Councillor John Bevan popped in to the Garden and helped Isobel dig up our potatoes!
Showing posts with label Garden Session. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Garden Session. Show all posts
Councillor Bevan digs for Helston Court
Councillor John Bevan popped in to the Garden and helped Isobel dig up our potatoes!
Mon 19 April 2010
The residents opened up the garden for extra sessions and Pat (left)
repatriated a fennel plant that was 'hiding' in isobel's bay tree pot
To make the site sustainable we are rainwater harvesting.
Unluckily for us we haven't had much rain so Fatma (left)
problem solved and went to collect some water from her
house with buckets and a wheelbarrow
Sun 18 Apr 2010
Hot and sunny...
The dandelions & three-cornered leek are flowering, the chives are in bud, and the strawberries are already starting to fruit.
We can't grow directly on the sunny south-facing wall, but we've put up trellis on the bed in front, and planted 4 grape vines. (Also in this 'Med Bed' are figs, mediterranean herbs and kiwi vines.)
Tues 13 Apr 2010
Planting gooseberries.
Shabelle's lettuces & radishes are growing well after a month - but just to check, a couple of radishes had to be examined up close...
Shabelle's lettuces & radishes are growing well after a month - but just to check, a couple of radishes had to be examined up close...
Sun 11 Apr 2010
The last shipment of plants:
Goji berries, Figs, Grape vines, Blackcurrants, Redcurrants, Whitecurrants, Day Lilies, Rhubarb and more...
The gardeners rushed to get them all planted before they wilt in the sun.
Fatma the farmer brings tomato plants and sows lots of vegetable seeds.Isobel encourages little Clementine as she walks for the 1st time!
Then she gets straight on with the watering.
Lot
s of plants coming up - here's our first Jerusalem Artichoke shoot.And spotted at last - our unwanted secret visitor.
Wed 7 April 2010 Earth Moving Day
We borrowed 5 wheelbarrows to supplement our own 3.
This is what 20 cubic metres of soil looks like:
The volunteers started arriving before midday...
The first shovelful:
Then they worked through the rain until 5pm to shift ALL 20 BAGS!
Fuelled only by juice and homemade biscuits, Davina, Isobel, Pat, Ed, Frances, & Gemma from the project were helped by invaluable, valiant volunteers Aadil, Alan, Anne, Edith, Eileen, Hubert, Isobel, Jane, Joyce, Kate, Kiraz, Leah, Leyla, Mark, Mary, Melanie, Mike, Nicky, Pat, Phil, Precious, Richard, Stephen, Stig, and Tom. And Sama, Dave, Wendy and Ru dropped by to offer moral support.
Here's the last bag being emptied
This is what 20 cubic metres of soil looks like:
The volunteers started arriving before midday...
The first shovelful:
Then they worked through the rain until 5pm to shift ALL 20 BAGS!
Fuelled only by juice and homemade biscuits, Davina, Isobel, Pat, Ed, Frances, & Gemma from the project were helped by invaluable, valiant volunteers Aadil, Alan, Anne, Edith, Eileen, Hubert, Isobel, Jane, Joyce, Kate, Kiraz, Leah, Leyla, Mark, Mary, Melanie, Mike, Nicky, Pat, Phil, Precious, Richard, Stephen, Stig, and Tom. And Sama, Dave, Wendy and Ru dropped by to offer moral support.
We were overwhelmed by their support and can’t thank them all enough!
Here's the last bag being emptied
And the final shovelful
Phew.
Tues 6 Apr 2010
Deliveries are a bit of a problem, as there is only uphill pedestrian access into the garden.
The 'Strulch' arrived (all 50 bags of it...) This is composted straw which will be used as a mulch on top of the soil, to conserve moisture and keep the temperature stable.
We captured Razvan as he passed by, and he valiently barrowed most of it for us.
Pat charmed the delivery driver.
In the evening the top soil arrived (all 20 cubic metres of it...) in a truck so enormous it had to be parked in the next street - and doesn't fit on one photo.
