tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11156128250978997702024-02-19T07:17:26.232+00:00Thoughts from a garden.Sometimes I just need to get things outta my head ! This will be the place where all thoughts be they light or dark are brought into open territory. I welcome your visit and invite you to stay a while and enjoy the observations and random musings that accompany me on this gardening odyssey.Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03412980648430701595noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1115612825097899770.post-15626365310160999052010-08-16T00:22:00.003+01:002010-08-16T00:44:38.676+01:00His name was buggin me .....If you don't like creepy crawlies look away now. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_0v5ch8mSdGrdGieVRHx6pnqk9bSA_7gmrcQqIhVvNTQGgjOo-kLqfVRJAaJkHHd4_WqJd-YqLJqtre5HZwF2wD8-hlnz4ulNgxzLdvhtFg5Wa1UwI2MK5_A2YmOFDwgn-wlIcmk5Ya8/s1600/garden+348.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_0v5ch8mSdGrdGieVRHx6pnqk9bSA_7gmrcQqIhVvNTQGgjOo-kLqfVRJAaJkHHd4_WqJd-YqLJqtre5HZwF2wD8-hlnz4ulNgxzLdvhtFg5Wa1UwI2MK5_A2YmOFDwgn-wlIcmk5Ya8/s400/garden+348.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505781423118045906" /></a><br /><br />Ha ! you looked anyway and now you're shuddering at the thought of it sitting on your shoulder desperately trying to make it's way into your ear to burrow and nest and whisper !! <br /><br />But whatever you do, do not kill it. Here is one of the gardeners seldom seen allies, the ground beetle larva. There are more than 2500 species of ground beetle and they will prey on : slugs, snails, cutworms, cabbage root maggots and most other soil dwelling pests. A single larvae may eat up to fifty caterpillars, how many did you catch this year ? Adults can live up to three years and are a voracious predator .... a bit like me. Well when it comes to chocolate that is. <br /><br />So how can I get one I hear you cry. Well I'm spoken for but these ground beetles love perennial beds which provide cover, also ground cover planting is a great encouragement and stone pathways give some pretty nifty hiding places. So a friend indeed is a friend we need and I damn nearly squashed him when clearing out the earlies bed !! Phew, it's murder in the garden these days !Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03412980648430701595noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1115612825097899770.post-29764893517890773822010-08-11T22:07:00.004+01:002010-08-11T22:53:01.105+01:00" I collect heads you know "Collecting heads makes me sound like Ireland's answer to Ted Bundy, but although I did consider wearing one as a hat, this is where the similarity ends. Or does it ? This year I have quite a lot of sunflowers and most of them are of the branching type giving up to ten heads per plant. A huge amount of sunflower seeds were in danger of going to waste as I couldn't possibly set them all or use them for food. There would be a genuine danger of me growing feathers and moving to an aviary. Which when considered in more detail doesn't sound all that bad. But in the meantime my plan for the seeds is to dry and keep them until the weather turns harsher and the food for birds becomes scarce. Then I intend to mount the heads on poles ( a bit of medieval inspiration here ) and let the birds do the rest. The heads hanging from the rafters in the garage have a slightly macabre element to it, but when winter comes the birds should have a veritable feast on a stick ! So if you grow sunflowers consider the birdies. <br /><br />Even if you don't grow sunflowers consider the birdies. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitRKwxZiKoJCMWYxQCMDm9y-qq0osVI2ajz6mqFR1WOkGbAFKaTm_cYCllpnQqbN3jCEUJencG2h5eoVTbC0E4kaPJI0E_qZ4unB4HG8F9spPHcDbDagKsPcLy1XTrJZ7TizYm_dzjHaU/s1600/garden+326.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitRKwxZiKoJCMWYxQCMDm9y-qq0osVI2ajz6mqFR1WOkGbAFKaTm_cYCllpnQqbN3jCEUJencG2h5eoVTbC0E4kaPJI0E_qZ4unB4HG8F9spPHcDbDagKsPcLy1XTrJZ7TizYm_dzjHaU/s400/garden+326.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504263422328376898" /></a>Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03412980648430701595noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1115612825097899770.post-63243608666075800022010-08-08T22:32:00.006+01:002010-08-08T23:20:06.540+01:00Oh dry up !The shallot harvest was on me unexpectedly, these little critters were planted on the fourteenth of March and as can be seen from the photo below most of the leaves had fallen over and were dying back. I decided to pull them all and dry for storage. But how do I dry them ? The good book says let them on the bed or on trays for up to two weeks to dry while moving them in when raining. It's August in Ireland, two weeks of no rain here would be akin to a biblical plague. Actually it's August everywhere isn't it !! <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjteWesQ38ui2FVmcnmfrvFM3Oa_bvC-VIt0kUzRmVL2JKFXhR-w9EDgSEn_Pf7_7F9qGZjOsSgFDHy9kT_gpzmGWdTnSQmXodk3r6yTbmcajyzi1b32YzRm59st8kaLhmqHW0XQDre57M/s1600/garden+339.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjteWesQ38ui2FVmcnmfrvFM3Oa_bvC-VIt0kUzRmVL2JKFXhR-w9EDgSEn_Pf7_7F9qGZjOsSgFDHy9kT_gpzmGWdTnSQmXodk3r6yTbmcajyzi1b32YzRm59st8kaLhmqHW0XQDre57M/s400/garden+339.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503158311899807330" /></a><br /><br />My darling wife wouldn't part with the child's buggy so I could convert it into a movable drying rack. How inconsiderate is this ? Here I am supplying enough shallots for the rest of the year and all she can think about is the welfare of our only child ..... some people !! <br /><br />So plan B it was then, I simply cut some rabbit wire and put it on the floor of the coldframe. The wire takes on a natural curve and so allows air to flow freely through the shallots. The coldframe is easily closed when inclement weather is expected and the damn thing retains heat during the night aiding the drying process. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgWTq0tOE00ehW2xKA6Yg7Fz5kjeovoqNIi_m1bB4Qk6TlyRid8q-E7a3txH7chJZVzTgSS0_1Yw4wyUb75o-auxAuBDJESMSh9uXKSF-DDraqDCjS2aXK7KFdTjrfZ2uTahhLodDwsYA/s1600/garden+342.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgWTq0tOE00ehW2xKA6Yg7Fz5kjeovoqNIi_m1bB4Qk6TlyRid8q-E7a3txH7chJZVzTgSS0_1Yw4wyUb75o-auxAuBDJESMSh9uXKSF-DDraqDCjS2aXK7KFdTjrfZ2uTahhLodDwsYA/s400/garden+342.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503157235653956914" /></a><br /><br />I checked this evening and it appears to be working a treat, so the next step is to tie em up and hang em from the rafters until needed. The onions will be dried in much the same manner and hopefully they will be harvested soon. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOMFO5z5W4wqG-HKjDx_IoO9Ifi7okAV2yvwvn8o3ibKTHxEhMRcu3Kj28XzgxQLjoxcnEzpSFWXpUpcxZIqp9UCF2-rmMenFaBzjh69aMJ_m41YBZbgMX_KEGshvihi3_VgQJYnEKVbw/s1600/garden+341.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOMFO5z5W4wqG-HKjDx_IoO9Ifi7okAV2yvwvn8o3ibKTHxEhMRcu3Kj28XzgxQLjoxcnEzpSFWXpUpcxZIqp9UCF2-rmMenFaBzjh69aMJ_m41YBZbgMX_KEGshvihi3_VgQJYnEKVbw/s400/garden+341.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503156666391039138" /></a><br /><br />There they are now all snugsy wugsy.<br /><br />Oh, and I'm still suffering with atrocious bad wind after them shallots .... just thought you'd like to know.Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03412980648430701595noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1115612825097899770.post-41976704663618766362010-08-02T23:15:00.006+01:002010-08-03T00:58:10.317+01:00When weeds attack !!Now I've been around a few gardening blogs lately and I must say my first impressions are always of awe and wonderment at how neat and tidy every ones garden appears to be. My first impressions are usually followed by envy, jealousy and lately, suspicion. Yes suspicion, because in a world of very busy people how in the name of Christ do ye keep on top of the weeds ? I turn my back for ten minutes and look what happens a veritable jungle has appeared. You could lose a whole troop of boy scouts down there !! and wouldn't it serve them right with their damn badges for everything. A badge for successfully tying their shoelaces, a badge for helping old ladies, a badge for wiping their own ass ........ But once again I digress, if ever a garden was in need of help from Ground force. Charlie, where are you ?<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQjkBUpGeNhYINHYXwPx2heHo0ULNZ5hPY_59aHyIsROOXHSDR6AcZiRfO-aUCrqeoYqd1RuvVTSh_EwGvRUJixnLEXsIG0RHOxlYlXAn-pkx8E7npFuP_0fHPclsdqlMVdEh9QqeLWYI/s1600/garden+344.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQjkBUpGeNhYINHYXwPx2heHo0ULNZ5hPY_59aHyIsROOXHSDR6AcZiRfO-aUCrqeoYqd1RuvVTSh_EwGvRUJixnLEXsIG0RHOxlYlXAn-pkx8E7npFuP_0fHPclsdqlMVdEh9QqeLWYI/s400/garden+344.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500941747233173618" /></a> <br /><br />Some of the weeds were almost five feet tall ! " How on earth ? " I hear you cry, well it was easy really it's as if they grew themselves !! <br />Today was the day when I would reclaim my garden for once and for all, no weed would be standing when I left the garden, I felt a bit like Tommy in that Kenny Rogers song " The coward of the county " only this time the Gatlin boys didn't stand a chance and they certainly wouldn't have their way with Becky.