The Frantic Gardeners’ Blog

our bees are happily buzzing around the garden. we have wild honey bees on a chimney [for the last 5 years] and  loads of different bumble bees, hairy legged bees and mason bees. All good for the garden . The drones must be out, cos there are quite a lot of confused honey bees on the floor of the patio and conservatory. The brilliant weather has continued [sunhat, suncream and shorts!!] And my DH has finished all the beds we will make this year [though hoping to make perhaps 4 more in the autumn as part of the bedding down…] .The church behind is flying the english flag, as we approach st georges day. Fantastic! [oh, and i am not at work tho have migraine it is nearly better ]

Also today, we had some of the spare plants potted up on the drive with a home made sign and honesty box. The proceeds are going to the local library. We did well, as there was 4.80 in the pot - we just asked for donations.we sold 3 tomatoes [sungold], 2 peppers [jalapeno] , 2 pots of 2 cauliflowers [violet queen]. We are in a relatively good spot, where ppl often park to go to the local shops, and the library is volunteer run, so ppl do like to help it out.We are pretty happy with that

My DD’s also painted lots of the tomato pots with acrylics, in a variety of ‘designs’ so they should look pretty jolly once out. I enjoyed doing a couple as well.

Germination

The sweetcorn has pretty much all germinated, and all the courgettes and pak choi. The latest twinkle peas in modules have, and 1 of the watermelons have. some of the climbing beans just started. it is darned warm now in the greenhouse, and they are in propagator [for the bottom heat] tho once they have germinated it will be switched off.

Planted Out

We did DD2’s bed. She decided where things would go, planted out 3 sunflowers, declared herself too hot and retired to the paddling pool, leaving me in charge! SO 8 russian giant sunflowers, 6 dwarf sunflowers [already flowering] 12 calendula, 7 foxglove [to flower next year] and 25 alpine strawberries went in. All of these sown from seed. Taking a chance with the weather as the sunflowers really did need to go in, will fleece if we have to.

Maintenance

As I said, DH finished making all the beds for this year - yippee!! We have the items to fill them We also painted the tom pots - as also prev stated

Pests

Seeing lots of butterflies now - glad we have the enviromesh

To Do

1. Potatoes - desperately!!

2. globe artichoke - nearly as desperate!

3. 4. DD1 and DH beds to fill - quite urgent

5. empty all weedy pots around patio and pop in spare flowers etc

6. buy climbers and plant infront of kitchen, and populate herb pots there

7. pot up tomatoes to final pots

8. sort out the beanfence.

The weather has been absolutely gorgeous, and the plants have grown well. The broad beans are flowering, and those sown in situ have all germinated and are growing up. the garlic is growing well too.The apples and pear tree have been absoluted covered in flowers, so hoping for a good harvest in the Autumn.

Sowing

Today I have sown sweetcorn ‘lark’ , climbing bean cobra and blauhilde and dwarf gold bean all in roottrainers, hoping to be not to early and not too late so we can plant  out in about 4-6 weeks. [lets see!] . I have also sown pumpkin [T and M experimental] Courgettes parthenon and … and butternut squash in module, again hoping for 4-6 weeks and out. As a gamble i have sown some watermelon seeds into pots - you never know!! I also sowed a second sowing of pak choi, broccolli romanescu and white cauliflower. only 3 of each, as think i sowed too many the first time, and really should think about when we are going to eat them! Next year I would like to work out how many of each to sow at a time. A second sowing of peas too [twinkle]

Potting On

I have potted on 5 each of the different peppers [inferno, jalapeno, mixed grill] all 6 of the aubergines [mixed] , 2 of the multiple cape gooseberries, 4 of the 5 melons and 1 more of each tomato [sungold, gardeners delight and golden sunrise] to make 5 of each. Hoping this will be the right amount of everything! I also potted up the last of DD 2’s short sunflowers - a week has made a noticeable difference between them and those potted up before we went on holiday.

Into the coldframe

go the brassicas and pak choi, and the mangetout. plan to be into the ground on weds.

Maintenance/DH

DH has finished this eve the first of the marked beds - not quite raised as our soil drains so very freely! but a marked out zone, one each so that we can be putting our chosen plants in.

So, To Do:

Sowing:

locate the runner beans and sow! then see what other wierd and wonderfuls i have bought and if there might be space

Into the veg patch:

Strawberries into strawberry planter and along veg bed wall. artichoke also along veg bed wall

Potatoes - into bags and into the ground

beds 1 and 2 of the 4:

Brassicas - into bed and enviromesh around them

peas/mangetout - into bed and need supporting structure

carrots - into bed if there is space! otherwise consider sowing into pots?

beds 3 and 4:

get ready really, some of the girls plants could go out, tho quite small ? better to pot on further before planting out? never sure of optimal size. DD2’s sunflowers are ready, but not sure whether not too early?

into pots:

dwarf french beans

discuss with girls and DH all their flowers and herbs and where they are hoping to put them!

Maintenance

lots of weeding!!

well, we are carrying on and actually the greenhouse is turning into a mini garden of eden.

 Sowing

DH has been sowing loads of herbs and some lettuces [he says he knows which ones and will blog ]

Pricking Out and Potting On

This was the main focus of my gardening this weekend. DD2’s seedlings have all been pricked out into individual modules - 0bviously not by her! She does have 36 foxgloves to house tho in her flower bed, [16 sunflowers potted on before], 24 alpine strawberries and the gourds, yet to germinate

DD1 was going to do hers… but will remind again tomorrow she seems to have sown a good number of most things except sweet peas. might suggest she sows some more.

I also potted on all the remaining tomatoes and the melons. The propagator within the greenhouse is groaning, and the barely germinated marigolds have had to come out to keep the toms in. have a couple in greenhouse to make sure that they do ok with the colder nights before they all come out.

Germinating.

DH’s eryngiums seem to be finally germinating, and when enough appear to have poked their heads out, they too can be removed from the propagator. The pak choi have germinated really quickly, as has the rocket.

Veg beds.

we have to get the first ones done this week, as by the weekend loads of stuff will really have wanted to get out there. Peas and nasturtiums being hardened off currently.

Fruit

lots of buds and leaves on cherries and apples and pears, so that is good. must get a pic [and weed!!]