The Cottage Smallholder
stumbling self sufficiency in a small space
Log In
Register
Home
Topic RSS
8:11 pm
Enthusiast
New members
Mon 11-Oct-10
Offline
Lets get it right it is the 17th November isnt it? ok, here I sit feeling very flushed from the sun burn today! yes low 20sc gentle breeze Maria out gardening until 4pm, ( a n hour break for lunch!)
The weather here in Bulgaria is quite warm infact, bulbs/and new shoots and seedlings are popping up everywhere!
So I made a new border bed for flowers, I planted violas, i split 4 large primrose and got 22 good sized plants and planted them. Moved into new border, iris after splitting clumps, margareta daisies, some sort of perenial poppy I think!. I also planted 12 little bulbs which i bought from a dear old villager who told me they are yellow flower like lilly, I think a form of mobritia I think.
The next job was to split and plant the swwt william! managed to get quite a few plants! ,
split snow on the mountain for the front of the border, at the back 3 large spikey daisy perenials, it may sound a bit mish mash but if all flowers next spring i will inform you with glee!
Havent finished, a bulgarian neighbour gave me rooted mint, rooted savoury and a garlic which had grown 2 inches! also 12 baby lettuce, all potted up happily in my gorgeous cold frame!
My face is very red from the breeze and sun but I thoroughly enjoyed myself! , this is what I hoped retirement would be! chow Im off to sleep!
8:23 pm
Supreme Being
Mon 21-Sep-09
Offline
maria said:
split snow on the mountain for the front of the border,
Lol that might be the most I am doing this week. It's snowing again.
Glad I made it home before it started sticking
7:09 pm
Enthusiast
New members
Mon 11-Oct-10
Offline
Hi Joanna latvia how cold is it there my dear! after yesterday I was so exhausted i went to bed at 8.30! so today I gave my self a well earnt day off! the weather is set to stay pretty warm so will get some work done over the weekend! chow
7:45 pm
Supreme Being
Mon 21-Sep-09
Offline
It warmed up to 7C today and so the snow is all gone but next week the forecasts are for a sudden drop -7C during the day. Do not despair for me though, we actually prefer it once it gets below -5C as the weather becomes drier usually and as long as the wind doesn't blow it is actually more pleasant than 0C-3C which feels cold and damp. Our cabbages and calabrese are still looking good in the polytunnel and so it will be interesting to see if they survive the drop in temperatures - very much an experiment with late planting after taking up tomatoes.
9:08 pm
Supreme Being
New members
Tue 22-Sep-09
Offline
Thought I'd restart this and get you all inspired..Yesterday I planted sweet peas and broad beans, today I've potted up some jerusalem artichokes and some heuchera 'bits'.
9:51 pm
Councillor
Wed 30-Dec-09
Offline
That reminds me... I never got around to planting any broad beans last month. I suppose I should plant some soonish.
My seeds arrived from T&M this morning - jalapeno peppers, shallots, radish, lemon balm, pumpkin (which it claims you can pick young and use as courgettes), so at least I've got plenty of stuff to grow this year.
Visit my blog for food, drink, photography and hamsters.
9:52 pm
Supreme Being
New members
Tue 22-Sep-09
Offline
Last year I grew loads of chilli peppers and tomatoes, think I started the toms in January, so need to get on with them too. Did you know you can just use jerusalem artichokes from the shops, I bought a pack of them today from tesco for 50p and they'll all be going in pots this weekend.
10:20 pm
Knowledegable
New members
Sun 5-Sep-10
Offline
My poor soil is far too wet and cold to contemplate doing much before middle of March! I sowed some Phacelia as a winter manure and that's poking through nicely. Must remember to dig it in well before I need to start sowing veg. Usually start with potatoes at end of March. I've tried starting things off early in the greenhouse, but it is unheated and I find that later sowings very often catch up and even overtake the earlier seedlings. I just have to learn patience!
Gone crazy. Back soon.
1:05 pm
Moderators
Tue 22-Sep-09
Offline
I seem to recall that Fiona was disappointed with her early sowings last year and I certainly won't start anything until the middle of February at the earliest.
I'll try that again!
7:21 pm
NOT SURE I will be planting anything with the move this spring; but am getting restless, so imagine that I will have to plant something!!
7:26 pm
Moderators
Tue 22-Sep-09
Offline
If you are not going to be in the new house until March, you could start things off in trays or cells. It would be a pity to miss the sowing season.
I'll try that again!
8:02 pm
Expert
New members
Sat 21-Aug-10
Offline
The weather is so warm its tempting to start sowing but maybe it'll go cold again yet. I have been mollycoddling some self sown tomatoes on a windowsill since late autumn, just because they were there. Silly really, I've got three carefully chosen varieties to sow. Thanks for the reminder Janet, I can get those started off.
What I have started is shifting piles of compost around, and letting my three ducks rouk through it for bugs. Then, dispite my veg being grown in 45cm high beds, I've had to start fencing around with canes and net to keep the two girl ducks out of my winter greens. I had a lovely little row of pak choi under a cloche, or rather I didn't have it, they did. 
Never assume anything - except an occasional air of intelligence.
1:35 pm
Senior Class
Mon 14-Sep-09
Offline
Maggenpie that made me laugh, I think my ducks think I only plant cabbageds for them.
Yours are obviously much more soophsticated!
I have my broad beans in the conservatory, my peas have come to nothing ( only 1 germinated) but am looking forward to a few days sun to get some out, even lettuces being planted here, but IMHO I may as well just put a neon sign saying ' get your veggies here, wildlife ' if I put them in!!
2:18 pm
Moderators
Tue 22-Sep-09
Offline
Hey, Rachael, good to see you again - been hibernating?
I'll try that again!
6:34 pm
Expert
New members
Sat 21-Aug-10
Offline
Hi Rachael, I've got peas on a window sill that I've been snipping for salads, now I'm wondering if they'd be happy planted out under a cloche (safely fenced off from the girls' attention of course 
) to grow on to maturity for an early crop. Worth a try I reckon since the best of our summers seem to come early on now. They can have a spell in the greenhouse first any way. I have some more pak choi hiding in there that the ducks don't know about.
Never assume anything - except an occasional air of intelligence.
Most Users Ever Online: 767
Currently Online:
37 Guest(s)
Currently Browsing this Page:
1 Guest(s)
Top Posters:
brightspark: 10532
danast: 10232
Aly: 9516
Sooliz: 8084
Hattie: 6920
Ambersparkle: 6699
JoannaS: 4800
Terrier: 4518
eileen54: 4424
Hannah: 4231
Member Stats:
Guest Posters: 10
Members: 16152
Moderators: 2
Admins: 2
Forum Stats:
Groups: 6
Forums: 25
Topics: 2271
Posts: 123052
Newest Members:
wfuuopy, morandi, Kingang, Maria_M, Bonafideresearch, Beebee3Moderators: Toffeeapple: 16337, AdminTA: 10
Administrators: fn: 333, Danny: 5516
Copyright © 2006-2012 Cottage Smallholder Our Privacy Policy Advertise on Cottage Smallholder
