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Post by sweetleaf on Apr 21, 2007 13:56:13 GMT 1
Sounds like Sleepy is having an excellent day!  |
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Post by mickthecactus on Apr 23, 2007 11:33:07 GMT 1
The undug part is just too concrete like to dig. Not too much of a disaster yet as 2/3rds of the plot is OK. If and when we get some rain I will dig it over then.
I'm having to water the seeds almost daily at present but they are beginning to germinate. Sowed salad leaves, 2 sorts of beetroot, carrots,spinach and radish on Saturday. No sign of parsnip yet. They were sown a month ago.
What I did notice was that somebody has already planted out runner beans and courgettes. Surely that's too early?
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Post by sweetleaf on Apr 23, 2007 11:39:52 GMT 1
I would have thought so, but the same thing is happening here, the early warm weather is lulling people into a false sense of security. Also seeds are getting off to a racing start, and they need the space in their greenhouses, I suppose.
I would rather keep potting on and wait for the correct time, if theres one thing I dont trust, its the weather! ;D
We have had some rain, overnight and this morning, any sign of some for you?
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Post by Sleepy on Apr 23, 2007 11:42:21 GMT 1
The undug part is just too concrete like to dig. Not too much of a disaster yet as 2/3rds of the plot is OK. If and when we get some rain I will dig it over then. I'm having to water the seeds almost daily at present but they are beginning to germinate. Sowed salad leaves, 2 sorts of beetroot, carrots,spinach and radish on Saturday. No sign of parsnip yet. They were sown a month ago. What I did notice was that somebody has already planted out runner beans and courgettes. Surely that's too early? Way too early. They shouldn't go out until all danger of frost is past. In the Midlands that about June 1st. |
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Post by sweetleaf on Apr 23, 2007 11:58:26 GMT 1
Anyway on the subject of my lottie I was rather pleased with yesterdays efforts, and am almost at the point where Lottie#1 is full, bearing in mind the 6 rows of spuds I put in, the beans and corn I have yet to plant and all the fruit etc. Lottie 2 is in a right old state though as I have been concentrating on the first ,  I have plenty to plant on the other plot and a month to prepare, so I had better get cracking. I did 12 hrs on Sunday, and hope to do the same next week, but in shorter stints, OH went to Donnington yesterday, and I was left to my own devices, but when he returned I asked him to bring the potatoes from home and he watched me plant them. I planted two rows of Lady Christl andthe same of Pink fir apple and a row each of Adora and Desiree. My back must be getting stronger, as I dont ache as much as I usually do, but my hands are quite sore, digging causes some calluses doesnt it? |
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Post by mickthecactus on Apr 23, 2007 13:06:49 GMT 1
Some light rain is falling now.
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Post by sweetleaf on Apr 23, 2007 13:40:44 GMT 1
Lets hope it rains all day then, and soaks into your parched ground, its better to have light rain first, anyway, a downpour would just run off. |
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Post by mickthecactus on Apr 23, 2007 13:42:16 GMT 1
Stopped now.
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Post by sweetleaf on Apr 23, 2007 13:44:47 GMT 1
Perhaps it will rain tonight, as it did here last night. We had a couple of light showers yesterday, and then proper rain when the temp dropped last night. Ill cross my fingers for you Mick. x
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Post by mickthecactus on Apr 26, 2007 13:05:42 GMT 1
SL, hope you don't mind me borrowing your diary. There's not really enough interest in mine to warrant a diary methinks.
Anyhow, I must say that I am a lot happier with it this year now that it is on a bed basis rather than using the whole plot. Unfortunately the scaffold boards for edging have yet to arrive but even so it is better that I work from defined paths rather than in the middle of everything. The nightly'ish watering and mulching of the seeds is working and they are germinating now.
Onwards and upwards!
