Clairesallotment's Blog

Well, we woke up to a dusting of snow this morning, a few more flurries later on, but now it’s sleeting. Don’t get me wrong, I love snow as long as it doesn’t affect me or anyone else getting to where we need to go. Still really cold though and getting colder. This afternoon I started my January sowing. I’m very excited as I’m sure you can imagine. I sowed the remaining aubergines (seeds left from last year. I brought then in Spain I think.) They’re small yellow/green ones. Hopefully I’ll be able to show you later on in the year. Also some Cress. A favourite with the little people as it’s very fast. Some cauliflowers which are all year rounders. And Goji berries from seed. I then came inside and are trying to grow some brown mushrooms and some Shii-Take ones as well. I have grown white ones before and they worked really well, the brown should be about the same, but the Shii-Take look a bit complicated, so I’ll keep you posted on those ones. Inside now and warming up with a cup of tea.

Well this morning when the postman arrived, it was just one item and that was for ME!! It was the seeds that I ordered from Victoriana Nursery Gardens. Loads of exciting new seeds, and some that I’ve grown before. There is one that I am a little apprehensive about, but I’m sure I’ll cope. Just waiting for the snow to arrive, it’s bloody cold outside at the moment, may have to get the thermals out.

If you are ever wanting to order any seeds, plants, tree etc from somewhere. I would highly recommend Victoriana Nursery Gardens. I’ve ordered loads of bits from them before and they’re fantastic. No fancy packaging, just great stuff. Take a look, and please mention that I suggested them.

Mark is in the process of fixing my new nesting box camera in the box, so I can spy on my birdies when they hopefully arrive again. The camera is working, and now he has the job of finding the best way to get the cable from the box, through the loft, down the wall and into the back of the telly. Rather him than me, but I will be stand by just incase I’m required. Don’t worry I’ll keep you posted on my birdie’s progress and I’m sure they’ll be lots of video footage.

I think you’ll agree the large one is much more impressive.

As we’ve eaten all the garlic that I grew this year, I’m now having to buy my garlic. I usually get the basic pack from a certain supermarket, but just before Christmas I got a couple of bulbs from a greengrocers which is about 4 miles away. I’m sure you’ll agree there is a little difference in their size. The small is the supermarket, and the large one is the greengrocers. The 50p is there so you can get an idea of the size.

Happy New Year to you all, I hope you had a great time last night, and aren’t waking up with a hang over this morning. Yesterday morning I put the champagne in the fridge, but as the day progressed Mark and I came down with colds. I think we’ve now relaxed after Christmas, and they’ve taken hold. Mine isn’t bad, but I think Mark is a little more stuffed up than I am. Needless to say we never made it to midnight (actually we were in bed before 10pm). Are we getting old? Neither of us are 40…yet! Never mind the champagne will wait until dinner time. We’re out this morning for a family wander to the Stepping Stones in Dorking. Not sure exactly where that is, but we’ll find it. Then home for lunch, a nap and them a film. I think Ben Hur is on later. Have a great New Year to you all, and all the best for 2013. I’ve got lots of new seeds to share with you, but I’m not going to tell you yet as I want to keep them as a surprise.

Frosty spider webs.

Frosty spider webs.

Woke up to thick frost this morning, which is still very thick even at just before 4pm. It never went, and didn’t even get above freezing today. I ventured out at 10.30am and the temperature was -2.5. Don’t worry I had on my thick mittens, my scarf and my bobble hat, so I was all toasty, except my face was a bit cold. When I went in the garden this morning I saw lots of frozen spiders webs, so I took some photos, hope you like them..

Frosty spider webs.

Well it’s that time of year, and Mark and I are putting up the decorations tonight. The kids did their rooms when they’d finished their homework, but now it’s our turn to do the lounge and bits. Got the fake tree sorted with the branches in the right places, and then came the job of the Christmas lights. I’ve got 3 sets for various parts of the house. So we got the large set out and they didn’t work. We made sure all the bulbs were in correctly, but still nothing. We then tried the middle set…same thing. Then the small set, still nothing. Before you say anything, yes they were tried in different plug sockets, but all still refused to work. They were all working last year, with some bulbs that had gone, but we’ve had them for a quite a few years and I think they’ve given up. Homebase is open until 9pm, so Mark went off and has just got back with some new ones. I’m in my pj’s so I couldn’t really go. Must get on with the rest of the tree. Let’s hope these work otherwise I’ll be very cross and that won’t be a pretty sight.

Another large box arrived to me over the weekend with more plants for my sister in laws garden. For those who don’t know, and I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this, but in Spring next year I’ll be sorting out my sister in laws garden. It’s a bit of a mess, and needs lots of TLC. So I offered as part of her Christmas and birthday present to tidy it for her. I’ve ordered a load of plants from various places and they’re turning up in dribs and drabs. When they arrive I pot them up and they’re all sitting in my greenhouse at the moment growing well. There are some bulbs also, so they’re in pots and hopefully they’ll grow and I can pop them straight in when the beds are sorted. As I bent over this morning to get the watering can, I didn’t realise that my bottom was sticking out so far, it must have grown, and a branch from my apple tree poked me right in my behind. I wondered who else was in the garden with me at first and then realised. Felt a bit silly, but no one was around.

There on the door step waiting for me the other day were some new strawberry plants that I had ordered. The cardboard box was quite heavy, and inside were 75 bare rooted plants. I had ordered 25 of each, which consist of early, middle and late fruiting ones, so hopefully I’ll have strawberries for a longer time. I spend this afternoon in the greenhouse planting them all in individual pots. They’ll stay in the greenhouse until the spring when I’ll get them out in the ground. They also sent me some free bulbs as a bonus, so they’ll go in the garden and hopefully come up in the spring.