Archive for the ‘garden’ Category

Hawthorn hedging

Thursday, March 26th, 2009

I’ll just tell it how it is, after the local council sprayed around the village notice board, the exact same width of hedge behind the notice board died!

After some discussions, ERYC sent me some free plants. Many Thanks to ERYC.

So, I decided to also order 50 x 110-125cm Hawthorn bareroot hedging plants, canes and spirals to patch the holes that have appeared in our old hedge that surrounds the front garden. They were ordered from Scot Plant Direct in Scotland, as they were very competitively priced, arrived the next day in great condition, and been living in moist compost since. But I must plant them out soon.

Hawthorn No.1
110-125cm Hawthorn bareroot hedging plants

Hawthorn No.2 from ERYC
Hawthorn bareroot hedging plants from ERYC

Tomatoe Seedlings transplated to 3″ pots

Wednesday, March 25th, 2009

I transplanted all Tomatoe Seedlings into 3″ pots today. These will stay in these pots, until moved to their final position, in large pots or growbags, not decided yet! I may give some away, as there’s too many here for me! These are currently growing without heat, in the porch, I’ve now turned off the heated propagators.

Tomatoe Seedlings in 3
View from above. Tomatoe Seedlings into 3″ pots.

Tomatoe Seedlings in 3
View from side. Tomatoe Seedlings into 3″ pots.

“Pyrex Cloches” in use

Tuesday, March 24th, 2009

Here are the glass “Pyrex Cloches” in use protecting my tomato plants. This variety is Totem, a bush variety, suitable for containers and patios.

I’m determine to get a crop of tomatos this year, and hence, I’m trying to get a head start by risking moving two plants outside in late March. In the warm weather the cloches get removed, but I leave them on in the cold wind and rain, and I night I put them to bed and cover them up.

Pyrex Cloche No.4
“Pyrex Cloches” in use

Pyrex Cloche No.5
At night the cloches get wrapped in large bubble-wrap, and covered with a draw-string frost protection fleece.

UPDATE 29th March 2009 It got that hot today, in the first hour between 11.00-12.00, that one of the tomato plants in the cloche, got fried! I don’t think it’s going to pull through! Umm!

Pyrex Cloche or Bell Jar?

Monday, March 23rd, 2009

I use them as garden cloches to protect the plants from frost, the wind and rain, I cannot remember how they came into my possession, but I’ve had them roughly 10 years now, they’ve been stuck behind the greenhouse for the last 2-3 years, but I want a head start on my outdoor tomatoes this year, so I’ve cleaned them ready for use to protect my tomato plants from the cold winds and frost.

If you know what they are, answers on a postcard to …

Pyrex Cloche No.1
Pictured from the top, it has a metal pipe screwed into the top, sealed with a rubber seal.

Pyrex Cloche No.2
The makers stamp can be clearly seen. Manufactured by Pyrex, Made in England

Pyrex Cloche No.3
I have two of these glass items, and as you can see, they’ve had special metal frames that carry them. They are open at the bottom, and the glass fits the frame exactly.

What’s in the Greenhouse

Sunday, March 22nd, 2009

Well it’s not really a greenhouse or is it, it’s a plastic 6ftx4ft greenhouse, I purchased it from Littlewoods when they closed down for very little money, but the plastic cover only lasted one season and I had to renew it, special order from Gardman in Lincs, just down the road! They don’t really do Mail Order, but I couldn’t get a replacement cover anywhere, I don’t think my greenhouse was originally a Gardman, but the cover fits. I don’t think any of the Gardman garden products are made in the UK, I think they are all made in China, but could be proved wrong!

Anyway back to what’s growing in the greenhouse, the porch is full of Tomato seedlings and chitting potatoes, and the greenhouse is full of the following:-

  • Sweat Peas Lathyrus odoratus
    Sweet Pea Lathyrus odoratus King Size Navy Blue
  • King Size Navy Blue
    Sweet Pea Lathyrus odoratus Midnight.
  • Midnight
    Sweet Pea Lathyrus odoratus Blue Velvet
  • Blue Velvet
    Sweet Pea Lathyrus odoratus Mutacana
  • Mutacana
    Sweet Pea Lathyrus odoratus Blue Ripple
  • Blue Ripple
  • Nasturtium majus
    Nasturtium Majus Black Velvet
  • Black Velvet
    Nasturtium Majus MilkMaid
  • Milkmaid

I’ve gone for a blue and purple theme this year with the sweat peas, and black and white again with the Nasturtium, although last year some of the Milkmaid turned out to be red and orange! Here’s a picture, I took to show Thompson & Morgan. Their excellent customer service department, sent me four packs of seeds free of charge for the inconvenience. Thank You!

Nasturtium Majus
Nasturtium majus MilkMaid “Red”

So until these get planted the green house is full to the brim.

