What a greeting!

Checked on all my babies this morning to find that my Primula and Aster are poking through. Hurrah! After the dodgy furry business that appeared on my compost, I thought my freshly planted seeds might have been doomed. Turns out, they're right little fighters.... Either that or furring on compost is nothing to be worried about?


In the actual garden space itself, the greenhouse is taking shape and a good battering from the rain. It's still not finished, but I'm waiting for a few sunny hours so the plastic dries out and I can seal all the edges with tape to make it water tight. Ah and the door needs fixing properly, which could be quite tricky on my own.

I'll give it my best shot though!

Rain rain go away!

Why is it when I plan to do something it always rains?
Looks like my greenhouse will have to wait....

Busy Bee!

I managed to get a lot done yesterday, but by 'eck am I paying for it today. Decorating, building furniture, housework and gardening all squeezed into a few days is not recommended and I very much doubt I'll be doing it again. I don't even think my legs would allow it!

My greenhouse still isn't here. I'm hoping it'll come today, that way if it's nice (I know it won't be) over the weekend, or even some dry spells, we can get out the back and start turning the ground over. I received some advice from a gardening forum a few weeks ago, but I didn't take it on board and I really should have. It would have made turning the soil so much easier. Ah well, we all learn by our mistakes eh?!

Called into Mums yesterday afternoon for a quick coffee and some update pics on what I'm storing in her greenhouse. I shall leave you all with these:

What a morning!

Doesn't it look beautiful? I just love waking up to blue skies and warm air. Lets hope it stays like this for the day.

Bye bye babies!

Because of the problem I'm having with windowsill space and the fact that we have two little monsters and 3 moggies, and that's 4 hands and 12 paws, I decided to go take some of my seedlings to my Mums and store them in her mini-greenhouse (the one I originally bought and then gave to her when hubby bought me the 6x4 plastic one). So you might not see me update on their progress for a little while, but she does only live a few doors away, so I should hopefully be able to snap some progress pics.

I've got lots of re-potting to do today: Coriander, Chilli Pepper, Dill, Chives, Thyme, Cauliflower and Cabbage..... I won't mention it to hubby though. I think he's a little worried I'm bringing the "green"house indoors. It's only really until my new greenhouse gets delivered.

Another Sunflower got re-homed yesterday. I think that leaves about 20-odd remaining. Jessica has talked me into keeping 9 now and I'm thinking they're gonna love it at the back of our garden, against the back fence. When we get back from our holiday I'm going to get some more of the turquoise fence paint and freshen it up a bit.

It's raining outside, the heating is on and I'm enjoying a nice cuppa tea in the kitchen whilst the kids play upstairs. Life couldn't get much better.

Oh and happy 1st unnofficial anniversary hubby! - A few days late, but still :)

Down it goes

So the winds have really picked up this evening and me and hubby both decided it would be best to bring in my pots, plants and seedlings that have been doing ever so well in there. Also thought it would be best to collapse the 'flimsy' 6x4 attempt of a plastic greenhouse (purchased from £stretchers, I might add) and return it. Hopefully they'll refund it with no problems. Here's hoping anyway!

That means every windowsill (almost) in the house has a pot of some kind sitting on it. Not good considering most things (cabbages, peas, etc) need re-potting. I really need to get a move on with preparing the garden. I'll be putting in the order for my greenhouse next week, then I might nip up to Waterworld with Mum and purchase some crates so I can get hubby to make me some raised beds.

Hopefully once all is done and dusted, I'll be able to sleep a little easier at night.

Sunday roast, with all the trimmings was great. My Nan would have been so proud of the roasties! Unfortunately, I sliced through my finger whilst cutting the broccoli. Now I have a flappy bit of skin and lots of blood. Great!

I have new babies!

I've spent pretty much the whole weekend either in the greenhouse, re-potting, watching, waiting and daydreaming or sitting infront of the laptop reading, updating and learning.

The seedlings are really starting to take shape now....

Turnip

5 days old

Tomatoes

12 days old

I'm gonna have to re-pot these soon!

Sunflowers

12 days old

Newly aquired Strawberries!

Age: Approx 1 year

Really not sure what I should be doing with these at this time of the year. Should really get round to reading up on them. Mum said she didn't get much fruit off them last year. So she's given me a whole pot to see how we both compare this year.... This is an ultimate test for me! Haha

Spinach

6 days old

These have only been like this since putting in the greenhouse yesterday. As when I fetched them outside from the comfort of my windowsill, it just looked like a paper pot full of compost with a lolly stick label.

Rocket Salad

7 days old

Re-potted and looking very healthy, quite proud of the herbs.

Radish

6 days old

The label says 10 seeds. This is overall. There are only two seedlings in this pop bottle. Self watering too, thought I'd throw my crafty side into gardening.... Saves me more pennies too!

It would appear that the carrots are LOVING it in the greenhouse! Just a shame the frame isn't gonna hold. We had some pretty gusty winds this morning and a few more joints have cracked :(

Carrots

7 days old

Broccoli

CabbageWhilst browsing lastnight I stumbled across another Swap Seed site and thought I'd give it a go and I already have my first swap going! I'm trading my Basil (Dark Opal) for some Cornflower Blue Balls. Not too hopeful about growing flowers from seeds, but I was talking to hubby lastnight about our front garden and we have decided to work with a blue/purple/white theme and we think (or should I say, I think) that these will work with our theme.


Thats about it for today. Looking forward to a lovely Sunday Roast tomorrow, so might not grab a minute to update. This should keep you going for a few days :)

New additions

Today I have become the proud owner of two beautiful pumpkin plants. Lovingly grown by Lucy, via the fantastic Swap Seeds Yahoo! Group.

And here they are, sunning themselves in my greenhouse:


I'm not sure if you can tell in this pic or not, but last night I spent a few hours re-potting. Everything seems to have gone a little mad. Naturally green fingered I wonder? Obviously don't get it from my Mother as she usually kills everything!
In the pic above it show Tomatoes, Rocket Salad, Leaf Mix, Pumpkin, Jessica's flower mix, a few waify Sunflowers and Mustard Greens. I've managed to do paper pots of Rocket Salad, Leaf Mix and Mustard Greens for both my Mum and hubbys and I'm sure as and when the other herbs are ready for splitting and re-potting there will be plenty more to go around.

Also had to re-pot the Sunflowers and by 'eck are they doing well now that they're got their own little grow beds....
I thought at one point I was going to lose a few, but looks like they're really enjoying the sun and warmth in the greenhouse today and have started sprouting massive second leaves.

Nooooooo!

I've just noticed that where I've sited my mini greenhouse has got to be the most shaded part of the garden.... So out I go to re-site it :(

On the upside our new compost bin has just arrived! So might site that too! :D

Gardeners World Weather

According to a quick check up on the Gardeners World website this morning, it seems that today might be an okay day to get some potted seeds and seedlings out into the mini greenhouse.
The sun is shining right now, the greenhouse looks like it's warming up and my compost bin was loaded onto the van out for delivery at about 6am this morning.

Looks like today might be a good day!