Thankfully Rick the kind and patient driver was prepared to spend an hour unloading it and bringing it to the estate.
Of course the next stage is to get it uphill into the garden...
We put out a plea for help
The 'Strulch' arrived (all 50 bags of it...) This is composted straw which will be used as a mulch on top of the soil, to conserve moisture and keep the temperature stable.
We captured Razvan as he passed by, and he valiently barrowed most of it for us.
Pat charmed the delivery driver.In the evening the top soil arrived (all 20 cubic metres of it...) in a truck so enormous it had to be parked in the next street - and doesn't fit on one photo.
Thankfully Rick the kind and patient driver was prepared to spend an hour unloading it and bringing it to the estate.
Of course the next stage is to get it uphill into the garden...
We put out a plea for help
Sun 4 Apr 2010
The rain stopped for a while to celebrate Davina's birthday...
Still removing bindweed and rubbish from the beds, today's haul included 5 socks and tights, but no lego for a change! We assembled water butts and planted giant chives, iceplants, lemon balm, red valerian, another type of campanula and a worcesterberry bush.
New plants are coming up fast - potatoes, garlic, broadbeans, radishes, lettuces, chicory and rocket are all showing already.
Here are the potato and garlic shoots.
Still removing bindweed and rubbish from the beds, today's haul included 5 socks and tights, but no lego for a change! We assembled water butts and planted giant chives, iceplants, lemon balm, red valerian, another type of campanula and a worcesterberry bush.
New plants are coming up fast - potatoes, garlic, broadbeans, radishes, lettuces, chicory and rocket are all showing already.
Here are the potato and garlic shoots.
Thur 1 Apr 2010
The big Wickes delivery arrived. But instead of water butts we got showerheads. (Well it is April the 1st.) Fortunately Pat sorted it all out for us!
Very wet afternoon session, and the threat of colder weather to come, so Isobel helped cover the seedlings with fleece.
Very wet afternoon session, and the threat of colder weather to come, so Isobel helped cover the seedlings with fleece.
Sun 28 Mar 2010
A sunny Sunday with Pat, Isobel, Elisabet, Maria, Eileen, Sarah and new gardener Fatma (Layime) - who works hard!
Lots of people passing by showed interest too.
We sowed more rows of radishes, hoping they'll be ready to eat for our 'Ready to Grow' party on Sunday 2 May.
Maria & Isobel sowed rows of parsnips & carrots, and we planted an elegant pattern of chives, sorrel and tree onions.
Eileen our scribe is going to take charge of the task of naming the beds.
Lots of people passing by showed interest too.
We sowed more rows of radishes, hoping they'll be ready to eat for our 'Ready to Grow' party on Sunday 2 May.
Maria & Isobel sowed rows of parsnips & carrots, and we planted an elegant pattern of chives, sorrel and tree onions.
Eileen our scribe is going to take charge of the task of naming the beds.
Tues 16 Mar 2010
Scratching our heads as we struggle to assemble coldframes and rotating compost bins.
Maria kindly brought us coffee to keep us going...
Maria kindly brought us coffee to keep us going...
Sun 21 Mar 2010
Little LilyFirst day of Spring - and the plants know it. Buds bursting all over the place and weeds poking up in the beds. But they're not all bad guys - we're going to keep the edible ones.
Louise's sister Vanessa came along to have a look with our newest and youngest recruit (Lily) in tow.
Louise valiantly put the second coldframe together.
Louise's sister Vanessa came along to have a look with our newest and youngest recruit (Lily) in tow.
Louise valiantly put the second coldframe together.
Sun 14 Mar 2010
Sunny!
The new sleepers are in place to raise the beds - now we just need to top them up with soil.
Shabelle sowed rows of radishes, mixed lettuce and basil. They're covered with 'cloches' made of old light fittings that Pat found - these will allow the light in but protect them from the cold while they germinate.
The new sleepers are in place to raise the beds - now we just need to top them up with soil.
