Flighty's plot

Thursday was sunny and warm so as I wasn’t working I spent all morning on the plot. I planted my early potatoes and the onions in the far corner of the plot beyond the log pile. I also planted the gladioli bulbs in three places around the flower areas. The rest of the morning was spent pondering and pottering.

Today it started out bright and sunny, but I was slow to get going when I got up lingering as I did over breakfast before heading off to the plot.

I found another lychnis, which is bigger than the one I mentioned the other day, which I’ve planted in the stone feature. If I get something else for there then I’ll take it out and plant it elsewhere. I also planted a small aquilegia in the front of Nikki’s corner, and some variagated leaved vinca by the smaller log.

I then planted a row of each Leek ‘Musselburgh’, Beetroot ‘Boltardy‘ and Lettuce ‘Little Gem’.

I mulched round the raspberries with the last of the wood chippings, which will keep the weeds down and help retain moisture. The strawberries I was given and planted in the autumn clearly haven’t survived so I’ve dug that area over and will think about what to do there instead. I’m not so concerned about losing those as I’m not that keen on them, much preferring blackberries and raspberries.

I chatted with Trevor who was going to do his stint at the hut and he said that it looked like I wouldn’t be doing much more. He was right as I’d just about cleared up when it got very cloudy indeed and rain stopped play ! It was forecast but at least I had been there a couple of hours.

It feels good to have got a few vegetables planted and sown, and I’ll now consider which flowers I shall sow first and where.

Earlier in the week at home I transplanted the sweet peas so that they’re now two to a square pot, and thankfully they all seem to have survived that okay.

Two days on from snowy Sunday with a lovely sunny springlike day today Last Thursday and Friday were just as nice so as I wasn’t working either day I spent some time here plotting along! I didn’t do much Thursday as I started the day with a headache which was slow to clear so I pondered and pottered.

Friday was a much better day. I started by taking my new feature to the site in the car then using a borrowed wheelbarrow to get it to the right place, which is just about the centre of the plot. I wasn’t sure that I’d even be able to move it let alone lift it but the third Weetabix that I had for breakfast made all the difference! It’s about 12″high, 15″square outside and 9″ inside. Now all I’ve got to do is decide what to grow in it. Any suggestions?

I dug in a few plants that I dug up from the so-called garden outside my flat including this lychnis , and some periwinkle (vinca major) and yellow fumitory (corydalis lutea) both of which I like, but I know do tend to be rather rampant if left alone. Earlier in the week I put some aquatic weed and a plant into the pond along with a few taddlers, which I got from my plot neighbour Lesley’s pond. The unknown flowering bulbs I mentioned recently are some kind of narcissus

Today I was happy to see a handful of ladybirds sunning themselves on the original log, which presumably they’ve made their home. The good weather is forecast to last another couple of days so hopefully on Thursday I shall finally get to plant some onions and potatoes, and do some much needed weeding in one of the planned flower patches.

I thought that it was very quiet when I woke up this morning. It had that silent sound that a covering of snow gives. Sure enough I opened the the curtains to a snowy Sunday!

I had a quick cup of tea and a biscuit before donning my coat, cap, gloves and wellies. This time I wanted to photograph Plot 124 in the snow.

There was perhaps an inch of soft snow underfoot, and big flakes falling as I walked along. I reached the gates and could see that no one else had been here this morning.

I’m glad that I was here during the week doing some work. In fact it was very pleasant in the sunshine on Thursday morning, which was the warmest day of the year so far!

Thankfully the bird feeders are okay and there’s no ice on the pond, so it’s a few more photos then home for a another cup of tea and some toast. Much of the rest of the day will most definitely be spent sofa flying!

Plotting along the entry planned for today is all about what I’d been doing here during the week and which I’ll now post in the next day or two.

Sunday morning was sunny and warm, which wasn’t what had been forecast. I called into the hut to buy peanuts for the birds and some rose food. I also spent £1 on five raffle tickets but forgot to ask what the prizes are!

It was very pleasant on the the plot but the under the surface the soil is still on the sticky side. The forecast is for dry and warm weather from mid-week on so hopefully next week will see me planting onions, potatoes and the various bulbs, corms and tubers I bought a few weeks ago.

I lightly forked some rose feed in around the roses which are all looking good with plenty of signs of growth. The aquilegia which almost disappeared during during the winter is doing well. It’ll be interesting to see which one it is as there’s lots of varieties. There are some bulbs I planted that are about to flower but I can’t remember what they are!

I repositioned a chunky sized log that I acquired last Friday, and which I’ll point out when I next include a plot photo showing it. I hoed over the area where I’m going to plant the potatoes. The original blackberry has grown considerably so I’ve now supported it. Whilst doing that I saw this really tiny plant flower which was no bigger than a small finger nail. Isn’t it lovely!

So now I’m all set to go!

This is often said of one of the most impressive flowers, which is surely worthy of a place in any garden or allotment. It is the Sunflower(Helianthus annus) which is also a favourite for children of all ages!

When I was chosing what seeds to grow I found that there were plenty of varieties to choose from, with Chiltern Seeds listing around 20. I’ve gone for Autumn Beauty which grows to 6 feet tall and has branching stems freely producing flowers 6 inches across in colours including bronze, cream, lemon, mahogany and old gold.

During the week I was given a packet of Giant Singles which are likely grow over 12 foot high!

One bonus of Sunflowers is that the attractive seed heads are loved by the birds.

Another favourite flower has to be the Sweet Pea(Lathyrus odoratius) of which there are numerous varieties. Among the seeds that Nikki was kind enough to send me were three different packets. They are Early Multiflora Blend which has dainty flowers on long stems; Heirloom which is the original sweet pea that can be traced back to the 1690’s, is purple & deep blue bicolour and very fragrant, and Bouquet Blend which has heavier, longer stems and larger flowers ideal for cutting.

I’m assured that sweet peas are a sow and forget, easy to grow flower. I’m told that all I need to do is insert my forefinger an inch into the soil, cover and that’s it. I shall grow mine two each at the base of four 6 foot canes tied into a wigwam.

I’ve always said that I intended to sow all my seeds direct on the plot however I have sown some into plastic containers as I was given a bag of seed compost a couple of weeks ago. Among these are some sweet peas which after less than two weeks look like this The seedlings on the left, which appeared in a couple of days, are Eucharidium breweri ‘Pink Ribbons’ which Nikki may well recognise as it’s from California. It has narrow leaves and in summer bears countless, beautifully scented, deep glowing pink flowers with narrow, ribbon-like petals. It’s a sow and forget annual which makes a delightful little pot plant.

Happy gardening!