2022 - What I did today

Picked 1 good sized courgette and 3 cucumbers.

Then picked lots of docks seed stalks.

Baked a batch of sourdough bread then some plum jam. I always expect to get more jars than I end up with. I did a kg. of plums and same of sugar ending up with just over 4 jars 1.5kg about plus a bit on a saucer.

I've got spider mites in the greenhouse again, particularly on the cucumbers and I think some of the galina tomatoes. I'm spraying with a soap solution every 3 days to see if that stops the spread. I removed the worst affected leaves and sprayed some of the aubergines that are nearby.

Main job today was feeding and watering all the plants in the greenhouse. The feed I use is comfrey and urine mixed which doesn't smell at all like you would think. A 200L waterbutt filled with comfrey with urine added as available. Farmers are short of fertilizer, particularly urea - one of the main ingredients of urine.

I also removed all the brassicas, mainly broccoli and a couple of caulis, flowering under the netting to make room for the ones still growing and ensure the netting is butterfly proof.

Watered the greenhouses, gave the chickens some water and a seed mix as a treat, picked a couple of Black Krim tomatoes and that's about it. Hopefully more time in the garden over the weekend.

Fruit picking, strawberries blueberries raspberries and tomatoes. Tidied up the last remaining strawberry raised bed. Transplanted a magnolia into a huge pot to let it grow bigger, and cut the grass. Also fixed a light on my camper van.

       

I'm looking after a single chicken for a neighbour. So it's up a wee bit earlier than I'm used to and ive got to rememberto put her to bed. She (the chook) is a very friendly and vocal creature, we have long conversations. Never looked after chickens before so it's rather novel.

Picked some kale and collard leaves from the plot.

Potted up some bulbils, 1 pot elephant garlic the other a mixture! Will keep in the back yard and see what happens

Must admit a bit depressed how this growing year has gone but will hopefully have more drive/energy for next year

We have a bank holiday herein Ireland today, BUT, it’s to wet to do anything outside so went for a drive with the wife. Home again had to put on the heating as it’s gone very cold and wet.

Dug up some more couch grass and sundry weeds near some blackcurrant bushes. Dead leaved the strawberries in the bath and the shopping trolley - runners clipped off and potted up to root.
Did the daily, GH watering and tomato pruning exercise.
Not much really!

Watered my GH toms and armpitted them, watered my remaining couple of container potatoes. Tied in blackberries.

I nearly burnt the house down.

It's a long story, isn't it always?

P's had a pain in his jaw for some time, so today was a trip to the dentist. He was going on the bus by himself, but he got behind in time when mucking about in the loft preparing for workmen tomorrow, so I had to drive him into town (it turns out to be a deep wisdom tooth infection). As we returned home we see an ambulance departing from next door driveway. Mrs has been taken to A&E with high temp and possible infection according to a vague explanation from Mr.
Later on I start to get a meal including grilled courgettes. Courgettes are under a high grill and I get a phone call from Mr's niece to discuss matters. I get carried away yabbering until I smell burning from behind the kitchen door. You guessed it, smoke everywhere, charcoal courgettes. The house stinks but look on the bright side I've gotten rid of some courgettes