Peas please

This is the pea story, after about 3 weeks of being sown directly onto the plot, tiny shoots finally peeked out. Since then, they have been making great headway, growing well week after week. With the fluctuating temperatures we have been getting, I decided to keep the cloches on despite some really scorching days. This evening, during my checks, I had to remove the cloches as the plants have reached the top and were starting to bend. Once the cloches were removed, I also put in the stakes for the plants to hold on to as they (hopefully) start to stretch out and lengthened more.

Taken on the 1st of May ... the excitement begins

A week later

A few weeks ago...

Where have you been...French beans?

After one night outside in the cloche, still standing tall

After my first unsuccessful attempt to sow french beans directly on the ground which turned out to be a no-show from the beans, I decided to start again, this time with indoor sowing with the last of my seeds. On cue, they sprouted and happily grew their second set of leaves on the windowsill of my toilet! So, it's time for them to live in their permanent home outside. With some cursory hardening which consisted of putting them outside in the shade for an hour which ended up as them being left forgotten in the direct sun for the entire day, they were considered ready to go out! It's been 4 days, they seem to be happy enough in their new home so its slug duty till they are better established for now.

Hardening outsdie with peas for company

From grass to gravel in a day

Our side lawn has been given a makeover, after 2 years, the grass has lost the battle to moss and poor draining soil. So I had to give in and get rid of the grass but I still didnt want something that was not green, or gave the impression of 'green-ness'. So from rock garden to zen garden to 'get the job done with least cost', we ended up with gravel, rocks (courtesy of our house developer, dug up from the back garden), and a few hebes. With a team of 2 and a half and the surprising coorperation of the weather, we got it all done working from 9 in the morning till 7 in the evening.

Once the winning shot of the new mow-free side lawn ( I guess we can't call it lawn anymore) was taken, I realised that I forgot to take the before shot. I had to dig out an old photo, see below, just imagine the grass looking less green and more yellow. 



Before ... taken almost 2 years ago

New mow-free look!

Muscari Carpet

I had a load of muscari bulbs which I planted in two separate locations, both locations are known to be 'hostile' towards anything that I try to plant. The bulbs in area at the bottom of my garden failed to sprout except for a few straggly bits which were promptly chomped by slugs/insects. The area at the top of the veggie plot however is proving to be muscari friendly...hooray! finally something that will grow in this area! 



Up close and personal

Rhubarb ..babab babab

The rhubarb is back with a vengence, how I love plants like these, didnt even have to codle it through winter. It was hard though last year to fight the temptation to pick the stems as it was just the first year. This year though, we've already had 2 samplings for desserts, the excuse for picking early was that the large leaves were encroaching in to my lines of onions so they had to go and once picked where else but into the tummy they go!

The veggie plan







My little gems .... nice and cosy indoors



 

This year, potatoes are off the list, though I've grown them for 2 years with some success, I find that I would prefer to get some leafy greens in the ground this time round. So, we have (or are going to have) Kale, Cabbage, Brussel Sprouts, Broccoli and Leeks. Not wanting to clog the window sills in the house, I put them in the shed, hoping there will be enough warmth, alas, there wasn't, so into the house they go and no longer than 5 days have passed, I see the little shoots peeking out of the compost. 





Three weeks ago ...