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Monday, January 31, 2011

A good job done.

Yesterday I was able to empty and refill the last of my 7 drums where I intend to grow my parsnips this season, 5 borehole 'stations' to each drum.



These now have 6 or 7 weeks to settle until I sow my pre-chitted seed. I shall just top up with more sand as the top surface level sinks over the next few days. An all-important pane of glass needs to be placed over each drum to stop cats digging and doing their business, as I have found to my cost over the years that this is something they particularly enjoy doing. In the past they have walked across the top of the fence and jumped onto the drums for their daily constitutional. Now they will just get a shard of glass up their jacksies!

The pressure's off then in respect of that particular task, so I can now turn my thoughts to doing the same with my long carrot drums. As I won't be sowing carrot seed until well into April I have plenty of time to get this done. I can also start to think about doing a bit of winter digging and getting my veg beds looking neat and tidy. I never seem to get the digging done in the autumn as the text books say you should.

I also have to get a chainsaw to 4 trees that I planted 15 years ago when I was more into ornamental gardening, among them a 40' tall eucalyptus and a 30' beech. As the veg showing has required more land I have gradually moved up the garden and the result is that these trees now have to go, firstly to give my spuds more growing space and also to let more light into the garden. I will be looking to get rid of them before the birds start nesting.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I know just how you feel regards to pressure now off
I too am at a similar stage

Wmff said...

How's your vento onions doing? Mine dont look good, they have started to germinate but the green coating on the seed seeem to be keeping them down and wont break off.

Simon (Smithyveg) said...

Crap Owain.... I'm totally disgusted with them. Only had 4 come up and they look poor specimens. It was the same last season....i really cannot see why he has those green balls as they seem to hinder rather than help.

I shall try another batch but may send off for some Tasco just in case.

Richard W. said...

My Vento are the same. About 70% of the first batch have germinaterd and I've taken off the remains of the casing. They may be OK - just. The second sowing have seen in for 2 weeks with no sign of life.

I won't bother with getting anymore seed as I'm only looking to do my village show and will probably have enough Vento to choose from, plus some Red Baron which I understand would be acceptable.

Anonymous said...

before knocking hell out of your eucalyptus tree, it's maybe worthwhile having a word with your local florist to see if you can do a deal to exchange some cuttings for a nice bouquet for your loved one(or your wife hee hee). Instead of cutting the tree totally down, you could leave a stump and prune the shrubby resultant growth annually for repeat floral exchanges.

You got your pea trench dug yet?

Simon (Smithyveg) said...

Last time I bought her flowers she said "i suppose i'll have to open my legs for this?"

I said "why? Haven't you got a vase?"