Yesterday was extremely frustrating. The weather was expected to be good, so I'd planned a full day gardening and plotting! It started very very windy, and intermittent rain. So I started in the back garden re-doing the gutter on the polytunnel. I set up the new square profile guttering (I'm going to re-use the other flimsy grey stuff on the back where it is not so windy) and it runs beautifully into the water butt. I cleaned all the old gluey tape from the plastic tunnel cover, and then tried to stick a new length of plastic to the cover. it is needed to bridge the gap between the plastic cover and the gutter. The wind was too much and the rain meant the surface was too wet to stick anything. So I gave up and did some inside jobs. (We are expecting visitors Sunday evening for4 days and the house is a tip...too much time spent digging!!!)
Then I walked the poor dogs miles. They had a very cooped up day Thursday and needed it. We walked through the allotments where I noticed that the area I'd planted with potatoes and the onion sets is now all panned by the rain! Hopefully it will dry a bit this afternoon (sun predicted again) and I can tickle it up a bit with the hoe. I want to put in the last row of earlies today.....we'll see!
When I got back from the walk I was so worn out that I couldn't face the allotment (anyway I'd established that it was too wet), raided the fridge and settled in knitting for the evening. I should have been ironing but was much too shattered. I think it was the wind!
I watched Gardening World. They were planting their earlies, second earlies AND maincrop all at the same time. I appreciate that it was for a "to chit or not to chit" trail, but still!!! I thought that Rachel de Thame was going to be back this year....I like her, but I also like Sarah Raven, and I was scared we'd lose her as she seems to stand in for Rachel....but I'm glad to say she was back! My husband goes on and on about the way she dresses (he's no picture so has no room to talk!!!!) but I love her with all her quirky ways. I love individuals!
When Alan Titchmarsh stopped doing GardeningWorld I really wanted Bob Flowerdew to take over. But I must say I like Monty. I'd like to see them use Bob a bit though.
posted by lilymarlene @ 3:36 pm
6 comments
6 Comments:
Gosh you were up early today! I also watched Gardener's World and made the same comment about the potatoes. I also hope Rachel de Thame is back soon, but like Sarah Raven.
Have you got Sarah's veg book? Its very good.
Keep up the hard work.
I'm afraid as I've got older I can't lie in bed once I'm awake.....so I'm usually up at 6am.
Yes....I've got Sarah's book. It is brilliant. Now I want her flower one....I'm waiting to see it at a good price. I got the veg one for £10 at Waterstone's at Bluewater, but they didn't have the flower one. Oh well....next mainland trip!
I used to work part-time on an organic farm and we did not wait for the potatoes to chit and we always planted them at the same time, its a great productive farm so she can't be doing anything wrong! I have just found out I cant use my friends garden for potaotes this year(my extra plot) as he is selling or has sold the house, I couldn't make out which. so I have one batch of early and one batch of late with no home to go to ?!? buckets then!!
It took a while for me to get used to Monty, I prefer the presenters he has with him now, not the ones he started with, and Bob is the greatest, except for Uncle Alan of course! and Christine, did you watch her garden show, I loved that.
That is interesting. One wonders why they are called earlies etc!
And I'd heard that about the chitting somewhere else. It makes sense because the potatoes are more vulnerable once chitted, and they would suffer in bulk I'd think.
I'm afraid my second earlies will have to wait a bit though as I haven't dug the ground yet. And as for the maincrop.....I think that'll be under plastic.....!
I recall from some where in my fuddled brain that early's will grow as soon as it is warm enough and maincrop grow as soon as the day length is long enough, so early potatoes can grow succesionally all year round if you live somewhere warm enough,
I second your husband on Sarah Raven. What DOES she look like?. I've no problem at all with her with gardening in skirts, but she desperately needs the "Trinny & Susannah" treatment IMHO.
Rachel De Thame on the other hand....
One word: "Phwoooar!"...and she seems to know her garding stuff as well... Perfect.
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