And in a traditional Andysworld! style – Happy Halloween 2010 readers where-ever you may be in the world tonight – take care.
ps I hope you put your clocks back!
Archive for the ‘garden’ Category
Andysworld! wishes you a Happy Halloween for 2010
Sunday, October 31st, 2010
What I did on Saturday!
Saturday, July 24th, 2010Before I sit down and drink a glass of cider…..I thought I’d better post this video (after an exhausting day of strimming the grass at the front of the house, cutting some of the hedge before the compost bin was full and feeding and watering the Kune Kune piglets, pigs and fowl). The video does show Lottie all grown up (https://andysworld.org.uk/2009/07/01/lottie-kune-kune-piglet/).
Grasshopper
Saturday, July 10th, 2010There are eleven species of grasshopper native to Britain. They vary in length from 20 to 30mms depending on the species. I cannot recall the last time I saw a British Grasshopper. So I’m pleased to have seen this on on my Chilli plants, and I’ve photographed it for you!
British Grasshopper (click for close-up)
This could be a young Common Field Grasshopper, Chorthippus brunneus?
Garden Casaulty of the Winter Frosts
Monday, April 12th, 2010Yesterday we dug out a casualty of the hard winter frosts we had, where the ground remained frosted for many weeks, lots of garden Hebe’s around this area have died in the area due to the hard winter frosts. Lindsey was thinking of replacing it anyway, because it had grown too large and straggly.
Dead Hebe, frost damage
After removing the dead Hebe
Hedge Maintenance using RootGrow a Mycorrhizal fungi
Tuesday, March 30th, 2010Lindsey and I have been planting additional hawthorn whips to repair the holes in the hedge, where the hedge has died or where patches have appeared over the years.
I’m using RootGrow – a Mycorrhizal fungi to help the roots and whips grow.
RootGrow - Mycorrhizal fungi
RootGrow – a Mycorrhizal fungi is a once-only treatment that increases the volume of soil explored by the plant by up to 700 times! RootGrow – a Mycorrhizal fungi acts like a permanent fertiliser and ensures rapid establishment BUT does more than a fertiliser in that you can expect healthier plants because the friendly Mycorrhizal Fungi help plants have better growth, vigor, flowering and long term survival via this balanced nutrition system. For a healthier plant anywhere in the garden (beds, borders or hanging basket) or trees – indoors or outdoors, choose from our low cost rootgrow range with the friendly fungi!
Mixing the planet gell before adding RootGrow
RootGrow added to the gel
Once the RootGrow – a Mycorrhizal fungi is mixed, then we planted the whips.
Hawthorn whips planted at the entrance to the drive
Hawthorn whips planted on the drive
Still have some more todo, when the weather gets warmer and better!
Time to Chit!
Sunday, March 14th, 2010
Chitting Potatoes on egg boxes!
If you’ve not got any egg boxes to chit on, then ask at your local market! You may get them free!
If you’ve not already done so or started, you’ve almost got time left whilst the stockists have still got seed potatoes left on the shelves, to chit them. This year I’m trying the following varieties.
- First Earlies Vale’s Emerald
- Second Earlies Organic Orla
- Maincrop Organic Lady Balfour
- Salad Juliette
- Salad Anya
I’m growing Maincrop Organic Lady Balfour and Salad Anya again this year, because I had an excellent crop last year.
Rhubarb and Garlic
Monday, February 15th, 2010Planted out my Rhubarb crown temporarily before it gets transferred to the allotment.
rhubarb crown planted in exhibition potatoe bag
close-up of rhubarb crown planted in exhibition potatoe bag
and a few pictures to show how my garlic is coming in planted last September 2009.
Iberian white garlic in February
elephant garlic in February
These garlic bulbs were obtained from The Garlic Farm on the Isle of Wight.
Comfrey Bocking 14
Sunday, February 7th, 2010Some friends of mine are giving up their allotment (very sad!), so I’ve managed to blag some Comfrey (Bocking 14) from them. This will eventually be moved onto my Allotment in the future, but for now I’ve got a small patch of “naturalised stinging nettles” at the front of the garden, which I’ve reserved for Borage and Comfrey. So no time like the present to dig over and plant the “tubers/roots”.
Comfrey (Bocking 14) is sterile, and therefore will not set seed, so if someone has sold you Comfrey Bocking 14 seed you’ve been robbed! It can only be propagated by root cuttings. This is very useful addition to the organic garden, in creating organic liquid fertilizers, compost activator, mulch and potting mixture.
Nettle patch before planting out
Comfrey (blocking 14) tubers/roots
Comfrey (bocking 14) planted
Many Thanks to Vickie and Andew for the Comfrey!
The Saga of The Holly Tree (continued)
Saturday, February 6th, 2010As blogged here back in October 2009, where the local Parish Council had raised a complaint against our Holly Tree overhanging the pavement, I read this in the minutes published on the village noticeboard, the Parish Clerk was supposed to write to us (as stated in the “clerk to write”). We never received any written confirmation, and despite emailing The Chairman, Parish Clerk, and another Parish Councillor, I never received a response to my email either, following on from my email, which reads:-
“Dear Cllr Parish Chairman
I notice in the recent Parish Council meeting minutes, an issue has been raised with our Holly Tree overhanging the public footpath in the village near the notice board.
I shall consult with a professional horticulturalist, when the best time to prune the Holly Tree and advise in due course.
Yours sincerely”
In the minutes in November 2009, it stated the Holly Tree now has berries on it! Defer to next year….
The weather was good enough today to prune (butcher) the Holly Tree, and here are the results recorded before and after for the Parish Council, I’ve not finished yet, because my composting bin was full……
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- Holly Tree Before pruning No.1
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- Holly Tree Before pruning No.2
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- Holly Tree Before pruning No.3
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- Holly Tree After pruning No.1
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- Holly Tree After pruning No.2
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- Holly Tree After pruning No.3
I await with baited breath, if I get any communication from the Parish Council!
Snow starts to thaw…
Thursday, January 14th, 2010These pictures are before the snow thawed, and now it’s started to comeback, our first snowfall last night, since last Friday.
snow 10 inch deep
snow 7 inch deep
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