realgardens

Rocket launch.

2009-03-11T23:05:00.003Z

Despite my previous post two days later I sowed a couple of rows of rocket in a raised bed under a sheet of glass. I'm happy to report full germination and so I'm assuming it's full steam ahead for outdoor sowing of salads and veg, well maybe a bit of caution is required so I'll stick to the raise beds under glass (chicken).

Seed Sowing

2009-03-03T07:08:00.002Z

I've been sorting through my increasing collection of (mainly) vegetable seeds and have come to the conclusion that I have way more than my allotment or garden could ever sustain, even if I sowed just a few from each packet.

It seems like most gardeners I cannot resist spending from seed catalogues and ever increasing on-line sources.

The recent warm weather has got us all itching to sow and plant, BUT I shall be patient and wait as sowing seeds in cold soil will only check their growth and in the great scheme of things another 10-14 days won't hurt.

Behind with the snow and ice.

2009-02-08T15:45:00.003Z

We have been cosseted of late with the mild winter weather fortunately delt us in recent years, so it has come as a bit of a shock this (what was once) normal winter ice and snow. What I notice is how far behind plants like snowdrops and hellebores are.

Usually hellebores are in full flower by now and our borders trimmed with the white and yellow of snowdrops and aconites. The hard frosts since the year started and recent snow has prevented any work on the allotment and flower borders - this time last year I sowed my first rows of rocket in a raised bed under glass!

So all we can do is wait and hope for a warm, sunny and dry spring to get our seed sowings off to a great start and, at the end of the day, in my experience, the seasons and plants find their own way and we still will enjoy daffodils in April, tulips in May and strawberries in July.

Snow chickens

2009-02-05T12:39:00.003Z

The chickens don't know what to make of the snow, they're very quiet and not eating much although egg production is still good. They usually run up to the fence a soon as I arrive on the allotment but they can't be bothered and just stare at the corn I throw in for them.

The white stuff.

2009-02-04T22:49:00.004Z

Well the biggest dump of snow in 10, 15, 20 years (depending on which news channel you watch) is refusing to disappear. Below freezing nights have now turned the snow to ice and for us gardeners there's little to do but watch and wait.

I managed to work today only because my regular Wednesday customer has a field that needs masses of brambles clearing from its perimeter, so had a great day hackin' and slashin' and burnin'.

been working on my new website which I hope to launch next week.

The BIG CHILL continues.

2009-01-30T22:55:00.004Z

We're promised another week of cold weather and snow for Monday and Tuesday! We really have had a 'proper' winter this year. Hopefully it'll kill off some of the nasty bugs we gardeners don't need - like SLUGS and SNAILS, the most loathed of all garden pests.

This time last year I was well prepared for the coming season putting glass frames over raised beds to warm up the soil and, in fact, I sowed my first batch of rocket seeds outdoors under a glass sheet in the first week of Feb! Not much chance of that this year.

Such is the effect of the weather I haven't even ventured into a garden centre yet this year, I'm normally to be seen drooling over the seed displays and buying pots and compost for early sowings. Oh well! Plenty of time eh?

wigglywigglers

2009-01-14T22:31:00.003Z

Placed an order for salad seeds today from WigglyWigglers. Apart from bog standard lettuce I'm gonna try different varieties like namenia and mizuna neither of which I have grown before.

Growing salad leaves is so easy and cheap. From a couple of packets you can have salad leaves virtually the year round - today I picked a bag of rocket that I sowed back in September! Wonderful.

If you haven't visited the 'wiggly' website then do,they have an ever increasing product line for gardening and wildlife but the best feature is their weekly podcast, funny and informative about gardening, farming and all things environmental.

Cold and foggy today - I need some sunshine to cheer me up.

RAIN!

2009-01-12T15:47:00.006Z

A welcome change in the weather today: welcome only in the sense that the temperature this morning was 7deg C and not zero! Heavy rain showers too the first in nearly a month. This part of the UK, Essex, sees less annual rainfall than Dubai, apparently.

I have an allotment nearby where I keep six chickens. Between xmas eve and boxing day morning two of my 'girls' were stolen, as was three from a neighbours' allotment the previous week. We are lucky because we have no vandalism or theft problems especially as the allotments are open access with no fences or gates. Let's hope this is a one off incident.

First Posting

2009-01-11T16:55:00.005Z

Hello
I am Richard, I garden in north Essex (UK) and for the last five years have had my own gardening business offering maintenance and some design work.

My reason for starting this blog is to link up with like minded people who share my passion for gardening and other related activities.

Hopefully as my input increases so will my visitors here.

Happy gardening.