It has been a glorious warm and sunny day, perfect for pottering about in the garden. The girls have been cleaned out and as usual made a right mess whilst out in the garden!
The vegetable plot is not looking like it did last year all nice, tidy and lush, it is looking rather bedraggled due all the rain. There has been lots of growth however not much produce as such. We have just not had the warm sun which is needed and there has not been the usual bee activity about to help with pollination.
The only critters that have been rampant are the slugs and snails who have been quite destructive among the vegetables this year. They have been eating my beans as fast as they are growing. I found several that had been munched down to the stem, and leaving their silver trails behind as if mocking us humble gardener's!
I have been weeding the vegetable plot and removed the peas as they were a big pile of a wet mess and I really don't think another pea would emerge from them.
After speaking to several gardener's who have declared this years vegetable growing as a lost cause and have abandoned all hope of getting much produce from their plots makes me feel a little better to know that I am not alone with my grumblings.
Looking around at all the neighbours fruit trees you can see what a disappointing year it has been there is not much fruit to see, there will be no bags of apples coming my way this year. Last year the trees were very heavy and laden with fruit.
Oh well all out best laid plans are at the hands of mother nature, lets hope she is in a better mood next year.
Until next time x
Thursday, 9 August 2012
Tuesday, 7 August 2012
What a beauty!
Well I have just about recovered from the hectic weekend. I have a busy week ahead, but then what's new!
I am busy preparing the my upcoming craft fair this weekend.
The weather has been very unpredictable the past three days, we have had storms and very heavy downpours. It has ruined many of the flowers no sooner are they open the rain comes along and causes untold damage and we are unable to enjoy the blooms.
However the rest of the garden is enjoying this wet weather especially the courgettes. The Italian courgette is the size of a small football and there are several others now appearing. I have brought the courgette in and I will be making some courgette and potato soup with it. I don't think I will have many courgettes to make my chutney this year, but here is the link for the recipe for those of you that have a bumper crop and don't know what to do with them
http://www.squidoo.com/sharing-the-good-life-courgette-chutney
I have harvested some more dwarf French beans today and mum has taken them home with her.
The parsnips and swede have grown quite a bit this past week, hopefully they will be a decent size and not just tops like last year.
We have plenty of green tomatoes ready and waiting for some sun to turn them red. Unfortunately we haven't had much of the sun this past week, it has been very wet and rather dull. There are some runner beans now beginning to form we should be having some of those hopefully with Sunday lunch and the last of the carrots and some more potatoes.
All this wet weather and the slugs and snails are slithering rampantly over everything. I had several beans that had been munched through as well as several plants decimated by the blighter's!
I am sitting here thinking it will not be long before I will be spreading compost over the vegetable patch and then covering it up again till next spring. Our summer is almost over even though it never actually arrived!
I have been updating the gardening and hen keeping pages with new links.
Well the rain has stopped so I am going to shoot outside and change the bedding in the coop. I shall leave you with these new photo's that were taken yesterday. Until next time x
Get your winter bird feed supplies whilst the sale is on
I am busy preparing the my upcoming craft fair this weekend.
The weather has been very unpredictable the past three days, we have had storms and very heavy downpours. It has ruined many of the flowers no sooner are they open the rain comes along and causes untold damage and we are unable to enjoy the blooms.
However the rest of the garden is enjoying this wet weather especially the courgettes. The Italian courgette is the size of a small football and there are several others now appearing. I have brought the courgette in and I will be making some courgette and potato soup with it. I don't think I will have many courgettes to make my chutney this year, but here is the link for the recipe for those of you that have a bumper crop and don't know what to do with them
I have harvested some more dwarf French beans today and mum has taken them home with her.
The parsnips and swede have grown quite a bit this past week, hopefully they will be a decent size and not just tops like last year.
We have plenty of green tomatoes ready and waiting for some sun to turn them red. Unfortunately we haven't had much of the sun this past week, it has been very wet and rather dull. There are some runner beans now beginning to form we should be having some of those hopefully with Sunday lunch and the last of the carrots and some more potatoes.
All this wet weather and the slugs and snails are slithering rampantly over everything. I had several beans that had been munched through as well as several plants decimated by the blighter's!
I am sitting here thinking it will not be long before I will be spreading compost over the vegetable patch and then covering it up again till next spring. Our summer is almost over even though it never actually arrived!
I have been updating the gardening and hen keeping pages with new links.
Well the rain has stopped so I am going to shoot outside and change the bedding in the coop. I shall leave you with these new photo's that were taken yesterday. Until next time x
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| Leeks |
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| Runner Beans |
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| Courgette |
Get your winter bird feed supplies whilst the sale is on
Saturday, 4 August 2012
I survived!
Just thought I would do a quick note. I survived the summerhouse clean up! After my last post I did in fact take a wander down the summerhouse and two hours later it was all cleaned up and tidy. Note to self
'keep it clean'
I have a busy weekend ahead and don't know when I will get a chance to post. It is Adam's 16th birthday on Monday and we are having a double whammy bar-b-q to accommodate his friends. There will be no time for gardening except a quick tidy up and to clean out the girls which I shall be under taking shortly.
I now have several round courgettes forming on the same plant. We have had quite a bit of rain the past couple of days so they should soon grow to a decent size as more rain is forecast over the weekend and the following week.
