Blog Archives

A Cold Norfolk wind in the early morning sun

25/2/2014

I am in the process of digging out one of my compost bins at the far end of the allotment and mulching around the bases of my new raspberry plants.
There is a lot of hard work to be tackled now the rain has stopped, the weeds are pushing through already.
I intend to give my shed another coat of weatherproof paint today. Now is the hour while the planting is quiet.
I am in the mind to plant my first early potatoes now, the traditional time is at Easter, when the nation is on holiday. I am worried there may be a late frost to come that could wipe the early shoots out in April.

Meanwhile in the garden at home

A host of pure white Snowdrops have emerged heralding a beautiful start to the season in the garden~YES!!

0 Comments

Gales all night~Then a sunny Sunday 16/02/2014

16/2/2014

0 Comments

Windswept~Bent over trees at the allotment.

We experienced gale force winds continually all day yesterday and right through the night. I went to the allotment to make sure that nothing was damaged or blown away. There were several compost bins blown around but fortunately for me, I got off very lightly and everything was in order.
In total contrast we had a very pleasant sunny day today, and I was able to get some weeding done in my garden at home. It is brilliant to see all the spring bulbs pushing through the soil and I have masses of Snowdrops in flower and of course my Hellebore is in full flower now, and looking good. My lawn seems to be suffering from an invasion of Moss, I think I will have to rake the moss off and treat the grass with a general feed and moss killer.

Primula

Snowdrops :)

Camellia buds ready to flower

Hellebore

Weeded border

Barrow load of weeds

Bird table needs attention

0 Comments

The Allotment~Surviving a Wet cold February

11/2/2014

0 Comments

Still some nice leeks left to be harvested

11th February 2014
I managed to get across to the allotment on a few occasions in the last couple of weeks, mainly just to harvest some vegetables. I did manage to squeeze a little weeding in as well and I actually tidied up the shed.
I have also visited Wilkinsons store in Norwich and bought my seed potatoes~I have gone for~~
PENTLAND JAVELIN~First earlies
MARIS PEER~Second earlies and
MARIS PIPER for the main crop~
I grew Desiree as the main crop last year and although I harvested quite a good weight of potatoes, they were slightly scabbed and a little unsightly.
Some success as my rhubarb shoots are pushing through the topsoil. Always heartening to see some early growth.
I will be digging out my compost heap this week, weather permitting, I usually mix the contents of the heap with some of the horse manure I get from my good friend Roses horses.
I do hope this inclement weather we are experiencing improves, I note from last years post in this blog that I actually planted my first early potatoes on the 16th. February~~
WATCH THIS SPACE~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Strawberry plants and Autumn fruiting raspberries

RHUBARB ON THE WAY!

February Garden Flowers

Our Beautiful HELLEBORE

There are still quite a lot of flowers in bloom in the garden and our bulbs are thrusting through the surface all over the place. The usual wonderful array of Snowdrops are evident. although they have yet to fully open and show their full white snowy petals. I am pleased to see numerous daffodil and tulip shoots pushing through and we should get a good display. I purchased a packet of decorative Dahlia tubers from Morrisons today~These have the wonderfully apt name of "CRAZY LOVE"~I will always be able to link these plants with Valentines day now~A permanent bunch of flowers for Margaret every year in June~<3 <3 <3 <3 .

Hellebore~

Primroses

Snowdrops and Primroses

Snowdrops! ~

Hellebore~

0 Comments

February already ~

6/2/2014

0 Comments

Sunrise on the allotments~

We have experienced the wettest January on record with very cold gusty gales and some quite heavy frosts. The ground on the allotment has been waterlogged and far too cold for any seeds to settle in and become acclimatised.
The Broad Bean seeds that I planted before Christmas have now become baby plants and seem to be surviving the adverse weather conditions very well. I also planted some onion sets and garlic cloves at the same time and they also look very healthy.
I purchased an interesting new variety of Raspberry Cane last summer, that produces gold coloured Raspberries, I had a very small crop of succulent juicy gold fruit. I think this is going to be very prolific this year, yesterday I noticed baby plants shooting up in the ground all around the original plant. Raspberry jam may be on the menu next winter.

These stunning sunrise photographs on the allotments were captured with my small digital camera a Samsung digimax, about seven years old now~

Proving that allotments are not just for the summer, I harvested these vegetables on Tuesday 4th February. Cabbages, Kale, and Leeks all freshly picked and I brought home some Potatoes and Garlic that I had stored in my shed. All very healthy food and I am well pleased.

A photograph I snapped of White Dahlias growing in a garden we visited some time ago~

I have decided to try growing some more of these stunning White Dahlias in our garden at home . I purchased some tubers from a garden centre and I planted them straight away on Wednesday, in between the merciless showers of quite heavy rain. I have grown these before in London and we transported some to Norfolk, where they flowered for a few years, before succumbing to death by slugs.

0 Comments

Author

John~~Battling with the elements, pests and diseases in my struggle to keep the garden growing. A constant daily struggle that will be recorded here.

Gardening is such a delightful pastime. I spend time on my allotment almost every day of my life, and the sensation of pure satisfaction never ceases to amaze me. I get so much out of this pleasure, I think the benefits are so huge that the government should legislate and make it more available to everyone. I will list just some of the obvious reasons here. ~~
1) Fresh fruit and vegetables and other produce.
2) Fresh air and an intense feeling of getting close to Nature.
3) Healthy exercise without the necessity of machines that are found inside a gym.
4) The satisfaction obtained by growing plants and watching and caring for them through to maturity.
5) A regular occupation that you can make into a routine, somewhere to go to at a certain time every day.
6) The companionship of like-minded people, with whom you can get ideas and swap tips on your mutual interests.

There is peace of mind in a garden

A Cold Norfolk wind in the early morning sun

Meanwhile in the garden at home

Gales all night~Then a sunny Sunday 16/02/2014

The Allotment~Surviving a Wet cold February

February Garden Flowers

February already ~

Author

Archives

Categories

There is peace of mind in a garden

A Cold Norfolk wind in the early morning sun

﻿﻿Meanwhile in the garden at home﻿﻿

Gales all night~Then a sunny Sunday 16/02/2014

The Allotment~Surviving a Wet cold February

February Garden Flowers

February already ~

Author

Archives

Categories

Meanwhile in the garden at home