Clairesallotment's Blog

I’m so busy during the week, that I only seem to be able to get out in the garden for a substantial amount of time over the weekend.

Saturday was full of bell ringing fun, as loads of ringers came from Surrey where I used to ring and came to try out some bells near me. It was fabulous to see them all again, and catch up. I’ve missed them all very much. It was just like old times as we rang at 5 different towers during the day, had a wonderful pub lunch, and then some had to go home, but many came back to have supper at our house. I’ll try and convince some of the ringers I ring with now in Kent to take a trip to Surrey soon.

So Sunday being free, I managed to get out in the garden and do all sorts of exciting sowing, planting, and pricking out. So let’s start at the beginning:

Pricking out – I’ve now pricked out my Oriental Mustard seedlings. They’ve been growing really well, and I’ve pricked 5 seedlings together into small pots. Hopefully in about 6 weeks time they’ll be ready to be planted outside in the garden. I also managed to prick out all my Dill seedlings. This time I pricked out 10 seedlings into small pots. They’ll hopefully grow well, and I’ll be planting them out in the herb patch by the end of May.

Sowing directly outside – April is the time to sow your Beetroot seeds directly outside in the soil. Using a hand trowel, turn the soil over, just to open it up a little and remove any weeds. I’ve got 3 different varieties of Beetroot this year “Boltardy”, “Golden” and a “Multicoloured Mix”. I’ve mixed them all together, so it’ll hopefully be a rainbow of Beetroots growing.

I also sowed so Turnip “Petrowski” seeds. It’s been several years since I’ve grown Turnips, so I’ve sown just one row to see how they get on.

I also sowed a few more Parsnips. I have 2 varieties this year “Gladiator” and “Tender & True”. I didn’t sow parsnips last year as I was still filling the beds with soil, and it was too late. We love roasted parsnips in our house, so I’m hoping for some lovely long ones this year. The soil in the beds is very sandy, and very few stones, so they should grow well.

I’ve also started to get my potatoes in. I’ve sown some in the raised beds, but the others I will sow in large pots. This year I’m growing “Sarpo Mira”. They’re my favourite potato as they are blight resistant, and I think they’re lovely potatoes.

The garden and greenhouses are filling up nicely, still loads more to do.

Well that’s all for today, I need to start dinner now otherwise the family will start to get “Hangry”. Yes it’s a word, it’s a cross between Hungry and Angry.

A busy week ahead (no surprise there), don’t forget Hot Crossed Buns on Friday. The weather is supposed to be warming up, so that excellent news.

Have a wonderful week, and keep an eye out for my new videos, there’s lots going on in my garden.

Well I got loads done in the garden this weekend, so I thought that I would put it all together for you in one blog post rather than in two.

Let’s start with Saturday 6th April first!

Two of our chickens Bert and Steve are getting along very well together, and there is now no more arguing, pecking and running away in panic. So the wire I’ve had in the big house and run has been removed, and they are now sleeping together (not in that sense), eating from the same trough and laying eggs in the same place. All is happy with Bert and Steve. Yes they are all girly hens, and yes they have boys names. It’s best not to ask. The other 3 girls are still in the small house, and with the help of the kids we’ve moved their house, which is now next to Bert and Steve, and I’ve given them a slightly smaller run. This means all the chickens can see each other all the time now. They’re been out in the garden all together and seem to be getting along quite well. There are the occasional pecks from Bert, just to remind them she is boss. I now have my second brassica cage back, and it’s all ready for some brassicas to go in very soon.

The patio has been cleaned, using a good old fashioned water hose and some brooms. I had the hose (wasn’t going to trust either of the kids with that) and they had a broom each. As they were sweeping away the mess, Emily discovered that she has a hole in one of her wellies, so we’ll have to get her some more this week. Even at her age (19) she still loves to splash through puddles. To be honest I do as well. If you don’t, you’re boring and weird.

Once all that was done, the kids went inside and I went in the greenhouses to prick out various flower seedlings. They all been growing really well and I pricked out “Cottage Garden Mix”, “Gypsophila”, “Linum”, “Clarkia”, “Cornflower Tall Mixed”, “Poppy Maanzaad”, and the last few Tomatoes. The flowers I did in clumps of about 5 seedlings per pot, as it’s quicker, and they look best growing and flowering in clumps. It’s how they’d naturally grow anyway if left to seed themselves.

Now onto Sunday 7th April!

A slightly later start as it was raining in the morning and was rather foggy, but I managed to get out into the garden in the afternoon which was great. I spent it all in the greenhouses as I had lots of April seeds to sow. I’ve written myself a list of things to do, and it’s an entire A4 sheet of paper! I’m slowly crossing things off, so that’s a good feeling. If you have a list like mine, I find it best to do all the same things together. So anything that needs to be pricked out, do all those first, then any sowing in the greenhouses, do all those, then all the planting out, and then finally all the sowing directly outside. I find it’s more organised and you get it all done quicker as you’re based in the same place and you’re not running back and forth all the time.

So I sowed my Spaghetti Squashes. I love these, they’re so tasty and meaty. I also sowed a few more mixed lettuce seeds (what ever variety you choose they all need to be sown the same way). I also sowed my Sweetcorn “Seville”, (this link is for plants, but I bought my seeds from here, can’t seem to find the seeds for sale), which I love. Some Spanish Cucumbers, which I bought in Spain several years ago and I’ve still got loads left. and finally some Lemon Grass “East India”.

