Monday 26 April 2010

Broccoli and Radishes

The title says it all....yesterday I planted Broccoli and Radishes. It was a strange day, after the glorious sunshine of the last couple of weeks it felt damp and still and there was a 'difference' about things. No other way to describe it.
Some of the sections in my experimental 16 section bed are now taken.
Maybe part of that was being on my own again, although the tractors are chugging away in the fields all around us at the moment and every now and then I get a toot from the horn of the Landrover and a friendly wave as our landlord whizzes past on the track, I am usually on my knees planting away with only the interference of the cats, dogs and chickens. I do find myself talking to them more and more, maybe one day I will turn into a mad old farming woman having in-depth conversations with the stock!!

More Broccoli in the small bed, interplanted with Radishes.

The polytunnel is now slowly giving up it's stock of seedlings as they are being transplanted into the main Kitchen Garden Beds. Soon there will be room for the Tomatoes and Peppers to spread into bigger pots and for the Kiwi plants to climb their strings to the roof. The best news is that my Grapevine has sprung back into life after appearing to be nothing more than a dry desicated twig....good job I didn't pull it up in disgust. The only overwintering things that I have lost are the lemon and lime plants. I will not be replacing these as bought lemons and limes are cheaper than buying more plants, and to tell the truth this seems to be the one exception where shop bought tastes better than homegrown (in my case anyway).

Another Kitchen Garden bed full of promise.

The worst part of yesterday was keeping the chickens off the tender young Broccoli seedlings. As you can see from the picture, I ran out of room under the mesh 'tunnels' so I reverted to last years trick of using 'pop' bottles as mini greenhouses, unfortunately I cut one too few, so I covered all the seedlings on the outside and dashed over to the polytunnel to cut another, in the 2 minutes this took, the uncovered Broccoli was eaten...lock, stock and barrel by a VERY naughty chicken!!

Yes Molly.......I know it was you!!

Today I am going to plant out some peas after making twiggy supports from them, I really quite enjoy this making use of what lies around the farm, and all the branches from the trees LH has been 'trimming' (I call it butchering...but there you go!) are coming in very useful. I'll have to move fast to cover them up though, as chickens LOVE pea shoots!

Sue xx

6 comments:

  1. I've just discovered your blog and it's everything I'm looking for! Great stuff, look forward to having a browse through older posts, karen x

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  2. She's a lucky hen! Perhaps elswhere she wouldn't even be outside let alone grazing on tender seedlings...
    I like the idea of the 16 space bed by the way,seems very practical.

    Sandie xx

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  3. Ship shape as ever Sue! Our vine is back in business too after doing the dead stick impression.

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  4. For a girl whose heart is in the country but feet in the town your blog is a real tonic. We are growing a few things in raised beds but alas no chucks, but at least we get to keep all our veg!

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  5. naughty Molly - you can sit in the naughty step with Breeze who got into the fenced off area & ate a plant which I was hoping was honesty ( it's where I sprinkled seeds )
    All looking Fab Sue - I talk & sing to the animals. The hens do what I call the Horn concerto !

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  6. Chooks just find everything don't they. The only part of our garden that looks nice and well tended is the front as they don't get round there!
    Your planting is coming on, you are going to have such a good crop of food this year aren't you!
    Take care
    Sarah x

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