Sunday, May 3, 2009

Planting out

- is mostly what I've been concentrating on in the field for the past few weeks.

The beans sprouted, but so did the weeds around them and I realised that plot needed thoroughly digging over, so had to pot up the beans and do that! This is the end result, with marigolds as good companions:



There are peas planted in there too, and hopefully enough support and protection for them and the beans. I only grow broad beans, because I find them the easiest to grow and the tastiest! I'm not a runner- or French-bean fan at all, and I don't think the children are either.

The other beds are looking too boring to post photos of, but two are dug and planted (potatoes in one and carrots, onions, leeks and beetroot in the other) and bed no.3, the cabbage patch, is still to dig over and plant. The brassicas are doing well in the garden room, meanwhile:



- as are the pumpkin/squash seedlings, of which I have planted far too many - before reading that they need up to four feet of space each!



So I'm creating another terraced, raised bed - at least one more. I've got to somehow turn this bit of hillside:



- into something that more resembles this bit:



And this bit:



- though I'm not sure how quickly that will happen! I'll hopefully have something ready for at least some of the seedlings before they die, anyway.

Back in the garden room, we've got chilli peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers growing:



Those little frog things are supposed to supply a steady feed of water for the ever-thirsty cucumbers, but they don't work very well.

We've got potatoes growing the the old dustbin as usual, and strawberries in the old bathtub:



- which are probably just about ready to have their straw laid under them.