Archive for the ‘house’ Category

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

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Tuesday, March 17th, 2009

No the blog hasn’t broken…

Tuesday, March 17th, 2009

It’s been nine months since my last post. I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year 2009, we were away in India. We went to the North and the South of India.

Here are the photos https://andysworld.org.uk/album/India/

The tomatoes were a disaster last year!

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.

Andy’s Hot Air Balloon Adventure Video

Sunday, June 29th, 2008

It was a very early morning start on June 15th 2008, we were up at 4.50am, to meet the Balloon recovery crew at Naburn Locks, Naburn at 6.00am. The morning was warm/cool and very calm, no wind. I helped inflate the envelope (the bit above the basket!) for 10 minutes before, the burners were switched on to inflate the envelope fully. We took off at approx 7.00am, and the balloon flight lasted about 1hr 15mins, and we reached a maximjum altidude of appropx 1000ft.

Anyway, watch the video highlights and have a look at the photographs. I’ve had to split the video into two parts, because YouTube, only now allows 10 minute videos.

Andy’s Hot Air Balloon Adventure Video Part 1
Part I includes setting up and balloon and inflating the envelope.

Andy’s Hot Air Balloon Adventure Video Part 2
Part 2 includes some views during flight and coming into land, although cameras and video had to be stowed before landing.

Andy’s Hot Air Balloon Adventure Photographs

Sunday, June 29th, 2008

Here are the photographs of the Hot Air Balloon flight.

Balloon Pic

Andy’s Hot Air Balloon Adventure Pictures from June 15th 2008

Video to come…

Good Luck to Elliot Minor!

Monday, June 23rd, 2008

Good Luck to Elliot Minor with the Release of “Time After Time” and their Upcoming 2008 European Tour!

What’s Growing!!!

Saturday, June 21st, 2008

Earlier in the year I planted tomatoe seeds, first early potatoes, garlic was planted last year in September. Here are some pictures of the results.

I’m trying an experiment, of growing six varities of tomatoes, six in the green house in growbags using growpots, six outside using growbags and growpots, and six plants planted in 10L pots. This year I’m using double-height Miracle-Gro Organic growbags, instead of purchasing two normal size/width growbags.

Tomatoes Outside in 10L pots
tomatoes plants in 10l pots, outside in the garden.

Tomatoes Outside in growbags and growpots
six tomatoes plants outside using growbags and growpots

Tomatoes Inside in growbags and growpots
six tomatoes plants inside the greenhouse using growbags and growpots

Tomatoes Inside  in 10L pots
tomatoes plants in 10l pots, inside the greenhouse.

Potatoes and Blue Berry bushes
first early potatoes planted in Humax organic potatoe bags by Medwyn Williams, Medwyn was the father of one of the boys that went to my school, and lived a couple of minutes from where I lived! I’ve recently noticed there is an Organic Humax range for potaotes, strawberrys, chillis, tomatoes, cucumbers, squashes etc Something to try next year. In the background you can see my six blueberry bushes.

Blueberrys ripening on the bush
Blueberrys ripening…not long now until eating, when they turn blue/purple! Must keep the water on!

Garlic - almost ready for pulling
Almost time to pull the garlic for eating, umm wet garlic!

Blue Bizzy Lizzy Plants and Begonias
Not for eating, but included for interest, the first Busy Lizzie ‘Blue Sky’ plants [RARE] and a few Begonia.

P.S. The chilli seeds/plants were a disaster! I decided to use my fish house and heated propagators to germinate them, the problem was, they spouted in record time, but overheated in the propagators and all died! So next year I need to find a cooler place or not use the heated propagators, or turn off, after they’ve germinated!