24 May 2009

Hanging Basket Project (Post One).

This contraption is something Vicki got me the other year and I find it quite handy for starting off your hanging baskets. In the one you see here I have three trailing Petunia's, I know it looks a bit sparse at the moment but these three plants will grow to fill the basket. Anyway what I like about these containers is that they're good for sitting on the greenhouse staging while bringing the plants on but once its time for them to go out in hanging baskets you simply put a bit of compost in the bottom of the basket and then drop this container with plants straight in to the basket and then the roots just grow on out though the bottom. In the picture there are three with Petunia's which are for a project I have planned for this summer and one with four trailing Tomato plants.


If you want to join in the Petunia project with me you need to get planted up three 12 inch (30 cm) hanging baskets with 3 trailing petunia's in each. Just plant them around the top of the basket and don't worry about fancy liners or trying to hide it as the plants will do that for you in no time at all, I line mine with an old compost bag cut to shape and with the black side facing out. If you have a greenhouse put them inside to bring them on faster if not then a warm sunny place outside will do and then in a couple of weeks or so I will show you what to do with them. Make sure you have one good strong hanging basket bracket in place by this time though. Also it will need to be a bit out of the way because the baskets will hang a bit low by the time we've done.

22 May 2009

My Last Pennine Way Picture.


MY LAST PENNINE WAY PICTURE
Me at the end of my long walk in July 2008

Todays Weather Readings
Fri 22/05/2009 00:00
Sat 23/05/2009 00:00
Shade Low: C
Shade High: C
Sun Low: 8C
Sun High: 26C
Precipitation: 2 mm
Weather: Bright with rain later..

MY WORK BOOK
See to the sheep
Field
Fri 22/05/2009 08:15
Fri 22/05/2009 08:25
Misc

See to the greenhouses
Greenhouse and Conservatory
Fri 22/05/2009 08:25
Fri 22/05/2009 08:35
Glasshouses
Checked round and opened a few vents.

Burn boxes
Burn pile
Fri 22/05/2009 08:35
Fri 22/05/2009 09:25
Misc
Burnt some boxes which had collected in the barn.

Sort out plants on outdoor staging
Potting Shed
Fri 22/05/2009 09:25
Fri 22/05/2009 10:15
Misc
I had aquired a lot of old plants that were good for nothing so I went through and sorted out what I wanted and what I didn't, the space can now be used to harden off some bedding plants.

Clean filter on the pump
Lily Pond
Fri 22/05/2009 10:15
Fri 22/05/2009 10:30
Walled Garden
Cleaned out the filter and removed the blanket weed from the pond.

Break for tea
Home
Fri 22/05/2009 10:30
Fri 22/05/2009 10:50
Misc

Clean up by little iron gate
Fuel Tank Passage
Fri 22/05/2009 11:35
Fri 22/05/2009 12:15
Public Gardens

The bulb had gone in the outside light.
Fuel Tank Passage
Fri 22/05/2009 12:15
Fri 22/05/2009 12:30
Misc

See to the greenhouses
Greenhouse & Conservatory
Fri 22/05/2009 12:30
Fri 22/05/2009 12:45
Glasshouses
Put on more air.

Support the peas
Fri 22/05/2009 13:30
Fri 22/05/2009 14:30
Walled Garden

Tidy the potting shed benches
Fri 22/05/2009 14:30
Fri 22/05/2009 15:00
Potting Shed
There was getting to be a collection of plant pots and other things making it impossible to put anything down on the work benches.

Clean the floors in the greenhouses and conservatory
Fri 22/05/2009 15:00
Fri 22/05/2009 16:55
Glasshouses

Clean and put away the tools
Fri 22/05/2009 16:55
Fri 22/05/2009 17:05
Misc

Close the greenhouses
Fri 22/05/2009 17:05
Fri 22/05/2009 17:10
Glasshouses

Harrow the gravel
North Front
Fri 22/05/2009 17:10
Fri 22/05/2009 17:35
Public Gardens


13 May 2009

Why Pull Up The Foxgloves?

Today turned out a bit nasty so I spend all afternoon in the potting shed and greenhouses sorting out plants to make room for some Busy Lizzies that needed potting on in to six packs. I do basic greenhouse tasks after checking over the sheep but I like to get done with the greenhouse work by break time so at this time of year there is usually plenty waiting my attention indoors if the weather turns nasty.
Emily has asked me why I pulled up the Foxgloves the other day. Basically it was because they were in the wrong place. Its hard to see from the picture I posted but the Marigolds grow in a small raised bed and so the Foxglove would have been to big and over powering so they just have English Marigolds and a Red leaved Formium in the mild for a bit of height. The foxgloves had set themselves there anyway. She also asked about the veg and why I plant the amount I do. Well I like to grow a good variety and I hate half rows so I usually plant a row of each. There were eight plants in each row.