<br /><br />To war I went and all was going great til my old back injury reared it's ugly head, the pulling of these weeds was akin to uprooting five year old trees ! But I struggled on, the weeds fought back, I never knew nettles could be so damn sneaky. They hid amongst the more placid looking weeds and struck time and time again as I grabbed a handful. Have you ever been stung repeatedly between the fingers ? Bloody sore I can tell you ...... and no I wasn't wearing gloves, gloves are for sissies !! Who was the clown that said rubbing a dock leaf on a nettle sting would ease the pain ? Did he know that nettles grow amongst the docks causing more torment ? If the suggester of this little gem of knowledge were to appear today I'd give him a rub of a dock ..... A Doc Martin size ten ! <br /><br />Then there were the bees, I planted flowers everywhere this year to encourage bees back into the garden, I love bees .......... and bees must love me or else it was the fact that the weeds were also in flower and instinct had whipped the furry little sky pilots into a damn frenzy. " Go pollinate me flowers ", but no, every time I carried an armful of weeds to the wheel barrow I risked the wrath of the bees. It's a bit like shelling out for an expensive present for a child and then watching crestfallen as they seem to get more enjoyment out of the packaging. " Go away from the weeds ". But a child can't sting you, well technically anyway. So when a huge bumble bee found his way down the back of my jeans and wedged himself firmly in my ass crack the first thing I thought of was the sting. The second thing I thought of was to stay calm, but unfortunately that thought came too late. For I was off doing a sort of demented riverdance while flinging the armful of weeds straight into the air showering myself with more bees ! I could feel him trying to turn pawing at my butt cheeks with his furry hoofs, yes he had hoofs for he was the size of a small donkey.I dared not flex my cheeks for the pressure might prompt the release of the javelin which was surely being aimed at that moment, it would spell the end for the bee but also the end of sitting for me. " Please don't sting me mister bee " Why am I talking to a bee, especially one jammed in a sweaty ass crack, he must be feeling trapped, he probably can't hear me anyway, do bees have ears ? So many thoughts so little time. I managed to open the button of my jeans while busting some dance moves that haven't seen the light of day since I was trying to woo the knickers off of Mrs Foxylock, successfully I might add but theres no time for that right now. I gingerly inserted my index finger into my butt cleavage just below the bee and with a deft flick it was all over, I had liberated the bee, saved a life and a hell of a lot of explaining. Off he flew, I was full sure he looked back at me and winked !! I wonder what would the casual observer have made of the situation not knowing of the presence of the bee donkey ? <br /><br />Shaken but not stirred I ploughed on and had nearly come to the end of my hardship when I came upon a thistle almost six foot tall. This mother could look me in the eye, I was tired but would not give in to a thistle no matter how mean and spiky it was. I have seen my father dig thistles with a shovel, with one sharp thrust below ground level he severs the thistle and walks away with it balanced neatly on the shovel, whistling and looking around as he nonchalantly flicks it over the nearest boundary " One for the neighbours " he smiles, he's pure cool you know ! <br /><br />So with shovel in hand I approached the thistle I could have swore it tried to move. " Ha, you fear me " I said out loud. I thrust with the shovel but made a balls of the balancing part, I pushed the shovel upwards and outwards in a vain attempt to compensate. I guess you can't compensate for ineptitude and I ended up giving the thistle a sort of awkward bear hug while taking the brunt of the spikes on my face. A hundred fiery pinpricks tried to burst my bubble as I kissed the modelling job goodbye !<br /><br />So I can't make money from modelling, won't make money from gardening What's left ? Anyone want to buy a wheel barrow of top quality weeds ? I'll throw in a couple of bees ........ <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidXktXz5NoxKeayzmT9FXIyeouy7Qq7QQB0gVXlD-n_kx8ftlKoMqH5yHfUnio9r9htu-5yrGgxZ6Rp4AHxbtus_Ha8vouzV0oKXecPbf4ZCW80DQ7lsFR7Q-5N2QPNsXMr3ULcQxHKZ0/s1600/garden.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidXktXz5NoxKeayzmT9FXIyeouy7Qq7QQB0gVXlD-n_kx8ftlKoMqH5yHfUnio9r9htu-5yrGgxZ6Rp4AHxbtus_Ha8vouzV0oKXecPbf4ZCW80DQ7lsFR7Q-5N2QPNsXMr3ULcQxHKZ0/s400/garden.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500940659943707122" /></a>Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03412980648430701595noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1115612825097899770.post-62802952113312836312010-07-18T15:52:00.006+01:002010-07-18T19:12:01.602+01:00Gravity defying carrots !!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGBcYlKJuaDpdzy0U_n1VYzO6c2744n3Oo3jpa79JBvYup74y56XCWVKaJOnoEnycZRyScZMr_MM-9Hc6TIl5gq3i6D81bcq-vFbuiioQE-GZ4-6r2zlXvjl7wDZiwaN-aeNv2J4DzmUs/s1600/garden+317.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGBcYlKJuaDpdzy0U_n1VYzO6c2744n3Oo3jpa79JBvYup74y56XCWVKaJOnoEnycZRyScZMr_MM-9Hc6TIl5gq3i6D81bcq-vFbuiioQE-GZ4-6r2zlXvjl7wDZiwaN-aeNv2J4DzmUs/s400/garden+317.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495261956969506466" /></a><br /><br />A ha !! I can grow carrots after all ! Call it egotism, call it swagger, even call it vaunting. But here I am shamelessly showing off my carrots after my pride was badly injured as a consequence to the previous post. These lads were swiftly dispatched to the dinner plate accompanied by an unsuspecting chicken ( dead of course ! ) Duke of york potatoes and shallots ( which I still maintain give me excessive wind ! ) However regardless of the smell the taste is second to none .... the shallots that is. The smell of the wind .... not so good and thankfully I haven't been unfortunate enough to be caught in a back draft so therefore have yet to do the taste test !! <br /><br />Now I won't be boastful and say I'm becoming green fingered but LOOK !! <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggFTesaKUus-4_ooaeXIuZZb219imOdqETuvqT-1HGmyXgvEODmkKAHbfvWUZQR7s32jypuIMVhZ4pJZ0huo7AfDQ9ChLrDg73XBS-C6FFImOn8oHQDYrAInkpMwHhd6iP3IpaZn-W8As/s1600/garden+316.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggFTesaKUus-4_ooaeXIuZZb219imOdqETuvqT-1HGmyXgvEODmkKAHbfvWUZQR7s32jypuIMVhZ4pJZ0huo7AfDQ9ChLrDg73XBS-C6FFImOn8oHQDYrAInkpMwHhd6iP3IpaZn-W8As/s400/garden+316.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495260892818845762" /></a>Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03412980648430701595noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1115612825097899770.post-53796867641213144722010-07-11T00:32:00.008+01:002010-07-11T01:40:38.366+01:00Disaster strikes.It can never be all plain sailing now can it and it's by our mistakes we learn right...... Ah balls !! I prefer the easy life as can be seen in my " relaxed " style of gardening. It all started back in late February when I decided to cheat and start some carrots off in trays to have an early crop. " It can't be done, they must be sowed direct " the experienced gardeners crowed. " Ha me arse " I thought " I'll show em " and now I'm showing you. <br /><br />The unmitigated disaster that is my early carrots. I reckon that while transplanting into the ground I must have curled the roots and somehow created these mutants, lets face it they're probably still edible, but would ya ? <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG_1fHvRkPO7VIaFWyXOO45AX5ke_kWaN_uYH-Qn-x3GIbJaqB8nV9Kt5IG0b67wXm9hl7pl-P34pz2Y_ysRsqQycq4ezxCoQYb9WFgD1Noyle2LOMgtjoKe4bvRXWaB0yYcCPwqp-NPQ/s1600/garden+304.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG_1fHvRkPO7VIaFWyXOO45AX5ke_kWaN_uYH-Qn-x3GIbJaqB8nV9Kt5IG0b67wXm9hl7pl-P34pz2Y_ysRsqQycq4ezxCoQYb9WFgD1Noyle2LOMgtjoKe4bvRXWaB0yYcCPwqp-NPQ/s400/garden+304.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492432629984543394" /></a><br /><br />" To the compost heap Giles and don't spare the horses ", or in this case the carrots !!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibr9IlzFjEp7cf68Jaf6Fczc_teaHdzEfcu8ey9QMUd6C54SsbCewOQc-fdU8_1H1qD85K22yG8w_xppzbY7rpKqkUCWzdzh6dubf0bQHGfTkiUt5v54F5vqf1EVVg8fkjXxgrkuciqn4/s1600/garden+305.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibr9IlzFjEp7cf68Jaf6Fczc_teaHdzEfcu8ey9QMUd6C54SsbCewOQc-fdU8_1H1qD85K22yG8w_xppzbY7rpKqkUCWzdzh6dubf0bQHGfTkiUt5v54F5vqf1EVVg8fkjXxgrkuciqn4/s400/garden+305.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492431792953424162" /></a><br /><br />Then to add insult to injury the wind flattened my already wavy borage.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqsBxen_1FKH-ZnK9kXzIHMmpqSFgOkYLS27hZzQxJZvAhlNZg6FcgMUMcEziX6ZZcT6f345TrsC6hsrER5PBPyy13eySIYgDnKDZbzmARkof36TBWT6b021gTNSySXATqah32TSwcIvc/s1600/garden+307.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqsBxen_1FKH-ZnK9kXzIHMmpqSFgOkYLS27hZzQxJZvAhlNZg6FcgMUMcEziX6ZZcT6f345TrsC6hsrER5PBPyy13eySIYgDnKDZbzmARkof36TBWT6b021gTNSySXATqah32TSwcIvc/s400/garden+307.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492430683186645554" /></a><br /><br />And then much to my now mounting pile of dismay my cornflowers got such a twisting from the storm that when I went to right them up they came away in my hand !! In a vain attempt to salvage my dignity I quickly bunched some together, put them in a vase ( actually a jug, but I'm a man ) and presented them to the lovely Mrs Foxylock. She criticised my flower arranging skills ( I'm a man ) said " twas fierce mean looking " and poked fun at the floppy ones. I became highly insulted, a tad embarrassed and vowed never again to flower arrange. From now on it's only manly stuff for me...... <br /><br />I start my crochet class next week !!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjWiRzuplqBAyhw-3p0ZIwM57jHdOaXCGTLKWyXvhmnWqBaijsvhuiaySTN_pzybFFznLqhUuwrDmIC-b5WrAjyReFsDWacQUiaQxOxyQK98UtLkn4QR5EbR6tmhF7kVeSkVpz6jiZMck/s1600/garden+308.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjWiRzuplqBAyhw-3p0ZIwM57jHdOaXCGTLKWyXvhmnWqBaijsvhuiaySTN_pzybFFznLqhUuwrDmIC-b5WrAjyReFsDWacQUiaQxOxyQK98UtLkn4QR5EbR6tmhF7kVeSkVpz6jiZMck/s400/garden+308.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492429202646427474" /></a><br /><br />The casualties.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilTvHcitNDCuCRC4HnkVxLyPkdt_g6gS-9ZwOKI5zbJmUPklJQ1981Rj6oOTuSzTVXNlIBIwx9ZPP_s8UeWrjY0p9PeSmq-OOySthNuW5eFu3aUmY1i9nQUDXWgWLOqpEMG8UzPP-HbhQ/s1600/garden+312.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilTvHcitNDCuCRC4HnkVxLyPkdt_g6gS-9ZwOKI5zbJmUPklJQ1981Rj6oOTuSzTVXNlIBIwx9ZPP_s8UeWrjY0p9PeSmq-OOySthNuW5eFu3aUmY1i9nQUDXWgWLOqpEMG8UzPP-HbhQ/s400/garden+312.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492427753108154722" /></a><br /><br />Just to end on a happy note my poor neglected roses are putting on a good show. Why are they neglected pray tell ? That's a whole other story. But I will indulge, maybe not today , maybe not tomorrow, but soon.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigRJ12VNenbpfeCCqJbo7YNpXlstlhvaQxNUSQYh3ZZH0u4CHCJuGVvH1hU4COzJ84dUQoUG-O7WGDfTke0hOc81x_CVAud260OBYVcJAmcVvhB2pzBXATt-UvxIJcbg33R49YVO4m4gc/s1600/garden+306.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigRJ12VNenbpfeCCqJbo7YNpXlstlhvaQxNUSQYh3ZZH0u4CHCJuGVvH1hU4COzJ84dUQoUG-O7WGDfTke0hOc81x_CVAud260OBYVcJAmcVvhB2pzBXATt-UvxIJcbg33R49YVO4m4gc/s400/garden+306.