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2011 Diary

May

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14th

  • Planted out four Strawberry plants (Homebase sale 25p; was 98p) into modular strawberry planter
  • Planted a grape vine (from a cutting) into large blue pot.

13th

  • Planted out remaining 6 Tomato seedlings
  • Helped Mum organise and plant out her veg patch, and a few planters.

12th

  • Planted out 4 of the Tomato seedlings that Dad gave me.

8th

  • Planted out remaining chillies and sweet peppers
  • Planted out remaining aubergines

7th

  • It rained for the first time in weeks.

6th

5th

  • Sowed some Pumpkin seeds directly into the ground. I've placed them where they can grow upwards.
  • Create another two layers of Alpine Strawberry plants.
  • Layered raspberry
  • Cherry tree has some cherry aphids, which I squished, there was one Ladybird on the scene, but I frightened it away :-(
  • Ornamental Plum has lots of scale insects.

4th

  • The long term forecast doesn't mention frosts, so I've taken a little gamble and decided to plant a few things outside early. Fingers crossed.
  • Planted several things into the "Strawberry Planter" : Alpine Strawberry (3 layers); Mint, Thyme, Marjoram; Basil, Parsley and Thyme.
  • Pricked out Celery, but the Celeriac is still too small.
  • Pricked out Petunias.
  • Planted a "1 Ball" Courgette and two dwarf Tomatoes into a half-barrel container.
  • Sprayed Pear Tree as signs of scab have appeared again this year. Need to reapply in 2 weeks time (18th May)

April

Edit

27th

28th

  • Decided that the squash can hang over the edge of the Coal Bunker, so some of the reserved space is now available for plants. Added two more dwarf Tomatoes, and several Fennel plants.
  • Gave Mum an orange Heuchera.
  • Replanted Spring Onions from the Coal Bunker to the veg patch.

14th

12th

  • A week of hot dry weather is forecast
  • Fig tree has its first fig.
  • Hay-fever :(

4th

  • Sowed Celery and Celeriac in propagator.
  • Sowed Galadia and Primulas in propagator.
  • Pricked out Marjoram.
  • Moved Blueberry bush near to my neighbour's bush, as I've read that this will lead to more fruit.
  • Plum tree has just a few flowers in bloom - looks weird!

1st

Lots of the strawberry plants have flower buds, and my grape vine is starting to sprout leaves. Phew! I thought my harsh, and untimely pruning may have killed it.

Only one of the Physalis plug plants is showing any sign of life.

March

Edit

29th

  • Grafted onto Steve's apple rootstock with Steve's scions.
  • Grafted Steve's apple scions onto my Apple Scrumptious.
  • Pruned Bottle Brush - many of the stems had turned brown on all three of my plants, and on the one that I gave to Mum.

26th

25th

  • Potted up both sets of Tomatoes.
  • Sowed more Beetroots into modules.
  • Started using my mini-greenhouse.
  • Tulips have just started blooming.

23rd

  • Cleaned pond and divided Water Lilies.
  • First toad spawn appeared today.

22nd

  • Nearly finished the bottom half of my mini-greenhouse.
  • At least 7 toads in the pond today - that's a record!
  • Many of the Lupins have germinated. Gave Mum a couple, also gave her three peas.
  • Gave Mum two of Nalin's favourite chillies to look after to see how they compare with the ones under the lights.

20th

18th

17th

16th

  • Restarted work on my Gothic mini-greenhouse.

15th

  • Added reflectors to the florescent lights, and used garden tie-ups to hang them from the shelving units. So chillies should be happier now ;-)

14th

  • Bought two florescent lights from QD for back room.
  • Bought a 250g packet Leo Dried Peas. Much cheaper than peas from the garden centre. Inspired by The Edible Garden.
  • Sowed Peas in fake half barrel, with Pear tree cuttings to grow up.
  • Sowed Peas in toilet rolls inside.
  • Thinned out Basil, as they are way too crowded, but most didn't survive. Still need to prick them out properly when they get bigger.
  • Three Grape vine cuttings are showing signs of life. Moved them to the cooler propagator and removed the polythene bags.
  • Sowed the two types of dwarf Tomatoes.

