Progress so far

Now we are a couple of months into 2014, I thought it would be a good time to provide an update on my progress in the garden so far.

The rhubarb that I had left neglected in a pot came back to life in early January. This was the beginning of the growing year for me, the first of my home grown produce that would make it to the table. I promptly replanted it in a sunny spot where it would have plenty of room to grow and decide not to force it this year. During the storms half of the shoots were destroyed, more likely by blowing debris than the actual wind itself. Either way a bit of a set-back but it seems to be recovering well now and the shoots that are remaining are continuing to grow well.

Broad beans were the first of my seeds to be sown indoors and after about five weeks they were ready to go out. I covered over a large section of the veg patch with black polythene for a couple of weeks prior to planting, both to dry it out a bit and also to warm the soil. The broad beans went in against the back fence where they wouldn’t shade any of the other veg and might even provide a bit of a windbreak when the other seedlings go in. They grew taller and thinner than I would have liked, mainly due to poor light levels even on the windowsill so when planting I put canes in and tied them for support, in an effort to stop the wind from getting to these too. This was two weeks ago and they’re still there, I wouldn’t say they are going particularly strongly but they’re hanging on. I don’t expect too much growth while the roots establish but I will be keeping a close eye on them from now on. As a crafty back-up I pushed two more broad beans in on the opposite side of the canes so even if the first plants don’t make it these should germinate and become my plan B.

Shallot sets have been planted in the raised beds which I am still waiting to sprout, a couple of drier days should help them but we don’t seem to have many of them at the moment. Still they are fine where they are and should start to grow any day now.

Other jobs outside have been pruning and weeding old raspberry beds, I narrowed them down to being summer fruiting raspberries as opposed to autumn so more of a tidy then a harsh cut back. Gooseberry bushes have been relocated from pots into their own bed, and a herb garden has gone in alongside the dry stone wall to compliment and enhance all the veg in the kitchen.

The leeks and lettuce that I brought with me were put into the raised beds. I am currently experimenting on the lettuces with cloches, half have the top half of a used plastic bottle over them and the others have been left exposed. The idea being that it stops wind and hail damage and reduces the amount of rainfall onto an already saturated plant; it’s like an individual greenhouse so may even warm the plant up a bit too. Early days yet with no real difference between the two, of course I’ll share any results when I have them.

Inside I have my salad tray which will provide me with cut and come again leaves. This was only sown about ten days ago and already looks similar to one of those trays of cress you would grow as a child. Very encouraging and probably my biggest success yet.

I also have tomato plants recently germinated along with melons and peppers. Not sure where these are going to go yet as I don’t have a greenhouse but I’m sure I’ll find somewhere.

All in all plenty of encouraging signs with a few minor set backs on the way. As many gardeners will know this is often the way and nothing to get dis-heartened about. With March soon upon us the garden will come into it's own the seedlings will become plants and everything will start to grow. i for one can't wait.

Sunday sun

What a pleasure it was to wake up to see the sun beaming through curtains on Sunday morning. I had become rather used to being awoken by the howl of the wind blowing past the bay window and whistling through the trees outside.

I was immediately plotting in my head all the things I could get done out in the garden, plans of sitting in a rainy conservatory sowing seeds for the third weekend in a row had all been forgotten.

I decided establishing a herb garden was as good a place as any to start; I had one at the old house which was in almost constant use. The plants all came with me chives, thyme, oregano and sage all squeezed into the largest pot I had available at the time. Similarly to my rhubarb they had not had a second look since. Along with these on a recent trip to the garden centre I had bought a young mint and a fairly well-established rosemary plant to add to my collection.

With the raised beds being outside the back door the herbs would go in alongside these. There’s an old stone wall dividing this part of the garden from the lawn, up against the south facing side of the wall would be perfect. The wall would provide protection from any more harsh winds and the herbs would provide scent as I walk through the garden, and perhaps more importantly flavour in the kitchen.  The area is slightly shaded at times by two rowan trees that stand guard either side of the gate but this will only be beneficial to the more delicate herbs.

