The sunflowers managed it before the end of the season:
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Telferton Tips
I love sunflowers - real cool happy flowersrapunzell wrote:The sunflowers managed it before the end of the season:
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Doesn't the available time reduce when the clock's go back.?
Still, this is a good time to dig those heavy soils on those nice, crisp clear days which Porty gets when the wind is in the east.
Try insulating your cold frame with polystyrene cut to size and covered in bubble wrap.
Net your brassicas .... as the birds get hungrier, they'll be at them (particularly the pigeons.)
Pick you Brussel Sprouts and harvest any parsnips. Lift any leeks you've got left.
Prepare the onion bed for next spring and let it settle down over the winter. (Though it's not too late to plant autumn onion sets if you want to.)
Begin winter pruning of apples, pears gooseberries and currants when the leaves have died off. (Don't forget to put grease bands round the trunks of the fruit trees)
Propagate rhubarb by digging up and splitting into smaller pieces and take hardwood cuttings of red currants, black currants and gooseberries.
Don't forget, if you're planning a bonfire, check for hibernating hedgehogs and frogs.
Still, this is a good time to dig those heavy soils on those nice, crisp clear days which Porty gets when the wind is in the east.
Try insulating your cold frame with polystyrene cut to size and covered in bubble wrap.
Net your brassicas .... as the birds get hungrier, they'll be at them (particularly the pigeons.)
Pick you Brussel Sprouts and harvest any parsnips. Lift any leeks you've got left.
Prepare the onion bed for next spring and let it settle down over the winter. (Though it's not too late to plant autumn onion sets if you want to.)
Begin winter pruning of apples, pears gooseberries and currants when the leaves have died off. (Don't forget to put grease bands round the trunks of the fruit trees)
Propagate rhubarb by digging up and splitting into smaller pieces and take hardwood cuttings of red currants, black currants and gooseberries.
Don't forget, if you're planning a bonfire, check for hibernating hedgehogs and frogs.
I have nothing to say and I'm going to say it.
Think that there's nothing much to do? Think again.
First of all, you'd better go and check that it hasn't blown away. There's nothing worse than a shed which has made its way into the neighbouring plot...... endless disputes over ownership and water rights.
Right now you should be howing out winter weeds like chickweed and groundsel and clearing away decaying leaves from herbaceous perennials (particularly asparagus) to prevent them rotting.
On those lovely crisp days when the ground is frozen, use the time to clear away the rubbish and then distribute your compost round the plot ready for spreading when the weather changes. (The wheelbarrow just glides over the frozen ground.)
If it really is too cold / wet / boring to do any work on the allotment, then spend a jolly evening mending, repairing and cleaning your tools for the growing season: scrape off any dried mud with a stiff brush. Fill a bucket with course sand and mix in a small amount of vegetable oil. Dip the tools into this several times - they should come out transformed. Sand off any remaining rust and wipe with an oily rag.
If even that's beyond you, curl up with a seed catalogue. It's never too early to get those orders in.
First of all, you'd better go and check that it hasn't blown away. There's nothing worse than a shed which has made its way into the neighbouring plot...... endless disputes over ownership and water rights.
Right now you should be howing out winter weeds like chickweed and groundsel and clearing away decaying leaves from herbaceous perennials (particularly asparagus) to prevent them rotting.
On those lovely crisp days when the ground is frozen, use the time to clear away the rubbish and then distribute your compost round the plot ready for spreading when the weather changes. (The wheelbarrow just glides over the frozen ground.)
If it really is too cold / wet / boring to do any work on the allotment, then spend a jolly evening mending, repairing and cleaning your tools for the growing season: scrape off any dried mud with a stiff brush. Fill a bucket with course sand and mix in a small amount of vegetable oil. Dip the tools into this several times - they should come out transformed. Sand off any remaining rust and wipe with an oily rag.
If even that's beyond you, curl up with a seed catalogue. It's never too early to get those orders in.
I have nothing to say and I'm going to say it.
We planted out two trees in our front garden last week (they were half price in Dobbies). One is a weeping cherry which is now right outside the living room window. We thought it might be nicer for Ali to look at when he's sitting on the top deck of the 26 looking in our living room window. The other is a silver birch which we have strategically placed so that in another 5 years or so it will partially obscure the wheelie bins - we're nothing if not optimistic 
. On Xmas day we devoured newly harvested Telferton grown sprouts, carrots, leeks, potatoes, onions and turnip - fantastic, and not a chemical in sight.
