We have baby robins! At the end of the house there’s a corridor-like glazed area where I over-winter tender plants. It also has shelves where tools are stored (stick with me, this is relevant), one of which is a (normally) very useful cordless Alligator – a sort of hybrid powered lopper/chainsaw. The robins have built their nest well out of sight, right inside its box. There are just a few leaves visible, but much twittering can be heard and the Alligator is out of bounds until the babies have flown. When its not protecting robins, I really like using the Alligator – it has much of the power of a chain saw, can cut through substantial branches, but its chain is safely contained within its jaws.
I get a real buzz out of this type of interruption to everyday garden tasks. So, maybe a few things will have to be put on hold, but if my robins successfully raise their brood, it is confirmation that I am succeeding in creating a garden that is really wildlife friendly.
Over the past week we have had near perfect weather – warm sunny days and a couple of nights when it rained steadily, but gently. Of course this does mean that the slugs and snails have emerged from hibernation but I’m hoping that the application of the first batch nematodes from Green Gardner, plus a regular slug patrol and copper barrier tape will mean that they won’t have it all their way. I’m also going to give a new copper paint a try this year. Although it is expensive, it will last at least 10 years and can be applied to pots or the edges of raised beds. It is available from Copper Bed.
Seed sown in the greenhouse:
In Rootrainers : runner beans, climbing Borlotti beans and Goldfield, which is a particularly delicious flat yellow bean.
In individual pots: Gem Squash – this is a trailing squash that bears tennis ball size fruit which are delicious picked fresh, but also ripen for winter use when they develop a rich nutty flavour. Seed is available from Mammoth Onion.
Planted out in the Garden:
The sweetpeas are now in position, the first of the spring onions have been planted out and a box of baby leaves has been positioned close to the kitchen door where it can be harvested easily.
Planted out on the Allotment:
The first gutter of peas has now been planted out and covered with a mesh tunnel to keep the pigeons at bay. As soon as they have settled in and put on a bit of growth we will remove the tunnel and give them peasticks to clamber up.
Maincrop potatoes.
No Dig Gardening
The acknowledged expert exponent of this very appealing method of gardening is Charles Dowding. As well as writing Organic Gardening – the Natural No-Dig Way (available from Green Books), he runs courses (£75 per one day course) on this and related topics on his farm. They are very popular and fill up quickly, so early booking is recommended. For more details go to Charles Dowding.
Here’s a Funny Thing
I love trawling garden websites from other parts of the world, looking for emerging trends, good ideas and the downright quirky. They don’t come much quirkier than ‘The Wearable Garden Stool’. You step into a webbing harness, fasten it in place over your hips and voila – the seat is strapped to your backside with what appears to be a metal pigs tail protruding from it at 45 degrees. Apparently it was originally developed as a milking stool and is used by agricultural workers but I can’t imagine it ever being useful enough for me to risk being seen wearing it – and it weighs a substantial 4 lbs. Judge for yourself on www.cleanairgardening.com and should you succumb, please send me a photograph of you wearing it!
Looking Good in the Garden!
