21 Feb 09 First Plantings

21 Feb 2009 - first plantings!!!

The sun was shining and it was the first day since all the snow and ice that I could get up to the allotment

I remembered this time to soak the raspberries and gooseberry bushes in water for an hour before they were planted which gave me plenty of time to dig in some more manure and fertiliser. It also gave mum and dad a chance to join me. Mum did a sterling job in tidying up the only original bed left, that with the globe artichokes in it, (or are they cardoons??

Dad continued with the last of the beds, as I helped with the pulling up of the couch grass roots. I'm sure there are lots still in there but at least there are less than there were.

I planted the gooseberry and the raspberries in the fruit bed as you can see on the left. I staggered the raspberries either side of the wire supports as I had read in an article somewhere that this was possible when planting summer fruiting raspberries, well as my dear dad says " They've two chances!"

I also staked my claim to my plot with my newly made number sign! Beautifully crafted by my dear husband in the garage from one of his many off-cuts of wood! I love it! It shows it's mine and that I take a pride in it. Although as you can see in this last picture, the rest of the plot isn't looking as attractive yet. I need some ideas for the paths, I fancy woodchips but maybe grass would be better even if a lot of work?? I just don't know. Anyway, next job is to complete the raised beds, and enclose them in wood. I must also start to sow some seeds at home ready to transplant in the late spring.

First Musings

First steps to growing fruit and veg.

I've just put my name down on the waiting list for a half-allotment! I must be mad!

I'm number six on the list so I expect I'll be on it for some time.

I've only really been gardening for about 8 months, when our extension was finally finished and the deck was built I set about tidying the garden, it had been beautifully landscaped by the previous owner and the building work had encroached for a while.

In the process of tidying I built, or rather Mr LJ (bless him!) built me a couple of raised beds out of decking boards. One bed for me and one for daughter (aged 10) and so this year we grew our first fruit and veg. Some successfully some not so successfully!

Our first venture into gardening, a few seeds some rhubarb, raspberries and a gooseberry bush in May 2007. A fabulous crop of plastic bottles as you can see! Mine is the plastic bottle bed and daughters is the seed sown bed!

So this blog is really all about our first steps in gardening and 'growing my own' in particular.