken run area. The forsythia as usual was trying its take over bit along with the lemon balm. Looks like it is going to be a damp week so very likely not a lot will get done.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> Chickens are not laying well and the suspect of all things is Wilba the cat!! Empty egg found on the drive way of my daughter house. The egg split neatly in halve and the contents devoured! Never would have thought a cat would eat an egg. Well an average of 2.9 eggs a day this last week up on last but still not as good as it should be.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM5mrw9WZU_dbvVXfdxaty-6rwV1MGLugJ5xQV0DyIBQwmtsTOxtMvUcSKTvaAUu2oNbw4P8DxGasmZmJ_zK_zZj7pGKC2D1wY3CBjBPk4mCHQO-cGI2qZfK1Ejzjd5L3aOAWmgJtj3EhLFLoP-TfVUWXzYXUvaazO4Gk8Sll09wfAZ8q7XarL6dNI/s4096/052%20Engine%20Austerlitz%20station%20250622.jpg" imageanchor="1" referrerpolicy="origin" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM5mrw9WZU_dbvVXfdxaty-6rwV1MGLugJ5xQV0DyIBQwmtsTOxtMvUcSKTvaAUu2oNbw4P8DxGasmZmJ_zK_zZj7pGKC2D1wY3CBjBPk4mCHQO-cGI2qZfK1Ejzjd5L3aOAWmgJtj3EhLFLoP-TfVUWXzYXUvaazO4Gk8Sll09wfAZ8q7XarL6dNI/s320/052%20Engine%20Austerlitz%20station%20250622.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">No, it is not in the garden HONEST!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p>Rodgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097835648909534615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4310657970182065579.post-2168015191877905962022-06-19T09:51:00.002+02:002022-06-19T09:59:53.700+02:00Yes more sun<p> <span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Vegetable gardening can be a fickle thing. You can go from success to failure in such a short time. Over my time here in la Creuse I have had successes and failures and I have had tremendous fun trying to grow unusual veg and trying out things like Hugelkultur and no dig beds. This year is one of failure I fear. Grass mowing, vine pruning and new potato lifting done this last week. The grass is brown and I was really just mowing off the weeds. A good start to the year with warmth and rain and an early planting out of lettuce was sucessful. Summer cabbage plants also planted out and fingers crossed I may get something from them.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> Now the sun is beating down at very high temperatures. I have lost my squash, pumpkins, tomatoes and cucumber plants despite watering. Water melon plants are small and as I will have more than likely have moved by the time they produce I doubt if I will bother to plant them out. A very poor germination rate of beetroot and other seeds. Parsnips have gone to seed more so than usual and the shallots have already died back and are very small. Onions are small but are hanging in there but I am not expecting great things. Even the garlic has been poor. Success was had with over winter broad beans but the early sowing of peas was not a great success. On the upside strawberries have been good and it looks like I will get a decent potato crop. Not as large as last year but still decent. The sweet corn is going well and maize is a little more drought tolerant I think. Early sowing of carrots are at least giving a crop that can be pulled. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> The hens do not enjoy hot weather. Egg production over the last week has been poor with an average of 2.1 eggs per day. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> So as the days go by I have to start to wind down my veg garden as the day draws closer to calling it a day on my time at Watermeadows.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYf7MobdGnVIA80xAdsE9hK7W26Q5kYY0dI9GRDxZTkAZlq9-cd55CkMaKsObhradMO5ruFDjUa5Rl1e2eYh6sRKqXOJkAaYglutiGMgrfRy7ow5Po7a-MW4cYNvWiSAAerSXeS0hAHMxPky_hYkvv-FLeeKMHl4f_l0jVe1kN6NUl62ZIwKE0dqDE/s4096/IMG_20220614_074602528_HDR.jpg" referrerpolicy="origin" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYf7MobdGnVIA80xAdsE9hK7W26Q5kYY0dI9GRDxZTkAZlq9-cd55CkMaKsObhradMO5ruFDjUa5Rl1e2eYh6sRKqXOJkAaYglutiGMgrfRy7ow5Po7a-MW4cYNvWiSAAerSXeS0hAHMxPky_hYkvv-FLeeKMHl4f_l0jVe1kN6NUl62ZIwKE0dqDE/s320/IMG_20220614_074602528_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Wilba cat on the poly tunnel roof!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>Rodgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097835648909534615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4310657970182065579.post-73815926446991889412022-05-29T11:07:00.003+02:002022-06-19T09:55:40.405+02:00SUN, more SUN, yet more SUN<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">When it rains one wants sun, when its sunny one wants rain! Such is the desires of a gardener! Lol! Lots of sun in la Creuse at the moment. There was a thunder and lightening storm with hail stones this last week but it missed us and there was just a few patters of rain. Not enough to make any difference or fill up the water butts!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzobJH3JNMJVTqctoBzz6av2Xc_OltmuverjDcu5LTlXauM_SdmEkfG-sOrFCvDJtZmIdozG4DPlfikv2yFJ09m5QwWQgmyYVYwYIPP5WNLCkHUIskKRSWSm4pVzFzcptA5hHcgKAn_Ze5N6LcR3JMt4wZag1YXamVVYA7tTzU4VG0HguvcjTJibAb/s4096/035%20Alouette%20second%20early%20potatoes%20260522.jpg" referrerpolicy="origin" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzobJH3JNMJVTqctoBzz6av2Xc_OltmuverjDcu5LTlXauM_SdmEkfG-sOrFCvDJtZmIdozG4DPlfikv2yFJ09m5QwWQgmyYVYwYIPP5WNLCkHUIskKRSWSm4pVzFzcptA5hHcgKAn_Ze5N6LcR3JMt4wZag1YXamVVYA7tTzU4VG0HguvcjTJibAb/s320/035%20Alouette%20second%20early%20potatoes%20260522.