Shabelle sowed rows of radishes, mixed lettuce and basil. They're covered with 'cloches' made of old light fittings that Pat found - these will allow the light in but protect them from the cold while they germinate.
Tues 9 Mar 2010
Cleaning and sifting soil - we have to get rid of all the bindweed roots, or they'll regrow and take over!
Tues 2 Mar 2010
Our first session with sunshine!
Eileen has taken the role of diary writer and labeller.
We used one of the centre beds as a temporary home for plants until the other beds have been raised: Three-cornered Leeks, Tree Onions, Perennial Broccoli, "Calypso" Strawberries, a "Black Strawberry" Grapevine, Campanula & a "Noir de Carombe" Fig.
Dwarf broad beans planted in the centre bed.
Everyone took herb and salad seeds home to start off indoors - it's still too cold to sow them in the garden.
Eileen has taken the role of diary writer and labeller.
We used one of the centre beds as a temporary home for plants until the other beds have been raised: Three-cornered Leeks, Tree Onions, Perennial Broccoli, "Calypso" Strawberries, a "Black Strawberry" Grapevine, Campanula & a "Noir de Carombe" Fig.
Dwarf broad beans planted in the centre bed.
Everyone took herb and salad seeds home to start off indoors - it's still too cold to sow them in the garden.
Sun 7 Mar 2010
Kids bed where we planted herbs and salad leaves
Ed watering the newly planted potatoes
Planting the potatoesSunny days and frosty nights.
We planted 4 rows of organic 'Orla' potatoes, chitted by Louise & Ed, and a row of 'Saxon White English' potatoes chitted by Pat.
The kids bed was sowed with rows of salad and herb seeds: lettuces, chicories, rocket, sorrel parsley, coriander and purple kale.
We planted 4 rows of organic 'Orla' potatoes, chitted by Louise & Ed, and a row of 'Saxon White English' potatoes chitted by Pat.
The kids bed was sowed with rows of salad and herb seeds: lettuces, chicories, rocket, sorrel parsley, coriander and purple kale.
Sun 22 Feb 2010
1st Garden Session
Cold and raining!
Pat & Rufus kindly came along to say hallo, and Ed & Louise bravely came to work.
We cleaned rubbish out of the beds and planted Jerusalem Artichokes (donated by a friend). The cardboard mulch is to protect the soil and stop weeds growing.
Then we wrote it all up in the garden diary...
Today's jargon:
Chitting potatoes: Placing seed potatoes in a cool, light place to encourage strong sturdy shoots to grow before they are planted in the ground. For early varieties chitting is essential.
Dibber: A pointed wooden stick for making holes in the ground so that seeds, seedlings or small bulbs can be planted.
Stem Tuber: Part of underground stem that is enlarged to store nutrients. They are used by plants to survive the winter or dry months and provide energy for the next growing season.
Mulch: A protective cover placed over the soil, mainly to modify the effects of the local climate. A wide variety of natural & synthetic materials can be used.
Cold and raining!
Pat & Rufus kindly came along to say hallo, and Ed & Louise bravely came to work.
We cleaned rubbish out of the beds and planted Jerusalem Artichokes (donated by a friend). The cardboard mulch is to protect the soil and stop weeds growing.
E&L took potatoes home to 'chit' on their windowsill. These are 1st early organic 'Orla' potatoes.
Then we wrote it all up in the garden diary...
Today's jargon:
Chitting potatoes: Placing seed potatoes in a cool, light place to encourage strong sturdy shoots to grow before they are planted in the ground. For early varieties chitting is essential.
Dibber: A pointed wooden stick for making holes in the ground so that seeds, seedlings or small bulbs can be planted.
Stem Tuber: Part of underground stem that is enlarged to store nutrients. They are used by plants to survive the winter or dry months and provide energy for the next growing season.
Mulch: A protective cover placed over the soil, mainly to modify the effects of the local climate. A wide variety of natural & synthetic materials can be used.
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