Well, we have had some great weather here lately, and we took advantage of it. Ach though--where to begin. I shall begin with a sort of overview of the veggie plots. To explain what you are seeing: The four veggie plots are in a sort of quadrant, the ground space is divided by a grass path running from North to South and a straw path running from East to West. Beginning at the upper left-hand quad: An enviromesh-netted patch of purple sprouting broccoli and behind them is a strawberry patch (barely visible). Right upper-hand corner: A netted broad bean patch and behind that bean poles for runner beans and climbing French beans (currently advancing on the bedroom windowsill). The lower left-hand quad: From front to back it is, Onions, spinach, Swiss Chard, mixed beetroot sorts, parsnips, leeks and finally, Capucijners with a rack. Finally, the lower right-hand quadrant: Spuds and strawberries. Right then, that is what you are seeing, but the recent work went this way: We raked away the winter mulch, scratched the surface loose and levelled the selected patch for the brassica's...in this case, purple sprouting broccoli, or "broccolini, tenderstem or bimi" as some folks call them. Broccoli, unlike most other veg; does not like loose soil. To facilitate this, one must tamp down the soil, compacting it...we call it "the Monty Shuffle". My Bride informed me that one must sing as one shuffles along. ---"I'll be walking my way back to you, babe". Once the patch was well tamped, we made holes and sprinkled some chalk before dropping the plantlets that we germinated at home into the holes. We have to use the chalk because we have trouble with clubroot on our plots. Once we had them planted, we covered the bed with enviromesh as quickly as we could to protect against the cabbage butterfly and the tiny little flies that can ruin your brassica's. You can see the white net above in the "overview" foto. Next we made a beginning on the beetroots. We removed many of them and re-planted them immediately. You can see here the result of that back-breaking chore in the centre section: It was time for a serious earthing-up of the spuds. I had earthed them up when they were still young, but now it was time for the serious work. For this job, I had my specialist tool--the "hand plough". I made furrows where the soil had been piled up between planted the rows. The leeks had to be planted as well in their own small patch. Part of my gardening portfolio includes keeping the bees. Here is how a perfect frame should look with brood located centrally and the capped honey crescents in the upper corners: Take a closer look at that healthy-looking brood. Can you see the white larvae in the bottom of the cells? Tomato's finally went into the greenhouse. We planted them horizontally as usual. We gave them labels on the watering bottles so we will what does produces the best. Well, I am all caught-up now. I feel like taking a fortnight off.
Nice to see that everything is looking so good on your lottie. You'll be having bumper crops this year no doubt.
You have been working hard Sjoerd! What a task you have there with the beets ... you have more patience than I have my friend! I am waiting (not so) patiently to get the rest of my crops planted. We have had 3 days of record breaking cold here in Southern Ontario, but it looks like today is the last day of the cold. Bring on spring, I am ready!
Thank you so much, CAYU-- It was a wonder that you could make any sense of it, as there were many typo's. i had to go back and correct them just now. hahaha. Oh dear me. I so appreciate your encouraging words. All well on your lottie? Thank you HUMMER-- glad you liked the thread. I have been wondering about how your stuff is doing this year so far. Cheers EILEEN--I hope so; however, with the weather and pests it may be a bit of a challenge. We'll see. Thanks so much, MART-- I really appreciate your compliment. Thanks NETTY-- Yes, the beetroot thinning and re-planting is quite a challenge alright. I have to balance myself on a thin plank between the beds and bend sideways to do the work. It's feels really good on the knees and back. Not! It is so uncomfortable that we now do the work over several days. hahaha. Who says old dogs can't learn new tricks. What! We are having a week of cold weather here now and while it may not be as severe as yours, it spoils our growing cycle. We know that it can happen at this particular time of year, so not a complete surprise, none-the-less irritating.
Just wondering why you do not do as I do with the beet root ?? Llet them get a bit larger then pull what you don`t want and add the leaves to your salads ! I always over plant just for that purpose ! They grow a bit slower than some and you can thin and eat for several weeks before worrying about the roots !
Hiya Mart. Well, we do not thin the beetroot plantlets out and then throw them away, we immediately replant them in the vacant bed directly next to the bed. We may eat some leaves later once the plants are more developed; however, I am not so keen on eating my own leaves because there are simply too many voles and field mice that range over our garden plants and of course pee randomly. Personally i do not feel that i can adequately wash them for eating raw, know waddahmean, Vern? Once I can get a handle on the garden's vermin population, then we may begin eating them again. As it is now, we feed the foliage to the tame deer in the park adjacent to our maisonette or simply add it to the compost. Anyway miss, I am beginning to waffle-on now so I shall stop. I hope that my answer is clear to you. Of course what you suggest is wise and sensible, I see that. Thanks of thinking of me.
Hmmm...I never thought about voles peeing in my garden. You've given me something else to worry about.
How do I know this Cayu?...Well, I have actually seen droplets on leaves, I have seen them Pee on hollyhock stalks that they were climbing up as well as the brown stains from the urine. I know it's there and so we wash everything that we eat raw quite thoroughly just to be sure. It may not be all that unhealthy, but it's just the idea. chuckle. Don't worry, be happy.
Your garden always looks so well thought out and organized Sjoerd. I'm envious. On the other hand I know myself well enough to know that I just wouldn't keep up with that much vegetable garden, so I'm not THAT envious.
Thank you so much CAROLYN. Cheers RONNI-- It is important to know one's self. chuckle. I do not know if I want to know myself though. Imagine that me, myself and I didn't like one another. What then!
