An Organic Lifestyle (Organic Growing Pains)

The Broad beans have begun producing, this photo was taken a few days ago so they have gotten a little bigger since then, the quandary  now being when and how to pick and cook them?! Today, 3 onion beds weeded,fed and watered with the paths in between clipped with a hand clippers. We were going to dig out the paths and cover with 'something' but regular clipping will keep them tidy.There are 2 white onion beds and one red, they seem to be in varying stages of growth even in the same bed as can be seen in the top bed in the photo! The courgettes are really taking off, even though none have reached an edible stage yet there are lots of blossom. The sweetcorn is about a foot high and developing nicely, it is hard to see them properly here seen through the netting to deter the very determined Cock Pheasant from getting in. The small green plants around the edge are dwarf French beans, they are planted around 2 sides of the bed. The lean to tunnel is fulfilling its ...

Work has been ongoing on the plot with Kathryn & Gemma weeding and going up each evening to water the tomato plants in the greenhouse. Harvest while not huge is getting more colourful! Yesterday I brought home a garlic bulb, garlic rust is still appearing but I am religiously cutting infected leaves off and it continues to grow even though it looks like bamboo canes stuck into the soil with a topping of new green leaves.I have not used this yet but there is no sign of rust down the bulb. Some mange tout and the strawberries are ripening fast, I had these in a carton of Greek yogurt. Some of the bunch sown spring onions and a handful of baby spinach leaves and chard for a salad.The last few of the radishes and for the moment I cannot find my packet of seed to grow more! The dwarf beans took us by surprise as the flowers are still in bloom so I was not expecting to see beans as yet but they are growing up from the bottom of the plants. I investigated the peas under the netting wonder...

Yesterday I went out to the plot just after lunch as the sun came out. I was the only one there for a while then others ventured out. A lot of the small plastic cold frames had blown away in the storms.Fleece and plastic covering had been blown around also, rocks were holding down the corners so they had blown off the plants but were twisted into some weird shapes by the strong winds.I finally pulled the last of the over wintering leeks, last year we staggered the sowing of leeks and have had leeks since about last Oct.I was reading Matron's blog and she had pulled some of her rhubarb,If you are reading this Matron I remembered to twist and pull from the base and only took 5 stalks from the oldest 2 plants. There are lots more coming on, on these two plants. The crowns I planted this year are growing but again following Matron's advice we won't pull any stalks from these this year, allowing them to grow and strengthen the crowns. I took the bull by the horns and took out t...

Kevin and myself have spent hours on the plot over the weekend but I had forgotten my camera so no pics as yet, I am doing an update on all of the seeds growing at home.There are seeds on the bedroom windowsill, the plastic greenhouse and some which are hardening off. I am not planting any seeds too far ahead as they will be late if anything going out this year.It is reckoned growth is up to 4 weeks behind and having seedlings in pots too long is not a good idea unless they are meant to stay in pots and have ample room as such.First pic is Winter gem a cos lettuce, these will probably grow on in this tub and are doing well so far. Hardening off onions,mange tout and dwarf green beans, I will keep an eye on the root systems and if they begin getting pot bound I will put them out on the plot with a fleece covering as we can have frost for a few weeks yet. In the greenhouse Spring onions planted in bunches,cabbage and cauliflower seedlings. I watered them with a very weak solution of seaw...