Tonight we will take another look in the greenhouse as there is quite a bit going on in there at the moment. First up we have the Orchids which are now coming in to flower.
Last time we had a look round I pointed out the cabbages growing in the border, well as you can see one of them is ready for eating.
Last week I potted up some of the Tomato plants for the last time, they will live in these pots now. I have three more plants but of a different variety and then there are another lots that will come on later.
And under the staging are the Polyanthus seeds that are just starting to germinate. If you wondering why the tray is on a bowl its to keep the slugs from getting in the seed tray. I think they would have trouble getting in with the sheet of glass on the top but I wasn't taking any chances with them.

Wednesday 13th May 2009

MY WORK BOOK

See to the sheep
Field
Wed 13/05/2009 08:00
Wed 13/05/2009 08:20
Misc
1) Checked the sheep.
2) Put out some minerals.

See to the greenhouses
Wed 13/05/2009 08:20
Wed 13/05/2009 09:40
Glasshouses
Watering round

Filling in the bean trench
Veg garden
Wed 13/05/2009 09:40
Wed 13/05/2009 10:30
Walled Garden

Mow all the lawns
Wed 13/05/2009 10:30
Wed 13/05/2009 12:10
Walled Garden
Rain is forcast for the rest of the week so decided to cut all the grass with the tractor so that it got done.

Mowing
Lawn
Wed 13/05/2009 12:10
Wed 13/05/2009 13:15
Main Garden

Break for lunch
Home
Wed 13/05/2009 13:15
Wed 13/05/2009 14:00
Misc

Sorting some plants out in the greenhouses
Greenhouse
Wed 13/05/2009 14:00
Wed 13/05/2009 15:00
Glasshouses
Needed to make room for more bedding plants.

Potting
Wed 13/05/2009 15:00
Wed 13/05/2009 16:30
Potting Shed
Potted on the Busy Lizzie to 6 packs.

12 May 2009

Blue Bell's, Marigolds & Wild Violets


In the flower garden this week I think the Blue Bells are putting on the best show. I especially like this corner with the Blue Bells, Marigolds and Dog Violets clambering over the low stone wall. I see a few Foxgloves in with the Marigolds, these got removed yesterday.


Blue Bell's, Marigolds and Wild Violets.

Today has been Brassica planting day, I had a row each of Red Cabbage, Green Cabbage Brussels and Cauliflower that had been sown indoors that needed planting and while I was at it I sowed a row of Swede and January King. I will sow another row each of Savoy, Brussel's and Broccoli at another time. As you will see I also constructed a frame to suppport the netting. Sometimes they need the netting and sometimes they don't but I did it anyway because you usually find the birds attack at a time when you have better things to do than spend half the day untangling netting. Also I find it easier to get it all sorted before the plants are in.

Tuesday 12th May 2009

MY WORK BOOK

Check the sheep and lambs
Field
Tue 12/05/2009 08:00
Tue 12/05/2009 08:15
Misc
Checked and counted sheep and lambs.

Watering
South Front
Tue 12/05/2009 08:15
Tue 12/05/2009 08:50
Main Garden
Water the roses in the window border.

Tying in the grape vines
Conservatory
Tue 12/05/2009 08:50
Tue 12/05/2009 09:50
Glasshouses
Apart from tying in the shoots I had to put in place some wires as the vine had out grown the ones that were there.


Water round
Tue 12/05/2009 09:50
Tue 12/05/2009 10:30
Glasshouses

Break for tea
Home
Tue 12/05/2009 10:30
Tue 12/05/2009 10:50
Misc

Get the cabbage patch ready
Veg garden
Tue 12/05/2009 10:50
Tue 12/05/2009 12:45
Walled Garden
Worked over the soil.

