Saturday 9th May 2015 – Manure!!!

My wonderful friend Clair has a horse and more importantly access to a trailer, and very kindly offered to bring me some manure to my allotment. She’s a very busy lady, and it can be fairly tricky to organise a date when we’re both free, but today was the day!! I met her at the allotment and she was pulling (or rather her car was pulling) a trailer full of manure for me. Once she’d parked by my plot we started to shovel away. We managed to empty the trailer in 45 minutes which I think is a record for us. We chatted and caught up on all sorts of news. When we’d emptied the trailer she drove away with a much lighter load, and I stayed and did some distributing of manure round my various beds. After an hour of muck spreading I was exhausted, hungry and very tired, so came home. I’d moved about half of the manure which to be honest I was very pleased about. I’ll sort the rest out on Monday. We don’t have a tow bar on our car, and can’t get one as it’s a company car. If we did have a tow bar and trailer I’d forever be getting manure. With Clair’s help it also means that I don’t stink our car up, which is always a good thing. But as a thank you to Clair, I always then give her a big box full of goodies from my allotment and take them round.

That's one big pile of shit!!

That’s one big pile of shit!!

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Thursday 7th May 2015 – Loads of potting up!!

Getting a couple of hours in the greenhouse is always fun and enjoyable. I’ve been a little behind with all my sowing and potting up so far this year. I seem to have spent more time on the allotment getting that ready, and less time in the greenhouse house. I’ll have to catch up with it all, otherwise it’ll never be ready. So this afternoon I spent a good couple of hours in the greenhouse having loads of fun. I tend to pot up what ever seedlings I want, and then give some to my sister. Usually doing it this way, means that hardly any get thrown away. I’m very picky about which ones I’ll use, but then you have to be. There is no point in potting on a sickly looking seedling, only the good healthy ones will do. So here is a list of the what I managed to get done this afternoon: Tomato “Roma VF”, I’ve got 46 plants for myself and 10 for my sister Michelle, Kale “Starbor F1 – Mini Veg”, 10 plants  for me and 5 for Michelle, a couple of varieties of Cabbage “All Year Round Blend” and “Primo (II)” in total 15 for me and 5 for Michelle, Sprouting Broccoli “Red Arrow”, 18 for me and 5 for Michelle, and finally 18 Cauliflowers “Graffiti F1” and 5 pots of Lettuce that I’ve put into 3 inch pots and will plant out in the salad bed when they’re larger and pick the leaves as and when we need them. There’ll be more bits and pieces for Michelle as and when I do them. We always do this because it’s more fun, and it’s good to share.

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Lottie and Dottie Sow Sunflowers!!

I’m sure you’re all fed up with hearing about the election!! Well I’m here to let you know that there is something even more exciting happening today!!! Lottie and Dottie Sow Sunflowers” is published TODAY!!!! I’m so excited, and it looks like everyone else is as well, because it seems to be sold out on lots of online retailers. It’s clearly very popular. You can order your copy and it will arrive, here are some links for you. Amazon, Waterstone’s, Book Depository, I’m sure there are more, but I just can’t think of them at the moment. They clearly didn’t order enough copies to meet demand. Hope you are able to get a copy, and really enjoy it. I hope you also have a go at growing a sunflower this year, there are loads of varieties to choose from. If you do, let me know how tall it gets, and a photo would be great as well. Happy gardening!!

See how tall yours will grow!!

See how tall yours will grow!!

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Monday 4th May 2015 – Just a quickie!!

In the afternoon I had a little bit of time to spare before I needed to start dinner, so I went in my greenhouse and potted up my Kohl Rabi. They’ve been growing really well, and I should have done them a couple of weeks ago, but I’ve just been too busy! They don’t seem to have minded being in their seed tray for a little longer than they wanted, so that’s ok. I’ve sorted out 30 for myself, and also potted up 10 for my sister. She’ll have a few more seedlings as and when I get round to doing them. I did the same last year and I gave her all sorts of goodies.

My 30 Kohl Rabi in their new pots.

My 30 Kohl Rabi in their new pots.

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Monday 4th May 2015 – The force was strong with me today!!

Bank Holiday Monday, but also known as Star Wars day!! I left Mark and the kids at home to watch as many of the Star Wars films as they wanted, and I went for some “Me Time” on my allotment. Being a Bank Holiday, there were loads of plot holders busy at work, which was wonderful to see. We’re all getting ready for the busy time of June when all our tender crops can go out without any worry about frosts killing them. To start with I managed to turn over the last few beds, and weed those beds that have got plants already in. The only bed I have to sort out on plot 2 is the Jerusalem Artichoke bed. But this is going to take a little while, so I’ll leave that for a other day. I then moved on to plot 1, and started to sort through and weed my Rhubarb bed. The Rhubarb is growing really well so far, and I’ve already pulled up some. But I think I’ll need to pull up some more very soon. I’ve got to sort out the compost bins, but again that’s not a priority job. So when everything else is done, then I’ll hopefully get round to it. It’s all going well on the allotment, but I’ve still got lots of seeds to sow. This week is rather busy with one thing or another, but tomorrow is supposed to rain, so when I got home from work, I’ll pop in the greenhouse and see what I can do. I’ll let you know how I get on. So after 3 and a half hours on my plots to day it’s home for a rest before I’ve got to go out later.

My Rhubarb bed at neat and tidy.

My Rhubarb bed at neat and tidy.

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Jardinería Feliz Día Mundial del desnudo!!