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alouette 1st early potatoes</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipJDZw0JkMvGXz4GpUjtJ4i6_VLAiWC6v-8yQiy2rjF-QFundfHbDuWr2QCkSICzI5MoAOGGu8NZ1hNJhVzqK1V6kyUGsenf6f5F6pN8HvBFlXcGxYpgtk2iVA3ykgcFHdmwAjmXK4XRqOoiWYp8jNRbEmxNBCRwY1CQ8-0w7thVQrUP3Odd6iHtka/s4096/034%20Stridolo%20Sculpit%20Silene%20Inflata%20herb%20230522.jpg" referrerpolicy="origin" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipJDZw0JkMvGXz4GpUjtJ4i6_VLAiWC6v-8yQiy2rjF-QFundfHbDuWr2QCkSICzI5MoAOGGu8NZ1hNJhVzqK1V6kyUGsenf6f5F6pN8HvBFlXcGxYpgtk2iVA3ykgcFHdmwAjmXK4XRqOoiWYp8jNRbEmxNBCRwY1CQ8-0w7thVQrUP3Odd6iHtka/s320/034%20Stridolo%20Sculpit%20Silene%20Inflata%20herb%20230522.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Italian herb Stridolo Sculpit Silene Inflata</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0MYsApOCuB49ZqS07FNOF7Ccb4AJ8qgzn8DgiU_LrLc_EgeB7RMbFWPAPTbDfnOIiSSdhE7b3ceXeVbqUKy43FYN6O2RPotlYNa5c5t9_PdDVfwVTftRk9qVC9TjrE_LWNm2lH8Vbaj_GF2BhPfKu5epRzXb_Ts-wM0q-LAGeo2_FzDruzNYj64tU/s4096/033%20First%20picked%20broad%20beans%20220522.jpg" referrerpolicy="origin" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0MYsApOCuB49ZqS07FNOF7Ccb4AJ8qgzn8DgiU_LrLc_EgeB7RMbFWPAPTbDfnOIiSSdhE7b3ceXeVbqUKy43FYN6O2RPotlYNa5c5t9_PdDVfwVTftRk9qVC9TjrE_LWNm2lH8Vbaj_GF2BhPfKu5epRzXb_Ts-wM0q-LAGeo2_FzDruzNYj64tU/s320/033%20First%20picked%20broad%20beans%20220522.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First pick of Aquadulce broad beans</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> It has been a busy week! Dug up some BF-15 and Desiree "volunteer" potatoes which means that I have not bought potatoes for over a year! First time ever! Finally got round to weeding the poly tunnel and transplanted some beetroot that had self seeded. Lots of weeding done this week in an effort to overtake the rapid growth of stuff! Hopefully weeds and grass will now slow down with the onset of the sunnier weather. Gone to seed lettuce pulled and given to the chickens. The first broad beans picked. Some Hopi cabbage grown from seed transplanted to the brassica bed. Butternut squash seedlings translanted but I fear that the sun will kill them off. We will see. Picked around three quarters of a kilo of Mari de Bois strawberries and transplanted some Suyo Long cucumbers to an outside the poly tunnel bed.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> Two hens have gone broody which means my daily egg production has dropped by fifty per cent! No point in them trying to hatch eggs as I no longer have a cockeral! Daily average of 2.85 eggs a day.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p>Rodgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097835648909534615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4310657970182065579.post-83251874870793621392022-05-22T12:19:00.006+02:002022-05-22T12:20:57.319+02:00FORK AND WEEK FORK AND WEED<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">Lots of forking and weeding this last week. Trying to get ground ready for transplanting butternut squash and cucumbers. Maybe wishing for sunshine was not a good idea as daily temperatures have been on the high side. Of course the usual mowing of grass! Produce has started to be picked and pulled. Lettuce, first lot of broad beans and some "volunteer" potatoes (Desiree and BF-15). These are potatoes grown from ones I failed to dig up last year. Not unusual to get a few but I must have missed quite a few from what I can see coming up in the previous years potato plots!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> Chickens are being chickens. Unfortunately I have lost my cockerel and a hen to probably a fox. The remaining hens are being kept shut up for now. They are not impressed. Average daily lay of 5.4, slightly down on last week.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD7Sn9yAPizl70OINNiELJMBk7D6qa3UxkdfFEBdTS8BQEvAN1oqtYYs5WfhrnvxOWh5IRBMufcxScRXyzVJ96--hcu9jFR41JogA3AD7ftdJJUKsbbmTy8m_2WplPEQYaogVUs3-qxBz8rfCwEVNdCsnuO61xwXggOiC7k-NmCLFetdgYKgFHZA04/s4096/005%20Bees%20gathering%20pollen%20from%20onions%20170522.jpg" referrerpolicy="origin" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD7Sn9yAPizl70OINNiELJMBk7D6qa3UxkdfFEBdTS8BQEvAN1oqtYYs5WfhrnvxOWh5IRBMufcxScRXyzVJ96--hcu9jFR41JogA3AD7ftdJJUKsbbmTy8m_2WplPEQYaogVUs3-qxBz8rfCwEVNdCsnuO61xwXggOiC7k-NmCLFetdgYKgFHZA04/s320/005%20Bees%20gathering%20pollen%20from%20onions%20170522.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Flowering onions with bees</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPsZBQlNEjYh5Y-tmLDWK6QW3E1-fYRQosNBx0VqKWfzQEWWPyovlz8-cqA81fCxwUS1ujx2Koa8ZkTMrGCzDD_PfV_guy1NwDd4iNf9PTUA_VyZnee_txIzCtHeQNZo30HW-pvcmAaAPy5bzvCb4fuAYHujBDo-23gvHPUv5O7SQkJQBe3lcIaLm7/s4096/033%20First%20picked%20broad%20beans%20220522.jpg" referrerpolicy="origin" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPsZBQlNEjYh5Y-tmLDWK6QW3E1-fYRQosNBx0VqKWfzQEWWPyovlz8-cqA81fCxwUS1ujx2Koa8ZkTMrGCzDD_PfV_guy1NwDd4iNf9PTUA_VyZnee_txIzCtHeQNZo30HW-pvcmAaAPy5bzvCb4fuAYHujBDo-23gvHPUv5O7SQkJQBe3lcIaLm7/s320/033%20First%20picked%20broad%20beans%20220522.