So what are you doing - right now!

[amphibian]

I now have to dig a drain, as a chalybeate spring has quite literally sprung up in the middle of my plot.

I found a really water logged patch and dug down to reveal the subsoil, and bubbling out of the ground I have bright yellow sulpherous water.

A bit of excavation revealed that an old drain had run from this point down the hill, but soil has fallen between the bricks and rubble that served as a drain.

So now my mission is to dig a new drain, this time I'll construct a boxed culvert out of paving slabs. I might see if I can sink a barrel into the ground, further down the hill, to collect the run off. Will the plants be happy with such sulpherous water?

We have a lot of these springs around here, they pop up and disappear depending on rain.

Ironic that a few weeks ago I was worried about how dry my soil was, and now I am trying to avert my allotment turning into a mud hole a hippo would be proud of (if he could tolerate the smell of rotten eggs).

[amphibian]

[tim]

Putting the d..n fleece back over the potatoes - is there always a gale when it freezes??

And noting that it's +1C in the g/house, but the garlic in plugs & potatoes in tub - planted 1/3 & 4/3 - are showing nicely.

[sandersj89]

Tim

Not planted my earlies yet, will be waiting for a few more weeks yet even here in sussex. Have you put all your earlies in yet or is this just a few under fleece?

Today I will be making the first sowing of tomatoes in the greenhouse and doing some more digging at the allotment.

Then pick a few things for lunch, sprouts, leeks and parsnips ready to sit down for the rugby at 3pm I hope!

Jerry

[tim]

Two rows, Jerry - as mentioned elsewhere at the time. Too sprouted to wait any longer. They have probably rotted in the freezing ground?

And it says that extreme cold spoils the flavour.

[myrtle]

I'm pricking out and repotting toms today.  I had a bit of a tally up and I have 75 plants!  18 varieties! and I'm running out of pots and room in the heated greenhouse!!  :o

[Trixiebelle]

TEE HEE  ;D You sound like me Myrtle!

[GREENWIZARD]

i'm posting this ;D ;D

[Trixiebelle]

I was waiting for someone to post that Greenie  ;D

[grawrc]

Mmmm .. and now.. that's right now .. I'm having a rest after cleaning out the top oven. Heaven only knows what state the bottom one is in.. :o :o

There are disadvantages to having a husband who cooks. ::) ::)

[chuff]

I'm a newbie too ;D got my plot last august. I have had to start from scratch because the plot hadn't been cultivated for some time. So far this year I have been laying paths and making raised beds, planted gooseberries, raspberries, blackberries and blackcurrants. The rhubarb is waiting to go in, hopefully this weekend weather permitting, I have potatoes chitting in the back bedroom and I have built a pond this week which already has a frog in it ;D

[tim]

Do you really want to know?

Having an early Scotch, having just unloaded 30 New Horizon Grow Bags, & 6 of their compost. At least it got my circulation going!! But watch out - the bags split like crazy. Environmentally friendly plastic, I suppose?

[sandersj89]

Tim

Are you going to be doing your usual trick of half grow bags on end for your greenhouse crops?

Jerry

[tim]

Funny you should ask, Jerry. I was going to, but this splitting business has given me doubts.

[sandersj89]

I am thinking about trying it this year rather than double decker grow bags. I think it will make watering far easier and I am investing in an automated watering system for the greenhouse to cover holidays as I hate to ask my dear neighbour to help as he is getting on a bit.

Would putting your bags in black bin liners help on the splitting issue? They would have the added advantage of heating up faster in the day as well.

Just an idea.....

Jerry

[tim]

GOOD THINKING, JERRY!!

Watch the watering though - do you remember the photos of my effort a while ago?  All the roots were around the outside of the bag.

Can do better!!

[sandersj89]

I do indeed remember the images but you still had a good crop I seem to remember.

Watering is the key area of improovement for me this year and I am tempted to source a moisture metre to help set things up nicely.

Jerry
(PS, the whitefire light seems to be working a treat so far)

[grawrc]

Tim and Jerry can you please explain what you are talking about? I am intending to use growbags for tomatoes this year to "rest" the soil in the greenhouse, but I'm concerned about watering in particular.

[lorna]

Right now?? Reading new posts and whilst sitting here have eaten over half a tin of cashew nuts, just have no will power!! All Lorna's (jnr) fault, she came shopping with me and she bought a tin so I just had to buy a tin.

[Pegmumm]

Hmmmm... clearing out some errant blackberries behind the garage and along the alley. Found a trailer full of wood back there that isn't ours. Well, finders, keepers then.

Cleaning out clumps of grass that have sprung up since the monsoons hit in October. Bits of burdock here and there as well. Widening the path a bit. Had L shaped beds but am moving them all to 1 meter by 3 meter squares. Too difficult to weed the end bits. All in all it looks like a bomb hit it and didnt do a very good job. Am about to plant garlic, onion sets and seeds, leek seeds and attempt to find my strawberry plants under the dead nettle. I have a lazy bed waiting to be tidied up.  And tomorrow comes the rain yet again.

But at the moment am having a cup of coffee and tending to the wounds from my bout with the blackberries. All in all its been a productive day so far.

[tim]

Cutting the bag in half & standing on end. Makes spacing much better & gives a nice depth. And, because a bag is never full, there is space at the top of the halves to add more compost as the plant grows. I don't agree with 3 to a bag - as they say - anyway. Even one aubergine can take the whole area.

But my roots were almost all around the outside of the bags so, this year, I shall put a pot in the top to direct the water. If I'm allowed water??