I've spent every spare moment I've had in the garden over the last few days yet the more I do the more there seems to do! Such is gardening.
Odd jobs
I weeded the driveway leaving behind the wild flowers I like such as Viola odorata and a few thistles for the bees/butterflies. I assembled a new garden hose - the sort that's on a wheel - because my old one wasn't long enough to reach the area next to the shed which I'm now using as a wildflower area. I'm very pleased with this hose but the instructions took some working out! And I put some vine eyes in one of the fence panels to train the Trachelospernum up strings in a fan shape. So that was my DIY for the weekend.
Edibles
I'm sorry to say that the Potato crop was rather disappointing, turning out about four portions all told. They tasted good - although not exceptional - so I doubt I'll bother growing first earlies again. The other disappointment this season so far has been the Peas. I had three pods, one of which got eaten by the snails, so ended up with just two fully formed pods which hardly touched the sides! I will not be growing Peas again - the snails just devour them. On a brighter note my Broad Beans are flowering and I've picked two ripe Strawberries so far with lots more to come. I'm also harvesting salad leaves and lovely crisp Radishes so all these little triumphs make up for the failures.
Having harvested the Potatoes it was time to reorganise the veg plot and and I potted up and planted out Chilli Trifetti, Tomatoes Whippersnapper (which have their first trusses), Tomato Tumbling Tom and Pineapple Physallis. The only edibles yet to go out (they are currently in the greenhouse) are Courgettes and Cucumbers. I'll keep these under cover until they outgrow the space in the hope the slugs/snails will be less tempted by tougher leaves.
Ornamentals
I've got a few new things in bloom including this lovely Tradescantia in the photo. Also out this week are Dutch Iris, Alchemilla Mollis, Elder and Trachelospernum. And tantalisingly in bud are Tagetes, Lonicera, Poppy and Digitalis.
Finally it's been six weeks since my early Narcissus and Tulips stopped flowering so I've been emptying their containers and storing the bulbs in dry compost in seed trays ready for planting out next autumn. This means I've got some spare pots for all the annuals still in the greenhouse waiting to go out. The question is where on earth I'll put them all?
Georgie
4 comments:
I'm sorry to hear that the potatoes were a bit disappointing, and mine look like being the same. I agree about the taste, and not growing them again.
Peas seem to be a lot of effort for little return, which makes me think that I won't bother growing them.
Your last sentence made me laugh as it's the problem all gardeners have isn't it.
That's a terrific tradescantia! xx
What a shame about your potatoes. I've grown Pentland Javelin for the past two years in containers and I thought they were great. I got a decent amount of spuds and I liked the taste. This year I'm trying different varieties so it will be good to compare.
My peas are starting to flower now, but like you say, you do need quite a few plants to get a decent amount. I hope you savoured the taste of what you did get.
My poppies are in flower too. I just threw a few seeds around the front garden and they have grown well.
I wish you hadn't mentioned weeding the driveway. Mine desperately needs doing but I'm trying to forget about it!
Hi Flighty, so that's Peas and Swift Potatoes off our list for next year. What will we grow instead I wonder?
Glad you like the Tradescantia - so do the bees, hoverflies and other insects, and it thrives in the shady corner. I grew mine from a cutting from a friend last year so when it gets a bit bigger (maybe next year) I could take one for you if you like. :)
G x
Hi Jo
I really doubt whether I'll try earlies again but I might give second earlies a go. We'll see.
Sorry to metion weeding the driveway. Perhaps you could convince your neighbours it's a wild flower meadow? :D
G x
Post a Comment