Leaf mould bin

Rebuilt my leafmould bin today - much more sturdy than the last effort - now all I need to do is fill it up with leaves - mind you the leaves that the children & I collected this week will go a long way to doing that. I haven't mown them as Monty Don sugests as I haven't got a decent mower so I suppose I will have to wait ages for some lovely leaf mould.

I also worked out how many new pieces of glass it will take to re-glaze the green house (too many!) I think it will cost me more than the greenhouse to finish it.

Mother's 'little helper'

Chloe digging her bed - I had already done most of it, and in fact ended up finishing it off for her.

This weekend I managed to put cloches (old sweet jars) around the newly planted spring cabbage, although have lost 3 to slugs. The leeks have grown noticably since I fed them with nettle tea (smells vile). I am still picking courgettes but my butternut squash is only 2 inches long - don't think it will make a meal somehow. I dug in the green manure thet had been previously cut, mulched with some manure and covered with fabric in readiness for strawberries. I also dug over the asparagus bed, mulched with farmyard manure and covered it with fabric ready to receive the asparagus in the spring.

As you can see I am changing the surrounds of the beds to wood because when I am digging the slates come up, also they are very sharp so wood will be safer if the little cherubs should trip up when running about the plot.

Garlic

Garlic 'Thermidrome' growing very well

Greenhouse - Taking shape!

Nearly there - the greenhouse just needs the glazing put in now, although I will need to replace alot of it as I broke loads in transit. I am planning to put weed supressing fabric on the floor with gravel on top to stop the slugs.

Plot plan

The first plan of the plot, although the layout of the beds has not changed, at the top ther is now the half built greenhouse, and the shed will go on my next door plot with some grass (for relaxing) in between!

Brussels sprouts with very small sprouts sprouting! 

Spring cabbage at the rear and leeks at the front - I think we might be having baby leeks this year!! 

A bed full of garlic - 'Tescos', 'Thermidrome', 'Marco', and 'Cristo'. So far all but tescos appear to sending out little shoots. 

The beginnings of a greenhouse 

Better things to do!

Was meant to be doing my dissertation but ended down at the plot - oops! I have planted some more garlic - I now have nearly a whole bed of it! Planted Cristo and something I can't remember the name of. I also planted the spring greens that I was given by a work collegue.

The great greenhouse rebuild has started. I have dug the trench and bolted the base together and have started to fill the trench in. more photos to follow!

Got a greenhouse!

Having been looking avidly on Ebay for a greenhouse for what seems like ages and being out bid every time I am now the proud owner of a lot of bits of aluminum and glass which hopefully will go back together into a 10' x 8' greenhouse, purchased via an ad in the local free ads. I have just spent most of the weekend taking it apart & transporting it to the plot. I need to thank it's previous owners for the constant supply of cups of coffee and words of encouragement, needless to say I am now on the hard stuff as a reward for getting the thing down without completely losing the plot.

I also cut the green manure ready to dig in and planted lots of garlic - ' Thermidrome' and 'Tescos' and have 'Marco' and 'Cristo' to plant - we like garlic!! There seems so much to do on the plot at the moment but I am also writing a dissertation at the moment (hard going) Although I do keep on finding myself with a fork in my hand instead of a pen and paper & I have no idea how that happens.