More planted

Well I made it to the plot on Saturday afternoon for a few hours,didn't think I would get anything done with the rain we had in the morning. But I was quite surprised the soil was just right to walk on,it didn't stick to my feet and make me 6ft tall. I had a walk over the plot and dug up some of the large weeds,I did try and take as much of the roots as I could but didn't work. So ended up  using trowel and cut the root as deep as I could,if I tried to pull the weeds be roots would of snapped anyway. Just have to remember to keep an way on them as you do,just top end to do and path then it's sorted till next time. 

So after the weeding I planted two rows of spring onions, will put some more in a few weeks time. Also planted two types of beetroot one is  red beet tonda do chioggia and that was planted in a block, then planted some boltardy in a block underneath .  I have the boltardy ones growing in some trays in the greenhouse,just have to put some chioggia in trays also. I have put about half a dozen lettuces in the ridges between the spuds, only between the main crop still got time before I need to ridge up.  Got no chance in going to the plot today I've got a few things to do,but think I've got a few days next week when I can make it. 

Have info temptation

Couldn't wait any longer and sowed more seeds,if felt like the year was passing by real quick and nothing growing. So I left work early with a bag full of seeds and headed straight to the greenhouse,I got myself a chair and some compost also put radio on then sowed away. It was raining also so it was quite good staying dry apart from the odd leak, I got a bit potted and also sorted some of the early seeds i had done a month ago. I've still got a fair bit of weeding to do after the rain we have had,the weeds soon sprout up and take over shame the veg doesn't grow that fast. The seeds that sorted out yesterday are as follows. 

Celery Victoria 

California peppers 

Sprouts 

Toms ailsa Craig 

Broccoli 

Curly kale 

Celtic cabbage 

Cucumber delikatess 

Bell peppers 

Courgettes ambassador and Jemmer 

Hungarian wax peppers 

Doing some weeding and making wine.

It's that time of year when I've left the weeds to start to take over,I did say last year I was going to control them better. By the look of it the weeds are winning and laughing at me,I've weeded the bottom end and 3/4 of the path. Just the top end and the rest of the path to do. Give it a couple more days well half days I should be done,oh I also cleaned the shed out and made some space. 

While i was weeding i did notice a few bramble plants growing,some on the plot and some on the bark path. I haven't planted them,it must be from the birds either dropping some twigs or from berries they have eaten and it's the seeds that are left. Talking about brambles I'm just making some

Wine, I'm using 2lb of rhubarb and 1lb of brambles,I've had rhubarb wine and bramble wine but not together. So will have to wait to see what's it's like,I will be making some more rhubarb wine with the amount we have down on the plot. 

Well that the birds back again on my plot making a nest and laying eggs, I have a stack of pallets at the bottom of the plot and the birds hiding in them. It must be the same bird because it's made a nest next to the old one,I've had birds nesting in an old shed the other year. Last year I had bees and wasps making nests in a pile of soil,which I wanted to dig up and move  but couldn't. 

I'm going to try and grow some sweet potatoes this year,I did see on a blog how someone else had grown them and did well. Haven't decided if I did get some slips growing if I'd grown in pots or in the soil,fingers crossed these grown and do well. The site I found the information out was http://www.outlawgarden.com/2012/04/25/grow-your-own-sweet-potatoes/

I will keep you informed on how I get along. 

Onions are all in

That's it folks all my onions are in and it's took up nearly a third of the plot, the last 3 rows are a mixture of all my onions. Last week i planted all my potatoes but left a few to one side,what I've done is put them in the leafs I've been collecting for leaf mould. The reason why is that a chap last year covered his spuds with leafs and he got some nice spuds,he did lay his on the floor then covered them with leafs. What I did is make an hole in my pile of leaves and plonk a spud in it,so mine are about 6inches off the floor and covered with about 5inches of leaves. 

Spuds are nearly all in.

Made it to the plot on Saturday just before it started to rain,only thing I did did was only to to put three rows of spuds in. So in total I have 2 rows of firsts,2 rows of 2 early's and 3 rows of main crop. The main crop are all Desiree which had been saved from last year,but I've planted 3 types of Desiree. The first ones are the ones I'd saved for growing but only produce small shoots,the second lot are the ones that got left in the shed and grew better shoots. The third ones are the ones we were using to eat,but with them being in a bag they have grown long white shoots and soft,so what I've done is plant a row of each to see which ones grow the best. 

Lovely rhubarb

Wow picked my first batch of Lovely rhubarb this year,I have about 5 plants  to pick from once the small ones are well established. One large plant been on the plot for a good many years,two plants have been growing for two years and one planted this year. Looks like I'm going to have a freeze full of rhubarb this year,it's either for crumble or wine doesn't matter which one I love them both. If it grows as well has it has been I'll need another freezer,or just have to consume it quicker. 

After I trimmed the rhubarb down ready for freezing I made it in to crumble size and wine size,in total I picked 10lb in weight for the first batch. I bagged it up into 3lb bags and 1lb bags, will mixed it up with some brambles and gooseberries for crumble or wine. I'd get about 18 bottles of wine from the rhubarb and hundreds of tubs of  crumble. 

More onions

Been meaning to get to the plot this week bit as normal been busy at work,but finally made it tonight for a couple of hours. The only thing I did was plant some more onions well that's what I wanted to do, I did 6 rows  of Stutgarter onions and 3 rows Sturon onions. I still have about a tray of mixed onions turbo / Sturon / Stutgarter all to plant,it might make another 3 rows or just under. Then that's them all planted then I will move onto the spuds then,well that's the plan anyway and will try and do them when I leave work tomorrow. 

Wow just thought that's 18 rows of onions I have now. 

Made it to the plot

Yeah made it to the plot over the weekend well Saturday anyway,I finally got some onions in just a few left to do. I planted my turbo onions and still have 2 varieties left to plant,hoping I'll get these done this week. I decided what section I was planting the onions in,then did a string line and followed that I still go of track. I did forget at first to water the soil l,it was to stop it falling in the holes made by the dibber. I did three rows per section and left a gap to weed,maybe a little bit big of a gap. So in total I did 9 rows and about 250 onions,I might have the same again to plant. Once the onions are done I will finish planting the spuds,then it will crack on with sowing some seeds. Yeah Baby.  

Well nothing to report

I was hoping to get a bit done this week but best plans alway change,well it wasn't anyone's fault just me full of Man Flu. I've been under the weather for about 2 weeks now,I'm starting to feel a little better so let's hope I can play out near the weekend. I wanted to start to plant my onions and more spuds,so if all goes well I'll get some done at weekend. 

Last weekend well Saturday I pop to the plot and did sow some seeds while sat in a warm greenhouse,I  didn't do a lot just half a dozen of each. I know it's a tad early but I've seen others sowing loads of seeds so feel left out. For some reason it doesn't feel right at the moment not sowing my seeds,it may be just me and it will all fall into place over the next month or so. This is what I put into pots last weekend. 

Winter squash gold nugget 29/3/2014 

Sweet peppers Spanish mix 29/3/14

Sweet peppers yolo wonder 29/3/14

Beetroot boltardy 29/3/14

Spring onions in pot 29/3/14

Red cabbage 29/3/14

All year round lettuce 29/3/14

Melon canta charentais. 29/3/14

Chilli peppers long slim 29/3/14

Sweet peppers Marconi 29/3/14