Finally we were able to say goodbye to Mum on Wednesday of this week. It has been a long time coming and very emotional.
So now the wagon train is packing up and about to head north again. We had two major family birthdays this week, my 50th on Thursday and Dad's 80th yesterday which were both very enjoyable, but now it's time to think about returning home. Naturally, the day we have chosen, is also the day sleet/snow is forecast ! Just luvverly !
The sub arctic toms are growing steadily away, being turned every couple of hours so they get the light equally all round. One more sub arctic, the tardy one, to pot up before we leave. 4 Totem have now germinated, but don't appear to be as far advanced as the SAT even though they were sown on the same day. 4/5 Gypsy peppers finally made it through and really do need potting on quite quickly but that will oop north.
Mum's Love-In-The-Mist have germinated nicely now, pretty evenly across the tray. All the broad beans could really do with being in the ground now, but they're looking pretty good so at least I'll have something to plant out in the allotment when I get up there.
Oh, I forgot to say ................ I've given up the evil weed ! No, silly, not mare's tail ..... I stopped smoking on 19th March, day of mum's funeral and day before my 50th. Seemed like a reasonable day to pick ! Not doing bad so far, bit of a struggle this morning though, so just off to find my patches !
Watch that wind out there, looks pretty blowy today.
xxx
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Bit blustery but no damage
Blessed be. We seem to have survived intact both north and south.
A tardy tomato and pepper plant have now poked their noses through as have the Green Windsors.
The only thing left in the propogator are Mum's Love-in-the-Mist which have begun to germinate and there I must stop sowing otherwise I'll not get everything in the car.
Some of the toms could really do with potting up but that will have to wait until Easter Monday when I'm back oop north.
Blue tits are still decorating their box and we even had a chaffinch drop by the other day.
Have been trying for day's to get over to Mum's place and give her borders a bit of a prune but always get side-tracked and end up packing and sorting rather than being out in the garden. There's one bush in particular that I want to take an interest in and will take pics and post to try and ID it. Pinkish blossom and smells of almonds apparently ........... watch this space with your Botanic book at the ready.
Cheeriebye.
A tardy tomato and pepper plant have now poked their noses through as have the Green Windsors.
The only thing left in the propogator are Mum's Love-in-the-Mist which have begun to germinate and there I must stop sowing otherwise I'll not get everything in the car.
Some of the toms could really do with potting up but that will have to wait until Easter Monday when I'm back oop north.
Blue tits are still decorating their box and we even had a chaffinch drop by the other day.
Have been trying for day's to get over to Mum's place and give her borders a bit of a prune but always get side-tracked and end up packing and sorting rather than being out in the garden. There's one bush in particular that I want to take an interest in and will take pics and post to try and ID it. Pinkish blossom and smells of almonds apparently ........... watch this space with your Botanic book at the ready.
Cheeriebye.
Saturday, March 08, 2008
Full of surprises
That's the toms and chillis germinated. The rate isn't so hot, about 3 in 5. Was a little dissapointed in that but that will do for the time being especially if they all get decapitated on the journey back, then I won't have lost so many.
Discovered an envelope of Green Windsor broad beans that I sent Mum last year so have sown 6 of them.
And the blue tits have moved in which is so exciting. I've never had anything nesting back at home so to watch these wee things popping in and out is just great to see.
Due to get the worst storm this winter over the weekend. There goes the remaining panes of the greenhouse at home ! Fingers crossed for minimal smashage!
Good luck folks and batten down the hatches.
Discovered an envelope of Green Windsor broad beans that I sent Mum last year so have sown 6 of them.
And the blue tits have moved in which is so exciting. I've never had anything nesting back at home so to watch these wee things popping in and out is just great to see.
Due to get the worst storm this winter over the weekend. There goes the remaining panes of the greenhouse at home ! Fingers crossed for minimal smashage!
Good luck folks and batten down the hatches.
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Kicking my heels
As I'm not going to be getting back home until the end of the Easter weekend, I thought I'd better get on and sow something.
I'd got the other half to bring me down a few seed packets on his most recent trip, so off I trotted to my favourite shop in the world and bought some seed compost and a new cheapo leccie propogater (always thought I should get a second and now I have!).