. On Xmas day we devoured newly harvested Telferton grown sprouts, carrots, leeks, potatoes, onions and turnip - fantastic, and not a chemical in sight.Enough of your nonsense - get back to the Play Pen!
In that case, get to know your neighbours (Epykat excepted.... you can't get up to much in a shed 
).... they should be able to tell you about the pro's and cons (Telferton has particularly pernicious and persistant weeds)
Work out the orientation of your plot. Different veggies require different amounts of sunlight. Similarly check out the prevailing wind and put up a wind break if you need to shelter parts of the plot.
Then make a rough sketch of your ideal plot. You will need to divide it into at least four areas in order to rotate your vegetables. Ideally each bed should be no more than 1.2m (4ft) across otherwise you will end up with back ache. Then consider an area set aside for perennials such as asparagus, artichoke, rhubarb and comfrey (Comfrey makes good compost). You'll also need room for composting, water butt and manure heap.
Then there's the shed so that Homer can escape from Epykat's clutches if desired. And don't forget a good seat in a sunny position so you can sit down and admire your work.
Finally, go off to the garden centre now and invest in a spade, a fork, a hoe, a trowel, a rake and a pair of secateurs. (Even better, see if you can pick up some old fashioned ones from a car boot sale.... they're usually of better quality than the mass produced stuff)
).... they should be able to tell you about the pro's and cons (Telferton has particularly pernicious and persistant weeds)Work out the orientation of your plot. Different veggies require different amounts of sunlight. Similarly check out the prevailing wind and put up a wind break if you need to shelter parts of the plot.
Then make a rough sketch of your ideal plot. You will need to divide it into at least four areas in order to rotate your vegetables. Ideally each bed should be no more than 1.2m (4ft) across otherwise you will end up with back ache. Then consider an area set aside for perennials such as asparagus, artichoke, rhubarb and comfrey (Comfrey makes good compost). You'll also need room for composting, water butt and manure heap.
Then there's the shed so that Homer can escape from Epykat's clutches if desired. And don't forget a good seat in a sunny position so you can sit down and admire your work.
Finally, go off to the garden centre now and invest in a spade, a fork, a hoe, a trowel, a rake and a pair of secateurs. (Even better, see if you can pick up some old fashioned ones from a car boot sale.... they're usually of better quality than the mass produced stuff)
I have nothing to say and I'm going to say it.
Thanks Rathbone. I've divided the beds that have been dug so far into 4 foot wide ones with one exception which is a bit wider. Basically I'm a copy cat, taking my lead from how other folk have laid out their planting.
I think asparagus might be a wee bit ambitious for me at this stage but will consider it in the future.
The area in front of the shed (about a third of the plot) looks a bit like the Himalayas at the moment - think the previous folk may have been making a scale replica - so will take an awful lot of digging and levelling before we can do anything with it. I'm going to tackle things bit by bit rather than trying to do it all at once.
One concern at the moment is I haven't much idea of quantities to plant. For example, what sort of return should I expect from each seed potato I plant?
I think asparagus might be a wee bit ambitious for me at this stage but will consider it in the future.
The area in front of the shed (about a third of the plot) looks a bit like the Himalayas at the moment - think the previous folk may have been making a scale replica - so will take an awful lot of digging and levelling before we can do anything with it. I'm going to tackle things bit by bit rather than trying to do it all at once.
One concern at the moment is I haven't much idea of quantities to plant. For example, what sort of return should I expect from each seed potato I plant?
www.porty.org.uk
That's no way to describe your husbandMarya wrote:.plus my first 'dibber'
And for your information Mr Rathbone, it's amazing how much you can get done in a shed. Especially if you have a flask and some Rich Tea, a good magazine (a Christmas subscription obviously) and a pal with which to share tips. Homer and I can't wait to get started.
Forgot to mention the dreaded "Mare's tail" which abounds at Telferton. It really is a wee devil.........lift every carpet in your house and put it on your plot - now!
Enough of your nonsense - get back to the Play Pen!