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">First pick of broad beans</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p>Rodgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097835648909534615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4310657970182065579.post-23715026545352960912022-05-15T11:18:00.001+02:002022-05-15T11:18:21.121+02:00Somtimes one wishes come true<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">Yep, my blog title last week was "Give me sunshine" and sure enough the sun has shone all week and the temperature has crepted up as the week as progressed.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd2n-TDkqynb-WZF4mKJOrGSOLZMu0xxvA1k85L0Zic4cCxrOEor57dNCT9v8p68tusXaAl5JZDrgsyMRQZN5Ee4LNLQ6WURvNE55Udj6ZeoV5wADNXZdp9KAaXCmm7OkwFAOSvuFL-qCDX_Wf7C_Mx0HEeM0XkREPN1csQ7PcjsTuky_2iq9DZUbR/s4096/032%20First%20broad%20beans%20120522.jpg" imageanchor="1" referrerpolicy="origin" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd2n-TDkqynb-WZF4mKJOrGSOLZMu0xxvA1k85L0Zic4cCxrOEor57dNCT9v8p68tusXaAl5JZDrgsyMRQZN5Ee4LNLQ6WURvNE55Udj6ZeoV5wADNXZdp9KAaXCmm7OkwFAOSvuFL-qCDX_Wf7C_Mx0HEeM0XkREPN1csQ7PcjsTuky_2iq9DZUbR/s320/032%20First%20broad%20beans%20120522.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Broad beans coming along</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj1ech4ZKY3NV7wSdApr7mmC2FKE8Z1uAGHcpOHkDGp_eHEjeYBt4mx5YChiRQ4nOnkXW71gcxy6xXoJ6WX_eTdARwGxGTa6AC2SYpjpeMB8FUVj9FwXrGr10eT2OE-rSB1H-GcEVuwJReQUo6UjyOgDuWGlTwyt2yP3y7cBoHDMc8INhybRqPdTaA/s4096/030%20Weeded%20and%20remulched%20strawberry%20plot%20110522.jpg" imageanchor="1" referrerpolicy="origin" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj1ech4ZKY3NV7wSdApr7mmC2FKE8Z1uAGHcpOHkDGp_eHEjeYBt4mx5YChiRQ4nOnkXW71gcxy6xXoJ6WX_eTdARwGxGTa6AC2SYpjpeMB8FUVj9FwXrGr10eT2OE-rSB1H-GcEVuwJReQUo6UjyOgDuWGlTwyt2yP3y7cBoHDMc8INhybRqPdTaA/w240-h300/030%20Weeded%20and%20remulched%20strawberry%20plot%20110522.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Weeded and remulched strawberry bed</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> So it has been a busy week getting the outside garden looking at least tidy. With my house now on the market I need to try to make it look attractive! So, clearing weeds etc at the front of the house and around my well, mowing grass (never ends this time of year!) and clearing brambles and mowing a path to get access to the river done. One major job done which was to weed and remulch the strawberry bed. Lots of flowers so I am hopeful for some strawberries at some point. I did pull a couple of lettuces from the poly tunnel! The radish sown in the poly tunnel look very poor unfortunately. I am not starting to get concerned over the lack of rain and the forecast does not look good. Still, plenty of work to do particularly getting the plot ready for the butternut squash plants.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> Chickens are doing well and I guess they are enjoying the sun and of course the longer day light hours. An average of six eggs a day this last week, up on last week. I have 10 laying hens so most days I am getting 7 eggs.</span></p>Rodgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097835648909534615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4310657970182065579.post-61660437185441313532022-05-08T09:22:00.002+02:002022-05-08T09:22:50.776+02:00Give me sunshine<p> <span style="font-family: arial;"> The sun has been out a lot this last week. Very pleasent temperatures and quite nice riding around mowing grass!!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> Despite spending a lot ot time mowing grass a number of other jobs have been completed. Golden Bantam sweet corn sown in an outside the poly tunnel plot but they could do with some rain. Tomato plants transplanted and to be honest they are not up to much at the moment but hey given time, given time. Given the rise in temperature and that shinning thing in the sky making a daily appearance I have sowed Blacktail Mountain water melon and 5 Dessert melon seeds in pots and placed in the poly tunnel fleece cloche. Hopefully the temperature will remain high enough in the poly tunnel to germinate them. Also sown in pots two new varities of cucumber, Suyo Long and Tamra (a rare heritage variety so I am going to take good care of these and try to make sure I get some seed) and the good old stand by Marketmore. First lettuce of the season pulled and asparagus spurs cut. Early and second early spuds are up but no sign of beans on the broad bean plants yet. Plenty of work to do!!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> Chickens are being chickens being throughly spoilt with handfuls of black sunflower seeds. Average daily egg production is up, 4.6 per day and a couple of days of seven per day (I have ten laying hens). </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix3VVkeGhv3qiICG13eKAIXhjclMZKQVi0CMvmxrl0jxYTadTZKrCJzZIX8DJut3WPNnhQj9oOPJEgc3u5YabwZV3IVteBJ6xOz1cFaID9f2CuPCxgNbfrax7SMJb_MDygejsZyEB70mO1nDl65ujCR0jbcabTjAt17UHk5bM4NJX21rU8sbHRE8ZT/s4096/001%20Asparagus,%20toast%20and%20boiled%20egg%20for%20breakfast%20010522.jpg" referrerpolicy="origin" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix3VVkeGhv3qiICG13eKAIXhjclMZKQVi0CMvmxrl0jxYTadTZKrCJzZIX8DJut3WPNnhQj9oOPJEgc3u5YabwZV3IVteBJ6xOz1cFaID9f2CuPCxgNbfrax7SMJb_MDygejsZyEB70mO1nDl65ujCR0jbcabTjAt17UHk5bM4NJX21rU8sbHRE8ZT/s320/001%20Asparagus,%20toast%20and%20boiled%20egg%20for%20breakfast%20010522.