MudPud Garden

Or Weed Merrily perhaps....

The Cast.

Fran Age 5

Moo Age 4

Scruff Age 1

archives

03/01/2003 - 03/31/2003
04/01/2003 - 04/30/2003
05/01/2003 - 05/31/2003
06/01/2003 - 06/30/2003
07/01/2003 - 07/31/2003
04/01/2004 - 04/30/2004

Monday, April 28, 2003

Well - too busy to blog really as have to pack for Pud to go into hospital in the morning - she has a cleft palate and it needs some extra repair. However - we pulled up our first radishes today - absolutely lovely they were. In the four days we were in Devon (sorry Sarah - i found your street but didn't make it round but i will next time!) everything has grown SO MUCH - the potato shoots have got huge!# posted by merry @ Monday, April 28, 2003

Wednesday, April 23, 2003

Hmmm... a random child.. it has been attributed by chief grass to Moo but this seems unusual... has broken off the only squash that looked like it was going to survive. Grrrrrrr..... i give up - i'll plant the next lot of seeds.

We have lettuce and radishes in the second sowing and the carrots in the first sowing have feathery tops.

We also have found a house - and the garden is HUGE with a GREENHOUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!! The house is somewhat smaller so pray its a good summer!# posted by merry @ Wednesday, April 23, 2003

Monday, April 21, 2003

The Rocket has really taken off... boom boom.... oh dear. :~)

Well - we have lots of shoots anyway and the first radish sprouts in the second sowing have appeared too. The potatoes look like they are conming on a treat as well and the broccoli is definitely better for being in more space.# posted by merry @ Monday, April 21, 2003

Sunday, April 20, 2003

I think its worth mentioning that it took the Sugar Snap peas less than 36 hours to start twisting around the canes... and that Mange Tout varieties grow slower and stockier than Sugar Snaps.# posted by merry @ Sunday, April 20, 2003

Friday, April 18, 2003

Well WHAT a busy week... its been lovely weather, no playgroup or other stuff, the girls and i have had a real HE week and its been fab.

So here is a run down of what we have done...

Potatoes.. do you think i have overdone it at all?

I looked today and most of them have already started frantically producing roots too.

We have also planted out our tomatoes and have 5 pots of 3, all looking really healthy after a good week outside.

Then there is the Sugar snap and mange tout peas which as of today have bamboo tents to climb up (elastic bands at the top!)

Then there is the broccoli which was PROLLIFIC to say the least! I have planted lots of them into 3 troughs... having enquired on the MP list and discovered they don't crop until early next year and are wonderful but HUGE, i am hoping this will give them enough space to mature until we either have a new house or an allotment (currently it looks like a tent on an allotment could be the deal!) Thanks June and Steph for the tips

Next come my absolute favourites, the shallots. I think one per pot hasn't come up but other than that, doing well!

The onions are doing great, the 4 vegger is a bit sparse but i have something of everything in it... i have second sowed on that now and i hope it will do better

I'm also rather proud of my lavender, which i have brought back from the brink. The little green shoots seem a good sign.. this is the best of the four though.

This was the girls painting extravaganza - these, when we have varnished them, will be pots for some of our herbs.

They had so much fun doing it - but did have to go straight into the bath!

Then there are the herbs themselves - this is the mint, oregano and lemon basil

and these are the coriander, thyme and dill

We have also now planted thai basil, chives,parsley, chervil and sage and on a whim today i bought chamomile. This week the nastursiums also got planted, as did the rocket and the courgettes. I'm down to two squashes so i gave in and bought more seeds today. Sigh..... i shall miss them! Sob! The leeks have come on a treat for coming inside for a few days too.

All in all, a good few days! (Just need a house!)# posted by merry @ Friday, April 18, 2003

Tuesday, April 15, 2003

Got organised.

We now have 17 pots of potatoes, all with room to be earthed up at least once.. .whatever that means.

