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Post by derekbrooks on Aug 11, 2019 22:36:03 GMT
Had another day of mostly tying things up today. Didn't know whether to risk going on the allotment but I went this afternoon and it managed to stay fine. Went mainly to see if anything needed tying up. Did the peas and sweet peas first because they need doing twice a week. I then tied the sweet corn to the canes and put more ties on the sprouts, gladioli, spray chrysanths,French beans and some antirrhinums. The framework of canes on which the Climbing French beans were growing was leaning over, having been blown by the wind. I propped it up with a clothes prop that I keep in my shed for this purpose. This often happens to the runner bean structure because it is taller but this is O.K.now. There were six large onions that I thought were big enough for harvesting so I brought them home. I cleaned them up , thinking they would do for showing. However, one was starting to rot at the base so I put it in the bin.Two of the others had to have more skins removed to get to and unbroken skin so they were smaller.We had these for supper but I have dusted the others with talcum powder and put them in the shed to dry.
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Post by derekbrooks on Aug 12, 2019 21:32:12 GMT
Been at Blackleach all day. As you know, Rosemary and me walk round the park every two weeks at weekend counting the birds and writing down all the wild flowers . I then record them on a chart in the visitor centre. However, we have not been able to do it this weekend so Rosemary came to Blackleach this afternoon on the bus and we did the walk then. She stayed while I filled in the information on the charts.It had been showery in the morning but it stayed fine while we walked round. It remained fine this evening and I mowed the lawns , gave the baskets, tubs and larger pot plants another feed of maxicrop tomato and took a few geranium cuttings. Tomorrow, I am going to start cutting my flowers for Southport show which is on Thursday.
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Post by derekbrooks on Aug 13, 2019 21:44:27 GMT
Today I have cut all my flowers for Southport show and I will be going to stage them tomorrow afternoon. when on my allotment this morning I harvested a lot more beans (runner, broad and French)and courgettes.
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Post by derekbrooks on Aug 14, 2019 21:39:17 GMT
As I told you yesterday I have been staging my flowers at Southport show today. I entered nine classes. I hope some of you will be going to see my efforts. If you are, the classes that I have entered are 33 which is spray chrysanths,104 which is the flower championship class which calls for nine vases and the other classes are between 105 and 114.There are only three entries in the 9 vase class so I am bound to win something. It has been a very showery day and they must have had a lot of rain previously because the ground is very wet even in the tent with many pools of water and one where I was working and I came home with wet feet. I was glad to get my wet shoes and socks off when I got home.
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Post by derekbrooks on Aug 15, 2019 21:08:44 GMT
After a mostly wet day at Southport when staging yesterday it was dry today. The ground was still rather wet though so I put my books on. I won four seconds and four thirds. The seconds were for a vase of mixed flowers max 15 stems, spray chrysanths, antirrhinums and calendulas . The thirds were for zinnias, African marigolds, sunflowers and the championship class for nine vases. I can't show you any pictures, though because my camera needed new batteries and I didn't take any.
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Post by derekbrooks on Aug 16, 2019 21:25:51 GMT
Been at Blackleach all day . I don't usually do Fridays but I have done today because I couldn't do yesterday with going to Southport. I did intend doing some weeding on the border but it hasn't stopped raining all day and was still raining this evening. So I have just been sat behind my desk all day, reading, writing and doing puzzles. I wouldn't like to do Fridays regularly because there is nothing going on. Partly due to the rain, only 3 people came into the visitor centre all day (to go to the toilet).On the other days when I go there are things going on and people to talk to. On Monday morning there is the toddlers group and in the afternoon, a dog walking group. On Tuesday morning there are volunteers doing jobs in the park and I have to order their lunches and a cycling group come as well. On Thursday I have the health walk in the morning(they had to manage without me yesterday), and the art club in the afternoon. Two weeks today I will have to do Friday again because we are going away from Sunday till Thursday.
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Post by derekbrooks on Aug 17, 2019 21:50:31 GMT
I haven't got another show to go to till September so I was able to go to the hut this morning and will be able to go the next two Saturdays as well. I have mostly had a feeding day. Before I went to the hut I fed the chrysanths and dahlias with maxicrop tomato. Went to school this afternoon and fed the tomatoes and cucumbers and tied some tomatoes up that needed doing.I also lengthened the canes on the cucumbers and tied them up. Went on the allotment after and fed the dahlias,spray chrysanths, gladioli, sweet peas, runner beans, leeks and onions with maxicrop tomato. This evening I decided to take stock of all my fuchsias so I made a list of them all and how many I have and in which size of pots. I then noted which varieties I need to take cuttings of (I had taken some varieties before).I then took some cuttings and also some of coleus.