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Post by sweetleaf on Apr 26, 2007 20:07:07 GMT 1
No worries Mick! "Whats mine etc."  |
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Post by sweetleaf on Apr 26, 2007 22:22:05 GMT 1
 I have finished digging over the west plot, with a little help from my friend Bob (he`s a diamond) .....and its almost all planted up! There are two rows of Parsnips in, as of today and a row of spinach, some radishes were sown in the gaps of the Broad bean bed, and some sugar snap peas were sown as well. I finally came home about 8 o`clock and was shocked at how late it was. I had a wonderful day ;D I will have to be more careful of the time though, I was there about 8 hours today! It was very busy at the lottie today I got to speak to the new tenants of the topmost plot and they are lovely people, in fact today, every single person was smiling. Debidoos and her mate Emma were there till the last gasp too, and we walked out together, locking up on the way as we were the last to leave, our lottie is much more social this year than last, things are very definitely looking up.  |
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Post by Sleepy on Apr 26, 2007 22:40:59 GMT 1
Wow! What a transformation! You've worked hard!
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Post by maggyd on Apr 26, 2007 22:42:53 GMT 1
Its lovely to read your enthusiasm Sweety and I do admire the hard work you put in I hope you manage to keep the vandals out, if it was mine Id probably want to live in the shed and keep watch all night  Im a worret . |
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Post by sweetleaf on Apr 26, 2007 22:44:40 GMT 1
Me too Maggyd its only the darkness that brings me home. I would stay there if I had a kettle, I love it so, |
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Post by mickthecactus on Apr 27, 2007 8:47:25 GMT 1
Well done indeed SL. Did you plant parsnips in? I thought you couldn't do that.
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Post by sweetleaf on Apr 27, 2007 8:56:39 GMT 1
Well done indeed SL. Did you plant parsnips in? I thought you couldn't do that. I sowed two rows of parsnip seed into pre watered drills covered them and hoped as I always do, that they will germinate, I shall do better with them than last year........ : Someone said that if you put a few seeds in a cigarette paper and sow that it will have more chance, but I didnt go and get any ...forgot  If we are going to have a heatwave, I shall have to water them every day now. |
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Post by Sleepy on Apr 27, 2007 8:58:55 GMT 1
Well done indeed SL. Did you plant parsnips in? I thought you couldn't do that. I sowed two rows of parsnip seed into pre watered drills covered them and hoped as I always do, that they will germinate, I shall do better with them than last year........ : Someone said that if you put a few seeds in a cigarette paper and sow that it will have more chance, but I didnt go and get any ...forgot If we are going to have a heatwave, I shall have to water them every day now. Another meathod is to mix the seeds with wallpaper paste and squirt the mixture into a furrow with an icing bag. The fungicide in the paste helps to curb germination failures I understand. |
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Post by sweetleaf on Apr 27, 2007 9:02:38 GMT 1
The fungicide wont persist in the soil, or the Parsnips then? I try to garden completely naturally and dont use chemicals at all, unless you count lime.
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Post by Sleepy on Apr 27, 2007 9:06:58 GMT 1
The fungicide wont persist in the soil, or the Parsnips then? I try to garden completely naturally and dont use chemicals at all, unless you count lime. Nothing persists in the soil at the level we garden at. The fungicide in wallpaper paste is very low, and will be gone after one average rainfall. |
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Post by sweetleaf on Apr 27, 2007 9:12:51 GMT 1
I shall give that a go at the next sowing, I like parsnips, a lot, even though they are longer term than most crops, and only really get their full flavour after being frosted. |
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Post by mickthecactus on Apr 27, 2007 9:17:34 GMT 1
Now I see what you mean SL. I sowed mine a month ago and something is germinating but until they produce the parsnip leaves I won't know.
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Post by sweetleaf on Apr 27, 2007 9:33:25 GMT 1
crossed fingers for both of us then!
Have you listed everything youve sown/planted anywhere Mick?
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Post by mickthecactus on Apr 27, 2007 9:35:23 GMT 1
No, but I can if you want.
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Post by sweetleaf on Apr 27, 2007 9:36:57 GMT 1
Yes please! |
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