Outdoor spaces

[Joan]

Had a good day yesterday, and got tulips and daffodils planted. A few alliums and hyacinths as well in the bed, going to see what else is available in the next few months. I'm happy with though, should be a good amount of colour in there.

Decided that I want to get an asparagus planter in the spring, they take a few years to get established but then produce spears for years.

 

[Joan]

Had a good time at the allotment today, didn't get a huge amount done, but I was able to just sit and realise how much I have done over the year since I got it.
It's crazy to think it has only been a year, and I've broken my wrist in that time too!

I've got a plan now for next year, and I've planted my strawberry runners, I'm aiming for 12 strawberry plants, so I have 2 current plants, and planted 6 runners currently. In spring I'll get more in different varieties so the season is longer, and more bountiful. I also want to get another 2 blueberry plants, so I get a bigger crop if those as well. I might also get more raspberry canes. That's my main focus next year, getting the summer fruits sorted. The only other real plan is so start an asparagus bed,they take a couple of years to establish so I want a raised bed, dedicated to that.

 

[Nix]

Got to bring in the coloured pots from the fences, clean them up and store them for next spring.

 

[Floris]

Unfortunately, summer is coming to an end, which means more storms and rainy days. Outdoor things like flower pots are slowly being moved indoors.

 

[Joan]

Hoping to spend the day at the allotment today, get lots of weeding and tidying up done.

 

[Nix]

Going to sort out the garden at the weekend and borrow Sal's gardening gloves lol... got lots to do.

 

[Joan]

Well I went to garden centre, and their packs of onions were 50 in a pack! I'm not expecting all to grow, but 50 onions!
Also planted garlic today not sure how many cloves but, I think it was over 20!
I'm done with planting now, until next year anyway! The next job is to prepare an asparagus bed ready for spring when I can buy some crowns to plant. I won't actually get asparagus for around 2 years, but once it's established I'll have it for about 20 years.
Over winter I want to clear all the weeds and prepare the soil for spring planting. Of course that means deciding on what I want to grow next year.

 

[Floris]

It's time for me to start putting the tarp over the bench and do other things. i don't have the space lol.

 

[Joan]

Well I got some red onions free, so they went in today. That's it now, no more planting! Still loads of weeding to do though.
The garlic I put in is growing well, can see over 20 growing, plus a handful of the white onions.

 

[Joan]

Popped up on boxing day and could see some red onions starting to grow.

Got garden centre gift vouchers for Christmas so going to get blueberry plants and hopefully some asparagus.

 

[Nix]

I've prepped the garden for winter and planted the Bulbs around in random places lol.

 

[Nix]

It;s snowing! My garden is rapidly going white!

 

[Joan]

I'm hoping for dry if not warmer weather on Wednesday so I can buy blueberry plants.

 

[Joan]

I need to go up today, see how bad the storm damage is.
However I did get my blueberry plants in. I've now got 4 blueberry plants so hopefully will get a good crop of them.

 

[Joan]

Wrote out a rough growing plan for this year. Lots of trying to grow beetroot! I need to figure out if I'm going to grow peas and what they will grow up if I do.

 

[Joan]

So far I've sown beetroot, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, lettuce, kale and peas at the allotment amd at home I have sprouts, sprouting broccoli, tomatoes and squash. I'd be very happy if that lot grows, and I've got asparagus and globe artichokes on order. However I'll not be able to eat the asparagus for another 2 years and I'm not 100% sure I'll be able to eat the artichokes this year as well.

 

[Joan]

Asparagus is now in, the potatoes and leeks are coming up. Peas are not looking good, slug eaten mostly.

At home all bar a few of the sprouts are growing, but growing too quickly, I can't put them out for weeks yet! Hopefully I'll be able to get some more compost soon and repot them and they'll strengthen up before going out.

 

[Nix]

Nomnoms @Joan all sounds good apart from the peas! You can keep them lol...

 

[Joan]

Nomnoms @Joan all sounds good apart from the peas! You can keep them lol...

Until about 2 years ago I wouldn't eat peas, but slowly, slowly I'm starting to eat them.

 

[Nix]

Until about 2 years ago I wouldn't eat peas, but slowly, slowly I'm starting to eat them.

Even if the slugs got there first?!!!

 

[Joan]

Even if the slugs got there first?!!!

Well I might not be eating my peas, but if there's peas in a premade pie I'm no longer digging them out!

 

[Joan]

Everything is just getting slug/snail eaten this year. Put 3 artichoke plants in on Tuesday and they've just been eaten already. Hopefully they'll survive but I might have to buy more plants. Even my onions are getting nibbled on! I didn't think they liked onions!

 

[Nix]

Well we have had the warmer weather this week and that mean next doors kids football flies through the air onto my flowers

 

[Joan]

I just threw half a dozen snails off my garlic they're everywhere this year.

Did a bunch of strimming, but it's still a mess, I need to edge it properly but don't have any tools for that job. One day I'll have a shed and then I can start getting all the tools.