Or Happy World Naked Gardening Day!! It’s always on the first Saturday in May, and this year it’s on May 2nd 2015!! This also happens to be my mums birthday, though I don’t think she’ll spend the whole day naked!! Today, and only today you are legally allowed to garden naked and no one can tell you off. If you’ve not seen the video I’ve done click HERE. Or if you would like to watch it again, just for a laugh please do. Out of all the videos I’ve ever done it’s the most popular…..I can’t imagine why? Anyway, have a wonderful day what ever gardening you decide to do, but please do be careful.

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Friday 1st May 2015 – Over 4 hours of pleasure.

Now it’s nothing rude, just incase you were wondering. My blogs aren’t like that!! I spent just over 4 hours on my allotment today, which was so much fun. The wind has a bit of a nip in it, but the sun is warm, so it’s a rather strange combination. Jumper off or jumper on? I kept it on. I had a very productive day basically digging and turning over 3 more beds. Yes you heard me, I managed 3!! I was rather impressed with myself. I also chatted to some fellow plot holders, which is always a good thing. I had to walk to the allotment today because Mark had the car!! How dare he use his company car, doesn’t he realise how much I use it!? He was doing some audio recording in Gloucestershire so I’ll let him off…just this once.

Yes I know the grass needs a trim, but I'll get round to it....soon!

Yes I know the grass needs a trim, but I’ll get round to it….soon!

The weekend is going to be a bit iffy with the weather, and I’ve got various other things to do, so I’ll hopefully be able to catch up on all my seed sowing on Saturday and Sunday in amongst everything else that’s going on, but I’ll keep you informed of that as I do it. And the Monday is Star Wars Day (May 4th), and Mark and the kids are watching those films in what order I don’t know. So I’ll pop down the allotment instead. I’ll leave them with plenty of food, so they’ll be ok. What ever you’re doing this bank holiday weekend enjoy it, and behave yourself!!

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Happy 13th Birthday George!!

Today, the 30th April, our lovely son George is 13!! Oh my goodness where have those years gone. We now have 2 teenagers in the house. In our house whenever it’s your birthday you get to choose what meals you’d like for breakfast, lunch and dinner. So George chose for breakfast: 2 fried eggs and bacon on toast. For lunch: pasta with ham and tomatoes, kit kat, ready salted crisps, strawberry yoghurt and an apple. And for dinner Chinese take out. Instead of a birthday cake he asked for white chocolate and raspberry muffins which I made. We sung him “Happy Birthday” after dinner and he blew out his candles. At school they give each other “Birthday beats”, which is basically thumping each other as hard as you can in the arm one for each year of your life. Boys are so kind to each other. Happy birthday George, hope you had a lovely and your arm isn’t too badly bruised.

Happy 13th Birthday George!!

Happy 13th Birthday George!!

 

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Thursday 30th April 2015 – They’re starting to grow.

Now I’ve not been down the allotment much this week, either because I’ve been working, or the weather has been pants. But today was sunny and I was free so off I went to see what had been going on. I was very please to see that my Parsnips, Carrots and Beetroot are growing. They’ve just started to pop through the soil, so I’ll keep talking to them and hopefully they’ll grow fast. I didn’t need to water today, as yesterday it poured all morning and I got caught out in it and got very wet (I was not impressed). The water has gone down in the soil a fair way so that’s good. I also finished digging over the large bed where the Pumpkins grow last year. The soil is very good in that bed and easy to weed. Must be because of all the manure that I put in the soil to help the Pumpkins. It worked as I got 25 last year!!

Last years Pumpkin bed. All clear now. What to plant in here this year!

Last years Pumpkin bed. All clear now. What to plant in here this year!

Once that was done, I then planted out my “Sugar Snap” Peas. They’ve been growing in the greenhouse for the last couple of months and now they’re ready for the big wide world. They need sticks to grow up, but I just put them in the soil higgle de piggle de, and that works. You can be more precise with your sticks if you like and make a wigwam or a long structure. Once they were all in I watered them well and then put some slug and snail protection round them. If I didn’t the slugs and snails would have a feast tonight. Don’t plant all your Sugar Snap seeds together otherwise you’ll have more than you can eat. I’ll start some more off soon, then we can have a continuous supply throughout the summer. They don’t freeze at all.

First lot of Sugar Snap Peas are in. Protect well.

First lot of Sugar Snap Peas are in. Protect well.

Then after a spot of lunch it was then onto another bed where the Brussels Sprouts grew last year. The soil is very hard in this bed, so is quite tough to dig though. But I’m getting there. I managed about two thirds of the bed before I’d had enough and came home. I think that’s enough for today. Hopefully more tomorrow, but Mark has the car, so I’ll have to walk. Still it’s not far, but just means I can’t take my strimmer with me. I don’t think walking through the park carrying a petrol strimmer is a good idea.

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I’m at the Belfast MCM Comic Con this Saturday 2nd May…

Another busy weekend. I’m the taxi driver to and from the airport.

MarkStayWrites's avatarMark Stay Writes

Bit of a last-minute confirmation (mainly due to me being an awkward pain-in-the-butt), but I am delighted to confirm that I’ll be at the MCM Comic Con at the Kings Hall Pavilion in Belfast this weekend.

I’ll be signing copies of the Robot Overlords novelisation at the Dept. 51 stand at 2pm.

Then from 3-4pm I’ll be on a ‘From script to screen’ panel with Nvizible’s Dan Churchill. We’ll be showing how the film went from Jon’s initial idea through to the finished the film. There’ll be a Q&A afterwards and then hopefully we’ll be able to sign a few posters and there may even be a handful of those ultra-rare Robot Overlords T-shirts (for those bold enough to ask a question!).

The Birmingham MCM Comic Con was great fun, but because we filmed in Belfast I’m sure this will be an even bigger blast. I hope to see many of…

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