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Busy gardening weekendRSS feed

Posted: Sunday 3 June, 2007

by Rosemary at 9:17pm in Gardening 5 comments Comments closed

We've had a busy weekend in the garden. Dan's done loads of grass cutting; thinned the swede; dug out the asparagus, since neither of us like it much; trimmed some rampant plants - hydrangea, ivy and comfrey. I've planted bedding plants, weeded endlessly; worried the brassicas (which need planted out or potted on but certainly need something.) It doesn't look like much written down, but seemed like loads when we were doing it!

We've also been working on the "three sisters" bed. Dan's dad is constructing a fence round the bed and the patio - hopefully, it will be finished tomorrow. Mainly, it's to keep the hens out. Not only do I get fed up scraping hen poo off the table and bench, it also allows us to use the patio for outdoor tomatoes, cucumber and herbs, without the hens feasting on them. The "three sisters" bed now has two courgettes, two marrows, runner beans and sweetcorn in. The squashes and pumpkins are in the greenhouse until the last frost is passed (how do you know?). We'll see how it goes - should look nice, anyway.

The orchard is looking well - we've had pears set this year, for the first time. There are loads of cherries on the Morello and a good few on the Stella, but unless we net them, the birds will get them. The Victoria plum has loads of fruit on one side (?) and the plum Opal has set fruit for the first time. The apples are covered in fruit, but will shed a lot before harvest.

We've got gooseberries almost ripe and strawberries on the plants in tubs and loads of flowers on the ones in the bed. The rapsberries and blackcurrants are covered in fruit - and I've still got jars of blackcurrant jam from last year. Can't wait to get started again!

The beetroot looks OK - we've only got one jar left from last year, so the timing is good. I wish I could remember how much I pickled last year. But I also love beetroot roasted, so there's competition for use this year.

Finally, our peas and beans are very poor. We've decided not to grow any for the next two seasons, to see if we can starve out the weevils. You win some, you lose some, I suppose.

Comments

India

Sunday 3 June, 2007 at 11:46pm

I've been trying out a three sisters, but I just can't get my beans to sprout - odd, isn't it?

India

natasha

Wednesday 6 June, 2007 at 9:49pm

wow,you are verty busy.we live in shetland and have only planted potatoes so far.the weather up here is different to most places and judging what to grow is tricky.love your site.natasha

Rosemary

Wednesday 6 June, 2007 at 11:09pm

India, I started our peas and beans in guttering and that seems to have been quite successful. Although the weevil still eat them they're big enough to get over it. I planted some bean seeds as well and they're just starting to show. It's the squashes and pumpkins I'm worried about - choking out everything else. I'll just have to be brutal and pull them out if that happens.

Natasha, glad you like the site. One of my work colleagues is from Shetland and it does seem to be quite a different climate from here. Mind you, are you not closer to Norway than Scotland?

Wanda

Friday 8 June, 2007 at 5:09am

WOW Rosemary and Dan! You are way ahead in your gardening than we are here in LaPine Oregon. We are 4500 feet. What are you? It sounds like Dan's Dad is being of great help!! That will be nice for you to have the hens seperated from your patio.

Rosemary

Friday 8 June, 2007 at 8:42pm

Wanda, I think we must be close to sea level; we're so close to a tidal river. I think Clackmannanshire must experience pretty soft weather conditions generally - I think being between the hills and the river protects us.

Having said that, it's hardly been "flaming June". It's been cold and wet this month, although today the sun came out after lunchtime and it was really warm.

Hope it's nice tomorrow as it's Stirling Show.

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