2020 - Tell us what you did today

One job so far: taking cuttings off my African Blue Basil. When I tried to overwinter the parent, it died on me. Last year's cuttings all survived bar one.

Where did you overwinter it, Mark? 
I bought a couple of plants recently and have taken some cuttings but I don't want to take any risks with them - its such a beautiful plant.

Shifted about 3 tonne of earth, peat etc for my patio raised bed

Last year I just left them on a sunny windowsill covered with a plastic bag for a few weeks. When I saw roots I removed the bags. I had 4 in a pot and when I potted separately, one died for no apparent reason so I suspect they don't like having their roots disturbed too much - but not an expert.

I rooted mine in water, but haven'potted them up yet. I guess I'll find out how weather sensitive they are as the GH went down to 5.6 last night.

Yesterday was a very busy one. After doing my 2 holiday cottage change overs. I made chilli powder. Then to the garden harvested lots of things that were unfortunately well overdue. Most of the runner beans could of been classed as offensive weapons! Then spent the next 4 hours shredding everything I could find.

Dismantled the French beans and their sticks saving all the seed I could. It's probably no good for seed swapping because so many different varieties grown together will have crossed but I plan to dry them off for storing and cooking for the very first time. Don't use dried beans often, but now's the time to start. I blame V for all this seed saving enthusiasm......now where shall I put them all?

Dismantled the French beans and their sticks saving all the seed I could.  It's probably no good for seed swapping because so many different varieties grown together will have crossed but I plan to dry them off for storing and cooking for the very first time.  Don't use dried beans often,  but now's the time to start.  I blame V for all this seed saving enthusiasm......now where shall I put them all?

French bean seeds should be fine as they generally self fertilise which is lucky for me as I had robber bees visiting mine which just bite a hole at the base to get to the nectar and don't bother with pollinating them. So, even if you don't swap them you can save enough for sowing next year.

After 40+mm of rain on Friday & Saturday it was so nice to be able to get a trowel into the ground today!

Cleared Bed 3 - this had climbing & dwarf beans, cucumbers, lettuces, beetroot this year and will have leeks next year. Sowed phacelia over half. Planted out beetroot & lettuce plugs in the middle (will sow more phacelis when they're done), sowed collard greens, mustard & wonk bok, parlsey & coriander in the top half.

Hung the dwarf beans to dry to save the seed.

Dismantled the French beans and their sticks saving all the seed I could.  It's probably no good for seed swapping because so many different varieties grown together will have crossed but I plan to dry them off for storing and cooking for the very first time.  Don't use dried beans often,  but now's the time to start.  I blame V for all this seed saving enthusiasm......now where shall I put them all?

French bean seeds should be fine as they generally self fertilise which is lucky for me as I had robber bees visiting mine which just bite a hole at the base to get to the nectar and don't bother with pollinating them. So, even if you don't swap them you can save enough for sowing next year.

That's good to know Mark, thanks.  I thought I'd read exactly that somewhere, but this morning browsing the web, I found someone else extolling the virtues of beans and saving seeds telling me that beans always cross pollinate so you have to protect and isolate the varieties.   I believe it was American.   I'm not bothered either way, I shall see how many I've got and see whether I can offer some for swapping if anyone is interested, with the proviso that they may not be exactly what you wish for.

A bit of shopping this morning coupled with a trip to the allotment for the Sunday dinner veg. Came back with cabbage,carrots,onions,turnip and tatties.
Made the chicken dinner and now chilling having just watched the Toon get a dodgy draw against Tottenham.