11th

  • Gave Mum the purple Acer, planted it next to her arbour.

10th

  • Moved the Apple tree into a sunny part of the garden
  • Moved the Acer from its sunny spot into a large wooden planter next to my Arbour.
  • Plum tree is infested with tidy red insects, probably Scale insects. Sprayed with Horticultural Oil made from diluted vegetable oil.
  • Decorative plum is in full bloom, and shows little sign of Scale.

8th

  • Mum took Pear tree cuttings to the dump

7th

  • Pruned Pear tree
  • Burned half of the old wood pile
  • Sowed Lupins in pots in the cloche
  • Painted pond decking with dark oak fence paint
  • Replanted Leeks (thinning out)
  • Three of the Grape cuttings are showing signs of life
  • Moved the small compost pile behind the shed

4th

  • Sowed Lupins in propagator.
  • Sowed remaining Potatoes.
  • Sowed Leaf Mix and Lettuce in cold frame.
  • Transplanted Chives into two large pots.
  • Roughly divided an overgrown Water Lily that had bobbed to the surface.
  • Pruned the Pear tree .

3rd

  • Sowed Lavatera.
  • Soaked my Lupins ready for sowing tomorrow.
  • Sowed Sweet Peas and Peas into Fi's basket
  • Sowed Sweet Peas and Peas into modules
  • Sowed Borage in modules
  • Sowed Fennel in modules
  • Potted on 4 Jalapenos.
  • Potted on 4 Dahlias.
  • Sowed more of Nalin's favourite chillies, as the others haven't germinated yet.
  • Checked the potted Grape Vine cuttings. One pot had mould, but both affected vines were beginning to root.
  • Using cut down 2 litre milk bottles as seed trays. Seven fit perfectly into a standard size seed tray.

2nd

  • Bought some peat free compost from B&Q
  • Bought multi-purpose compost from Asda (the peat free stuff isn't any good for seeds trays). Asda's was cheaper than B&Qs, and was 60% peat. Don't know how much peat in B&Qs.

February

Edit

28th

  • Mum delivered some Apple scions from Steve. I grafted 3, and placed the rest into the fridge. Steve doesn't know the variety, so they will be known as "Steve's Big Apple Tree".

26th

  • Fixed my heated propagators.

25th

  • Took the only 1 year old scion I could find from my Apple Scrumptious, and grafted it to my pear tree. Fingers crossed!
  • Grape Vine was weeping from earlier pruning; taped it up with grafting tape - may do some good.
  • Planted Physalis (bought as dormant plug plants from Thompson & Morgan.

22nd

  • Gave Mum the first 4 stems of rhubarb.
  • Took a load of garden waste to the dump.
  • Gave Mum the modules of chillies and sweet peppers to go in her conservatory.

18th

17th

16th

  • Set out the slug traps using left over beer and cider.

14th

  • Pruned my grape vine, and made cutting, some in pots indoors, and others by the shed.

12th

  • Planted three Raspberry canes (from QD)
  • Planted a Blueberry (from Pound World)
  • Gave Steve a strawberry planter and strawberries (ancestors from his garden).

10th

  • Sowed the Green Chiles (at last!)
  • Also some salad mix and Dahlias to fill up the tray
  • Still only have 3 strawberry seedlings ;-(

6th

  • Prepared my raised bed, dug in some fertiliser
  • Sowed two lines of radishes.
  • The expensive strawberry seeds are just beginning to germinate - three just visible.
  • Jalapenos are sprouting- no sign of the other red or sweet chillies.
  • Chitting my spuds.

January

Edit

30th

  • Sowed beetroots into modules
  • Sowed jalapenos, small red chillies, and sweet peppers into a half tray.
  • Coriander, and the alpine strawberries are looking good. Basil is also just coming through.

28th

  • Sowed a pot of parsley in the main propagator - for the kitchen.
  • Created my 3rd fairy light heated propagator.

25th

24th

  • My stackable planters arrived from

Wynnstayonline.

  • Sowed Strawberries (Sarian F1 Hybrid - 20 seeds).

20th

  • Sowed Alpine Strawberries which are destined to go into planter.
  • Sowed coriander and basil for the kitchen.