Update

Since my last update i have now managed to add all the new beds bar one.

I have been working on adding supports to my shed for the winter, working on the content of the compost bin, and adding all the new raised beds and the surround for the base of the greenhouse.

New list of things to do this month

Compost Bin
============
Hammer in posts for compost bin to make more sturdy
Nail compost bin to new steaks
Make hinged roof
staple chicken wire to leaf mould area (going to be filled for me).

Beds
====
Finish digging over new beds.
Harvest last of spuds
Weed existing beds.
Add a couple of barrows of horse manure to each new bed**
Plant with over wintering veg
Move fruiting plants into place
Hammer in 2 posts into permiant raspberry bed
Remove posts from existing bean beds.

Paths
=====
add a layer of cardboard and membrane and then a layer of wood chips.

Greenhouse
==========
Cut out membrane
Cable tie netting to fence
Add horse manure and soil to build up levels **
Add polystyrine to corner of the fence post to stop wind dammage to greenhouse.
move greenhouse over and postcrete into place

**When we get more soil top up beds
**As new beds are filled with soil plant up fruit plants

Planning for 2008

Started to get planning for next year.

This means i have to work out what i had in the existing beds and identify the one with tomato blight. Then work out what i want to plant next year and work out the planting plan :) fun.

Green Tomato Chutney

With a big cyberhug to 'Flowerlady' i have made my first batch of Green Tomato Chutney!!

• 4 lbs green tomatoes
• 1 lb cooking apples
• 1 1/2 lbs shallots
• 8 oz raisins
• 1 pt vinegar
• 1 lb soft brown sugar
• 2 tsp salt (optional - to taste)
• 1 oz root ginger ( I grate or chop if you want to leave it in else bash with something heavy and add to muslin)
• 10-12 chillies ( in a muslin bag )

Chop up the toms, peel and chop apples and shallots. Here you could mince all the fruit, depends on the finish required. I like lumps! Bruise ginger and chillies place in bag. Place all ingredients into pan, bring to boil and simmer until chutney has achieved the desired consistency. Remove the spices, and bottle. You can also add a tablespoon of mustard seeds. Leave to 'mature and mellow' for at least three months if you can!!

Which means its just in time for christmas, i halved all the quantitys as i did not have that many tomatoes and made one small jar to try and a large jar for later :-) I like ginger so i guestimated about an inch wide peice rather than weighting so i hope that does not backfire on me :)

With a little help from the man above

With the help of a local baptist preacher, I have managed to now get all my raised bed steaks bashed in and i can now start screwing in the sides of the raised beds and re-establish the paths.

So i already had

3 beds 2ft by 10ft ( each bed will need 0.4 cubic yards of dirt )
4 beds 4ft by 4ft ( each bed will need 0.3 cubic yards of dirt )
1 beds 3ft by 3ft ( each bed will need 0.2 cubic yards of dirt )
9 beds 4ft by 10ft ( each bed will need 0.7 cubic yards of dirt )

Now i have in addition

3 beds 4ft by 8ft ( each bed will need 0.6 cubic yards of dirt )
6 beds 3ft by 10ft ( each bed will need 0.6 cubic yards of dirt )
3 beds 4ft by 10ft ( each bed will need 0.7 cubic yards of dirt )
3 beds 3ft by 4ft ( each bed will need 0.2 cubic yards of dirt )

which all need filling.

(calculating how much compost i need i used http://yardscut.com/how-much-dirt.htm)

Retail Therapy

Following a little Retail therapy at Wyevale I Spent £19 (actual cost of seeds £75) and got 41 packet of seeds 4-5 are for other people but i managed to pick up leek seed tape and mats for herbs and tomatos.

• Beetroot - Chioggia Pink 3packs
• Runner Bean - Summer Medley
• Pea - Twinkle
• Sweetcorn - Minipop F1 2 packs
• Cabbage - Walking Stick
• Cabbage - spring advantage F1 Hybrid
• Cabbage - Savoy Estoril F1 Hybrid
• Pepper - Big Banana F1 Hybrid
• Carrot - F1 Maestro
• Carrot - Early Nantes 5
• Tomato - F1 Sweet Million
• Tomato - Tumbling Tom Red
• Cauliflower - Romanesco Early
• Cauliflower - Igloo
• Cauliflower - F1 Trevil
• Onion - Sweet Spanish Yellow
• Onion - Bedfordshire Champion
• Onion - Red Rossa Di Toscana SOI
• Parsnip - White Gem
• Onion - Brown Pickeling SY 300
• Onion - Paris Silverskin
• Bean - Cannellino Impero Bianco SOI
• Bean - Borlotto Firetougue
• Tomato - Cuore Di Bue SOI
• Beans - Yardlong Dolico Del Metro SOI
• Pepper - Rubens SOI
• Tomato - San Marzano Lungo F1 Hybrid SOI
• Spinach Viridis SOI
• Onion - White Tonda Musona SOI
• Leek - Musselburgh SEEDTAPE 2 packs
• Tomato - Seed Mats Moneymaker - Gardeners Delight - Beef steak 3 packs
• Herbs - Parsley coriander basil chives
• Marigold - Bonita Mixed French
• Sweetpea - Jet set mixed
• Sunflower Collection - Tall Single Irish Eyes Autumn Beauty Paquito and teddy bear (5 individula packet of seeds inside collection)