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492426164933806130" /></a>Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03412980648430701595noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1115612825097899770.post-8475326897419051062010-07-10T23:20:00.007+01:002010-07-11T00:04:22.922+01:00The Dukes are coming to dinner.There's something rewarding about growing your own potatoes, something that can't quite be explained. Maybe it's an inherently Irish thing to want to grow your own spuds, can it be traced back to famine times ? Maybe there's part of our psyche that doesn't want to get caught out again !! For me it's a family tradition there has been generations of families fed by this patch of earth and now mine are carrying on that tradition. But enough sentimentality ...... What about the spuds ? <br /><br />A Queens blossom or a blossom fit for a Queen. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8kTgzLDc-cnwDRvgLCemtEFgcsWKonknTgQ09MKeapYFIWgzJsu3OEhRZc0iNkCtVGZF4UCmg7hXvbHDvVtNZndEq_Q9pr-aHx4hCLZpJt-VaIowjsTE7Uob2uZqyrsNZd6O51uDqq_M/s1600/garden+235.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8kTgzLDc-cnwDRvgLCemtEFgcsWKonknTgQ09MKeapYFIWgzJsu3OEhRZc0iNkCtVGZF4UCmg7hXvbHDvVtNZndEq_Q9pr-aHx4hCLZpJt-VaIowjsTE7Uob2uZqyrsNZd6O51uDqq_M/s400/garden+235.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492412074361438338" /></a><br /><br />This is the crop in early June with the maincrop on the left and the earlies above on the right.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf_BaBJvFZ66JaD_dgt48X2Dx71ZwleFPxVugEr0iFieLV6MXDGwHVB4RJLE7GPqOXYCSv5e7QzEMiu7Ni0Jt6_hdChR25n8cF8aD8Huh9RNymOytyOjglgd_DTWxnoEIOSBe7hPz5evY/s1600/garden+230.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf_BaBJvFZ66JaD_dgt48X2Dx71ZwleFPxVugEr0iFieLV6MXDGwHVB4RJLE7GPqOXYCSv5e7QzEMiu7Ni0Jt6_hdChR25n8cF8aD8Huh9RNymOytyOjglgd_DTWxnoEIOSBe7hPz5evY/s400/garden+230.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492410675967364050" /></a><br /><br />One month later and the Golden Wonders in the foreground are showing a lovely blossom.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK20WYRNhRq6i7_mtM6jJVYBs1IjE5x1-oaT74oU1J0LdM26xYbZ8kGJ_Ybr7U_alJ9JBpoYAMSGb18UzOsJvWmJ_q3kOamruItPaztNAS_j8mYl9qkCqZDrl9jRMQbGC6E1GhYHmMAJU/s1600/garden+302.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK20WYRNhRq6i7_mtM6jJVYBs1IjE5x1-oaT74oU1J0LdM26xYbZ8kGJ_Ybr7U_alJ9JBpoYAMSGb18UzOsJvWmJ_q3kOamruItPaztNAS_j8mYl9qkCqZDrl9jRMQbGC6E1GhYHmMAJU/s400/garden+302.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492409348065298994" /></a><br /><br />This is it the moment of truth, ready for the lift, all that hard work ..... <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmoZ-rYl8Vzg8zpy9OztK7m-DPpJSzOtJr0EwTJTLcyAKKCAVAZmwXUMxyFz9B-kAtm6O6JMv-Ol_g97KLnOlMOUgFUQkSGhqM9KY5EDoQ25JE4rdzLlveznK69cI2CZ36xfCk6oJP1eM/s1600/garden+310.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmoZ-rYl8Vzg8zpy9OztK7m-DPpJSzOtJr0EwTJTLcyAKKCAVAZmwXUMxyFz9B-kAtm6O6JMv-Ol_g97KLnOlMOUgFUQkSGhqM9KY5EDoQ25JE4rdzLlveznK69cI2CZ36xfCk6oJP1eM/s400/garden+310.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492408018699682562" /></a><br /><br />Alleluia...... A fantastic bounty the Duke of York are absolute beauties.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZa2KqWKnHVTEjyRpQNZyWOhk934y8IAom9x26k67_K-VtetpM5YvmDkMQ4m0A1pRSceing9tFIbvnlgJjOuupAlZpw1Hle1wO2BezcwIhoO4fx8wkPJ-S4oP4t-KLSxjqjoVSRTQPe8/s1600/garden+315.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZa2KqWKnHVTEjyRpQNZyWOhk934y8IAom9x26k67_K-VtetpM5YvmDkMQ4m0A1pRSceing9tFIbvnlgJjOuupAlZpw1Hle1wO2BezcwIhoO4fx8wkPJ-S4oP4t-KLSxjqjoVSRTQPe8/s400/garden+315.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492406669763778034" /></a><br /><br />Oh and as for the taste, I do not have the words to describe. But I'm one damn happy potato head with this crop. I just hope the rest are equally as good.Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03412980648430701595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1115612825097899770.post-53206219406483840762010-07-07T00:16:00.009+01:002010-07-07T01:21:28.972+01:00The first of the sunflowers.Of all the flowers in my garden it's the sunflower that captivates me the most. It's sheer dominance, not just in size but in radiance seems to draw the eye like a magnet and I cannot leave the house any morning without pausing to admire this years first sunflower. Plus there's the suspense and anticipation since sowing on the 26th of February, the worry about pests, drought and more recently wind .......... Yes I know, I don't get out much !! <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijCDNra4U6EoMHMWlZnxcpQTyxJipWcAN02488Nb0XonyNc8Ub6yJJ1PqEGVHnMRzcMv2HpZc5s08dvgP2Sj6l7Vyublshj-NR_zWPOO2ZHaNkh4xO0gYDplHct2GA5E2DddOJxdwulnQ/s1600/garden+290.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijCDNra4U6EoMHMWlZnxcpQTyxJipWcAN02488Nb0XonyNc8Ub6yJJ1PqEGVHnMRzcMv2HpZc5s08dvgP2Sj6l7Vyublshj-NR_zWPOO2ZHaNkh4xO0gYDplHct2GA5E2DddOJxdwulnQ/s400/garden+290.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490943282623832050" /></a><br /><br />Heading for the seven foot mark and yet only four and a half months old, the second sowing has almost caught up with the first despite a four week interval. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtt4f-Xf44RMD_PEK9TylVsftxj2SZ08Q-KVmSPU1rkrZj2apdcepcfOlAP8MAglRUMFXWfEf0eZKMcS9usdsYH0Z9gQa7I70WA93th39XvEk7WmELyce6TBDTppQ2u9FKxnwnGesmbSQ/s1600/garden+288.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtt4f-Xf44RMD_PEK9TylVsftxj2SZ08Q-KVmSPU1rkrZj2apdcepcfOlAP8MAglRUMFXWfEf0eZKMcS9usdsYH0Z9gQa7I70WA93th39XvEk7WmELyce6TBDTppQ2u9FKxnwnGesmbSQ/s400/garden+288.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490942332953620450" /></a><br /><br />Here's a strange looking fellow " Spilanthes acmella " or toothache plant also known as eyeball plant or peek-a-boo. Apparently it helps to improve digestion, eases nausea and has strange numbing properties if sucked or chewed. I shall try to trick the wife into trying it, will keep you posted !!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm2wCfK1LLieF4E_pFZQfB72iVMEDdLYZkSFDfzwduM8oBus43ToIvgaj2QIgEl0uKqpQMk4RMLoe2yI34AR9J1OYKluNK1z_97fSjjRwNdX_nXtE8HGmiGvpPldFB_eW-VJoIovpAWAM/s1600/garden+297.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm2wCfK1LLieF4E_pFZQfB72iVMEDdLYZkSFDfzwduM8oBus43ToIvgaj2QIgEl0uKqpQMk4RMLoe2yI34AR9J1OYKluNK1z_97fSjjRwNdX_nXtE8HGmiGvpPldFB_eW-VJoIovpAWAM/s400/garden+297.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490940978092976770" /></a><br /><br />Here's a fight to the life between some violas and some apricot shimmers, sounds like a showband from the sixties ...... Introducing .... THE APRICOT SHIMMERS !!! Technically speaking it's a " Mesembryanthemum bellidiformis " but that's a horrid mouthful ..... shimmers it is then. Interestingly I planted no violas this year and I am overrun with them. Mother nature helping out in the recession I suppose. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8qheYuG3v7nM5fh8-fjHACLBQUB9VlulFWWEYZhyphenhyphenxyurWAcbM5nb46n7MJTYp7P5Ugr85aDEx6cB3X6IZiVS6XyghVRmdWj9XpZsg_JgCda-Ur4I7bavxpaHlnfqBplcbC2mzucEUOeU/s1600/garden+295.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8qheYuG3v7nM5fh8-fjHACLBQUB9VlulFWWEYZhyphenhyphenxyurWAcbM5nb46n7MJTYp7P5Ugr85aDEx6cB3X6IZiVS6XyghVRmdWj9XpZsg_JgCda-Ur4I7bavxpaHlnfqBplcbC2mzucEUOeU/s400/garden+295.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490939706087011618" /></a><br /><br />And this cheery little bunch are Mexican daisies again a mouthful " Erigeron karvinskianus profusion ". And profusion is quite apt as these lads just keep on flowering. The flowers start out white and then slowly turn pink giving all the colours in between on a single plant. Flowering until October they represent great value for money ( even though the packet of seed was a euro ) <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSW6ihxGmPQEQP0t4B50w-IeGcNtLW7GbDojSyPd0r1dBDCRPt5LWl1Ec8ksI0NAXPQVBzwMzTPCHCKognuKPWFlTVomRG74bjfoDsULOtiR0XUYb9qU2PZIEYq8NCn1aK9Cv2vzvpivM/s1600/garden+300.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSW6ihxGmPQEQP0t4B50w-IeGcNtLW7GbDojSyPd0r1dBDCRPt5LWl1Ec8ksI0NAXPQVBzwMzTPCHCKognuKPWFlTVomRG74bjfoDsULOtiR0XUYb9qU2PZIEYq8NCn1aK9Cv2vzvpivM/s400/garden+300.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490938316692722290" /></a><br /><br />Nemophila menziesii var. discoidalis " Pennie black " quite a contrast to a sunflower !!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6FBzlMHw3FB4B3vUKVurnVsWhMyPYByUUGw4Q52gqF8Hu0rabM09wjvNnxMJ5rU4IKfHGPXwmnHSkzl7lgEucwrlHsBRUW9c05aUDPImx_7yoEDjcFtB4qeVTSfVALd41r-dKq_cKCKE/s1600/garden+292.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6FBzlMHw3FB4B3vUKVurnVsWhMyPYByUUGw4Q52gqF8Hu0rabM09wjvNnxMJ5rU4IKfHGPXwmnHSkzl7lgEucwrlHsBRUW9c05aUDPImx_7yoEDjcFtB4qeVTSfVALd41r-dKq_cKCKE/s400/garden+292.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490937477456034658" /></a>Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03412980648430701595noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1115612825097899770.post-38379453748642062102010-07-04T12:56:00.014+01:002010-07-04T16:30:00.968+01:00Flower power.Here's a taste of whats blooming in my garden at the moment, the recent windy spell has played havoc with the taller flowers especially the cornflowers and the borage. I didn't stake them in time so the flowers pay the price !!<br /><br />" Blue boy " cornflower<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ot82Inw1zPoAGxn1AOPWP2Udy7GiWyATqR0FXPjmyCBJMpgKvXpXjWK1-XD3hhD0K7jDSUEEj0ElxYNjeEbYXqmewEEfC431V4yLrsTPL9GSiMgaxGqb3kQowV8iKdSVeUbjUYZshdc/s1600/garden+277.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ot82Inw1zPoAGxn1AOPWP2Udy7GiWyATqR0FXPjmyCBJMpgKvXpXjWK1-XD3hhD0K7jDSUEEj0ElxYNjeEbYXqmewEEfC431V4yLrsTPL9GSiMgaxGqb3kQowV8iKdSVeUbjUYZshdc/s400/garden+277.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490058757749691202" /></a><br /><br />Calendula<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ3pdqPo4D3Vu5B-bg9okjSVvz0HmBFEVwQuuDvuYAtINuVF-s9ltFuOZGRx_CoxpI7dgMAAA_owG8qp2x4toRMEWBClEUzgpV7ytx_ieFosHzf0eRvFPmOrpIdf86_BNtvYaPfxiW3po/s1600/garden+278.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ3pdqPo4D3Vu5B-bg9okjSVvz0HmBFEVwQuuDvuYAtINuVF-s9ltFuOZGRx_CoxpI7dgMAAA_owG8qp2x4toRMEWBClEUzgpV7ytx_ieFosHzf0eRvFPmOrpIdf86_BNtvYaPfxiW3po/s400/garden+278.