Six on Saturday: 11.4.20

We’ve had a good week in the garden with some nice weather. The GYO is coming on well. The lettuce and radishes seedlings germinated well, the potatoes are planted and the broad beans are almost ready to go in the bed. I’ve found time to help sort a bit of the neighbours garden. One of my blogs is now featured on Haith’s bird food website if you didn’t catch it earlier in the week. My first assignments for the RHS level 2 in horticulture has been submitted. And I also made the press as the rubbish grower of sunflowers. The seeds are progressing well. More of the sunflower seeds saved from my parents have germinated but should have something to show eventually. Anyway on with this weeks six.

1. Plant food maker

Having seen Karen’s blog on the Bokashi composter I fancied getting back into making my own liquid feed. You can do this just in a bucket but it’s a bit pleasanter on the nose if you can have something with a better fitting lid. I found this one for just over a tenner. For the price, it feels pretty solid. It has been set up in the lesser photographed compost corner. It is hidden by the euonymus and rarely features within blogs. I have a few compost bins hidden away, though I used much of the homemade compost on next doors garden. I had a fresh delivery of Dalefoot Compost from my local peat-free nursery ‘The little green plant factory‘. I’m rationing out my compost for my GYO and my dahlias later in the month. I’ve got a good few seedlings on the go but should alright for a little while.

Back to the composter. Inside is a cage to fill with green material. I will probably cut some nettles as they are high in plant nutrients. The composter is then filled with water and the green material allowed to break down. The liquid can then be drained through the tap to then be diluted as a liquid feed. It comes with a convenient storage bottle that slots underneath to keep the concentrate in. It will hopefully give me a convenient, thrifty, sustainable way of creating some extra feed for my plants.

2. Radishes

The raised bed has had its first produce planted. I’m starting with an easy grow with some Cherry Belle radishes that were bought from my work before it closed. Then I’ve sown some globe radish seed direct in the soil. They’ve shown signs of germinating. So should get a harvest of the Cherry Belle radishes followed by the globes. My broad beans are growing in paper pots and they are almost ready to go in as is my lettuce.

3. Tulip alectric

These tulips were planted a couple of years ago and didn’t do much the first year. There were a few last year and then this year they have put on a proper show.

4. Tulip tarda

These were part of a Morrison’s naturalising blend. I’ve tried to shift gradually away from too many bulbs that need replacing each year and looking at bulbs that will naturalise and spread. In part this saves money, but it’s also probably better for the environment not having the transport miles and the wastage in the industry. It’s a very short variety and is getting a bit lost amongst the daffs that are still out. It was listed as flowering late April so it’s growing up under the sealing wax daffodils currently. They may settle into a rhythm next year or they may need moving further forward in the border. They are normally used in rockeries where they will show. I bought the set more for the Muscari and Chinodoxa but these are rather lovely. I’ll be happy if they spread.

5. Toy photography

Not to be outdone by Alice’s photography, Amy is now exploring the world of toy photography. She is looking to take multiple images and stack the photos, so it looks like the tripod and ring flash will be claimed for a while. I quite fancy taking part in the plot on a plate competition from Chelsea Physics garden so that will give her something to photograph. I think Batman on the edge of Alice’s fairy garden works well with the reflection of the blue gems behind.

6. Seagull deterrent

The seagulls seem to be missing their fish and chips during lockdown so they are invading the garden more than normal. I don’t normally mind them eating from the feeders but they’ve broken one and eaten some of my salvia seedlings. So, we are trying to keep them off the patio. They can go on the lawn but don’t want them eating my seedlings before they get a chance to establish.  Alice shouting and armed with a water pistol seems to be working as a good deterrent. The plants also get a bit of water though I can’t get her out of the habit of shooting the flower heads rather than the roots.

I’ve got lots to keep me busy. With the extra time and the mini-greenhouse, a lot of extra seeds have been sown. The weather is meaning the pots all need watering and the less hardy plants still need bringing in on a night. My upcycled seat project needs finishing and still need to keep on top of the rest of the garden. I hope you’re all keeping well.

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