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Post by derekbrooks on Aug 18, 2019 21:29:03 GMT
This morning I took a box each of broad beans, runner beans and tomatoes to church for anyone who wanted them and they all went. Went on the allotment this afternoon . I disbudded, side shooted and tied up the dahlias again. I then started weeding the onion bed again and did about half of it. This evening I took some more fuchsia cuttings. I have now taken some from all the varieties I have which is the reason for making a list yesterday.I have 17 varieties.
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Post by derekbrooks on Aug 19, 2019 21:13:29 GMT
Been at Blackleach all day again, as I was last Friday when it rained all day. This morning was showery but it dried up this afternoon so I was able to do some weeding and tidying up on the side border which I was hoping to do last Friday. This evening I went on the allotment and carried on weeding the onion bed and the path behind it.
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Post by derekbrooks on Aug 20, 2019 21:20:53 GMT
After shopping this afternoon and again this evening I have been on the allotment carrying on weeding where I was doing yesterday. I almost finished it and would have done but it started raining at 8.30.
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Post by derekbrooks on Aug 21, 2019 21:53:15 GMT
The lavatera in the front garden was more or less finished so I cut it down hoping that perhaps we will get another flush of flowers. I then went in the greenhouse and potted 38 brassicas from 3 inch pots into 5 inch (cabbages, caulis, calabrese and purple sprouting broccoli). I always pot them on like this to combat clubroot. The roots have a larger volume of compost to occupy before they reach the soil and the plants will be larger when planted out. This afternoon I went to Martyns to cut his hedges. I also did some weeding on his border. When I got home and again this evening I did some weeding in my own garden. Did the chrysanth , rose and dahlia beds and the borders round both lawns. There weren't many weeds though.
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Post by derekbrooks on Aug 22, 2019 21:16:48 GMT
As I am every Thursday I have been at Blackleach till 3.00 . Mowed the lawns when I got home. Went on the allotment this evening and finished weeding the onion bed. Half of the brassica bed has crops on it . The other half has been left empty and this is where the plants I potted into 5 inch pots yesterday will be planted shortly so I spent the rest of the time weeding this part of the bed. The bed is covered with nets to keep off the butterflies . To weed, I had to crawl under the nets which are supported on canes about 30 inches from the ground . Thought that this would be easier than removing all the nets.
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Post by derekbrooks on Aug 23, 2019 21:47:15 GMT
I told you last week that we are going away on Sunday till Thursday. We are going to our daughter, Heathers at Porthmadog. Many of the jobs I have been doing yesterday and today and will be doing tomorrow are with this in mind. I want to do as much weeding on the allotment as I can then it won't be overgrown when I get back. I also want to feed al the plants that need it and make sure they are all tied up securely and dead headed or disbudded if they need it and pick all the veg that are ready, particularly runner and French beans and courgettes. If these are not picked the beans will be tough and stringy and the courgettes will grow too big. I have been on the allotment this morning and afternoon. I have picked all the veg I have just mentioned and also broad beans. There are rather a lot and we are taking some of it away with us and I will give away the rest to our neighbours.I have also fed the dahlias, spray chrysanths, gladioli, runner beans,and sweet peas with maxicrop tomato. I finished weeding the brassica bed and did the frames where carrots are growing and the gladioli bed. At home this evening I have fed the hanging baskets and other containers and some of the larger pot plants. Didn't do them all because I ran short of maxicrop. Will get some more from the hut in the morning.
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Post by derekbrooks on Aug 24, 2019 21:41:26 GMT
First this afternoon I went to school to feed the tomatoes. Brought several home that were ripe. Then went to the allotment . Put more ties on the sweet peas . They need doing twice a week and someone else is doing them while I am away so I have left the rings for him. I then weeded the spray chrysanth bed. I got some more maxicrop from the hut this morning so this evening I finished feeding my pot plants and also did the dahlias and chrysanths.I then bagged some more chrysanths that needed doing. I went back to the allotment after to give everything a good watering that needed it because they won't bee watered again for a week or so. I have asked someone else to water the containers near the cabin while I am away . They are at their best now and they need watering every day unless it rains and the forecast is good for the next few days and it has been quite warm today Communal containers in front of the cabin which I planted
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Post by derekbrooks on Aug 25, 2019 20:41:25 GMT
We are at Heathers at Porthmadog now. Had a frustrating journey due to the traffic. Why did we come Bank holiday weekend? It usually takes us about 3 hours but today it was nearly 5 hours. Instead of coming Sunday till Thursday it would have been better to come Tuesday till Saturday. Watered all my plants before we set off. Alan will do them till we get back on Thursday.
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