The pots are organised so everyone is next to an appropriate co-planting pal and gets good sun etc.

5 Squashes are still hanging on for dear life - i would imagine my best chance of saving them is to go and buy another packet of seeds.... whats that law called again?

Must paint up the herb pots cos they are getting BIG!!!!!# posted by merry @ Tuesday, April 15, 2003

Sunday, April 13, 2003

Waaaaaaaaaah.

Went away for the weekend and forgot to bring the squashes in before i left.

They look somewhat poorly....

I've planted what look like the most likely survivors into big pots with growbag soil (99p in Co-op) and they are in the kitchen. Frankly i don't hold out much hope. i was so proud of them too :~(

The tomatoes on the other hand are flourishing, as are everything else. The Leeks are coming on a treat. Tomorrow those potatoes finally go in.
# posted by merry @ Sunday, April 13, 2003

Thursday, April 10, 2003

Must must plant potatoes tomorrow... i am FAILING!!!!

Now going to bring tomatoes into kitchen - its a squash....# posted by merry @ Thursday, April 10, 2003

Wednesday, April 09, 2003

Well.... we have planted out the tomatoes into their big boy pots... we have three plants in each of five pots - last year this worked fine althoguh we have a different breed this year... i love the smell of tomato leaves... mmmmmm. The squashes are okay - i'm just gonig to put them out in the day time for a week or so - I'm bring the tomatoes into the kitchen at night as well.

The leeks have been moved indoors and have immediately sprung (a leek?!) into life - i think we have double the shoots in 24 hours. The herbs look fantastic - they might make it outside soon as well. Then i can start the next batch off and the courgettes and cucumbers (late late late!) I think the broccolis will be big enough to put into wee starter pots soon too. Oh bother... need to plant the nastursiums too. And the potatoes... argh!

Saw another gorgeous house i can't have today. Waaaaaaah :~(# posted by merry @ Wednesday, April 09, 2003

Tuesday, April 08, 2003

DON'T PANIC!!!!!!!!!!

The Squashes appear to be reviving... updates on the palace gates at regular intervals...... :~)# posted by merry @ Tuesday, April 08, 2003

Monday, April 07, 2003

Oh no... it was a nice sunny day so i put the squashes out for the afternoon to start hardening off....

They have all WILTED!

ARGH!!!!!!!!# posted by merry @ Monday, April 07, 2003

Saturday, April 05, 2003

Lots of stuff is looking really great now - we have spring onions and i think carrots in the 4 vegger, so that means only the lettuces are hiding... probably very sensible!
The broccoli looks great - wll be able to thin out the duds soon, the leeks look a bit sparse though... i think i failed there - but they sound a bit high maintainance (sp?) anyway...

All the oniony type things are fantastic and the peas are coming up fabulously. Inside i think the squashes and tomatos are ready to go out - i can move them into my newly decluttered garage (a whole skip full!) at nights for a while. Trouble is i am getting so attached to the cute pointy sprouty tops of the shallots that i may not be able to eat them!

The sproutiest herbs can do another week and go into the greenhouse but i think the other lot will need a bit longer. But then i will have enough room to get the kirsty herbs going and maybe the courgettes, cucumbers and sunflowers.

I found the remnants of last years seeds today and there are some flowers in there... would it tempt fate on the size of our future garden to set some going do you think?
# posted by merry @ Saturday, April 05, 2003

Wednesday, April 02, 2003

Well despite the house set back we have decided to keep on with the vegetable pots - its been such a boost and the girls and i are enjoying it so much. We went to look at a house today with a jungle of a garden thats a "possible" but we offered lower rent so i doubt we will get it. However i also found out that the allotments in town (and there are 20 plus sites) are £27 a year, so if all else fails we will go for one of those. (Not to live on i hasten to add, just for the veg!)

Tonight is a photo night - i don't actually expect anyone to be interested in these but they are for us as a record i suppose! Enjoy if you don't fall asleep.....