Garden/Yard update

A COUPLE of weeks back we finally got rid of the excess stuff in our back yard including the concrete inside of a fireplace, various bags of green rubbish, other rubbish from moving and a large wooden coal scuttle, so I was at last able to stretch out the yard a bit and try to work out what should go where.

The before pics




The rubbish to be removed



The after pics









This is still a work in progress as I need to find somewhere to put a bin. The thought of leaving bin bags of our weekly rubbish out the back for the delight of the local feral cats is not something I relish or want to do over time. So I need to find a place for a bin, currently you couldn't swing one of those cats in the back never mind slot in a wheely bin, but I may think of some kind of solution.

On the growing side of things I am pretty happy, the rhubarb is doing well and though I should I don't use it as I love the massive prehistoric leaves. The strawberries are still coming along, though they seem to have waned on producing lots of fruit, still they look healthy and happy in their welly boot and hanging basket homes. My berry bushes are also happy but not producing anymore fruit. Again I am not too bothered, they have been moved about a bit so are probably just getting used to their new positions.



The sugarsnap peas have been so easy to grow, I mean incredibly easy. The seeds produced some 48 plants which I planted along with sweet pea flower. The idea being that they would grow around each other giving me lovely flowers with lovely vegetables. While the flowers are still growing there hasn't been any flowers yet, but we have enjoyed sugar snap peas with dinner a couple of times.



One thing I have learned with the peas is that they don't like a zig zag trellis to grow up along. One trough of the plants had a wire one and they have taken off madly, the other trough literally withered into itself in the short space of a week. Since then I have replaced the trellis and am hopeful that where there's green there's life. You can see the mad difference between the two, which were grown at the same time and have received the same light, love and water. Despite its sad and sorry appearance, this trough of peas is still producing flowers so there will be more sugar snap peas from the not-so-good batch.







The greenhouse is heaving with tomato plants which were held back for about two months when they remained in their sowing tray despite needing to be planted. But with all the stuff that needed shifting from the back yard I literally had nowhere to put them. So now they are potted and living in the greenhouse in the hope of tempting them quickly along the upwards and thriving path. Because they remained too long in the sowing tray, some have adopted strange kinks and twists, despite that they also look pretty healthy.

The runner beans and broad beans seem to be happy, I just need to watch that I haven't crowded them into a corner too much, but they are flowering, though no signs of any beans yet. I also planted kale at the start of the summer which is working away. Unfortunately I have one pot which would probably be eaten in one forkful, so last week I planted more. Trouble is I thought I had also planted salad leaves and so far all three pots planted look exactly the same. So they are either remarkably the same at an early stage or I have planted all kale or all salad leaves, time will tell and that is part of the fun.



Courgettes are also remarkably easy to grow and so beautiful. I literally popped a seed into a pot and that was it. The flowers are absolutely stunning and I think the courgettes might need to flower to keep growing. You can see one courgette which grew great guns and all of a sudden is withering. I should chop it off but I cannot bear too. However I will to give the other courgette growing behind that beautiful flower a better chance.







By far the most work I have had to do, with a lot of help from herself, is the watering. All those pots need regular watering. The hanging baskets in particular need a lot of attention and I must get better at pulling off the dead leaves and flowers, its just a never ending battle. The good thing about the pots is that because we are renting it means if something more permanent ever comes up, my pots can come with me. (And I am not talking about the social and affordable housing lottery, I got my 'you were unsuccessful, again, letter last week.)



Flower-wiseI went a bit nasturtium crazy and I don't think I will do that next year. They are lovely but are taking over everything. I was also kinda stupid and would see a blank patch in a pot and would push in a seed. They are taking over one of my window boxes that came from our former flat which has lavender and fuscia in it. It is growing crazily and I am thinking at some stage I might have to pull it out or cut it back to help the other plants. Currently though the window box looks fantastic. On top of all that black flies seem to find these plants irresistible and I have been spraying a lot of soapy water on them to try and shift them.

So far it has worked, but a massive swarm have taken over one bit of my hanging basket and that soapy solution wasn't working so I got a spray and hopefully it is shifting them. How on earth do these wee blighters, with no gardens around us, manage to find us.

I planted herbs as well, basil, parsley and chives. Other than the parsley, this was basically a fruitless expedition. There are about 10 chives growing, big wow and the basil plant while sturdy and healthy is rather pathetic with its two stems. Are they worth it? I don't think so. The basil and chive plants I bought from Lidl or Aldi (can't remember which) on the other hand are thriving, the chives in particular once re-potted have sprung into life, and are even flowering!




Neither of these survived, though I did manage one small pot of chives

Speaking of Aldi and Lidl I bought two excellent chairs from one or the other for €39.99 each. Not only are they very comfortable but they have about four different positions, including lying right back. They fold away quite flat and are just perfect for the yard. I had been looking for something that would work in the small space and nearly killed myself trying to get the two chairs home, actually strike that I nearly killed myself and others trying to get them out of the shop. It is times like that when I wish I had a car and another pair of hands, the state of me banging my way out of the store was something else.

And that reminds me of Friday's Habitat sale which I will probably post about as well, I know its late but hey the weekend was gorgeous and I was enjoying what I bought more than writing about it. One of the best purchases was a little bright blue steel table that folds away. That was a nightmare to get out of the shop, back to work and then home later. Now it sits beautifully in the back.



Anyway thats about it, I think. I would recommend everyone to try their hand/green fingers, even if all you have is a windowsill. You would be amazed at what you can do, as this cucumber plant will testify. If you want to see more I have a set on Flickr.