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490058071203149794" /></a><br /><br />" Alyssum " receiving a hug from " Naughty Marietta " <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ2EDXudByQ7uZyEV6ZThXt7F25jfvbfRe2VUEn6oz8G-ZH2ub9WRirHxVYzp2V76ZWylZrM-iMjuptSJvZkVmNB39zxaDTDDJMotsxENHYgceRl0Y9m8MAilz6l227SJNV_zprjdCvs0/s1600/garden+275.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ2EDXudByQ7uZyEV6ZThXt7F25jfvbfRe2VUEn6oz8G-ZH2ub9WRirHxVYzp2V76ZWylZrM-iMjuptSJvZkVmNB39zxaDTDDJMotsxENHYgceRl0Y9m8MAilz6l227SJNV_zprjdCvs0/s400/garden+275.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490055597886042018" /></a><br /><br />A tired looking borage in the top left corner with in bloom sweet william, snapdragon, naughty marietta and a long suffering geranium. On the way to flowering are a black eyed susan and some petunias. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB4X6-nsREf_Xz0KOuABeMxtotnGfHVOyyXa3A3JlNi7whiD4FDAhkcWyPq6EeiyUz3NDWjqXzFhyphenhyphenfAZJ9WHDb5Y06KTt9E6v4-vgwbg4NAbmt6fGUFOxKeHeTnOp-yoCVjuQLM2quOJM/s1600/garden+264.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB4X6-nsREf_Xz0KOuABeMxtotnGfHVOyyXa3A3JlNi7whiD4FDAhkcWyPq6EeiyUz3NDWjqXzFhyphenhyphenfAZJ9WHDb5Y06KTt9E6v4-vgwbg4NAbmt6fGUFOxKeHeTnOp-yoCVjuQLM2quOJM/s400/garden+264.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490039779133754418" /></a><br /><br />A cornflower umbrella overhead some alyssum, sweet william and the ever popular snapdragon, with some African daisy to the extreme left <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTZFt1qHsD3eyo_ZZd_tWyR8iqw955AIlhNJ00MntFWEmRBIcr_i-2Pv1xIj9LY_DL35cXxB4xDl77ccmHVHMRqMChVdmV-jJe8LS098-6_OvmRgA1KYrLVHwnmu24J1Uo_GTLTYEJNY/s1600/garden+266.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTZFt1qHsD3eyo_ZZd_tWyR8iqw955AIlhNJ00MntFWEmRBIcr_i-2Pv1xIj9LY_DL35cXxB4xDl77ccmHVHMRqMChVdmV-jJe8LS098-6_OvmRgA1KYrLVHwnmu24J1Uo_GTLTYEJNY/s400/garden+266.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490038013967964146" /></a><br /><br />French marigold " Jester " with some lobelia peeping through underneath<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdnqEsRUJwABGiTDLSsw03LIO_IhZvs3H7Ps2Ir01n31TOWsvoi75D8hrJgXRgEicdPm_DXiIuAcc1SgpEJy1fBUj2uIx54MEPOqWHcDglhHUT4HzP_I3r_42G5a1xHOZSqxDITSeN-MU/s1600/garden+269.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdnqEsRUJwABGiTDLSsw03LIO_IhZvs3H7Ps2Ir01n31TOWsvoi75D8hrJgXRgEicdPm_DXiIuAcc1SgpEJy1fBUj2uIx54MEPOqWHcDglhHUT4HzP_I3r_42G5a1xHOZSqxDITSeN-MU/s400/garden+269.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490036513766016802" /></a><br /><br />Baby eyes or to the botanists Nemophila maculata " five spot " ...... I prefer baby eyes ! <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFCchcbiE5nhW-RL3qju6k8Z-1qHS9td2fW_sxPsXExEZ_IopdqN2J6mMYSaeqREWVQZJ8Lxeit8uQslTU5eLup1bPo_dvM73Ld0_Y3xbVtQjkvV1TYybul-AwYryj_TyoxvbSznUqV7M/s1600/garden+273.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFCchcbiE5nhW-RL3qju6k8Z-1qHS9td2fW_sxPsXExEZ_IopdqN2J6mMYSaeqREWVQZJ8Lxeit8uQslTU5eLup1bPo_dvM73Ld0_Y3xbVtQjkvV1TYybul-AwYryj_TyoxvbSznUqV7M/s400/garden+273.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490032974113541458" /></a><br /><br />Snapdragon with the skeletal remains of an unfortunate alyssum to the left ( a skill in itself that ! )<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmyDzVw1a0KhG0-JIczaP5xXWGCW3neAxJw0FliG3Ao1v_4VZ4eRXfA4YK-9dZLI2wzKouUX0aHofyjFotyVfppXVZPb_6gd6_4968mHwuQKokCs8oct41alKzPNJg0IdPBqp8I0w5wFg/s1600/garden+257.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmyDzVw1a0KhG0-JIczaP5xXWGCW3neAxJw0FliG3Ao1v_4VZ4eRXfA4YK-9dZLI2wzKouUX0aHofyjFotyVfppXVZPb_6gd6_4968mHwuQKokCs8oct41alKzPNJg0IdPBqp8I0w5wFg/s400/garden+257.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490020882162303506" /></a><br /><br />I tend to go for the hassle free flowers but it never ceases to amaze how a dull spot in the garden can be made into a focal point with some simple planting.Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03412980648430701595noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1115612825097899770.post-86019428891884132462010-07-01T19:57:00.012+01:002010-07-02T23:05:21.056+01:00Back in the saddle !! .............. Well sort of anyway, life has taken a turn for the hectic and the last few weeks have zipped by almost unnoticed. Illness and weariness have taken their toll, accident proneness has brought new injuries to add to my almost broken body and at the age of thirty three I could put any arthritic pensioner to shame with my list of complaints !! Add to all this the GAA championship, the World Cup and Wimbledon and it's no wonder there's no blogging being done around here !! But with the aid of some sticky tape and a good squirt of WD40 I shall soldier on and quit the whingeing, nobody likes a whinger, are you listening Brian ? ..... Brian ? <br /><br />So here's a quick update to get back on track. The veggies are flying out of the ground with impressive growth rates in all beds. Summer cabbage, spring onions, lettuce, Swiss chard, baby carrots and shallots are all being eaten and enjoyed at the moment. The only downside to life at the moment is the wind ..... herself reckons it's the shallots and I think she might be right. Not being a previous eater of these little volcano makers I can't be quite sure. Anyone out there experienced this ? Or are ye all too polite to comment ?<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiehyUrcehHpi-mF0H6i__37qTpFpAQJ21HFCLMtAepOLEEaontQ9XEAoSqnwpU49_LWoLsd9sqfAhhWaLnSg5hFqrBnyDdgCV0cXpAG8y3Phj01lQDAcVSum-Ws8TTMCFMrj6ujvnuhq8/s1600/garden+239.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiehyUrcehHpi-mF0H6i__37qTpFpAQJ21HFCLMtAepOLEEaontQ9XEAoSqnwpU49_LWoLsd9sqfAhhWaLnSg5hFqrBnyDdgCV0cXpAG8y3Phj01lQDAcVSum-Ws8TTMCFMrj6ujvnuhq8/s400/garden+239.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489026037265274498" /></a> <br /><br />The onion bed in all it's glory !<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigfXmseNPdlmeg3cuS5gaz13A3E2slTC8wwU6RgApewMk07uYMn_a_Oln8xxYF_JDs5o1be5c8lxYPAULMhADbm4NoGy7Mqe9f7yqxijL65rCxh_ogqAbsrtAXBJNiBTZ1fBTtiJ1MqdI/s1600/garden+241.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigfXmseNPdlmeg3cuS5gaz13A3E2slTC8wwU6RgApewMk07uYMn_a_Oln8xxYF_JDs5o1be5c8lxYPAULMhADbm4NoGy7Mqe9f7yqxijL65rCxh_ogqAbsrtAXBJNiBTZ1fBTtiJ1MqdI/s400/garden+241.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489023581400097330" /></a><br /><br />The carrots were a little slow up until last week, they seem to have copped themselves on a bit. There's some unruly parsnips trying to muscle in on the foreground of this shot ! <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCKvg7Zx1Ev-bK1suNzZZCTnjNrXNjm1BdtZesq7WVkQmp0hfF-xhF569bCVQFs_Ni4pJnSPV49zsLj3VrkJsE-y96al4u5oPrurdNTAq_Sy_RQyXu4UMYFXAlrj4HA8G0R8IuK90r3fo/s1600/garden+279.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCKvg7Zx1Ev-bK1suNzZZCTnjNrXNjm1BdtZesq7WVkQmp0hfF-xhF569bCVQFs_Ni4pJnSPV49zsLj3VrkJsE-y96al4u5oPrurdNTAq_Sy_RQyXu4UMYFXAlrj4HA8G0R8IuK90r3fo/s400/garden+279.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489021899734377202" /></a><br /><br />The leeks, I thought they would be bigger by now. A common complaint round here !<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7NnslwvciVgNYXAKeIhnuVfGADyC9pkH6iWaSdF4LJzwcIgFEnlYDTaHzuxkbOMYeEs0SxGxXjQOSwtlTi_qRG6Zy123jnUnUJjgByLCRdV_n83ugcpxjezvzNpYEbFB-3eeVZB_fMA8/s1600/garden+245.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7NnslwvciVgNYXAKeIhnuVfGADyC9pkH6iWaSdF4LJzwcIgFEnlYDTaHzuxkbOMYeEs0SxGxXjQOSwtlTi_qRG6Zy123jnUnUJjgByLCRdV_n83ugcpxjezvzNpYEbFB-3eeVZB_fMA8/s400/garden+245.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489020801969829394" /></a><br /><br />My monster sprouts !! I don't even like sprouts .... <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifi1AkhIHusqtqAmH3wc0GsPhmIVuKMRk6CzR1tgbKY8Ig171AjLMaee5xl-pQDzpFc4asyCulrv8sIghKq8IDhMxmWdKkNbqYlDjaGs_Ke7UptoRcAzFkHmXlQ1zUtvuRknfvIRlt6Zg/s1600/garden+246.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifi1AkhIHusqtqAmH3wc0GsPhmIVuKMRk6CzR1tgbKY8Ig171AjLMaee5xl-pQDzpFc4asyCulrv8sIghKq8IDhMxmWdKkNbqYlDjaGs_Ke7UptoRcAzFkHmXlQ1zUtvuRknfvIRlt6Zg/s400/garden+246.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489019360308590194" /></a><br /><br />" January King " A bit of a show off if you ask me. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIZEzzNRN26ZsH5ahZlX1pJFVFBm12QePJ_H5t5zT3Oj7NXyRMCvHmJ3XJlHk5-6Rgix0qVzGrIvTv21kI6u1Cu9BPJW8hPjrE1p_B4JOhCJnpbKsDgTMZ7_HeK3rYlrQolpZLNNJvS2A/s1600/garden+236.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIZEzzNRN26ZsH5ahZlX1pJFVFBm12QePJ_H5t5zT3Oj7NXyRMCvHmJ3XJlHk5-6Rgix0qVzGrIvTv21kI6u1Cu9BPJW8hPjrE1p_B4JOhCJnpbKsDgTMZ7_HeK3rYlrQolpZLNNJvS2A/s400/garden+236.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489017933702932914" /></a><br /><br />And the nicest cabbage I've tasted in a long while " Golden Acres " <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjosUXeqJGUwTHafms40QFD-6hnGwlImHGswSjA6smfJjE_WC6RDJd15Kyw0L4BVCOfoBcsMGJeU-nK-FaXKoe4espbnlx9wOqHuglX2Gooh35iToomKsuO83GcmC7WJFFFn-EgouI4L8/s1600/garden+281.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjosUXeqJGUwTHafms40QFD-6hnGwlImHGswSjA6smfJjE_WC6RDJd15Kyw0L4BVCOfoBcsMGJeU-nK-FaXKoe4espbnlx9wOqHuglX2Gooh35iToomKsuO83GcmC7WJFFFn-EgouI4L8/s400/garden+281.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489015062839754834" /></a><br /><br />That's it for the moment, sleep beckons, take care now.................Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03412980648430701595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1115612825097899770.post-35214425199537379012010-05-22T14:17:00.006+01:002010-05-22T16:42:18.442+01:00Revenge of the weevilWeevils are voracious feeders on many narrow and broad leaved trees, shrubs, strawberries and bramble fruits. The adults will do serious damage to the leaves while the larvae will feed on the roots and bore into the crowns. This guy somehow managed to land on my shoulder when I was watering some strawberry plants I have in hanging baskets. I thought keeping them off the ground would limit access to pests. Imagine my surprise when I looked over my shoulder to see this guy trying to whisper something in my ear ! I called him Kenneth as he was a bit of a daredevil but he had a definite link with the dark side. I guess you could call him Evil-Ken-Weevil !! <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT7kNx4QmMIhmDKqy5pjyHnnUjcTNKKfKstT3wbLJTdheYHrCBX22bNQhZ3vLQsnQ8XGwDCp2MbTEwo7XBq07lJIk9NO1toYIf6wNXfQjKivQhgV9PJqeZNnUXy22zAX0D2bqdB3rjI94/s1600/garden+185.