Friday 17 April 2009

Day 6, Day 7 and Day 8 !!

Well Day 6 & 7 were a bit cold and horrid, so not much action at the lottie. Feeling tired and not needing much of an excuse to do absolutely nothing I went shopping instead ... and nearly bought myself a greenhouse. This is the beauty I've been eyeing up ... I'm sorely tempted to replace the potting shed with it - but the solid concrete base that is currently in place is making me think twice.

Day 8 started very unpromisingly, with drizzle and grey skies. The BBC weather, rather optimistically in my opinion, stated that at 1pm today the sun would break forth from the clouds and shine down on Sheffield. Somewhat skeptically, a couple of cups of tea and a couple of brownies later I decided to shift my ass off the sofa and have a wander up to the lottie. Sure enough at 1pm the sun did indeed appear over Sheffield ... I'm still not over the shock !

I finally managed to find some cabbage collars - they have proved to be very elusive items ... or maybe I just don't shop in the right places. My red cabbages are now snugly fitted with collars ... well the bits of the plants that the bloody pigeons have left behind. Hmm, may need to net the dratted things.

redcabbage

I'm pleased to report that my onions are starting to show and they look very healthy so far.

onion

Even my red ones are poking their way through the soil - maybe my new planting technique is paying off.

red onion

redonion2

With the sun shining, I decided to sow some more seeds. I've filled the remaining space in Bed 1 with Chantenay & Nantes 2 Carrots. I've also sown some Yellowstone & Early Nantes into a square pot to see how they do - although just after I'd sown them, I read that they don't like being planted in compost ... hmm, guess we'll soon find out.

carrots

I was surprised to find that I've managed to accumulate 7 packets of beetroot ! I've sown 6 - I've got an Italian one, Globe, Boltardy and Detroit.

beetroot

The Jerusalem Artichokes have started to grow again and I haven't managed to harvest them yet - so I finally got around to digging them up. I've moved them to the opposite side of the plot, they are now at the end of bed 3.

JAs

Here is my rhubarb, its not growing particularly fast, but is looking nice and healthy:

Rhubarb

The tadpoles are growing really quickly, they are now swimming all over the pond - I wish I'd taken some of the weed out over winter, the pond is looking a little choked by it:

tadpoles

skater

The King Cup is in full bloom, it looks absolutely stunning:

kingcup

I think this pretty little thing is Coltsfoot - its growing in the wild flower garden, but will soon be consumed by the Ox Eye Daisies - I'm in half a mind as to whether to pull up the daisies - they do look so beautiful when they are in bloom, but they engulf everything once they get going.

coltsfoot

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