I broke the handle on my largest trowel the other day and using my other one to copy off my clever hubby made me a new one.
It's handy when you own a lathe ... he knew it would come in handy one day 🤣🤣
I'm surprised the handle had lasted as long as it did, I have a bad habit of leaving my trowels in the raised bed I last worked in, which means they are relatively easy for me to find when I start work again the next day, but as I had last worked this particular bed in the net tunnel bed over a year ago it meant that this poor trowel was left out all Winter!!
The polytunnel is springing into life now and these Courgettes seedlings make me smile every time I go over.
This photo was taken last week and yesterday I noticed that they now have their first 'true leaves' so later on today I will be potting them on into little plant pots so they can develop a more mature root system ready for planting in the beds.
The other day I was reminded to plant some Marigolds to both add a splash of colour to the polytunnel and to deter some of the usual pests that can ravage a your young plants.
It's the first time I used this sort of ready seeded tape. I have used the single lengths before for things like beetroot ... I buy whatever is available when the garden centres sell off their seeds at the end of Autumn, and to get something that should have been £2.99 for just 50p is always a welcome boost to the following years growing box ... but I had never seen this before, also bought for 50p.
This one has black weed resistant backing, so in theory it should give the seeds a head start over any weeds that would usually appear around them.
I followed all the instructions carefully.
And put strips along three different beds in the polytunnel. It should look magnificent if they all come up ... we'll see!!
The tomato growing pots have been sited ready for the growing season, but the seeds only went in at the end of last week so it will be a while before they are filled with any plants.
Still it's nice to start getting the bare bones of the food growing areas ready.
Sue xx
I too am blessed with a man-with-a-lathe! And we're both fully committed to Make do and Mend, and always have been. Right now these are useful skills to have.
ReplyDeleteIt's the first thing he's made me on it, I'll have to make a list ;-)
DeleteMy man sold his lathe last year - an old elbow injury (caused by it) never settled down. He's still a whizz with a bit of wood though and can mend anything.
ReplyDeleteIt is so peaceful working in the garden here and as I have a Head Gardener in the form of my eldest daughter living with us, who is missing her Yorkshire allotment, we can work on the garden here together. She is interested in growing more unusual things and plans small melons and okra in the new polytunnel. I'll settle for Runner Beans and Tomatoes!
Imagine how much more growing and tending you will get through this year with both of you hard at work in the garden. It will be a brilliant start to the season.
DeleteYour new trowel is great - my trowel has been left out all winter I am ashamed to say.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I'm not the only one that does this. :-)
DeleteYou have a very useful hubby there ;) Isn't it lovely seeing signs of new growth.
ReplyDeleteHe does come in handy every now and then ;-)
DeleteI love Courgette seedlings, there's something very satisfying about new seedlings that look so strong and healthy.
These husband's are handy aren't they.
ReplyDeleteOccasionally ;-)
DeleteMy Mum-in-law posted us down some courgette seeds which arrived yesterday. We now have tomatoes, runner beans, broad beans and pepper seeds, I will be starting them off shortly, but not yet as we had a frost this morning. Is it better to start off the courgettes in their final location? Last year ours were doing quite well and we had to move them, then they died off. Helen S.
ReplyDeleteNo, Courgettes are best started off in small pots in a warm place, then potted up into a larger plant pot once they have two 'true leaves'. Once they have really filled this pot with a good root system then they can be planted out to where you want them to stay. The trick is not to disturb the roots too much and to move them on gently.
DeleteConsistent temperature is what they need and regular watering. They don't like getting very wet and then too dry.
Thank you. HELEN S.
DeleteLove to see so much growing, to me it is always a sign of better things to come. I was lucky enough to find a box of dried peas in my local co op and have soaked them and put them in compost in an old brown mushroom container. After 9 days they are well grown and I will enjoy lots of yummy and healthy pea shoots in my sandwiches very soon. I only used about a third of the box so looking forward to sowing my next crop!1
ReplyDeleteOoh lovely.
DeleteA box of dried peas will give you pea shoots for months to come, and if you have the space, a few pea plants to harvest in a few months time. It's better to buy them this way too, much cheaper than the packets of 'pea seeds' which are just dried peas anyway, that you buy from the garden centres for a few pounds.
I popped in from a mutual friends blog, always fun to meet new bloggers. Seeds coming up always give such hope. As I looked out and saw green popping up in my garden beds it made me smile. That was a few weeks ago, and now I have some color to fend off the never ending gray drab that hits my part of the country this time of year. Bright yellow daffodils. Enjoy your garden and stay well.
ReplyDeleteSandy's Space
New to you, ancient in blogging terms. I've been blogging since 2008 ... it's a wonder I have anything left to say ... haha.
DeleteYes seeds are a promise of wonderful things to come either food or glorious colour and foliage, it's always worth sowing seeds. Sadly our daffodils in this part of Wales have mostly finished now, although I do spy a wonderful red tulip from my window :-)
I broke mine too and want to make a new handle for it using the stuff we have here. So fun to do stuff like that. I also got merigolds for colour, distraction and eating. I found that we could eat some of them. I didn't know that until recently so I'll do a little more research to be safe. Happy Gardening. So fun!
ReplyDeleteI had culinary Marigolds the other year, but I didn't check the pack of these, I should do. I usually grow Nasturtiums for eating, both the leaves and the flowers are deliciously peppery.
DeleteOh my gosh, I got Nasturtiums too. Never grew them before. I heard they were peppery. How did you use yours?
DeleteI add them to salads, and occasionally float the leaves on soups, but they disintegrate quickly with the heat 😃
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