Sweet Peas in Greenhouse No.1
Sweat Peas in Green House No.1

Sweet Peas in Greenhouse No.2
Sweat Peas in Green House No.2

Sweet Peas in Greenhouse No.3
Sweat Peas in Green House No.3

Sweet Peas in Greenhouse No.4
Sweat Peas in Green House No.4

Sweet Peas in Greenhouse No.5
Sweat Peas in Green House No.5

One day I’d love a real greenhouse or poly tunnel!!!

I always purchase my flower and vegetable seeds from Thompson & Morgan. Great value, fantastic stock, and let us not forget fabulous customer service.

Chitting Potatoes

Saturday, March 21st, 2009

To chit or not to chit, that is the question?

Seed Potatoes Chitting
Chitting Potatoes

Not very exciting, I’ve got four varieties to try and plant this year, First and Second Earlies, a Salad and Main crop.

  • First Earlies Epicure
  • Second Earlies Edzell Blue
  • Salad Anya
  • Maincrop Organic Lady Balfour

I’ve got plenty of compost in the compost heap, and this year I’ve purchased 14 and 36 litre plastic exhibitor bags. Not that I’m entering any competitions, it was just cheaper, than purchasing ready made filled compost bags!

Tomatoe Seedlings

Tuesday, March 17th, 2009

Some of the seeds I’ve been growing this month, determined to get a head start this year, and get a crop of tomatoes, (weather permitting). I’ve placed tomatoe and chilli seeds in heated propagators to get the seeds germinating quicker and to give me a head start.

Heated Propagators
Heated Propagators

Once, they’ve germinated I’ve removed the seedlings into un-heated propagators (these are B&Q heated propagators, but not plugged in!).

Unheated Propagators
Un-heated Propagators

Tomatoe Seedlings
Propagators with the covers off.

Close up of seedlings
Click image for a close-up of seedlings

Springtime approaches

Tuesday, March 17th, 2009

I’ve been meaning to get a photo of these flowers for the last couple of years, we never planted them, and they only appeared when we removed a circle of grass around two trees in the garden, this is the blue/purple variety, the other variety we have is a yellow one. So they must have been dormant for many years!

I believe them to be a cultivars of Anemone nemorosa

Anemone nemorosa
Anemone nemorosa

Angus Says Hello!

Monday, June 30th, 2008

Angus says Hello!

Whilst out in the garden today, Angus Says Hello!

Andy’s Day Off!

Monday, June 30th, 2008

YEDL our electrical supplier were fiddling with the electrical supply again today! So I stayed at home to “baby-sit” the fish house, whilst it was on generator power from 8am this morning, supply was back on at 2.30pm.

So I decided to cut our massive hedge, we have a number of hedges that surround the front garden, there are two hedges that border the driveway, a typical hedge-row of blackthorn, hawthorn, bramble etc and a privet hedge, if only I knew someone with stick-insects they would have food for a year! Total length of hedge which needs cutting is approx 300ft, and the driveway has been rapidly disappearing, with the warm/wet weather. Another typical hedge-row of blackthorn, hawthorn, bramble etc surrounds the front garden, this has grown over 10ft in height!

My brother an RHS Qualified Garden Landscaper at Groundscaper recommended I purchase a Stihl HS45 Petrol Edger (West Country slang for Hedge Trimmer!).

Although expensive, it cuts through my hedges like a knife through butter. You have to be a bit careful with the privet hedge, because before you know, you’ve cut two foot off without noticing! Although it weighs approx 4.9kg with fuel, it’s Anti-vibration system and ergonomics make it easier to cut with for long periods of time.

Before Hedge was Cut Pic 1
A view down the drive from house, before privet-hedge was cut

Before Hedge was Cut Pic 2
A view up the drive towards house, before privet-hedge was cut. The hedgerow on the rights has already been cut.

Before Hedge was Cut Pic 3
A view up the drive towards house, before privet-hedge was cut.

Before Hedge was Cut Pic 4
Close-up of privet-hedge before it was cut

After Hedge was Cut Pic 1
Privet-hedge after the hedge was cut taken from the house looking down the drive. Another tip from my brother an RHS Qualified Garden Landscaper at Groundscaper, before cutting, lay a tarpuline under the hedge to collect, hedge trimmings, move along the hedge as you cut, quick and easy to clear-up afterwards!

After Hedge was Cut Pic 2
Privet-hedge after the hedge was cut taken from the house lookign down the drive. In the distance is the green reycycle bin to take to the tip, with hedge cuttings. It’s not difficult cutting hedges, it’s all the clippings you need to tidy up afterwards.

After Hedge was Cut Pic 3
Privet-hedge after the hedge was cut taken from the house looking down the drive.

After Hedge was Cut Pic 4
Privet-hedge after the hedge was cut taken towards the house looking down the drive.

After Hedge was Cut Pic 5
Close-up of the privet-hedge after cutting.