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">First asparagus spurs with toast and boiled egg.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p>Rodgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097835648909534615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4310657970182065579.post-55719970777844229972022-05-01T10:22:00.003+02:002022-05-01T10:27:13.567+02:00Yes you know<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">Yes more grass mowing. Seems to never end. Hey ho! More seeds sown in pots and put into the poly tunnel - Giant Pacific Pumpkin and Champ Waltham butternut squash. Some 2021 carrots pulled and they are still quite edible. Large Hugelkultur bed weeded and restored after the chickens decided they wanted to try to flatten it! Outside the poly tunnel lettuce plants look established and there are lots of flowers on the strawberries. Bought some Chou Cabus Pointu Poet (a pointy headed cabbage) to try to get some early summer cabbage and planted those out in the brassica bed. I have removed the cloches from my early sown carrots and have been surprised and please with the results.</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKDkuZ7kbcsHu3k0t5n3upCyEriZZygV8SOEAF6Qxk0eG6YjST48wGw1vOpsCzY3G--umRL0uf9Rg1ft8AZlv2G8ji7j7-0ToSXHAgFMywKDth2hs12UvLFAB0FWnz3MwGS-6lgY4xW9ZFuYmQlqckfPkAEBsBiwrHoJLW3f1I5VZWEI9zffvlQbja/s4096/025%20Touchon%20carrots%20two%20rows%20300422.jpg" referrerpolicy="origin" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKDkuZ7kbcsHu3k0t5n3upCyEriZZygV8SOEAF6Qxk0eG6YjST48wGw1vOpsCzY3G--umRL0uf9Rg1ft8AZlv2G8ji7j7-0ToSXHAgFMywKDth2hs12UvLFAB0FWnz3MwGS-6lgY4xW9ZFuYmQlqckfPkAEBsBiwrHoJLW3f1I5VZWEI9zffvlQbja/s320/025%20Touchon%20carrots%20two%20rows%20300422.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Touchon carrots </span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <span style="font-family: arial;">The chickens have been gathered together in the main coop more for their own safety than anything and kept in for a few days to reset their little brains! Got to the point where the cockeral and a couple hens decided the garden looked a better bet and started to escape so I had to let them all out. Fortunately it was a few days after they had been shut in. Dailyu average of 3.9 eggs this week down on last.</span><br /><p></p><p> <span style="font-family: arial;">1st May Sunday breakfast consisted of freshly cut asparagus, first of the season, brown buttered toast cut into fingers and a cup of tea! Was rather good.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8zjDnzy8VPfTo6IxVogSNjQX2MuerZSdQPKihmbd0OiWFtglgMiTvBTW07EAt6KJZ-7Gr9txonAR5EFickip1QUQo1Z6UHxganpF3J9-EnGi5oDDxtxJt0X1AAKOTXDv_-jEwvy5KYk507aOO80_XNjss-1etCB0aZZx67d14JR_ZBITalDpk83Qn/s4096/001%20Asparagus,%20toast%20and%20boiled%20egg%20for%20breakfast%20010522.jpg" referrerpolicy="origin" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8zjDnzy8VPfTo6IxVogSNjQX2MuerZSdQPKihmbd0OiWFtglgMiTvBTW07EAt6KJZ-7Gr9txonAR5EFickip1QUQo1Z6UHxganpF3J9-EnGi5oDDxtxJt0X1AAKOTXDv_-jEwvy5KYk507aOO80_XNjss-1etCB0aZZx67d14JR_ZBITalDpk83Qn/s320/001%20Asparagus,%20toast%20and%20boiled%20egg%20for%20breakfast%20010522.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p>Rodgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097835648909534615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4310657970182065579.post-85666353704431750702022-04-24T09:11:00.000+02:002022-04-24T09:11:42.817+02:00Grass, flipping grass!<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">This time of year the grass along with the weeds grow very fast indeed! Grass cutting is currently about every six days (if I am lucky!) so pretty much once a week. This will carry on until it gets a lot warmer.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> In the veg garden it has been a busy week. Forking and weeding, trimming bed edges. Sowed Ciboulail (spring onion type), Great Lakes lettuce in the old seed bed, sowed caulifower Merville, Greyhound, Hope and Milan cabbage in the new seed bed. Some beetroot popped up in the poly tunnel so they have been transplanted. A couple of Gardeners Delight tomato plants made the the effort to germinate in the propagator and have been transplanted to pots. They are a little "weedy" but hey one has to try. The last of the Desiree main crop potatoes have been planted. First earlies have started to show. Some leeks dug up, just a few left now and they need to be dug up before long or they will just go to seed. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> Annual bonfire has been lit and not everything I would have liked to have burnt has been but I had to get it done while it was dry and before the end of the month. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> Lost another chicken to probably a fox so all birds consolidated into the main coop and they will be kept in for a few days. Main coop clean out. Average of 4.28 eggs per day this last week a drop on the previous week but not surprising if a fox has been stalking them. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> Next week I will be starting to sow the squashes and melons. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQH07rP6r7WM7ouiqHOJZiiK4SIqczK4vKhl6ZQVGP0E3rMtqGmKSqf7uHrmMOxcr6KrbKHsSmtI01nzS5jrt1rY72fQTv0sap_NyzI2xR65KvxzwcIPIBOvHg7-orUjKsrnAOaborYHh4NLnUpCAUoDV4k5VqmWcSYhJwXYscwHjOzvxMVerVVSA4/s4096/023%20Lettuce%20in%20the%20poly%20tunnel%20220422.jpg" referrerpolicy="origin" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQH07rP6r7WM7ouiqHOJZiiK4SIqczK4vKhl6ZQVGP0E3rMtqGmKSqf7uHrmMOxcr6KrbKHsSmtI01nzS5jrt1rY72fQTv0sap_NyzI2xR65KvxzwcIPIBOvHg7-orUjKsrnAOaborYHh4NLnUpCAUoDV4k5VqmWcSYhJwXYscwHjOzvxMVerVVSA4/s320/023%20Lettuce%20in%20the%20poly%20tunnel%20220422.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Poly tunnel spring lettuce </span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p>Rodgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097835648909534615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4310657970182065579.post-47830609657466395312022-04-17T09:06:00.001+02:002022-04-17T09:06:31.740+02:00Busy busy busy<p> <span style="font-family: arial;"> The weather has been good with sunshine and the temperature getting to 20C. Off course this means three things. 1. The grass grows rapidly, 2. the weeds grow rapidly, 3. there is a hurry to get stuff into the warming up ground! So, grass mowing, forking and weeding and sowing/planting has been the order of the week.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> I have weeded my small asparagus bed but I fear that the crowns have died. No sign of asparagus yet and I would have expected to see some by now. One never knows and maybe there might be a crown or two still alive. Most of the seed potatoes are now planted with just a handful to find a space somewhere. Being inspired by a reply to a post in the Gardening in France group on Facebook I have constructed a Stout bed and planted with Desiree potatoes. I happened to have a lot of hay which is only good for mulching. A Stout bed is just another form of a no dig bed just happened to be made up of hay although one can add other organic matter. The bed is a foot high and the potatoes are planted on top of an eight inch layer of hay and another four inches of hay put on top of them. I was not aware that we only plant potatoes in trenches to stop them from going green.</span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNz-kNP5k9SnLM9-5YPxhtFCSaViNZCg0xKrFXluFMYlCC5GTgOx7WBtlY3S6o0cJCEVkdVT6SaPzlBphsAzcZrLJMEdmfDVV7A8NZJI6P1zA8xUi1RXVWkcP27I8wKQlDPWrQhiE_s83DuyxsiIL0pyY1PngRXUJ6eyFEnY6pc1_css47bw1DQs96/s4096/023%20STOUT%20bed%202022%20experiment%20150422.jpg" imageanchor="1" referrerpolicy="origin" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNz-kNP5k9SnLM9-5YPxhtFCSaViNZCg0xKrFXluFMYlCC5GTgOx7WBtlY3S6o0cJCEVkdVT6SaPzlBphsAzcZrLJMEdmfDVV7A8NZJI6P1zA8xUi1RXVWkcP27I8wKQlDPWrQhiE_s83DuyxsiIL0pyY1PngRXUJ6eyFEnY6pc1_css47bw1DQs96/s320/023%20STOUT%20bed%202022%20experiment%20150422.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Stout bed<br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table> <span style="font-family: arial;">My first row of Touchon carrots are up and I have sown row number two. Onions and shallots are growing well along with broad beans which have flowers on them. I bought another lot of early lettuce plants and have planted some in my new no dig bed outside the poly tunnel. Taking a chance as there could still be frosts till the middle of May but these are spring lettuce so will be a little hardier. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> No doubt the grass will need mowing again before the week is out but I have a bonfire to light and deal with and there are seeds that I need to sow. It will no doubt, weather permitting, be another busy week ahead.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> I lost one of my cockerals this week to probably a fox so that just leaves one. Daily average of 5.28 eggs this week in line with last weeks total. I have eleven hens but only five or six eggs a day? Umm. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br /></span></p>Rodgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097835648909534615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4310657970182065579.post-61371072060788024282022-04-10T08:58:00.000+02:002022-04-10T08:58:03.646+02:00Spuds, spuds and more spuds<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">What can I say? Lot of time dodging rain showers planting the Aoluette second early potatoes. Almost done. I have about a dozen seed potatoes to plant and then its on to the main crop, Desiree. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> Some carrots dug up. There still are some more but they are showing signs of starting to grow. More forking and weeding of the major plot that the main crop potatoes will go in,however, I have been reading about another method of no dig to plant potatoes in. It involves a lot hay which as it happens I have a lot of. So todays thinking is to try this method out and see what results I get. Seed sowing has started with some 18Jour radish sown in the poly tunnel and mixed sweet peppers and tomatoes sown into propagator modules. No sign of germination with the tomato seed sown in seed trays in the fleece clouche in the poly tunnel. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> The weather has been awful at times with high winds and torrential rain. Much to my surprise the ground has been workable (Well, mostly. Found a bit that was pretty much liquid mud!). Also some frost just to let me know that winter is not quite out but the general temperature is on the rise!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> Chickens are being chickens and being a menace scratching around wherever I dig or fork. The broody hen is still sticking to her eggs despite loosing the first batch. 5.29 daily average this last week. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwbUIoBOu1SNoiWnfYPAlZZvEgLerczRdj86KVA44oR5Ufpkc8h4tsEdSvS1ktyUvFnHnOdu6__ZBNuWmJPZOXMLt0RgU0QGbxSSxuVOaEWoCuqjMh-tl0QVyWQFClNPH0rx2HMyyx8ZTPfbxxfpfr2i9r74Bqy8ZY1yfalQ38CmS2f_Gk0B4eMQQ3/s4096/021%20Forking%20and%20weeding%20a%20plot%20050422.jpg" referrerpolicy="origin" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwbUIoBOu1SNoiWnfYPAlZZvEgLerczRdj86KVA44oR5Ufpkc8h4tsEdSvS1ktyUvFnHnOdu6__ZBNuWmJPZOXMLt0RgU0QGbxSSxuVOaEWoCuqjMh-tl0QVyWQFClNPH0rx2HMyyx8ZTPfbxxfpfr2i9r74Bqy8ZY1yfalQ38CmS2f_Gk0B4eMQQ3/s320/021%20Forking%20and%20weeding%20a%20plot%20050422.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Never ending forking and weeding</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p>Rodgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097835648909534615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4310657970182065579.post-22515655156779208452022-04-03T12:58:00.000+02:002022-04-03T12:58:08.664+02:00EARLIES IN!<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">On my return from the UK I have been busy mowing grass before it snowed and rained and getting my early potatoes, variety AGATA, in. Despite the rain and snow the ground has been good enough to dig a trench to plant spuds! Second earlies and main crop to go! Dug up some leeks and some carrots. </span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzdaP9MS7VVGw5KRTJ2A9fUJqc9PbeJzUlMCbUsuCWex3nNTUJppSlmGYXfbhxyadgN7-SX42ubt9oL6NrjhVWx15ujV2Lm3WM03WWWQQE9ER844o55iP-ty_e8dYLuZYXP83j8vIEpP4luTDv4dNGxZXoqUmswsuNBOMG_HylrM46JH2gof1p2K_V/s4096/020%20Planting%20AGATA%201st%20early%20potatoes%20310322.jpg" imageanchor="1" referrerpolicy="origin" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzdaP9MS7VVGw5KRTJ2A9fUJqc9PbeJzUlMCbUsuCWex3nNTUJppSlmGYXfbhxyadgN7-SX42ubt9oL6NrjhVWx15ujV2Lm3WM03WWWQQE9ER844o55iP-ty_e8dYLuZYXP83j8vIEpP4luTDv4dNGxZXoqUmswsuNBOMG_HylrM46JH2gof1p2K_V/s320/020%20Planting%20AGATA%201st%20early%20potatoes%20310322.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Planting 1st early potatoes</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"> Our broody hen is still sitting on her eggs. The first twelve she was sitting on have all been removed by something so another twelve have been put under her and she is staying put for now. Fingers crossed she manages to hatch a few chicks. The average number of eggs, over thirteen days rather than seven due to being away, laid per day was 4.2. Down on the previous period but we suspect something is stealing the eggs!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p>Rodgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097835648909534615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4310657970182065579.post-68354236343855776092022-03-20T08:46:00.000+01:002022-03-20T08:46:03.190+01:00Smell of freshly cut grass<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">This blog is being published on the first day of spring! 20th March 2022. Yes, spring has most certainly sprung along with narcissi out in full bloom, cherry tree buds swelling and apple tree leaf buds splitting to mention a few signs. Of course the old foe, the grass and weeds, are also putting in a effort and the first major mow has been done. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> The autumn over winter compost heap has been dismantled and the contents spread in the poly tunnel and on the new seed beds. A new compost heap has been started. More forking and weeding done still more to do! Some carrots dug up but they are rapidly coming to their end!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> Chickens are being chickens being a right pain scratching any piece of loose soil they can find. One hen is still sat tight on eight eggs. In theory the eggs should start to hatch in another eight days (27th March). Average of 5.8 eggs a day this last week, up by one egg a day!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> Next blog will be in two weeks as I am off to see my youngest daughter and my three grand children in the UK.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuAQNaBxK26U5_BoWRtDEK6OSyub8hjJz1LK6ZtFivDbmDnR642XRCWDSDFjy-TRWxmIMI9TnL7mlLH1fzGjQXnAyIQTCl3cnD-uXAgice339725BoGl_maX7VW_tcKJJYcvQ_7XRgJnKRYjbDVLZykhJ888foUOHWejmvrmBiRYial4X9yTUh1l4d/s4096/019%20Rhubarb%20patch%20160322.jpg" imageanchor="1" referrerpolicy="origin" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuAQNaBxK26U5_BoWRtDEK6OSyub8hjJz1LK6ZtFivDbmDnR642XRCWDSDFjy-TRWxmIMI9TnL7mlLH1fzGjQXnAyIQTCl3cnD-uXAgice339725BoGl_maX7VW_tcKJJYcvQ_7XRgJnKRYjbDVLZykhJ888foUOHWejmvrmBiRYial4X9yTUh1l4d/s320/019%20Rhubarb%20patch%20160322.