Flighty's plot

on Monday and Tuesday I spent a couple of hours on the plot as both days were dry and sunny.  I’ve now cleared, weeded and hoed all round the flower patches ready to start sowing various annual seeds.

I tidied round the strawberry patch removing dead leaves and dug over the area longside it where I’ll be growing the tomatoes this year, which will be my favourites, the red Gardener’s Delight and yellow Golden Sunrise.  I also dug over where I’ll be growing the climbling French beans Algarve and runner beans (unknown variety),  and the part of the potato patch where I’ll be planting the first early potatoes Pentland Javelin.

Whilst working on the plot both days it was good to see bees on the white crocuses Snow Bunting which are now looking past their best.  Here they are looking much better back in February 2019.

For one reason and another I’ve not been to the plot yesterday or today but I should be there tomorrow when I’ll start pruning the rose Pretty Lady.

Have a good weekend, and take care!

The raspberries didn’t do to well last year which I think was mostly due to the weather. I have a mix of unknown varieties, both summer and autumn fruiting. Weather permitting I want to dig them up during February to check and sort, then replant.  I’ve been intending to do this for a while now and hopefully once I have they’ll fare better.  (This picture was taken in June 2017).

It was the same with the rhubarb, which came and went quicker than usual.  I’m not that fussed about eating this so I’ll leave it alone this year and maybe dig it up then replant in the autumn.  At the moment it’s at the top end of the plot, by the roadway, but I’ll leave  a space for it at the bottom end of the raspberry patch.  (This picture was taken back in May 2012).

The last overnight frost was on Monday, since when daytime tempertures have gradually started to rise so hopefully I’ll now be able to do some plotting again rather than just pottering.

Have a good weekend and take care !

It’s still cold and and frosty so I’ve been doing lots of reading, including browsing through various gardening books including these.

Allotment Gardening by Susan Berger, published in 2005, was given to me by someone I worked with when I took the plot on in 2007.

At the time I know very little about growing vegetables so it proved both interesting and useful, and I still refer to it occasionally.

 

 

Allotment & Gardening Guide by Twiggs Way, published in 2009, is a monthly guide to better wartime gardening.

As the cover blurb says that to read the guides now is to experience both the urgency of work in the wartime garden and the timelessness of the seasonal processes of gardening.

 

Have a good week, and take care!

that I’ve had a touch of the January blues recently mainly due to the weather.  Since the weekend it’s been very cold again with heavy frosts and daytime temperatures hoovering around 0 C/32 F at best, but it has been mostly dry and sunny.

I cheered up yesterday morning when the post arrived as it included a letter containing several packets of flower seeds I’d  been very kindly sent by long-time Twitter friend Shamini.  As well as the daisies I mentioned in Sunday’s post there were sunflowers Evening Sun (see picture) and Lemon Queen and Phacelia campanularia California Bluebell.  

She also sent me a really lovely flowery card with this message…Dear Mike,  Thank you so much for all your Twitter kndness over the years and the joy you give from your blog. I hope that you enjoy growing these seeds.  Best wishes, Shamini.

Have a good weekend, and take care, Mike  xx

Friday morning was chilly but sunny so I spent a welcome couple of hours plot pottering, and even did a bit of weeding although the ground was rather soggy.

It was good to see that the crocus Snow Bunting should be flowering soon.  I hope that the hail this morning didn’t flatten them.

 

There’s new growth appearing on all the asters, like these Monte Cassino which I call Twinkling Stars as they have lots of small white flowers.

 

The strawberry plants have lost surprisingly few leaves so far although some have changed colour to brown, red or yellow.

 

Have a good week, and take care!

Happy New Year and thanks to everyone who stops by here to read, and comment on, my posts.  It’s much appreciated.

This year will be my 16th growing season on Flighty’s plot and will be much the same as previously.  I’m hoping that the weather will be better than last year when it was too dry and hot for much of the summer.

I’ve only been to the plot once so far this year as there’s been plenty of rain again and the ground remains too soggy to do anything.

This archive picture, showing pot marigolds Flighty’s favourites, was taken in  July 2016.

Have a good weekend and take care!