Garden (Getting started) 2013

After such a horrid Winter, that's dragged on far too long my liking. I've been just itching to get outside and start clearing the garden for the coming seasons.

The last two days I've finally had that opportunity. My sweet peas and Curly Kale are sitting on my windowsills listening to classical music (yes! Really!) I heard it helps them grow?!

And finally my Apache potatoes, which I purchased at Christmas have been chitting in an egg holder on the kitchen dresser till now. They're now all cosy in a pot and placed in sunny area of the garden. So fingers crossed we don't have any more frost or I'll be sharing my dining room with them!

My Current fruit and Veg list is:

Curly Kale
Apache Potatoes
Spanish Black carrots
Carrots (Nante 2) I did plant autumn King but I suspect the seedling have all died due to the Spring snow. So I plan to plant the Nante 2 instead.
Spring onions (White Lisbon) I planted these with the autumn king and I'm guessing they've  succumbed to the dreadful weather as well!
Dwarf beans (Tendercrop)
Perpetual Spinach (an heirloom variety in use from 1790!)
Gooseberries
Blackcurrants
Strawberries
Courgettes (Defender)
Runner beans (Butler)
Tomatoes ( Minibel)

I can't wait for them all to get going!

A weeders thoughts

A Weeders Thoughts

I have raked the soil and planted the seeds  Now I've joined the army that fights the weeds. For me no flashing saber and sword,  To battle the swiftly marching horde;  With a valiant heart I fight the foe,  My only weapon a trusty hoe. No martial music to swing me along,  I march to the robin redbreast song.  No stirring anthem of bugle and drum  But the cricket's chirp and the honey bee's hum. No anti-aircraft or siren yell But there's Trumpet-creeper and Lily-bell.  With a loving heart and a sturdy hand,  I defend the borders of flower-land; While high over Larkspur and Leopardsbane, A butterfly pilots his tiny plane;  But I shall not fear his skillful hand,  My enemy charges only by land. Would those who lead nations in war and hate But lay down their guns at some garden gate, There, bury- their bombs and their bloody deeds, And join the grand army that's fighting the weeds. -ALMA B. Eymann

The start....

In this blog I hope to document my renewed attempts at a successful, colourful and productive garden. Previous years have been a total wash out. Work commitments and sheer exhaustion have hampered our attempts. So we've had very little time to tend our little part of Wessex.

But this year I'm off to a flying start!! My windowsills have been taken over with seed trays and my tiny little veg plot is fertilised and de-weeded. Sadly I planted my carrots in the seed bed while the sun shone a few days ago, and now with impending spring snow on its way I'm hoping they will survive the freezing weather. I have a double layer of hessian protecting the seed bed, so fingers crossed.

We currently have a tiny veg 3mx3m plot and a few raised beds which we hope to use as productively as possible. Add to that an abundant supply of pots and compost from granny's garden up the road. We hope we will be able to achieve a good amount of home grown veg (and some beautiful cut flowers). We hope to use our garden will be a stepping stone towards an eventual allotment! Though with a 3 yr waiting list in my area I'm putting that goal to the back of my mind right now.

Being new to this any advice is gratefully received!

I look forward to blogging our Little Wessex Garden Adventure!