I'm like the white rabbit, Alice's mate! Busy, busy, busy, late for everything, desperate to cram too much into my day before the three weeks of school holidays commence today at 3.30pm....to the exclusion of housework I might add!! I'm taking a quick break from the garden to update this blog and drink a coffee, then I'll finish up outside before rushing to make up a guest room for one of my best girl-friends ever, who arrives by train this evening...
The outdoor temperatures have increased noticeably. I'm at that stage in the season where I get confused with dress code each morning. Jumping out of bed I layer up - vest, t-shirt, tank top, fleece, 'nuther fleece, big pants, jeans and boots etc only to find myself stripping in the school car park. It's no thrill for anyone looking, who wants to see big pants?(only Daniel Cleaver in Brig Jones! Perv!)
Temperatures of 10°+ meant that I could begin planting. I've started indoors using every bit of warm window ledge I can find and creating mini-propagators too. Recycling round here is a bit of an effort as we have to take plastic bottles including the plastic milk bottles to the depot. We still do it, husband is a real eco-warrior, but I've been trying to re-use as much as possible. I've found that croissant trays and muffin boxes with lids are cute little greenhouses. Just put some plastic plug trays cut to size inside. Meat trays washed out thoroughly and doubled up, also make great starter trays with a good compost.
In just three days I'm already seeing the heads of the Russian Tarragon waking up in my official plugged-in propagator. So far I've sown; Tarragon, Chives, Mint, lettuce, basil, celery, marigold, leeks, cosmos, bell peppers, mint, courgette, pumpkins and tomatoes. Phew.
I've just planted out the chitted potatoes too and now I need to firm them in as I've finished my coffee. The rain has started but I'm not bothered (love Catherine Tate) as I may get wet but the potatoes will be well watered in....
BTW. The rat smell has almost gone and boy is fully recovered, we have new tenants for the fields and stables and the chickens are laying everywhere. It's an Easter Hunt EVERY day over here!
Catch up soon....
I'm glad your son is OK now and you don't have to smell decomposing flesh anymore.
ReplyDeleteWow, that went together well, didn't it? Yikes!
We have some snow now, just about an inch on the grass. It'll be awhile before we can plant anything outside, but that's normal for our area.
Potatoes, strawberries and onions are the only things outside. The strawberries and onions were planted last autumn and they've lasted the snow and frost. I really hope our snow is gone, although they've had snow here in early May!
ReplyDeleteProbably won't plant out now for another month to be sure of warmth.
Well done on the seeds, the only thing we have planted is the sunflowers in our eggshells!
ReplyDeleteI've decided to try the sunflowers direct into the ground later this year hoping that the chickens have eaten all the slugs and snails and puppy dog tails!
ReplyDeleteLet's compare Sunflower results later in season like a Gardeners World trial...oh, oh Gardeners World is on tonight, yipee..although that lead presenter really annoys me...
It's wonderful when everything starts to take off so tp speak. You sound so buzzed by it all I am quite envious - I can't wait to get started proper on the garden but we have to wait for builders to finish the veg patch wall and move the green houses etc. Not long now...glad to hear you boy is feeling better!
ReplyDeleteMove the green houses?! wow, now I'm jealous.
ReplyDeleteIt almost snowed here yesterday and I was feeling that the Bl**dy weather should improve till I saw the news last night and heard about that poor teenager in Scotland who lost her life in the snow...dreadful.
Today the sun is streaming through the windows and I'm re-potting tomatoes and cosmos.
....Green houses?!!!....see, I'm still jealous.