The lettuce, salad leaves, chard, rocket and spinach have now been potted on and moved to The hut, and they’re now ready for picking. The plan is to sow some more when I’m halfway through these.The Hut is a great storage area as it doesn’t get as hot as the greenhouse and [touch wood]the slugs haven’t found a way in yet. To my great amusement, Littl’urchin stomps in there every time she’s round and helps herself to lettuce leaves. If I actually put them on her plate there would be blue murder!
I’ve two new raised beds in the back garden. The first is sown with carrot seeds and a couple of yellow courgettes along with some sacrificial brassicas to hopefully keep the cabbage white butterflies off the netted brassicas in the second bed. I’m hoping to get a crop this year but those butterflies sure are utterly determined and resourceful!
In the greenhouse the tomatoes and kale are up, but the peppers, chillies and basil are taking forever to germinate.
When the new fence was put in the front garden, it had to be moved forward a few feet as it wasn’t straight which left me with a strange, uneven space behind the border in the back garden.
Not really knowing what to do with it, I ended up moving all the odds and sods from my Little Lotte in the courtyard which then tidied that area up considerably! I think of this space as The Overflow, you can’t see anything as the pots are all hidden behind a dense border. All sorts are growing here, herbs, spring onions, carrots, dwarf beans, beetroot, courgettes, kale…the list is endless. When the produce has gone I’m hoping to tidy it up and put decent planters here. To date, it’s like a secret cupboard that everything gets thrown in.
Armageddon spuds in a half barrel, a gal cannot have too many spuds, I have them everywhere!
Little Lotte is thriving and looking SOOO much tidier without the overflow! I have onions, pumpkin, spuds, garlic, leeks and courgette growing here.
Herbs are happy too. The wheelbarrows are thickening out and the raised bed wall in the front is romping away. Little’urchin is also fond of picking and eating parsley and mint, again, if I was to put that on her plate….sighs!
The soft fruit raised bed wall is laden with flowers and berries now. Here I have strawberries, loganberries, raspberries, gooseberries, black and redcurrants and honeyberries. I’ve dug up my blueberries and put them in pots outside the greenhouse with ericaceous soil. I’m hoping they will be happier.
And Finally…
the new raised beds in the front garden are planted. Here I have sweetcorn, onions, garlic, cabbages, broccoli, cauliflower and of course, a huge long raised bed full of spuds!
Until next time, take care guys. xxx
I realised just recently I had stopped getting emails with your new posts. No idea how that happened and when, my bad. Lovely to see all things blooming.
Thanks Steph. The old subscriber stopped working so daughter had to install a new one. Technology eh??? xxx
You’ve got lots going on. I’m sureI’d love to have the space in the garden to have an ‘allotment’ on my doorstep. Some houses near to us have allotments behind their houses and many have a plot that is just through a gate in their back garden. something sneaked must be more attractive to little minds. Don’t we all have one of those awkward spaces.
Thanks Sue. We really appreciate being able to grow so much food throughout the gardens. How lovely it must be to have an allotment in you back garden! Yes, I doubt any garden is free of an awkward, untidy space!xxx
It’s all looking and sounding good.
I agree about potatoes, so always grow plenty.
Thanks, and you too. xx
Thanks Flighty, I know you enjoy your potatoes!xxx
It’s all looking and sounding good. I agree about potatoes, so I always grow plenty.
A veritable feast! The Archers must be spying as Bridge Farm have their new edible forest! Love the LilUrchin prefer to nab and nibble, lol. Come soft fruit season, her little fingers will be busy.
Thank AnneMarie. Yes, her sticky little fingers will be busy for sure!xxx
You’re going to be eating well, that’s all I’ve got to say. It all looks so healthy too. Potatoes with everything, eh? Haha. You can never have too many spuds.
Indeedy, potatoes with everything! Thanks Jo.xxx
It’s interesting to scroll through your blog posts since the beginning of the year knowing all the hard work that has gone on in that time. Your raised beds are full of wonderful veggies. The thought of little granddaughter picking salad leaves makes me smile. There’s so much promise of the produce you’ll harvest later on this year too. Enjoy your time in the garden dear blog friend.
Thanks Linda. It is wonderful being able to grow your own fruit, veg and herbs as you know well.xxx
I’m completely astonished. I can’t even imagine the amount of work involved in producing this — or how much knowledge you have about things I can barely imagine. I’m unreasonably pleased with myself for getting a gift Kalanchoe alive so it could bloom, and getting another to begin sprouting new growth after I trimmed it back.
As for that lettuce, parsley, and such: I’m with lil’Urchin. Well, at least I was when I was a kid. I absolutely refused lettuce of any sort. I wouldn’t even munch it on the sly. Somewhat amusingly, I know some cats who adore it. I suppose it’s the green that an indoor cat can’t get to otherwise. I do hope your various berries and such manage to avoid being consumed by wildlife. You deserve them, after all that work!
Thanks Linda. Once everything is planted out there’s not much to do besides watering. I’m very much the amatuer so if I can do it anyone can. I’m sure half the soft fruit will be eaten by wildlife, the blackbirds have already found the strawberries and are feeding them to their chicks. I don’t have the heart to deprive them, fortunately there is plenty to go around. Yes, odd about cats eating greens, sorts their tummies out I’ve heard.xxx
Wow, you really are ready for Armageddon! So much lovely produce. I love the idea of the sacrificial brassicas and your ‘Hut’ is wonderful. Great idea to use the wheelbarrows as herb planters – I wonder how long it would take R to notice if I snaffled his?! :O) I’m with Littl’urchin, scrumped herbs and veggies always taste better! xx
Haha, yes, my Armageddon spuds are in which is always a comfort to me! Lol, I’m sure R would notice his snaffled wheelbarrow! Hubs was fuming when I nicked his!Couldn’t agree more about scrumped stuff!xxx
Oh WOW!
You have been busy and your garden is looking so good.
Isn’t it amazing how Little’urchin is fond of picking and eating parsley, mint and lettuce from the garden but not on her plate 🙂 I’m sure in time she will be.
Enjoy your May days.
All the best Jan
Thanks Jan. Kids certainly are contrary!xxx
Oh, my dear friend, what a lot of work and dedication to create such bounty!
It all looks beautiful, healthy, and blissfully pest and weed-free! You amaze me. People must walk by, stop, and gaze dumbfounded, thinking they’ve stumbled into Paradise, yet unable to recall how they died. It’s the most glorious garden!!! Yay!🌷👏👏👏👏👏🩷🩵💛🌷
Your delightful comment certainly has me smiling! Thanks Kitty, love and huge hugs to you all.xxx
What an amazing look at your gardens! I’m exhausted thinking about the work involved, but all that green new growth (that the bugs haven’t found yet) is so gorgeous. Beautiful beautiful berries to come. I hope you have a terrific crop and that the wildlife doesn’t descend on these before you get to enjoy.
Thanks Anne. The wildlife is already at it….hopefully there is plenty to go around.xxx