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT7kNx4QmMIhmDKqy5pjyHnnUjcTNKKfKstT3wbLJTdheYHrCBX22bNQhZ3vLQsnQ8XGwDCp2MbTEwo7XBq07lJIk9NO1toYIf6wNXfQjKivQhgV9PJqeZNnUXy22zAX0D2bqdB3rjI94/s400/garden+185.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474084204356629826" /></a><br /><br />Rest in peace Kenneth. <br /><br /><br />Some time later while trying to unstuckify a set of extension ladders I banged my elbow. Damn hard too. It swelled up quite badly and I couldn't help thinking about karma and was the weevil going to have the last laugh on me. Speaking of karma I shudder to think what will happen when the slug karma kicks in, I squished seventeen of the blighters last night around my rhubarb and another eight this morning before breakfast !! <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRO2OsJ8sOaBkvFNDqnc1a483xbJ1G0BoJYRiF9MALLDQa4mxvEy5ROwhqJjboywWGoT7hbkZqOS9TRT5C4Wld_YwiOHG4bCrq0zk9-KdyDOUdwYyf8jLI3aJhZUx_gQFRJzemQ9ayFL4/s1600/garden+191.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRO2OsJ8sOaBkvFNDqnc1a483xbJ1G0BoJYRiF9MALLDQa4mxvEy5ROwhqJjboywWGoT7hbkZqOS9TRT5C4Wld_YwiOHG4bCrq0zk9-KdyDOUdwYyf8jLI3aJhZUx_gQFRJzemQ9ayFL4/s400/garden+191.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474083746664525586" /></a><br /><br />Not the greatest photo but Mrs Foxylock got a weakness and had to sit down upon seeing the bulge ..... on my elbow that is, careful now !! Anyway bless her she's a wee bit squeamish. It reminds me of the time I cut open the palm of my hand and she rushed me to the sink to help clean it up, as the flow of blood quickly reddened the sink my beloved nurse took a funny turn and ended up sitting on the bed with her head between her knees !! And then she goes through the whole childbirth thing without so much as a dizzy spell, but that's another story.Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03412980648430701595noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1115612825097899770.post-29989930276493234612010-05-16T20:51:00.006+01:002010-05-16T23:38:59.144+01:00Primulas ???I love primulas, they bring a splash of early colour to the garden when most others dare not show their heads above ground. I'm impressed by their showiness and hardiness, the fact that they are easy to care for and easy to grow are also a major bonus. So it was with an expectant air of confidence that I received my packet of seeds and wasted no time in sowing them, all 35 of them in fact, no need for caution here as this would be a resounding success. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCW9DBq-bSCU_8_U9nnFMxRkgfoC9_uWoK46ljoYxrTAZlqM0gFmaqPfEiy5lJ0pcQpZrGKaF0MeIcxTj4j6Uib7B1Uv0eyFs9sVT7Amz0cZEG9ZCpri534-dQ1wUFuWMBlkfyj_-lcng/s1600/garden+168.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCW9DBq-bSCU_8_U9nnFMxRkgfoC9_uWoK46ljoYxrTAZlqM0gFmaqPfEiy5lJ0pcQpZrGKaF0MeIcxTj4j6Uib7B1Uv0eyFs9sVT7Amz0cZEG9ZCpri534-dQ1wUFuWMBlkfyj_-lcng/s400/garden+168.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471966255352606882" /></a> <br /><br />I followed the sowing instructions diligently ...... well O.K. I read the sowing instructions diligently ...... alright, alright I read the sowing instructions .... sort of !! Look, I put them in modules, covered with compost, watered and waited .... and waited .... diligently. Nothing happened the days became weeks that became months and still nothing. I'm impatient at the best of times in fact when it comes to virtues I think I must have been missing the day they were handing them out ! I moved the tray to my cold frame and low and behold two tiny seedlings began to emerge ( cue the alleluia music ) Did I nurture them seedlings I sang to them, caressed them, made promises I knew I could not keep. I gave them a pot of their own. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRARCpAF6LAP18eDeed5zSce1EA2OJOKYcdeM5Dp7IJcdLGBgpLHI2pRJoueSuaXhP-EHFqbe9rLXG6kk3nUjpljuwhMiA24hGJoCnM1QC9E7eGozE_xyRMAQmqYAHnAO6ShN12Uk9du0/s1600/garden+169.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRARCpAF6LAP18eDeed5zSce1EA2OJOKYcdeM5Dp7IJcdLGBgpLHI2pRJoueSuaXhP-EHFqbe9rLXG6kk3nUjpljuwhMiA24hGJoCnM1QC9E7eGozE_xyRMAQmqYAHnAO6ShN12Uk9du0/s400/garden+169.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471962989904728882" /></a><br /><br />It was around this time I began to notice quite a discernible difference between the two seedlings but passed it off as nothing. This was a dereliction I would soon regret. Yes I can see you now as you read this the penny begins to drop " Surely not " you think " This cannot be " but you wring your hands in glee the glow from the computer screen lighting up the fiendish smile that now spreads across your face bringing the warmth of my failure to your toes !! You should take a moment to enjoy this feeling because in all honesty there will probably be more to come, my friends I shall not bear grudges and will share in the titters for I have managed to grow a thistle and a rogue parsnip seed !!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuTk74Q50kOKsNHeqb9KhQiuu2Aa_-q4CJV-gEOY48FubwqN8oGqQ0U2PH9QW4efqxPSqHBUcAK4CGlxc1ilKnip8jf4VquzMYmEkgQi8mI1m6Cz6bl4gOS0cSPBuCTGomGHbVkDszw-I/s1600/garden+167.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuTk74Q50kOKsNHeqb9KhQiuu2Aa_-q4CJV-gEOY48FubwqN8oGqQ0U2PH9QW4efqxPSqHBUcAK4CGlxc1ilKnip8jf4VquzMYmEkgQi8mI1m6Cz6bl4gOS0cSPBuCTGomGHbVkDszw-I/s400/garden+167.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471960142895599058" /></a><br /><br />Upon reading the instructions some months later, I learned that one should not cover the seed as this inhibits germination. On a more positive note it seems that I may be flush with strawberries this year.... flush ... oh forget it. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb4tN9nAkWshQ7dijY1-LiSZu_pg5LjI08HpjErDOQYeCYlZ7qYu4HoR4fbAvYNCwzgVSZrwSmoxOfzUjJ3ZQxQvmdviW63lYFMRhmURMnOSHxQjaUTCWT-8_FJ1Bcc7-MYy38bqzNjsQ/s1600/garden+172.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb4tN9nAkWshQ7dijY1-LiSZu_pg5LjI08HpjErDOQYeCYlZ7qYu4HoR4fbAvYNCwzgVSZrwSmoxOfzUjJ3ZQxQvmdviW63lYFMRhmURMnOSHxQjaUTCWT-8_FJ1Bcc7-MYy38bqzNjsQ/s400/garden+172.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471959078330812706" /></a>Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03412980648430701595noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1115612825097899770.post-6917851003332469932010-05-13T22:19:00.006+01:002010-05-13T23:15:14.407+01:00Earthing up time.The spuds have been flying up but the recent blast of icy air has threatened to send this progress tumbling backwards. Gardeners the length and breadth of the country have been racing to ward off the ill effects of frost damage. Luckily I have earthed up on time this year and have no casualties to report ..... yet !! <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAXpujnq_qaCg_QAEPOjxSi9x5S7WGZ3YnOrqF_p7_aoiHnaPLCJhcBA9n9bMUglCBJGTYvlCXLe5bEkMrBUilptcy8znC27fiY4-xmXUGDWd-18EFxI5Hg-AtOqwQusnt9V_3XhKm2PA/s1600/garden+161.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAXpujnq_qaCg_QAEPOjxSi9x5S7WGZ3YnOrqF_p7_aoiHnaPLCJhcBA9n9bMUglCBJGTYvlCXLe5bEkMrBUilptcy8znC27fiY4-xmXUGDWd-18EFxI5Hg-AtOqwQusnt9V_3XhKm2PA/s400/garden+161.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470872982496922994" /></a><br /><br />I still think growing potatoes in a raised bed is a semi ludicrous idea as the earthing up is bothersome due to a simple lack of space. But I do it anyway, Why ? These are the appropriately named " Homeguard " growing reasonably well here, I hope to be eating baby potatoes from these quite soon. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI4ewGwq1rxCKI4M0_wlJ8PABYDtt99dAvA1OMkQ0qAou82mKaL3jGnr27jY0lL2kRYbZjb602jj_CmlqwFQ5e9gQ6FNjaXyvpD_BF8889u6qFeEqwsNAKQl8zVwkeFhCeJlp7spvtUYM/s1600/garden+160.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI4ewGwq1rxCKI4M0_wlJ8PABYDtt99dAvA1OMkQ0qAou82mKaL3jGnr27jY0lL2kRYbZjb602jj_CmlqwFQ5e9gQ6FNjaXyvpD_BF8889u6qFeEqwsNAKQl8zVwkeFhCeJlp7spvtUYM/s400/garden+160.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470872243565346754" /></a><br /><br />Here we have " Duke of york " and " British queens ", both are doing quite well. You may have noticed the soil difference, this is because it's in a patch of ground borrowed in the uncles garden. I much prefer this method of growing the spud but you need plenty of room, something the uncle has an abundance of ! He made the land available on the condition that I would plant his spuds for him, a small price to pay. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXxCgNUM4DBVW3ixmdST_7oIPyk1jGZCty3IIGNINLrCM6wqul_B7beeuYIOhGRgS0kWNXXni680I8nc9HCT3sStqGA3_jTVeAR7G10gQK1Dkm3Ipbhqtt9ZwEIXXpsoxBPzIzBZiuULQ/s1600/garden+157.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXxCgNUM4DBVW3ixmdST_7oIPyk1jGZCty3IIGNINLrCM6wqul_B7beeuYIOhGRgS0kWNXXni680I8nc9HCT3sStqGA3_jTVeAR7G10gQK1Dkm3Ipbhqtt9ZwEIXXpsoxBPzIzBZiuULQ/s400/garden+157.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470871200100716802" /></a><br /><br />By his reckoning there has been a garden here for nearly two hundred years ! Near perfect conditions prevail here, black crumbly soil, south facing on a gentle slope with shelter all round. Things get planted here about a month before anywhere else. Anyway that's the earlies taken care of, the maincrop you can see on the right of the photo should be ready for earthing up sometime next week. More then......<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYzv_Bkbzyhbqwn_iSEM9PjOAQwf7r2Reo7m0UiFhGXnFDJPqds4u5ZQbK3VMSjJJbn7Ck-oV51tfir8xcuU9I8hmBh-0ehpATPpz2OyLp34DlJHUoOGB9j7ghrALa9z4qdyZ1vqTBZQU/s1600/garden+166.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYzv_Bkbzyhbqwn_iSEM9PjOAQwf7r2Reo7m0UiFhGXnFDJPqds4u5ZQbK3VMSjJJbn7Ck-oV51tfir8xcuU9I8hmBh-0ehpATPpz2OyLp34DlJHUoOGB9j7ghrALa9z4qdyZ1vqTBZQU/s400/garden+166.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470869468795828162" /></a>Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03412980648430701595noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1115612825097899770.post-2266042080901902172010-05-11T23:51:00.003+01:002010-05-12T00:25:59.643+01:00Blue skies and apple blossoms.I find it difficult to walk past this tree every day without pausing to appreciate it's true beauty and indeed the wonderment of mother nature herself. Every time the wife looks out the kitchen window I seem to be in the same spot, staring upwards with a look on my face reminiscent of a guy who has just seen his first pair of boobs ! It's no wonder I get so little done around the place. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2T1UDkwfpLMp6-mOy5zMga-X1XtLNW60dotdp2LSjGlKWXh-cpA4rFezUhofGFqFh9YSBxXCNBqpDqLPtxi3u1Ew9g8902BVW2esJJZNrfnwPtexY7F77VwKJlM5QmdZRyLeW0VAW0Ro/s1600/garden+149.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2T1UDkwfpLMp6-mOy5zMga-X1XtLNW60dotdp2LSjGlKWXh-cpA4rFezUhofGFqFh9YSBxXCNBqpDqLPtxi3u1Ew9g8902BVW2esJJZNrfnwPtexY7F77VwKJlM5QmdZRyLeW0VAW0Ro/s400/garden+149.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470152010313545538" /></a><br /><br />For those interested the tree is called " John Downie " It's a flowering crab. And for the record the fruits are not too bad to taste, I must experiment with making some crab apple jam ..... sometime in the next few decades. I had found a use for the fruit which I thought was pure genius .... playing fetch with my trusty German Shepherd. However it all came to a messy end when the dog developed quite the affinity for these little apples and his binges would end in a lengthy dose of the scutters !! The shovel was always handed to me. I wasn't quite sure was it to clean up the pooh or bury the damn dog ! Anyway, long story short he still lives and so does the tree but just you wait until September .......<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitnwlKektcV7uTZLVa5e_4jZ6CJs8S4LSIW4po6WfRPADnliXvlx9QtCUFcKsOD_eBfvYO2McHP21bWSslbokw8eqnZD38NHe7uf97LXjq_Q2vg2MP1PN4hNA5x7i3q4PVvnCLo1NkEYc/s1600/garden+150.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitnwlKektcV7uTZLVa5e_4jZ6CJs8S4LSIW4po6WfRPADnliXvlx9QtCUFcKsOD_eBfvYO2McHP21bWSslbokw8eqnZD38NHe7uf97LXjq_Q2vg2MP1PN4hNA5x7i3q4PVvnCLo1NkEYc/s400/garden+150.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470150625460764866" /></a>Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03412980648430701595noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1115612825097899770.post-32782738241967837892010-05-11T21:23:00.006+01:002010-05-11T23:50:21.511+01:00Bedtime.The gift of a few hours to myself today was gratefully received and I took on the long promised task of constructing a raised bed for my crop of winter cabbages. My January kings are doing well in pots at the moment but I hope to have them settled in their new abode by the middle of next month at the latest. Being a winter cabbage these plants are very hardy but they need to be well established to see out the winter and also the plague of pests that will advance in summer. <br /><br />Aahhh yes to the bed .... not literally !! This bed I made from construction grade 9x2, Two lengths were used costing about a tenner each. Now these beds can be made with anything from recycled scaffold planks to bricks but I use these guys due to ease of supply. I simply cut two lengths, twelve feet long and two more, four feet long and nailed them together at the corners. Make sure it's square ( by measuring the diagonals, that's corner to corner ) and Bob's your auntie ! <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiifr6xejakONMi5zP6ZPMIJaghgWU_wNBr4XVyh3AJvlTAU-rvb_-VlHGnGVvSlQag0UAZPXSBrUuVhSkId-VbabQofHdh1pa42vadYSCrt5qG9O1_cuV5ge-WAcaEU-8lCFmc6_kWm9E/s1600/garden+140.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiifr6xejakONMi5zP6ZPMIJaghgWU_wNBr4XVyh3AJvlTAU-rvb_-VlHGnGVvSlQag0UAZPXSBrUuVhSkId-VbabQofHdh1pa42vadYSCrt5qG9O1_cuV5ge-WAcaEU-8lCFmc6_kWm9E/s400/garden+140.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470115505583160386" /></a><br /><br />Lugging it down to the end of the lawn was the hardest part of this task, maybe I should have put it together in situ.... aahh well, too late now. Nearly there, fill with topsoil. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzQihF8zby4tz3G2Leiqpr4SfUh2SbPxBFVuTxMmHs0uYf5P3_xNaIIoo45t3TflLVOwMIRXYXdzA5Uy0aOdNk-28DOG3wYvl3oKLQbgMklABVInyXxGSOht5TTw4aFJ6FPUGHJAQP_ao/s1600/garden+142.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzQihF8zby4tz3G2Leiqpr4SfUh2SbPxBFVuTxMmHs0uYf5P3_xNaIIoo45t3TflLVOwMIRXYXdzA5Uy0aOdNk-28DOG3wYvl3oKLQbgMklABVInyXxGSOht5TTw4aFJ6FPUGHJAQP_ao/s400/garden+142.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470113894208591506" /></a><br /><br />A quick wallop of a rake and away we go, ready for a bit of manure to be dug in and then the planting shall commence. I prefer raised beds for the simple reason of being able to garden in the wet, you're not destroying the soil structure because the bed is never walked on. It's easier on the back and the soil is usually warmer which is an aid to germination and growing. The beds must be well watered in dry weather as they tend to dry out faster but in my opinion this is a small price to pay. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih8DUR-mTqcmpsRTwoIjML3Wel1TvUlhl-6o2wWNuzxJZSn2_L4WvGN-eXfkQ3n8YqZZ8pv4gazt6bhA29JcGAEa_SPAoWKOgxk8-7IoSKab7-r1GHyBP2sEhvmWps4SLvhu4vzHIkXGg/s1600/garden+144.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih8DUR-mTqcmpsRTwoIjML3Wel1TvUlhl-6o2wWNuzxJZSn2_L4WvGN-eXfkQ3n8YqZZ8pv4gazt6bhA29JcGAEa_SPAoWKOgxk8-7IoSKab7-r1GHyBP2sEhvmWps4SLvhu4vzHIkXGg/s400/garden+144.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470112424393951794" /></a><br /><br />Only five more beds to make !<br /><br />Now where did I put that pillow ?Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03412980648430701595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1115612825097899770.post-7263106944218228142010-05-05T11:38:00.008+01:002010-05-05T23:54:25.810+01:00The onion experiment.This year as a little experiment I have planted onions in a number of different ways. The first method is the old reliable of planting from sets, the variety used is the stalwart " Sturon ", secondly I have sown seeds singularly in modules and thirdly I used a method known as multi-blocking where a number of seeds are placed in each module and let to grow on with the bulbs gently pushing each other out of the way as they swell. For these last two methods I used the old favourite "Ailsa craig " and all onions have now been planted, with the last few going in a little later than expected this weekend. The only thing to do now is keep watered and concentrate on weed control as these guys hate competition. A happy onion will become a big onion. <br /><br />There are pros and cons for each method, onion sets are very easy to grow and relatively foolproof ( something which always seems to attract me !! ) however they are relatively expensive, I paid eight euro for around three hundred and fifty this year. The seed by comparison is much cheaper, it cost me one euro twenty cent for approximately two hundred and fifty seeds ! If germination rates are high that will provide a significant saving. The multi-blocking technique is a fantastic labour saving method because when planting time comes you are essentially planting up to five onions at a time, five times faster. This method can be used for : Beet, broccoli, cabbage, corn, cucumber, leek, melon, bulbing onion, spring onion, peas, spinach and turnip. I'm growing some of my spring onions in this manner and also some in the traditional straight line method, I shall keep you updated on the results. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQd-z9VtSAdeAIaWS0j7gHPWDdWYjVUWedh69Zgi2_SCIhcSKjXYgSeSawxcsBrWuXeOUalhM3o5_faCkJyDh87d_sN7fjm4uFQqf7McnU6LQ3paHMLfOoChwNU7-sdMvXjQRTsU3CQ3E/s1600/garden+137.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQd-z9VtSAdeAIaWS0j7gHPWDdWYjVUWedh69Zgi2_SCIhcSKjXYgSeSawxcsBrWuXeOUalhM3o5_faCkJyDh87d_sN7fjm4uFQqf7McnU6LQ3paHMLfOoChwNU7-sdMvXjQRTsU3CQ3E/s400/garden+137.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467736600466972690" /></a><br /><br />I planted out some of the Autumn leeks also this weekend, this variety " Autumn mammoth 2, Hannibal " promises an excellent yield from August onwards. You know what they say about promises though ! I sowed the winter variety " Musselborough " in some toilet roll inserts and am hoping to plant them in the bed the early potatoes are now occupying. An amazing thing about leeks is that even after digging them up they continue to grow albeit very slowly. This slow growth diminishes the quality of the stems so fresh is best. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWWXl0F0UKXeeDsJXYfmjMMcbyfBaRpDLbSDqGkRVO7J_7N8gonvrFqqurzI7T3KQXDncAv-OnsxaHAoENZt73cSkJzTm6hfZp27OzXtNT7Tp2Rq370q2xHc5za8h9YJX6EewIjW1q9j8/s1600/garden+139.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWWXl0F0UKXeeDsJXYfmjMMcbyfBaRpDLbSDqGkRVO7J_7N8gonvrFqqurzI7T3KQXDncAv-OnsxaHAoENZt73cSkJzTm6hfZp27OzXtNT7Tp2Rq370q2xHc5za8h9YJX6EewIjW1q9j8/s400/garden+139.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467735142234607186" /></a><br /><br />All this talk of onions reminds me of a funny incident that happened way back in the days of the boom. I was slating the roof of a new house which overlooked the next door neighbours fairly substantial cottage garden. I had no knowledge then of vegetables or what it took to grow them so the value of all that lay before my eyes was entirely lost on me. However the wizened old gardener responsible for this creation took it upon himself to educate us .... whether we liked it or not. Every morning we were greeted to shouts of " Look at my onions lads " or " Come down here and I'll show you this " as he pointed at something that really didn't interest us. The man was a persistent old character though and one day partly through curiosity and mostly because the opportunity to evade work had presented itself my slating partner decided to go down for a nose. <br /><br />The look of glee on his face when he returned with a carrier bag crammed full of the finest of veg that money simply cannot buy .... sickened me. What sickened me more was when he came in the morning after and regaled me with tales of the gourmet dinner his wife had cooked, while simultaneously trying to articulate the wholesome goodness of the prize veggies he had blagged the previous day. The bag of chips I called dinner that night were still repeating on me. The day wore on. My nerves were becoming frayed. <br /><br />Like clockwork the gardener appeared and the banter began again, they were now friends having shared food, although not at the same table it was somewhat of a shared experience. An experience that was about to take a turn for the humorous, well from my point of view anyway. <br /><br />The old man headed up through his garden with a large bucket and a rope in his hand. Suddenly he stopped and heaved on a huge iron lid, with a groan of old age he straightened his back, cast the lid to one side and immediately began lowering the bucket into the void. With a manly tug on the rope the bucket flew upwards and landed at his feet with a splosh, the deftness of his movement confirmed a well rehearsed routine. " Jesus is that toilet paper ?" The mysterious contents of the bucket had now been revealed. " Looks like someones septic tank is a bit full " I smirked as the horror of what was happening unveiled in front of my full bellied friends eyes. A casual glance in our direction and the old man set to work .... watering his veggies with the content of the second chamber of his septic tank !! My once boastful friend now looked to be in need of medical attention as he fished for the mobile phone to cancel that nights much anticipated stew. <br /><br />If there were a moral to be applied to this story, I wonder what could it be ? Something about not rubbing peoples noses in it, or not accepting gifts from strangers. Na ah for me it's " You are what you eat "Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03412980648430701595noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1115612825097899770.post-11336878895481318872010-04-30T10:22:00.005+01:002010-04-30T18:59:07.769+01:00A dash of colour.After having a few " grey " days what better way to herald the long week-end and look forward to a bit of brightness than by having a jaunt around the garden to appreciate whats already blooming. Here's a few shots of colour. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhilSmsexjoFWXmledyP8V8OEwBHmzDZyiNMOCtcCPp0xRlPzwZB2W6-cJiF9zNURcQbMmlq-3bxLATXhirJU5pCpYG1LbzjF0hIwYkRAaGiLcb0IwxbdLMxqji7ikdOWCDymTIFYQ9daA/s1600/garden+127.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhilSmsexjoFWXmledyP8V8OEwBHmzDZyiNMOCtcCPp0xRlPzwZB2W6-cJiF9zNURcQbMmlq-3bxLATXhirJU5pCpYG1LbzjF0hIwYkRAaGiLcb0IwxbdLMxqji7ikdOWCDymTIFYQ9daA/s400/garden+127.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465869019509576754" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7gqKYja275S4E5O7bOKM6WcMIUv3regpLGjtXrO2PZFrGdV7zxyw0AmIEkTL5wbF9hOz8Rpf4Pknw8TGQbdR917Iv5CZvw_54dD8kr950KTi1IrnDNarxQH6qhgZ9NBJp1gTGJqJ-x2k/s1600/garden+125.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7gqKYja275S4E5O7bOKM6WcMIUv3regpLGjtXrO2PZFrGdV7zxyw0AmIEkTL5wbF9hOz8Rpf4Pknw8TGQbdR917Iv5CZvw_54dD8kr950KTi1IrnDNarxQH6qhgZ9NBJp1gTGJqJ-x2k/s400/garden+125.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465867517650150210" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyLpp2xvHYYEwCVNTxroMPMh5QAMazr9Ee8P5CDcykhuG1XOUmr-IFuxDhoLfGN4554jQpT9tdihjRW5ywgudachbJxV3id9ygNVwc10EGUTebR3mYYDb9ZHZnRyQg1fI1FesDiS0jDjc/s1600/garden+123.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyLpp2xvHYYEwCVNTxroMPMh5QAMazr9Ee8P5CDcykhuG1XOUmr-IFuxDhoLfGN4554jQpT9tdihjRW5ywgudachbJxV3id9ygNVwc10EGUTebR3mYYDb9ZHZnRyQg1fI1FesDiS0jDjc/s400/garden+123.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465862995691148978" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYY3AY-558fYc5f4uWh5z2oq_qJYghyh2RSRk7oSQNcU9RIaBUPLOcXbU89jx5d5M8d2D_ywHjd9DETgciUcpP3F-p6qnuWhv-yJMtuNa31CFF5C1yogs-sVttRV25c6LlnrY1r7eAgI4/s1600/garden+120.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYY3AY-558fYc5f4uWh5z2oq_qJYghyh2RSRk7oSQNcU9RIaBUPLOcXbU89jx5d5M8d2D_ywHjd9DETgciUcpP3F-p6qnuWhv-yJMtuNa31CFF5C1yogs-sVttRV25c6LlnrY1r7eAgI4/s400/garden+120.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465861527221414994" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRF33SamKOEB7HgVuxuy6POo6NfSuRTljUucQ3Zc75kHe6nEiL_6iLb484t2OCk7Ot6a6jRz5rPrWEVdBoJtnHY7FNFuXZDPxDhk47poUN07sF8CiFtRBb8FljXrqV2udfkcSw8pyz1oc/s1600/garden+117.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRF33SamKOEB7HgVuxuy6POo6NfSuRTljUucQ3Zc75kHe6nEiL_6iLb484t2OCk7Ot6a6jRz5rPrWEVdBoJtnHY7FNFuXZDPxDhk47poUN07sF8CiFtRBb8FljXrqV2udfkcSw8pyz1oc/s400/garden+117.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465860076098385634" /></a><br /><br />Enjoy the week-end and hopefully the sun will shine for you.Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03412980648430701595noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1115612825097899770.post-30121260274818078692010-04-28T10:38:00.003+01:002010-04-28T10:55:19.139+01:00Shallot update.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXChbJy12FiOmRZJpauAYw-v5kIXN6DiI-rwruTAf3QfCjTR3r1OotwZxrFkL1QOQ4DR7r8OTclxpt5fEbWU742EWJDfVKpdHHpjfhWDTQAPLyQ2DsOaZuZMiwCjxWB5j8axf5OmPRy2A/s1600/a8.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXChbJy12FiOmRZJpauAYw-v5kIXN6DiI-rwruTAf3QfCjTR3r1OotwZxrFkL1QOQ4DR7r8OTclxpt5fEbWU742EWJDfVKpdHHpjfhWDTQAPLyQ2DsOaZuZMiwCjxWB5j8axf5OmPRy2A/s400/a8.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465122098511135810" /></a><br /><br />A quick update on the shallot bed, The current spell of fine weather has caused an explosion of growth in the garden with the shallots being no slouch in this department. Having lost quite a few bulbs to the slug I was a little worried as to whether we would have any left, not to worry now anyway as all the remaining bulbs seem to be tootling along at a fine pace.Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03412980648430701595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1115612825097899770.post-62032587893321146782010-04-26T20:50:00.004+01:002010-04-26T21:20:33.389+01:00King of the sunflowers.The above title is not a reference to myself ( although we'll see by years end ) the variety of sunflower I have chosen this year is called " Kong " and hopefully it will live up to it's name. This giant branching sunflower can apparently attain a height of fourteen feet and with flower heads an awesome twenty centimetres in diameter ! I sowed these guys on the twenty sixth of February and the tallest are approaching the two foot mark already. I will probably put them in the ground in the next week or so and hopefully they will take off. As with last year the staking is always a pain in the ass job, and last year my sunflowers only reached nine feet !! <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8DfP4wsKhdtwePvSC_sfXgp3g1b4WZpb8JQL8KOwwwNkc10McfiAIosWtg2mvUk_BBKHgB1ox7kc-QOUSQSInF_icvx5TiKkLlGevwBnX7XlBYg5XY9NgXJsZhf0T1LaiYbjNnW-JNDI/s1600/a1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8DfP4wsKhdtwePvSC_sfXgp3g1b4WZpb8JQL8KOwwwNkc10McfiAIosWtg2mvUk_BBKHgB1ox7kc-QOUSQSInF_icvx5TiKkLlGevwBnX7XlBYg5XY9NgXJsZhf0T1LaiYbjNnW-JNDI/s400/a1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464538203254507874" /></a><br /><br />The record for tallest sunflower is currently twenty five feet, five and a half inches. Largest head is thirty two and a quarter inches in diameter. And most flowers is eight hundred and thirty seven flowers on a single plant. I Don't think I'll trouble those records anyway especially not with my " Firewalker " as I failed to germinate a single seed. Damn amateurs !!Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03412980648430701595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1115612825097899770.post-54459527511739257782010-04-26T18:19:00.006+01:002010-04-26T18:47:56.385+01:00Early cabbage.Today I was able to plant out some " Golden acre " early cabbage in one of the brassica beds. Unfortunately the slugs have been gorging themselves on some of the previously planted cabbages, so much for my crushed egg shell mulch, but I shall persist.
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<br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyUUifS9Xyto5WCDwfb9aAY51c6nWllPyRU8TPQGWEdu9GfmYIS9ragxkIjgQPQTNORRzeG4QyYhRLX3k857UDO-HKOlGZamOFokZznYwMOt3RD_89HT7nULCBh3aY0M7SfL7dz0nZmEw/s320/a11.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464500367283996066" /></a>
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<br />I have some more in reserve that are not yet hardened off, but they should be ready in the next couple of weeks. I also potted on the " January king " winter cabbage, they seem to be coming along nicely but won't be going out for some time yet. In other brassica news, the brussels sprouts that I took a chance and planted out early are doing just fine, the swede seedlings are thinned and growing good but the slugs have nearly wiped out the turnip seedlings so I must sow again this week. You win, you lose, I guess !!
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9L5H71sawvCLp6jjx2S0VVOwstkxQFHE5pWJZFzaZfgqktSEMdCV8bvdKzhe7Kl4k5_l5PnJxUysbtJ9Iz_0Wm2uuXIOjrY8hAa9ZvTz_FwLIT1eQNkwnHDU4aZ460MIHOlwe6s3hgz8/s1600/a9.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9L5H71sawvCLp6jjx2S0VVOwstkxQFHE5pWJZFzaZfgqktSEMdCV8bvdKzhe7Kl4k5_l5PnJxUysbtJ9Iz_0Wm2uuXIOjrY8hAa9ZvTz_FwLIT1eQNkwnHDU4aZ460MIHOlwe6s3hgz8/s320/a9.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464498885074761442" /></a>