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Rhubarb patch</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p>Rodgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097835648909534615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4310657970182065579.post-55070760711894342182022-03-13T12:36:00.000+01:002022-03-13T12:36:20.070+01:00FROSTS<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">Frosts. Four out of seven days there has been a morning frost. That has delayed getting out into the garden and getting on with stuff (ok it is an excuse, lol). </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> The ongoing task of forking and weeding beds continued this week with some good progress being made on two larger beds. I even managed to clear my small round flower plot! Pulled up all but one swede which is a reasonable sized one and hopefully has not been attacked by slugs etc or has some form of internal fault! Never know with swedes! The overall crop has been poor but I am happy that I at least got to make some swede and mash. As with it would seem all brassicas and derivatives of brassicas the chickens love the leaves and completely eat the them leaving just the ribs and will make every effort to get at them no matter there is netting over the plants. No doubt I will try again this year. Continue to dig up/pull carrots that were sown last year and they are an edible size. Always good for this time of year, however, they need to be eaten up as they are starting to produce tops and that means they are going to seed. Dug up a few leeks, again, a disappointing over winter crop. In my opinion they have not stood the frosts well despite being a winter leek variety. Thinned out some more self seeded parsnip just because they were there in the bed. Long row of peas sown. Always worth sowing peas early.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> The main chicken coop cleaned out and we have a broody hen! She is sat on eight eggs and who knows if they are fertilized or not. Time will tell. Daily egg production down this week with 4.8 </span><span style="font-family: arial;">eggs per day.</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh94p7w-oqHei3xnVdMmcJcFXPWMJyWUv7x2rNY6RH8njDxRE3RQA7hUoPjPA-Qwcp3oN854K2iwQULFZtGx1OjLczdaVbDKn-XZ2q6tNxR8nyxKIrjFGNd-vrEfaGpnIp3tQh9rQ3m3OhuSWwXYuZYDgrRrqTL_9no5OHyxZpz2b__9YnnRQ2nS2CQ=s4096" referrerpolicy="origin" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh94p7w-oqHei3xnVdMmcJcFXPWMJyWUv7x2rNY6RH8njDxRE3RQA7hUoPjPA-Qwcp3oN854K2iwQULFZtGx1OjLczdaVbDKn-XZ2q6tNxR8nyxKIrjFGNd-vrEfaGpnIp3tQh9rQ3m3OhuSWwXYuZYDgrRrqTL_9no5OHyxZpz2b__9YnnRQ2nS2CQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Bulb bank narcissi starting to flower</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMT5_ilZzCfBIuwaHyBfmvz1ADNr50_P9xtxcLBnH_bmSF7DS49pyoohQyqCTEPVz2X5ggo2JVGHV11pd_8kcqY0R7d4c7jJ7r5VtBO-glgmsN_ivuJeYLHE_RyeZ0cXMMowyCGyQ7Zacrx2gn54uXpb5SUxPFHbjoDK4B_WbRi0YUMKvoDlaTiHkZ=s4096" referrerpolicy="origin" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMT5_ilZzCfBIuwaHyBfmvz1ADNr50_P9xtxcLBnH_bmSF7DS49pyoohQyqCTEPVz2X5ggo2JVGHV11pd_8kcqY0R7d4c7jJ7r5VtBO-glgmsN_ivuJeYLHE_RyeZ0cXMMowyCGyQ7Zacrx2gn54uXpb5SUxPFHbjoDK4B_WbRi0YUMKvoDlaTiHkZ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Broody hen<br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Rodgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097835648909534615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4310657970182065579.post-64386455635402893112022-03-06T09:18:00.000+01:002022-03-06T09:18:15.632+01:00FIRST LETTUCE IN!<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">Quite a bit done this last week. Only one morning of frost and a little drizzle but nothing serious. Mikador shallots planted out. Not my usual variety but that is all there was! My favourite onion set, Sturon, planted out. Some parsnips dug up and some self seeded parsnip seedling transplanted. Tomato seeds sown in seed trays and modules and placed in the poly tunnel fleece cloche. Probably still a little on the cool side but it does not take much to get the temperature up in the poly tunnel with a little sun. A few miserable swedes pulled to make up a Champeau mixed veg roast. Swedes seem to be one of those plants that is a little hit and miss. Still one or two that are edible is a result! In the poly tunnel the small beds were cleared, forked, watered and fertilizer added. I bought the first lot of lettuce from the local market and transplanted them into the small poly tunnel beds. Variety Batavia Doree de Printemps. Not my usual variety but the guy I usually buy from was not at the market this week and I wanted to get some lettuce planted. A little forking and weeding of an outside bed done but in reality the soil was a little sticky.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> My bulb bank is starting to come into flower and with a bit of luck it will look a picture. This is its second year so the bulbs are now well established. