Saturday 23 August 2008

Busy little me

The lottie is looking really tired and unkept so I've decided to have a clear out.

I started by cutting down all of the poppy seed heads - I have left one poppy in situ, its the lilac one that is not quite ready yet for seed collecting.

poppies copy

I've collected half a plastic sandwich bag of red poppy seeds. I wonder if you can eat them, or if they have to be a special variety ?

Poppyseeds copy

The poppy seed heads are drying now in the brick greenhouse

Poppies2 copy

I finally cut down the Alfalfa. When I first sowed it, I intended to dig it in before it flowered, but time got away from me. I still need to dig in the roots, but the top growth is now gracing the compost heap (which is bursting at the seams)

Alfalfa copy

Actually my compost heap is looking very pretty ... some of the artichoke heads that we didn't get around to eating have managed to flower

compostheap copy

Lots of these in it though, but at least they are not munching my veggies ... although I do wonder what all of those froggies are eating ??

slug copy

I've cleared the red onion bed and sown Phacelia in it. It also has Jerusalem Artichokes at the end of it - they tower above me now. I'm waiting for them to flower.

I've also been collecting the seed heads from the Phacelia that was grown in front of the glass greenhouse - they are also in the brick greenhouse drying (boy its getting crowded in there). It looks really ratty, so I need to cut it down and dig in the roots.

Phaceliaseeds copy

The fenugreek is looking very well and if the weather is good tomorrow, I shall have another visit to the lottie and dig it in.

Fenugreek copy

I finally have a ripe tomato. Boy, the lottie is really behind this year - note to self, sow seeds much earlier next season ... regardless of weather conditions !

Marmande copy

Looks like my second tomato will be a Tigeralla

Tigerella copy

Even the Sweet Olive Plum are not as prolific as last year.

sweetoliveplum copy

There are baby frogs hopping all over the lottie, but this little fella is a bit hopeful if he thinks he is ready to leave the pond - he was sat very resolutely on the pond edging

Hopeful copy

There are all sizes hopping about:

Froggie2 copy

froggie copy

Hurray, my beans have all arrived - these are Goldrush ... only trouble is I'm not sure if you cut them small and eat them like runner beans, or if you leave them longer for them to grow beans ?? I need to do some googling LOL

GoldRush copy

Here are my first Scarlet Emperor ... they definitely need picking when small !

ScarlettEmperor copy

I pass two fields full of sweetcorn on my journey to work and they look to be at the same stage as mine ... its very difficult not to take a little peak:

Sweetcorn copy

There were lots of shield bugs and babies about today - green and brown ones. I've not seen many this year, I wonder if it is cooler than last year:
ShieldBug copy

The rye is drying nicely in the brick greenhouse. I'm going to collect the seed (not sure why yet !) and will then save the remaining stems to use as straw under my strawberries next season:

Rye copy

Here is my favourite Verbena:
Vebena copy

The teasels look really nice ... I can't decide whether to leave them in situ for the birds over the winter or cut and dry them ...

Teasel copy

Even though we've eaten hundreds of artichokes, a couple have managed to flower ... its quite funny watching the bees as they stuff themselves deep into the flower - the nectar must be very good as they stagger around very slowly, like they are drunk or stoned:

Artichoke copy

This is one of my cowslips - I still have my fingers crossed that they will start to self seed:
Cowslipseedhead copy

These lovely blue iris have popped up during the week:

BlueIris copy

Blimely, how many seasons do Dandelions have ?? I can't believe they are popping up again.

Dandelion copy

No comments:

Post a Comment