GARDENING BLOG

Week thirteen March 25th to April 1st

2005

Easter Sunday 27th March 2005 Sowed sprouts Kings FI Oliver and Wellington F1. Moved, sorted out, pruned and weeded Goosberry bushes.

Saturday 26th March 2005 Even wetter than yesterday. Moved more plants from the old apiary - daffodils, bluebells, and the last Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabilis) that did particulary well in that sheltered damp spot. There are still more plants to move including an apple tree.

March 25th 2005 Good Friday. Wet and gray - a great opportunity to move plants around but no so good for bee-keeping. Only one of the two strawberry plants that I bought last year has survived. I'm not sure why one of died during the winter although it may have been smothered by something else in an overcrowded bed. The survivor was planted only a foot or two away it has done really well a spread itself around rooting in between other plants.

Sowed leek seed, planted more potatoes and pruned more gooseberry bushes.

2004

It is now very near the end of March and the last chance to plant out bare-rooted trees and shrubs. We made a trip to the nursery on a little buying spree and tried to squeeze yet more plants into an already overstocked garden.

I did buy a couple of new strawberry plants and a new black current bush (potted) for the allotment.

The bees are beginning to get going after the winter and I am burning and scraping the hive bases to give them a clean start to the year. The hive that was a big conundrum last year and had a non laying queen in residence is now the strongest hive that I have with a new good sized biscuit brown laying queen. This hive is so much bigger and better than the others that I may only leave the control strips in for a month rather than six weeks as I want to put some supers back on. In this hive the bees are making honey now and I want them to start cleaning up my frames from last year and I may try to get them to recycle some of the remaining ivy honey that was made at the end of last year.

I have now uncovered the asparagus as the weather has got warmer.

I'm cropping cauliflowers and both white and purple sprouting broccoli in abundance although the plants did not grow well last year due the the low rainfall I did plant plenty of them.

2003

Wednesday March 23rd. The 'brothers' delivered a load of muck today from their South Norfolk farm. Interesting chat about the price of livestock, crop plans, set aside, and wild birds. My load cost £25.

2002

March 31 Clocks changed - we are now in British Summertime. Planted out cabbages 'Golden Heart' given to me by Steve. Sowed seeds: cauliflower 'All the year round', herb 'Rocket', lettuce mixed packet, cabbage 'Christmas Drumhead' and 'Red Drumhead' in newly cleared ground (still burning weed). Sowed selected purple hollyhock seed. Found left over seaweed liquid feed and fed Spring Cabbage again. Raked over mulch on asparagus bed. Weather not as sunny but still warm wind moved around to South West damp but yet to really rain. Continued digging.

March 30 still good gardening weather - still digging and planting potatoes. Bought second bag of blood fish and bone to feed potatoes. Fed spring cabbage with remains of last years liquid feed will now have buy some seaweed liquid feed until the comfrey grows enough to produce more home made. Still sowing runner beans.

March 29 Good Friday bank holiday. Perfect weather warm and sunny all day. The bees are making honey. Replaced another hive base with a clean sterilized one. Finished planting new potatoes 'Condor' now planting mid season 'Kestrel'. Still digging

March 26 sowed more broad beans. Still digging.

The new 'apiary' or Geoff's new allotment at the end has been getting a lot of attention in the last few weeks.

2000

March 27th 1999

Spring returns. Sowed peas, radish, and more sprouts. Hoed onions, beans. Weeded strawberries (not before time). Prepared ground for more potatoes. Did final pruning. Weeded and tidied garden.