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| Strawberries on a shelf suspended from polytunnel crop bars. |
Right so, today is the day that i take the plunge and write my first blog post. Monday 14th May. It has been on my mind for a while, to blog or not to blog? I'm sure it will be quite a commitment, i'm not so sure i'll keep it up. Being an avid reader of blogs, I get great enjoyment out of my many favourites. All of them bookmarked under their various specialities, thrifting, reselling, gardening, crafting, style and being frugal and I love to call in on them regularly. Its far better than picking up a magazine, and its the perfect way to spend an evening when the big man wants to watch football.
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| Oh the anticipation! |
I like the idea of keeping a diary, and i hope going public with it will help to motivate me. There is a lot to do this year. I live a very fortunate life and perhaps this is also a way of reminding myself just how lucky I am. This morning i walked into my polytunnel and the sight of the strawberries sealed the deal. These plants were all donated to me from my Mum, a fabulous plant and flower gardener, but only a dabbler in the fruit and veg stakes. She enjoyed a season or two from the initial plants then i adopted them over winter and set upon bringing the runners to life. The big man strung up the sturdy shelf with wire, from the polytunnel ceiling and now my free strawberry plants can fruit away without a slug or vine weevil in sight. The best bonus is that whatever variety these strawbs are, they have fruited several weeks ahead of my own 'Aromel' strawbs. Next year these plants will be at their best, and i could well be making jam in April. They are to be my first blog picture. Because those strawberries from my mum, in all their emerging redness reminded me that i am indeed living the good life.
The polytunnel, which is only just over a year old, is a regular source of happiness. From trays of sturdy seedlings,
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| Lupins, spring onions, nasturtiums, cosmos, and lobelia. |
to rows of ready to eat lettuce.
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| Rocket, green and red salad bowl, beautiful cos and more rocket. |
An army of tomatoes just waiting for a little hint of proper summer.
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Gardeners delight for cherries, Moneymaker for volume, Roma for sauce and
Sungold for golden sweetness straight off the plant. |
The Clematis
Montana Grandiflora is one of a collection of plants waiting for the big garden overhaul before it finds a final home.
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| Pure white and perfectly formed clematis. |
So a productive morning in the polytunnel with only the radio for company, potting on a load of seedlings from modules into pots. Planting out others from trays into the polytunnel beds. Everything given a really good drink and all are happy again for another little while.
I love to have a nosy at peoples gardens , esp. Vegge patches. We inherited a small tunnel house last year and have had an exciting summer of vucumbers, basil and coriander none of which we'd been able to grow before outdoors. Have planted various winter veg in their now to see what does well. But i havent shelves. I NEED shelves x
ReplyDeleteMax, You absolutly do need shelves. I am so chuffed with these lovely clean, unslimed strawbs. You do have to be more on the ball for watering as they get dried out quicker, but so far its been well worth it. Do check back for more updates in my veg patch. I too love to nosey in other peoples gardens, i'm a member of two garden clubs. Visits to members gardens are great, and people are happy to give cuttings of pretty much anything. Plants for free.
DeleteYou're set up looks amazing! we're growing some strawberries outside and I'm really hoping for this heatwave! greenhouse would definately be better in our climate! we're getting 2 ex battery hens at the weekend, i might call on you for some advice sometime!
ReplyDeleteLinda, I love to give out gardening and poultry advise. So feel free to ask, anytime. Sad topic for me today, we lost the last of our 7 hens this morning. We had a fox in the forest next door, she obviously had cubs and she targeted our lovely flock, including our two lovely ducks.In the space of about two weeks she picked them all off one by one. The last two hens I think just passed away with the stress of it all. We are left with one horny old cockeral and he, of course, ain't gonna give me any eggs!!! Build your hen run properly and make sure you'll be able to lock them in every night. They are wonderful to have. I won't be able to buy supermarket eggs, fortunatly a neighbour will furnish me with her overs until i restock our flock. Let me know how you get on.
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