Planting plants and tatties / Kittens / Pizza - The Accidental Smallholder

Posted: Sunday 28 April, 2024

by Rosemary at 7:50pm in Smallholding 1 comment Add your own

Monday 22^nd April

It’s Bertie Bobcat’s 15^th birthday. I woke at 5am, suddenly conscious of the fact that I hadn’t seen him yesterday evening. Popped out in my jammies and heard him complaining loud and long in the workshop – I had shouted on him last night before I locked up, because he does like to sleep up in the roof space, but maybe he’s a bit mutton jeff. Anyway, not the most auspicious start to his big day but he managed to scarf down a packet of prawns with a side of milk and then come for a snuffle at bedtime. I couldn’t get him to pose for a photo.

Bertie's birthday prawns.

Last dose of Pancur for the kittens today. I think most of it is on their outsides. And Dan’s. Five more days of Metronidazole, but they don’t hate that as much.

 

Tuesday 23^rd April

Potted up 96 “Million Bells” then baked ginger nuts and spiced cookies. Should have done it the other way round and baked while my hands were clear. Oh well, a bit extra crunch lol

We’re waiting with bated breath for the last of the granite setts to be delivered. I’m itching to plant up now. I’m not sure how good my promised restraint will be.

I cleaned out the litter trays yesterday evening; the kittens were in their room from about 9pm last night until 6am this morning – and the trays hadn’t been used. I think / hope this is a good sign; prior to the medication, Dottie was going eight or more times a day.

Wednesday 24^th April

The weather is dry, sunny but there’s a cold wind. If you can stay in the sun but our  of the wind, it’s lovely. Dan reseeded the hen pen. Again. I found a few packets of Higgled Garden’s “Bees Please” seeds, so we used them in one corner, then grass seed in the rest.

Second reseed.

The front garden landscaping is now complete. It’s over to us now.

Finished except the tidying. And the planting.

We had our first pizza of the year. Delicious. And we have garlic bread for later in the week.

Garlic bread.

 

Thursday 25^th April

I could hear Dottie but not see her – then I looked up. Though she be but little, she is fierce!

Dottie in the hedge.

The heating engineers are finished and we have heating again. The bill’s a bit eyewatering, but if we annualise it over the 14 years since installation, it’s not so bad. Really. It’s nice to have the heating back.

Friday 26^th April

Dan put up the first arch of three and I planted the two Star Jasmine. The same will be at the other end of the path. Much debate about the hedge but we have until the autumn to decide. Shrubby honeysuckle still ahead in the polls. Dan also emtied the dumpy bags of soil and the wooden crates, I cleared away the surplus setts and slabs and it all looked better.

First of three arches installed.

I started to lay out the plants. Seemed like hunners when they were in the polytunnel. Doesn't look so many now.

Staring to place out the plants.

We turned the cows out this morning into Sheepfold. It was very calm – they were mostly interested in munching. I brought them in tonight, fed them and shut them in. That will be their routine until Rora has calved. Her due date is 4^th May. I had to halter Blizz to bring them in; they were, of course, at the furthest point of the field; but she wandered up quite happily.

Saturday 27^th April

Dry, sunny and still that cool breeze.

Dan put up the third arch and I planted the two “Blush Noisette” roses. He’s put deer netting on all the arches to help the climbers.

Dan than went off to plant the tatties.

Tatties in.

I got the fun job of planting up the first bed with herbaceous perennials. I took 60cm off on two sides to leave room for the hedge that will be planted in the autumn, and planted the poor bay tree that has been stuck in a pot for years. I had to smash the pot and cut the roots that had gone into the soil below. I hope it’s happy in its new spot.

Dan counted over 70 plants in. There’s a bare bit, but I’ll lift and split some hardy geranium to fill the gap. Fingers crossed for good establishment. I now need to write down what I planted and where. I've run a hose from Home, so I can keep them watered

First bed planted up.

The ponies went out into Home tonight, well, part of it. They’ll be confined to the track and hay during the day and out at night. The cows were at the gate to come in this evening.

 

Sunday 28th April

Rain overnight and early morning, which will be good or yesterday’s planting. Hazy sunshine by lunchtime then fairly steady rain all afternoon.  Took advantage of the wet to go and do the monthly “big shop”.

Spent part of the morning starting to write down what I planted and where in the front garden.

The kittens love this stump. It’s an old sycamore and will be central to the stumpery. I’ll be glad when it’s planted up and the danger of kittens falling down it is diminished.

Cooper (Left) and Dottie.

Cows at the end of the field but came in when I shouted them.

Dottie on the potting shed. She wasn't really stuck.

Dottie. Not stuck.