Lots of seeds of italy (SOI) and most in date till 2009, Making a cup of tea and putting feet up now.

I will be updating my seed list and will publish when i get a chance.

Rain Stops Play

Only got so far with getting plot sorted when the rain decided to fall and the winds decided to howl.

So it looks like a couple of days off the plot allowing the weeds to grow back :-(

Sunday update

Managed to get all 3 beds fitted against the fence (no photos sorry 2 tired will post some later :-) ). There not fully hamered in and the backs & fronts need to be fitted. But the sides and paths are in place. Just need to get them finished and get the paths covered in wood chips.

Cut the wood for the ends of the 6 middle raised beds and started to screw the posts to them. Only one hammered in a little so far.

Also started raking up the dry grass did 3 wheelbarrow loads before i gave up due to high winds.

I did not water which is just as well as the heavens opened and we had a loud thunder storm a couple of hours later. Surprisingly its all dry now.

Look out for a pumpkin update next week as they have all swelled in size and I plan on brining a tape measure down to check on them :-)

A tidy plot for once

Full steam ahead to start adding the extra beds. In the big gaps above will be some 3ft wide beds and lots of beds at the bottom and against the side fencing. A busy weekend to come.

Pumpkin Update 1

Garlic Harvested

1st Crop
This was seed garlic planted before chrismas and as you can see the garlic is big ish. It was harvested approx 8 weeks ago and i got 8 blubs of garlic.

2nd Crop

I managed to harvest my second garlic bed yesterday, 62 bulbs of garlic. Some where small and some are medium sized. This was a mix of shop bought and seed garlic and i have not found a notacible difference. But this garlic was planted after christmas and was smaller overall then the garlic planted before christmas. There was a frost which is why the garlic split but the late planting might explain the smaller size.

3rd Crop

Not yet harvested.

Getting there

Having cleared enough space against the fence to errect the 2 beds and start to put in the paths. I will get husband to hammer to wooden posts in at the weekend.

I have also cut the wood for the 6 additonal raised beds in the middle of the plot. With luck i can get all these beds in at the weekend.

Update - so far so good

I have managed to clear 1/2 way down the fence, am cable tieing netting to the bottom to try and stop the weeds comming through. I might be fighting a losing battle.

I have the wood cut for the raised beds against the fence and have found some holes near the fence from something thats been digging under the chicken wire. You can see from the picture below of Hole my foot is all the way in and the hole is above the ankle.

This may corrispond to throw up I have been finding over the last week.

and

After i add water and try to wash it away it goes a strange reddy brown colour, its way 2 much for a rodent or a bird so must be a cat?

At last nice weather

.. The weather has dryed up and the wind has been down which has ment that i can have more productive time on the plot.

Spent a relaxing couple of hours pottering around, moved loads of wood chips down to the plot and gerneraly tidying up.

Picked up 1/2 a car full of cardboard (more to pick up tomorrow) to help line my paths and control the weeds. As the weeds have grown on top of the weed membrane then if i put cardboard down, more membrane and more wood chips i might have a fighting chance.

Took some pics and will update the blog with them asap.

Update

Its my first real update since i made the blog.

Following a very strange year i have now ordered the rest of the wood to make the extra raised beds i need to expand my plot.

I have ordered 45 planks, 60 pegs and 200 cable ties.

I have abandoned the idea of a fruit cage, and inted to just plant my fruit bushes and add netting at key times of the year.

Tomorrow i am going to get started with adding netting to the fence that boarders my plot as the weeds are growing though. And then dependant on weather i will try and get my new raised beds built this week.

Then all i have to do is to full the beds and put down more paths and more wood chips.

I have also very kindly been given a greenhouse, Hux, Nick, Paul and myself moved it over to the edge of my plot and all i need to do is to prepare a flat area to build the plot on. I have permission to put the greenhouse at the bottom of my plot. This will mean about 10 wheelbarrows of compost and horse manure needs to be moved and supported by some wood into a stable flat area and the corners concreted into place. But will allow me to plant melons, watermelon, peppers, chillis, aubergines and tomatos yippie!!

Lots to do...