There’s still loads more to do, with sowing various seeds directly outside, planting various things outside, pricking out various seedlings, and I still have more seeds to sow in the greenhouse. I’ve written a very long list and hopefully I’ll be able to get through it all this week. I have Tuesday and Friday off this week, so hopefully that’ll help.

I’ll keep you posted. Hope you’ve been able to have just as much fun in your garden/allotment this weekend as I have. Hope you can spend some time this week playing in there to.

International Carrot Day, yes it’s a thing, I didn’t know this until a couple of days ago. You can have Carrot parties, and dress up like a carrots if you want. You can have people round and cook your carrots, either sweet or savoury, it’s up to you.

But why not gather your friends together, young and old. Sit in a circle and snuggle in some soft cushions and pillows and read Lottie and Dottie Sow Carrots.

When you’ve finished reading, go outside and plant your very own, which you’ll be harvesting in late summer.

Come on everyone, let’s make this International Carrot Day better than the last. And if you’ve got red hair, like me, that’s a bonus, we have superhero powers you know.

Woke up this morning…da na na na na. It was really foggy…da na na na na. The fog finally cleared da na na na na. The sun came out da na na na na.

I think I should keep to gardening don’t you?

But yes it’s true, it was really, really foggy first thing, and then by about 11 o clock the sun burned it all away and the afternoon has been beautiful. So I’ve spent most of it in the garden sowing seeds and doing other stuff.

I sowed one row of Parsnips “Gladiator” and the temptation to go all Russell Crowe on them was very strong, but I resisted. They should pop through the soil in about 3 weeks or so, and I’ll keep you posted on their progress.

I also sowed three rows of Carrots. What varieties they are I don’t know as I got several varieties and mixed them all together. It’s going to be a wonderful surprise when I harvest them as to what colours they’re going to be. I love a bit of mystery don’t you? I’m sure Lottie and Dottie would approve.

I then sowed 1 line of Spring Onions “White Lisbon”. I have a couple of other varieties, but I’m trying to finish up all my old seeds, so I can start afresh next year. It’s good to grow carrots and anything from the onion family next to each other, as they repel the flies from each other. I love it when plants work with each other. The same can not be said for Bert and the new chickens. They’re worse than toddlers!!

I also sowed a few more Radish, this time “Pink Beauty”. The first lot of radish I sowed are growing brilliantly and should be ready in a couple of weeks.

And finally I’ve started to harvest this years Asparagus. I sowed it from seed about 7 years ago I think. What variety they are I don’t know, but there are some lovely varieties here. It was then in my allotment, and then I dug it all up and it moved with us. This time last year I put it in it’s new bed, but didn’t harvest any as I wanted it to settle. Now it’s settled I can now harvest some this year. It looks fabulous, I’m so chuffed.

Well that’s all for today, a good days work. I think I deserve one of my birthday beers (I hope I’ve got one left) and a long hot soak in a bath.

Happy days!

Usually I sow my onions from sets, and this is never something I do. But this year I sowed all my onions from seed, so thought I would prick them out into individual pots to help them grow a little better.

I’ve also done the same with my leeks as they were getting a little squashed in their tray.

I love coriander, it’s got such a fresh flavour and makes dishes taste amazing. My seedlings have been growing really well, and now I need to prick them out.

Here’s how I do mine….

Blimey, I can’t believe I’ve finally done all my March indoor seed sowing, just the outdoor sowing to do now, but that will have to wait for another day.

Today I sowed some Celeriac “Monarch” which I love. It’s a very under rated vegetable, but is so versatile and tasty. I also sowed a selection of Lettuce seeds, make sure you don’t sow all your lettuce at once, as you’ll be over run by it. Sow some every month, that way you’ll end up will a good supply throughout the Spring, Summer and into Autumn. Today I sowed “Mixed Red Leaves”, “Rocket”, “Mustard Oriental Ruby Streaks”, “Arctic King”, “Red Veined Sorrel” and some “Land Cress”. I know some of these aren’t technically lettuce, but who cares.

I also sowed some Okra “Clemson Spineless”. Okra can be tricky, and needs a decent amount of heat, but I’m hoping they’ll do well this year. I’ve had some success before, but nothing to write home about….yet!

I also sowed a few more herbs seeds. Firstly Fennel “Bronze”, this is the herb one and not the fennel that makes the bulb at the base. Also some Garden Mint, which I’ve never sown from seed before. And finally some Stevia, which is a new one on me. I’ve tried a little part of a leaf before and it was tasty, but I’ve never grown it myself before. It should look good in the herb patch though. I’ll keep you posted on it’s progress.

And the last of the sowing was a free trial packet of Leeks “Stocky”. I am also growing other leeks, so we’ll have loads to keep us going.

Once all that was done I pricked out a few more tomato plants, and a few other bits and bobs. The flower seeds that I sowed about a week ago are just starting to germinate, so as they say “Everything’s coming up roses!”…..Sorry, I don’t know what came over me.

I also noticed that one of my grape vines is starting to bud, which is exciting. I have 2 vines and I’m hoping to train them to climb over an arch. Not sure I’ll get enough grapes to start making my own wine, but as long as we get some to eat I’ll be happy. I don’t know what varieties they are, as one came from my aunt and uncle many years ago when they moved from the UK to Spain, and the other was label less (where I used to work) so couldn’t be sold, so I gave it a loving home.

Happy days in the garden, what could be better.