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<br />I also net these beds as there is an amorous couple of wood pigeons about at the moment and they only seem interested in courting and raiding my garden........... Ahhh, reminds me of my youth !! Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03412980648430701595noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1115612825097899770.post-84929145834305998202010-04-12T22:17:00.004+01:002010-04-14T23:36:52.100+01:00The proposed extension.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOpjDTt2wcTXcMZnqvDK5VX91pjm-KdLRfToUiToIl7DQ-jrxdE48ls8qzsUw08N6xdRurjEpciAQ6VNuPB37E4pwrq8vplxW9N8Y2M_RaU8VDhWsbvsCZtEFYfSyflOFGhyphenhyphenqDFv0N9P8/s1600/g7.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOpjDTt2wcTXcMZnqvDK5VX91pjm-KdLRfToUiToIl7DQ-jrxdE48ls8qzsUw08N6xdRurjEpciAQ6VNuPB37E4pwrq8vplxW9N8Y2M_RaU8VDhWsbvsCZtEFYfSyflOFGhyphenhyphenqDFv0N9P8/s320/g7.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459364729529645778" /></a><br /><br /><br />I sprayed off this area last september and let it lie for the winter. The intention was to plant some potatoes here this year but instead I opted to plant my spuds in another area. So now the question ; what to do with this piece of ground ? I reckon I could get in six decent sized raised beds to add to the ones I already have. I intend to get the rabbit proof fence up in the next week or so and also a gravel path between the beds is begging to be laid add to this the planting, weeding,watering,sowing and all the rest and the year has suddenly got very busy. aahh looking forward to eating my Brussels sprouts at christmas already !!<br /><br />And yes that's me with the handsome divil shadow !!Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03412980648430701595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1115612825097899770.post-20572057123923477082010-04-12T21:54:00.003+01:002010-04-12T22:16:04.611+01:00A day of planting.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwgS8Dru8EYAYKTppyV76Fo0fMaaJR0ZU6v29_8nG6taoWxj9yNiQ3jZ6Q3-Z5WV-uU8hcUJeSX0ZC-mAx7tytVOkPnceSxr7hLJ5d8JJTVmlLDIb0SdIcne2i1VGMjuMD6FT4kv2HVBQ/s1600/g13.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwgS8Dru8EYAYKTppyV76Fo0fMaaJR0ZU6v29_8nG6taoWxj9yNiQ3jZ6Q3-Z5WV-uU8hcUJeSX0ZC-mAx7tytVOkPnceSxr7hLJ5d8JJTVmlLDIb0SdIcne2i1VGMjuMD6FT4kv2HVBQ/s320/g13.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459358775002958482" /></a><br /><br />I had to send these guys to the beds this week end as things were getting a bit crowded in the cold frames. There was a bit of pushing and shoving going on between the marigolds and the lettuce, the brussels sprouts were lording it over the others because of their height.The competition to have the most colourdy leaves between the chard and the beetroot was frankly becoming ridiculous and the spring onions said they could take no more taunts about being skinny. Round table talks failed so nothing for it but a spot of early planting. <br /><br />Out went the swiss chard, beetroot, brussels sprouts, two trays of carrots, three trays of lettuce and two trays of spring onions. Things are much more relaxed around here now !! Phew......Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03412980648430701595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1115612825097899770.post-47168651566807199342010-04-12T21:24:00.004+01:002010-04-12T21:49:54.328+01:00The hide and seek champion !!Introducing the All-Ireland hide and seek champion, the humble parsnip. I found this guy lurking beneath a fleece in a bed full of turnip seedlings I had recently sowed. The suspicious bulge was mistaken for a weed but on further investigation, What did I pull out ? an almost two foot long parsnip !! Sadly it was covered in rust and the slugs had taken the better part of it rendering it inedible. Still it proves that parsnips if left in the ground over winter will regrow in the spring. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVJ2iwKyqjRus2tDwvPkVqKxTidB29EzPnR67iUHudsJgbY9Q8dPAOfhhyphenhyphen9qpiQKIkuRIX3gqWtNIGQK3o-Sg2SEu3HXBV1RaRYjFIYvNBBS91cOkArO91SNyRog2qfGx-RePzcr8AsNo/s1600/g10.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVJ2iwKyqjRus2tDwvPkVqKxTidB29EzPnR67iUHudsJgbY9Q8dPAOfhhyphenhyphen9qpiQKIkuRIX3gqWtNIGQK3o-Sg2SEu3HXBV1RaRYjFIYvNBBS91cOkArO91SNyRog2qfGx-RePzcr8AsNo/s320/g10.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459352275045496162" /></a><br /><br />I don't know how I missed it as the bed was dug over twice during winter and again when the compost was added and then raked and prepared as a seed bed ! Osama Bin Laden wouldn't have a patch on this guy !!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw3EV_FaTmYl8SvKGSMSPcLFOqoRjTW2b5QgFdEwf-9Cg8BXAd9d_CbQtq_1eRzqWEcIsmZTffAXXosxHKygIw-sW5HwznC1XhJkHYyr3PD8HtyRWzkM-4DZbr6LHFGTeDQJLa-dVsf6A/s1600/g14.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw3EV_FaTmYl8SvKGSMSPcLFOqoRjTW2b5QgFdEwf-9Cg8BXAd9d_CbQtq_1eRzqWEcIsmZTffAXXosxHKygIw-sW5HwznC1XhJkHYyr3PD8HtyRWzkM-4DZbr6LHFGTeDQJLa-dVsf6A/s320/g14.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459351005311451266" /></a>Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03412980648430701595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1115612825097899770.post-42482400544362204752010-04-05T20:09:00.004+01:002010-04-05T22:03:43.521+01:00Patriotism.For many Easter is a time of remembrance, a time when the supreme sacrifices made by the men of 1916 are to be acknowledged and appreciated. Yet every year we have politicians laying wreaths at memorials and sites of patriotic significance the length and breadth of this country. This year it sticks in my throat more than usual, why do we tolerate such tokenism ? To have the corrupt engage in theatrics for the cameras. They spoil the wreath with their very own greasy palms, they pay lip service to long dead heroes and swiftly return to plans of self enrichment. They trample on the very people they vowed to serve. To want to stand on the shoulders of giants, is ambition, but to walk on the faces of the electorate to sneer at the commentators with an air of invincibility while they live beyond our means is way beyond disgraceful. Isn't it a bitter irony that through our hard work we pay the wages of the people who gamble and fritter away ours ? <br /><br />While bursting with apparent national pride they read the proclamation, the words of the proclamation. They ring hollow now, for once they invoked a passion that put fire in the bellies of men, men who wanted to achieve, achieve for the good of the nation. Not just himself. Did all those men die in vain ? Will we see true patriots again ? The word is bandied about amid useless rhetoric. To part the curtains of patriotism and glimpse the avarice underneath is truly a depressing image. Luke Kelly's timeless poem captures the atmosphere of a nation in a far more eloquent manner than I could ever hope to achieve. <br /><br />For What Died the Sons of Róisín, was it fame?<br />For What Died the Sons of Róisín, was it fame?<br />For what flowed Irelands blood in rivers,<br />That began when Brian chased the Dane,<br />And did not cease nor has not ceased,<br />With the brave sons of ´16,<br />For what died the sons of Róisín, was it fame?<br /><br />For What Died the Sons of Róisín, was it greed?<br />For What Died the Sons of Róisín, was it greed?<br />Was it greed that drove Wolfe Tone to a paupers death in a cell of cold wet stone?<br />Will German, French or Dutch inscribe the epitaph of Emmet?<br />When we have sold enough of Ireland to be but strangers in it.<br />For What Died the Sons of Róisín, was it greed?<br /><br />To whom do we owe our allegiance today?<br />To whom do we owe our allegiance today?<br />To those brave men who fought and died that Róisín live again with pride?<br />Her sons at home to work and sing,<br />Her youth to dance and make her valleys ring,<br />Or the faceless men who for Mark and Dollar,<br />Betray her to the highest bidder,<br />To whom do we owe our allegiance today?<br /><br />For what suffer our patriots today?<br />For what suffer our patriots today?<br />They have a language problem, so they say,<br />How to write "No Trespass" must grieve their heart full sore,<br />We got rid of one strange language now we are faced with many, many more,<br />For what suffer our patriots today?<br /><br /><br />Far be it for me to instigate a call to arms, this is not a politically motivated post nor am I affiliated to any political party, I have far too much respect for my untarnished name. It's merely an observation, and I believe the more good people in this country that observe, the closer we will come to a viable solution. Should we march ? should we shout ? Ninety four years ago we had a rebellion.Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03412980648430701595noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1115612825097899770.post-10186489968212315802010-04-05T00:21:00.003+01:002010-04-05T01:12:13.411+01:00Coldframe crowding.Space is becoming a much sought after luxury in my coldframes at the moment, a few over enthusiastic bursts of seed sowing have produced a bit of a pile up. Oooooh the pressure, how will we cope ? The temptation is to lob a few of the bigger lads into the garden and see how they manage. Does gardening sometimes feel like playing God ? Albeit on a much smaller scale, I have the power to decide who lives and who dies. Actually it's more like who dies and who lingers in the world between life and death before finally succumbing to the inevitable ! But I digress..... <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm_sreg57nx78N5hoQK06-1MjF47EQ0CPRkOnJZ57NeAyCpfSSsxdAiX34U-IZ4K46V6AStqEkK-4EjGFLzqCoOw4gHzVDv9nToB43EEqNjwzb-F4ZuK5gitBS_OOSOKqNQVX3GLoB4VQ/s1600/garden+115.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm_sreg57nx78N5hoQK06-1MjF47EQ0CPRkOnJZ57NeAyCpfSSsxdAiX34U-IZ4K46V6AStqEkK-4EjGFLzqCoOw4gHzVDv9nToB43EEqNjwzb-F4ZuK5gitBS_OOSOKqNQVX3GLoB4VQ/s320/garden+115.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456429584463818306" /></a><br /><br />Back to the seedlings, the cabbage " Golden Acre " and the Brussels sprouts " Bedford Darkmar 21 " are doing quite well. The " Ailsa craig " onions and " White Lisbon " spring onions are proving to be a worthwhile sowing. Don't you just love spring onion sandwiches ? The Swiss chard is flying up as is the beetroot " Boltardy ". I grew this last year as the wife loves beetroot, but somehow she was unimpressed by my crop so I gave it away to more appreciative folk who showered me with compliments, saying that the pre-boiling of the beetroot really brought out the flavour. I tried to hide my ignorance, as idiots that we are we ate it raw !! I have three varieties of lettuce this year " Little gem ", " Cos parris island " and " Red oak leaf " What can I say ? ... wifey likes lettuce ! " Bambino " and " Nantes 2 " are the carrots although sowing in modules may prove a pointless exercise as they don't like to be transplanted. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijcobdAAnufY5jfudXzbgYfbbKIO1juClBRQoBxT3yJypOxD-VEIQCgE4wVeuZw0r22pPW2nJWadUl9zW-uN75igeoi25PYDfJSnYVkngMAID4W-YsyomOKi8SSJUqooPHDekTiXQa5FE/s1600/garden+113.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijcobdAAnufY5jfudXzbgYfbbKIO1juClBRQoBxT3yJypOxD-VEIQCgE4wVeuZw0r22pPW2nJWadUl9zW-uN75igeoi25PYDfJSnYVkngMAID4W-YsyomOKi8SSJUqooPHDekTiXQa5FE/s320/garden+113.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456428102590030274" /></a><br /><br />The over spill has landed in the front porch, not ideal as temperatures are difficult to control but will have to suffice for the moment. There's more cabbage " January king " and some leeks " Autumn mammoth " lurking about, I sure hope the leeks live up to their name ! This year I vowed only to grow what we will eat, the radish incident of last year reinforces this mantra. Something I may share on a later post perhaps.Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03412980648430701595noreply@blogger.com2