The sage, thyme and oregano still had last years tough, woody growth on it so with a pair of secateurs I trimmed them all right back leaving only a few stumps and green leaves at the bottom. I have done this with the same sage plant for the past couple of years with great results, each year it comes back bigger and stronger.

With a bit of help from two over excited ducks the herb garden was all in place by lunchtime. Once established the herbs will have endless uses in the kitchen, adding to all the veg that will grow alongside them.

The afternoon consisted of me attacking a raised, circular bed full of crocosmias where I intend to grow runner beans. I’d like to think I managed to get every single bulb out but the sheer volume removed somehow makes me doubt that.

A glimpse of what’s to come, a fantastic day with plenty getting done and lots to look forward to.

The broad beans are out

After a rough couple of days weather wise today I have took the plunge and planted out the two broad bean plants that were sown indoors back at the beginning of January.

Yesterday the severe winds claimed three of the emerging rhubarb shoots. A few weeks back I decided not to force my rhubarb, now in hindsight this probably would have protected them from the gale. Even the normally weather proof ducks have been sheltering in their coop.

Not one to be defeated I took to the veg patch this afternoon, unusually with the sun shining, a glimpse of what's to come maybe. I have had the soil covered with a sheet of black polythene for the past couple of weeks both to warm it up and dry it out and it seems to have worked a treat. This is the first time I have had a chance to properly examine the soil and I was pleasantly surprised. It already has good structure, appears to be free draining and was almost completely weed free. This made the whole job of digging over and breaking it up much easier and actually quite enjoyable. I had planned to leave the broad beans inside until the weekend but encouraged from my digging efforts I brought them out and sited them towards the back of the veg patch, in what will be all day sunshine. As they will grow quite tall they wont shadow anything else and may even act as a bit of a windbreak once they put on a bit of growth. A handful of manure in the bottom of each hole before planting should make sure of this.

Interestingly these were grown in used toilet roll tubes. Where they have had a few weeks worth of watering the cardboard has been damp and the roots have begun to push through the tubes whilst still holding their shape and the soil inside. Using these is a first for me and I can now say it has been a complete success. The tubes were easily handled and were planted along with the beans. These will rot into the soil and I would expect to find no trace when the plants are eventually pulled up later on in the year.

So it may be a bit of a risk putting them in the patch before the bad weather has completely passed but today means a lot. It signifies the beginning of the growing year for me. The first plants into a vegetable patch that I have been planning for months, the first of my hand sown seeds to make it outside and one of the first things I am going to harvest in a couple of months time.

The great escape

Since the flooding incident a couple of weeks ago at the bottom of the garden the ducks have realised, to their delight, that next door has a fully flowing stream in their garden.

After a bit of investigation I've found that the dry stream bed running alongside my veg patch is actually just an overflow. The stream runs the length of my neighbours garden and into the bottom of mine where it is diverted into a pipe underneath the vegetable patch. There is about three feet of soil on top of this and the stream can only be seen entering under the hedge that divides the two gardens.

Before the dry stream bed overflowed the ducks were perfectly content with their man-made pond. I would empty and refill it each morning and they would jump in and splash around throughout the day. Now however they have had a taste of the good life and they want more.

The past two days have consisted of us looking out the window every now and then to see the ducks, yet again, swimming up and down the stream next door. When we first moved in we had a few escape attempts, one day we even found the ducks in the field which backs onto our garden, grazing the grass alongside the herd of sheep that occupy it. Since then I have secured the whole perimeter and the past few months have been peacefully escape free.

My neighbour politely says she enjoys the visits and looks out for them , I wouldn't mind if they could remember which hole they got through in the first place to get back. We have a coppiced hedge that runs between the two and so far I have had difficultly myself seeing a gap big enough for them to squeeze through. They are normally very well behaved and should they start in the correct garden, they will happily put themselves to bed leaving me to go down in the evening and just shut the door of the coop.

This weekend I may coppice the hedges to build up a bit of a barrier .Now is a good time of year to do this as there should be  minimal disturbance to nesting birds and and the last of any berries should by now have gone.

So for now the stand off continues, the ducks are doing no harm and are always within sight of the house. it just means that for the time being at least, we have to check on them every now and again and either herd or carry them back to where they should be.