I have just got to stray off the subject of gardening just for one second. I had a very nervous evening last night as I was watching my beloved Chelsea WIN the champions league for the first time in our clubs history. What an unbelievable night, Congratulations to all our boys who gave it their all again.
What a finish to our topsy turvy season and it all hinged on the very last kick of the game, the winning penalty scored by the big man himself Drogba. If we lost out again there would have been no champions league for us next season – unthinkable – Sorry for all you Spurs fans because by winning we have knocked you out and put you into the European Cup.
All Chelsea fans are celebrating today and looking forward to the victory parade this afternoon, where we show off our 2 cups for this season, The FA Cup and of course the Champions League Cup. Fingers crossed now Drogba signs a new contract with the Blues and Robbie stays as manager – that would be the icing on the cake.
Now back to the veg plot.
I was at the allotment yesterday and took one look at my greenhouse and made a big decision, I had to plant allot of my plants outside and pray we dont get a late frost, so I planted out my butternut squashes and courgettes, runner beans, Italian climbing beans, ballotti beans and my Kelsea onions, oca and Mishua and allot of my more hardy veg that I have had to grow in the greenhouse because the slugs kept eating the seedlings.
It was a very busy day digging and planting and how my back hurt by the time I was picked up to go home, thankfully I didnt have to cook dinner we had a takeaway.
I am going to put some pictures of my plots on here, its quite untidy and weedy because all the rain we have had but I am slowly trying to clear it up. I am there every day because of my girls but with all the rain we have had alot of my time has been in the potting shed and greenhouse, as you can imagine with such a large area (3 plots) its been difficult to get on top of it and Rome wasnt built in a day – so to speak.
This is my friend, she made me another strawberry bed. This is raised up off the floor – to save my back – and it will be planted up with white strawberries, they are suppose to taste of pineapple, We shall see.
I am trying to clear the ground but its slow going.
I grow alot of elephant garlic and these are just some of them. They grow huge bulbs and are not really a garlic but a member of the leek family, although they look and smell like garlic they are very mild in flavour.
This is the end of one of my plots. This area is for all the brassicas. You can also see the peas starting to flower. I sowed these in February and covered them with holly to stop the mice from munching their way through them. Also in this bed are some unusual beans I am trying Ying Yang beans and pea beans.
Greenhouse and the end of my chicken run.
My son built me a new pond because my old one sprung a leak. Notice it is egg shaped to match my chickens eggs. It is nearly attached to my old pond which is now a bog garden. It works very well.
I am now hoping the weather holds off next week so I can get down to tidying up and planting out the many veg thats still in my greenhouse.
gaynorthepainter 
Ah a Chelsea fan eh! We watched it in the pub last night, neither of us are Chelsea fans, but I always support the English team – congratulations from a rather miserable Utd fan (for my sins, born and bred in the heart of City territory 😉 )
Lovely to see your plots, keeping on top of the weeds is going to be a headache isn’t it with all the rain we’ve had. Such a different Spring to last year.
lots to tak about from your photos, but can I ask why the holly with the peas – is it instead of netting – I’ve found slugs to be the peas worst enemy this year
I use holly to stop the mice eating the peas or beans, they hate their noses being pricked by the holly so make sure there is plenty of prickly ends on the holly and put allot down just pushing the ends into the ground to secure it from blowing away. I hate the thought of soaking in paraffin as some gardeners do. I find this works a treat. As for the slugs I’m afraid I’ve had to resort to pellets but only a couple not allot. The fewer the better because it works just as well as using allot but hopefully if the slug/snail eats just the one and a hedgehog or something else eats the slug then they stand a better chance of not being hurt by the ingested pellet.
So you are a United fan in a City area (oh you poor thing) you nearly had the title only to be snatched away in the last couple of minuets. I suppose thats the way they won the Champions League in 1999 against the team we beat last night Munich, 2 goals in injury time.
I hope the weather holds up next week, it is forecast to be nice, then I can work on my tan while I’m working on my plots.
Have a good weeks gardening.
Gaynor
Thanks Gaynor. I remember ’99 all too well, watching in a pub in Hackney, on my feet getting nearer and nearer to the big screen, hoping, hoping and YES!! Happy gardening 🙂
I remember 99 I was at my sisters house and the match was coming to the end but I knew United would win somehow even as it drew closer to injury time. I guess I had a sixth sense or something then but when its your own team and you have dreamt about winning it for so long you never believe your sixth sense. I had a feeling all the way through the competition it was our year. Then when they scored with 6 mins to go I started to fear the worse, but still something in the back of my mind was telling me we would come good, but I started to doubt my feelings. In the end it all came good and I am now a very happy Chelsea supporter.
Happy growing.
Love your chicken run, pallets are so damn handy huh?
They sure are, I don’t know what I would do without them. I use them for almost everything, fences, raised beds, fruit cages and yes even the chicken run. We are lucky enough to get a lot free (when they are going).
My son even made the coop and nest boxes from pallets great things but you must use gloves because they are full of splinters.