So on 27/2 I sowed some Totem and Sub Arctic Plenty toms. After last years debacle with the toms, I decided to limit the number of varieties grown this year. I grew Totem the previous season and was pleased with the results. Not an astounding quantity, but then what am I aiming for ? Feeding the street ? I think I prefer bush varieties, being more easily kept under control so Totem is underway. Sub Arctic Plenty caught the imagination, setting easily in colder weather, which will suit me down to the ground back up in Glasgow. From memory (see packet is elsewhere as I type and blowed if I can remember where I've put it !) they are a bush/tumbling variety which will lend themselves to my topsy turvey bucket idea if I ever get it off the ground. If not, they can go on some staging in a black bucket.
My only cordon variety this year will be Gardeners Delight basically because they were my heaviest cropper last year.
Upon the recommendation of someone who memory escapes me, I decided to try some Gypsy peppers this year. So they are in the third container in the prop.
So that's me started !
Also done this week was to pot up my Aquadulce Claudia broad beans sown on 21st (?) December which are still stuck down south. I have 6 very healthy plants, one of which is reaching for the stars. I've pinched them all out hoping to keep them to a reasonable height for transporting home dans la petite rouge voiture neuveau. I carefully separated the roots and have stuck each of the loo roll inners in individual smallish pots. Obviously this is an experiment borne out of necessity. I'm hoping that by the time I get them back up the road, they will have got a nice little root system that won't mind being transplanted.
I hate to think hoe my second sowing (oop north) are doing. Poor wee things were all leggy when I left. I really have noticed the difference in light levels/temperature between the two regions and the effects it has on my babies. Perhaps there is a good reason to move back south !
I've still to sow The Sutton bbs, but hopefully I'll still have time when I return home.
Mum gave me some hyacinth and allium bulbs last autumn which are in a pot on the patio down here. The blue and pink hyacinths are coming through nicely, with one blue one having a double bloom.
The forsythia is beginning to bloom down here and I'm wondering how my cuttings are getting on at home. They really should be in the ground already so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
I'd like to get going on some more sowing, but the poor car would object, so I'm having to keep my hands in my pockets ....... for now !
Right, that's the mobile's battery about to chuck it, so better get this posted.
xxxx
I'd got the other half to bring me down a few seed packets on his most recent trip, so off I trotted to my favourite shop in the world and bought some seed compost and a new cheapo leccie propogater (always thought I should get a second and now I have!).
So on 27/2 I sowed some Totem and Sub Arctic Plenty toms. After last years debacle with the toms, I decided to limit the number of varieties grown this year. I grew Totem the previous season and was pleased with the results. Not an astounding quantity, but then what am I aiming for ? Feeding the street ? I think I prefer bush varieties, being more easily kept under control so Totem is underway. Sub Arctic Plenty caught the imagination, setting easily in colder weather, which will suit me down to the ground back up in Glasgow. From memory (see packet is elsewhere as I type and blowed if I can remember where I've put it !) they are a bush/tumbling variety which will lend themselves to my topsy turvey bucket idea if I ever get it off the ground. If not, they can go on some staging in a black bucket.
My only cordon variety this year will be Gardeners Delight basically because they were my heaviest cropper last year.
Upon the recommendation of someone who memory escapes me, I decided to try some Gypsy peppers this year. So they are in the third container in the prop.
So that's me started !
Also done this week was to pot up my Aquadulce Claudia broad beans sown on 21st (?) December which are still stuck down south. I have 6 very healthy plants, one of which is reaching for the stars. I've pinched them all out hoping to keep them to a reasonable height for transporting home dans la petite rouge voiture neuveau. I carefully separated the roots and have stuck each of the loo roll inners in individual smallish pots. Obviously this is an experiment borne out of necessity. I'm hoping that by the time I get them back up the road, they will have got a nice little root system that won't mind being transplanted.
I hate to think hoe my second sowing (oop north) are doing. Poor wee things were all leggy when I left. I really have noticed the difference in light levels/temperature between the two regions and the effects it has on my babies. Perhaps there is a good reason to move back south !
I've still to sow The Sutton bbs, but hopefully I'll still have time when I return home.
Mum gave me some hyacinth and allium bulbs last autumn which are in a pot on the patio down here. The blue and pink hyacinths are coming through nicely, with one blue one having a double bloom.
The forsythia is beginning to bloom down here and I'm wondering how my cuttings are getting on at home. They really should be in the ground already so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
I'd like to get going on some more sowing, but the poor car would object, so I'm having to keep my hands in my pockets ....... for now !
Right, that's the mobile's battery about to chuck it, so better get this posted.
xxxx
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