The melons have not dropped of yet and they do not look like they have grown at all since I first saw them. I will keep you posted.
Max is walking round with a sock on one of his hind feet. He has a raw area on his neck where I think he has been scratching. I am keeping it clean and an eye on it in case we need yet another trip to the vets! He is not keen on the sock and he does look rather funny with it on. They had a bath and flea treatment last weekend, so whether this is the cause I am unsure.
We had a bit of a do in the chicken coop yesterday. I was sitting here working and I could hear a commotion I looked up and Bell and Dory were having a bit of a spat! Bell was not happy with something Dory had done and was chasing her round the run and once cornered Dory received a good peck and a cluck from Bell. Bell promptly waltzed off all cock-a-hoop and poor Dory just stood there well and truly told off.
However all is back to normal. Octavia is filthy, Matilda is busy chasing and catching flies, Dory is trying to catch flies and Bell is marching up and down waiting to get out!
Well that is it from me for now. I hope you all have an enjoyable weekend what ever you may be doing. Until next time x
'keep it clean'
I have a busy weekend ahead and don't know when I will get a chance to post. It is Adam's 16th birthday on Monday and we are having a double whammy bar-b-q to accommodate his friends. There will be no time for gardening except a quick tidy up and to clean out the girls which I shall be under taking shortly.
I now have several round courgettes forming on the same plant. We have had quite a bit of rain the past couple of days so they should soon grow to a decent size as more rain is forecast over the weekend and the following week.
The melons have not dropped of yet and they do not look like they have grown at all since I first saw them. I will keep you posted.
Max is walking round with a sock on one of his hind feet. He has a raw area on his neck where I think he has been scratching. I am keeping it clean and an eye on it in case we need yet another trip to the vets! He is not keen on the sock and he does look rather funny with it on. They had a bath and flea treatment last weekend, so whether this is the cause I am unsure.
We had a bit of a do in the chicken coop yesterday. I was sitting here working and I could hear a commotion I looked up and Bell and Dory were having a bit of a spat! Bell was not happy with something Dory had done and was chasing her round the run and once cornered Dory received a good peck and a cluck from Bell. Bell promptly waltzed off all cock-a-hoop and poor Dory just stood there well and truly told off.
However all is back to normal. Octavia is filthy, Matilda is busy chasing and catching flies, Dory is trying to catch flies and Bell is marching up and down waiting to get out!
Well that is it from me for now. I hope you all have an enjoyable weekend what ever you may be doing. Until next time x
Thursday, 2 August 2012
Tomorrow is another day...
Not much to report today, the weather has been a little temperamental and now the sun is shining it has turned into a lovely evening.
The greenhouse looks a bit like a rainforest at the moment, foliage up to the roof with two of the tomatoes. The third has fallen over and no attempt at staking is working it seems it just wants to be on the ground! The melon plants are growing a lot too and there is only a very small standing area left!
Jay went in to my potting shed aka the summerhouse and came back into the house wearing a rather large frown. He had not been in there for a while and I suppose it was a shock considering the state it is in. There are onions everywhere drying out, soil all over the floor. Opened and unopened compost bags scattered about and a huge pile of used pots and trays that are waiting to be cleaned... I think you get the picture.
Well I had planned to do it today but somehow (as usual) got sidetracked. Ben is going away at the weekend with a friend and his family for the week and he had some trousers that needed sewing so I done them instead. Then I went and cleaned the bathroom, I took the dogs for a walk and done piles of washing and before I know it the day has almost past! Hence the summerhouse is still in a sorry state. Oh well there is always tomorrow. This is turning in to a well used motto!
The girls have been busy digging in the run again. I think they are trying to make a break for it. Watch out Australia the girls will be on the rampage at a town near you very soon!
Well that is it from me for today, I think I will take a quick wander around the garden and you never know I may even venture into the summerhouse. If you don't hear from me in the next couple of days presume I am still in there sorting it all out! Until next time x
The greenhouse looks a bit like a rainforest at the moment, foliage up to the roof with two of the tomatoes. The third has fallen over and no attempt at staking is working it seems it just wants to be on the ground! The melon plants are growing a lot too and there is only a very small standing area left!
Jay went in to my potting shed aka the summerhouse and came back into the house wearing a rather large frown. He had not been in there for a while and I suppose it was a shock considering the state it is in. There are onions everywhere drying out, soil all over the floor. Opened and unopened compost bags scattered about and a huge pile of used pots and trays that are waiting to be cleaned... I think you get the picture.
Well I had planned to do it today but somehow (as usual) got sidetracked. Ben is going away at the weekend with a friend and his family for the week and he had some trousers that needed sewing so I done them instead. Then I went and cleaned the bathroom, I took the dogs for a walk and done piles of washing and before I know it the day has almost past! Hence the summerhouse is still in a sorry state. Oh well there is always tomorrow. This is turning in to a well used motto!
The girls have been busy digging in the run again. I think they are trying to make a break for it. Watch out Australia the girls will be on the rampage at a town near you very soon!
Well that is it from me for today, I think I will take a quick wander around the garden and you never know I may even venture into the summerhouse. If you don't hear from me in the next couple of days presume I am still in there sorting it all out! Until next time x
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