Constructed a frame to support the netting.
Veg Garden
Tue 12/05/2009 13:30
Tue 12/05/2009 14:30
Walled Garden
Rather than have netting draped over the plants I made a wooden frame to support it

Planted and sown the Brassicas.
Veg Garden
Tue 12/05/2009 14:30
Tue 12/05/2009 15:30
Walled Garden
Planted one row each of red and green cabbages, cauliflower, swede, january king and brussels

Netted the cabbage patch
Veg Garden
Tue 12/05/2009 15:30
Tue 12/05/2009 16:10
Walled Garden

Watering
East Shrub Border
Tue 12/05/2009 16:10
Tue 12/05/2009 16:25
Walled Garden

Watering
Orchard
Tue 12/05/2009 16:25
Tue 12/05/2009 17:00
Walled Garden
Watered the strawberry plants and rhubarb

Clean and put away the tools.
Potting Shed
Tue 12/05/2009 17:00
Tue 12/05/2009 17:20
Misc

Potted up a few cuttings
Tue 12/05/2009 17:20
Tue 12/05/2009 17:30
Potting Shed

11 May 2009

Monday 11th May 2009

MY WORK BOOK

See to the sheep
Field
Mon 11/05/2009 08:00
Mon 11/05/2009 08:20
Misc

See to the greenhouses
Mon 11/05/2009 08:20
Mon 11/05/2009 08:50
Glasshouses
Watered round.

Spray some lawn weeds
All Lawns
Mon 11/05/2009 08:50
Mon 11/05/2009 09:20
Walled Garden

Spray the main drive
Mon 11/05/2009 09:20
Mon 11/05/2009 10:15
Public Gardens
Sprayed the weeds at the entrance to the main drive, rock garden path on the north front, courtyard and outside the gardeners cottage.

Spray weeds in raised bed
Back steps to the summer house
Mon 11/05/2009 10:15
Mon 11/05/2009 10:30
Walled Garden
Sprayed in the raised beds and any other places in need in the walled garden.

Break for tea
Home
Mon 11/05/2009 10:30
Mon 11/05/2009 10:50
Misc

Tie in new rose shoots in the rock garden
Rock Garden
Mon 11/05/2009 10:50
Mon 11/05/2009 11:00
Public Gardens
Tied in the new shoots of the climbing roses.

Planting
Rock Garden
Mon 11/05/2009 11:00
Mon 11/05/2009 11:20
Public Gardens
Put some Aubrietia and Sempervivums that I had knocking around in to he rock garden stones,

Fed and hoed the roses
North Front
Mon 11/05/2009 11:20
Mon 11/05/2009 12:45
Public Gardens

Fertilise the bedding beds
Mon 11/05/2009 12:30
Mon 11/05/2009 13:00
Public Gardens

Break for lunch
Home Mon 11/05/2009 12:45
Mon 11/05/2009 13:30
Misc

Hoe
Rose Garden
Mon 11/05/2009 13:30
Mon 11/05/2009 15:55
Walled Garden

Weed marigold bed
Lily Pond
Mon 11/05/2009 15:55
Mon 11/05/2009 16:10
Walled Garden

Thin the parsnips
Veg garden
Mon 11/05/2009 16:10
Mon 11/05/2009 16:30
Walled Garden

Pull up the old leeks
Veg garden
Mon 11/05/2009 16:30
Mon 11/05/2009 17:00
Walled Garden

Watering
Rock Garden
Mon 11/05/2009 17:00
Mon 11/05/2009 17:20 Public Gardens

10 May 2009

Jasmine & Pelargoniums

This week in the conservatory the Jasmine is in full bloom so you can imagine the scent that greets you as you open the doors. I have two plants growing in there, below is one of them.


[Click the pics to enlarge]

Also worth taking a look at are the Pelargoniums which are just starting to come on now.


Louise and Strawberry Ripple





Lord Bute

8 May 2009

The Orchard (Week 18)

I think tonight we will have a little look at whats going on in the orchard. As you will see the Apple blossom is almost coming to an end, hopefully this will be followed by some baby apples. There are seven apple trees in all, some have set fruit already and then there are a couple that are still quite in blossom.


The Strawberries are just coming in to flower. I grow these in a narrow strip of soil at the base of the west wall so the plants face east and get all the morning and early afternoon sun. This strip of ground is where the previous gardener did the standard council spraying thing around everything the mowers can't reach. I prefer to till the ground instead and so grow strawberries there. Its a bit more work keeping it clean but it looks better and tastes better! By the way, talking of Strawberries. If you grow new plants its best if you can avoid having them produce any fruit in the first year. This is a very hard thing to do but it apparently helps the plant to fruit better in the next years. Strawberries should be grown for three years only as after that they fruit less and smaller so the idea is to replace a third of the strawberry bed each year. You can replant in the same ground and you don't need to buy in new plants every year as the runners the strawberries produce in abundance every summer can be used as replacement plants. Either let them root around the mother plants or root them in to small pots.
On the same wall, in fact the strawberries grow around the base of this cherry tree. This is the second year of fruiting and looks like it will have plenty of fruit on it later.