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> Chickens are being chickens and a daily average of 6.8 slightly down on last week.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhMyRx6KeZa_a3o4BGQHtv9CU7JloHRCh95Ms-vomj5cRJGHCfUveGhv-LAfajvIYzeanEw5ibxbE4EdnbC7rI1HkTOH28-4cg5ys2h5fcoiKvUof26Xt3A7Qs41n30uWijLbC3obi4GQrkF8WbRhArF66jZBjotmGskDgnQPBZr6wRU1fw6oC5M5ab=s4096" referrerpolicy="origin" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhMyRx6KeZa_a3o4BGQHtv9CU7JloHRCh95Ms-vomj5cRJGHCfUveGhv-LAfajvIYzeanEw5ibxbE4EdnbC7rI1HkTOH28-4cg5ys2h5fcoiKvUof26Xt3A7Qs41n30uWijLbC3obi4GQrkF8WbRhArF66jZBjotmGskDgnQPBZr6wRU1fw6oC5M5ab=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Poly tunnel small beds with transplanted lettuce.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p>Rodgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097835648909534615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4310657970182065579.post-66982355944642886192022-02-27T12:21:00.000+01:002022-02-27T12:21:06.212+01:00Visit to the BRICO!<p> <span style="font-family: arial;"> Preparation for planting continues. A trip to the BRICO (large shop that sells a range of hardware, building materials etc and gardening stuff) to buy my favourite shallots, RED SUN, and favourite onion sets, STURON. Seed potatoes bought (Desiree, Alouette and Agata (later two new ones for me) and set up for chitting. Some garden lime for the brassica bed and some general fertilizer for the poly tunnel.</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEggffj21zQYkYotZF1B1YeS-52HkTl-Sv3SZHotg9OGij-7MZfpEAQqXaNGnozQ3PSIOLZpL4oPWnpHW328THFfExCQCEZYwp_GR1NwxIgj7DvV5VWYKo5NBr3W8uux1UtWhbW7LU9ckXms-0hA7gZv9rsxQUN_40tj5X2UJIVLFCC75kMiVobwo2te=s4096" referrerpolicy="origin" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEggffj21zQYkYotZF1B1YeS-52HkTl-Sv3SZHotg9OGij-7MZfpEAQqXaNGnozQ3PSIOLZpL4oPWnpHW328THFfExCQCEZYwp_GR1NwxIgj7DvV5VWYKo5NBr3W8uux1UtWhbW7LU9ckXms-0hA7gZv9rsxQUN_40tj5X2UJIVLFCC75kMiVobwo2te=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">2022 seed potatoes chitting</span></td></tr></tbody></table> <span style="font-family: arial;"> I decided to thin out and transplant thirty five self seeded parsnip seedlings. I do not think I will be sowing seed this year and fingers crossed the seedlings do something. More forking and weeding done and thoughts turn to sowing Touchon carrots next week. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> Last years sown carrots are still being pulled and I guess they will be ok for a few more weeks yet. They are showing signs of growing. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> Chickens are being chickens with an average of 7 per day this last week. The best of the year so far daily total has been exceeded with a total of nine eggs laid one day last week. </span></p><p> <span style="font-family: arial;">With the ground being a little on the damp side my attention has moved to weeding the cobbles outside the front of my house before the ground gets too dry and it would be impossible to weed between them. With the improved weather forecast for next week my attention will once more turn back to the vegetable garden. Onion sets and shallots to sow!</span></p>Rodgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097835648909534615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4310657970182065579.post-29044104166265445842022-02-20T10:38:00.000+01:002022-02-20T10:38:08.338+01:00Ok I HAVE STARTED!<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">The weather continues to be a dampener on activity in the garden and my reluctance to go outside in the cold! Still, some work done this week. More forking and weeding and I must now have more than two thirds of the beds cleared. Picked some sprouts. Still a few left and I have made the first planting. Champ (meaning that they are not bought ones but grown and harvested at Watermeadows) Red Sun shallots and Champ banana shallots sown. Maybe a week or two early but the sets were there so nothing venture nothing gained. I need a trip out to buy seed potatoes, shallots and onion sets along with some garden lime and fertilizer. I am resisting sowing seeds, even in my propagator. Still a week or so too early methiks. Plenty to do in the garden beside sowing seeds! Umm, maybe some carrots? Have to think about that. Lol!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> Chickens are being chickens as usual and an average of 6.6 eggs per day this last week. Best week so far this year. I am sure another hen has come into lay. Still, what another five or six yet to start! There is a possibility of twelve eggs in one day. Oh my!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjI9mceaCsLwa4bvsJmjnlwjPZ7OAvQMzY4TT1xV_7cpQ_f0EMwmLFFEpm8sE9xMZ50xMqTM6jGKn404BY1CddajOyWHCZpxpiPb3mAEJORJFvTIIWvG0raT8RN34ubCWt40Yu6lGpHKy9TOhqxgrujOcdFZEhY4o9yN-RM-6DjkbCrGq34W36B0XXd=s4096" imageanchor="1" referrerpolicy="origin" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjI9mceaCsLwa4bvsJmjnlwjPZ7OAvQMzY4TT1xV_7cpQ_f0EMwmLFFEpm8sE9xMZ50xMqTM6jGKn404BY1CddajOyWHCZpxpiPb3mAEJORJFvTIIWvG0raT8RN34ubCWt40Yu6lGpHKy9TOhqxgrujOcdFZEhY4o9yN-RM-6DjkbCrGq34W36B0XXd=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p>Rodgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097835648909534615noreply@blogger.com0