It is, of course, snowing. Ro left for work before I was up, as usual, but was home again at 10. He’d stared glumly out of the office window, decided it was not getting better any time soon and he’s now working from his armchair. It wasn’t snowing here at that time, but now it’s really looking rather pretty.
Fortunately, I have nothing in my diary for today, so am catching up on some office work. I have no make-up on. As the phone rang before I’d washed my hair and I had to bring the phone down to look up something, I haven’t been able to face the cold of my bedroom to shower since. I don’t have in a contact lens. I am dressed, at least.
Al says that the seed order has arrived at the shop, which is very exciting. Though I’m not sure that we’ll grow so many vegetables this year. We were thoroughly discouraged by the rabbits eating all the beans last year and now the garden is rather full of pheasants too. Assuming Dave and I get our lovely wall built in the Spring (still up for that, David dear boy?) we can net in the rest of the veg patch, but that won’t keep out the seven hen and two cock pheasants who so enjoy roaming the Sagacious Acres. I wouldn’t dream of discouraging them.
Anyhoo, what I have in mind is to mostly plant squash and pumpkin plants, because they cover the ground and the fruit is highly saleable, and can all be harvested together, along with a few things I really want, have mostly cucumbers in the greenhouse with just a few tomato plants, and to grow lots of seedlings for sale. Veg seedlings, that is. I used to do flowers in the days before I got so enmired in practicality that I virtually stopped growing anything I couldn’t eat. Time was, I used to grow flowers for cutting and I did flower arrangements for the house every week. I can hardly believe it.
It’s snowed in every month since October, you know. I can’t remember that ever happening before.
I’m up for wall-building, once the weather warms up. I assume I passed the Sage-approval test then?
Not sure what vegetables to grow this year, other than tomatoes. Maybe some short carrots (in pots, possibly, as my soil is so stone-filled). Chilis or peppers, probably.
I may fill my raised bed with fruit, with just a little room for some veg.
The Sage is far too polite to scrutinise, but of course he liked you. Hard not to.
I’ll have some spare plants, or seeds if you prefer to raise your own, if you’d like to cast your eye over my selection sometime.
When you live alone, you have to be careful not to end up with a vast glut of one thing don’t you? It’ll all be fun though.
I have a mental picture of a rectangular cornucopia.
A glut of tomatoes is OK, for I can freeze, makes sauces, ketchups, preserves etc. Too many* cabbages on the other hand…
The odd spare seed (they always put too many in the packet, don’t they?) would be nice. I shall mainly be growing flowering plants this year, to fill my garden with colour. I may have some spare plants too.
*ie, one.
I always grow tomotoes, though last year’s crop was very disappointing. The slugs got all my cabbages/caulis/brussels so I wont bother with them again. I am going to dig up a bit of my lawn and plant some spuds this year, and some pumpkins and squashes. Otherwise it will be toms, peppers and aubergines in pots.
Don’t dig up a bit of lawn – do what I did and dig up the lot. Less mowing that way, and more room for lovely plants.
http://fernley.wordpress.com/2009/02/02/snow-nottinghams-residents-a-language-issue-for-the-bbc/
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Couldn’t resist!
*note to self* don’t serve cabbage soup to Dave.
True, lots of tomatoes are all right as long as one has time to cook and freeze. It’s the caterpillars that always attack my brassicas. I have lots of frogs and hedgehogs so I’m not too troubled with slugs.
Only small problem with your garden is that your summer party guests have to line up carefully along the paths if they fancy a breath of air, Dave. Not that we mind.
I like the BBC’s careful airbrushing, Anon. Were you the naughty graffito artist?
Hope we`re all in for a good growing season after all this snow.
Carrots, beetroot, onions and runner beans are my crops…. well, if I remember to plant the beans in time this year! Oh, and a few lettuce, just for my little bird.
All the frost should have killed off most of the bugs, with luck. I love runner beans. So do rabbits, sadly.
*Sigh*
I envy you your seeds, Z.
I still don’t know when we’re moving, so no seeds this year. I’m sure I’ll find someplace to garden up North, though. And since the season starts so much later there, I won’t feel as if I’ve missed out. It will be exciting to see what I can grow up there.
I’m still flummoxed as to how much soil I need to buy. Was going to use the two existing 3×8 ft., 18 in. deep cedar boxes, now I’m thinking of just stacking them and doing root crops. The main thing is to put hardware cloth on top of the soil to keep the cat from “hoeing and fertilizing” in the soil but allow the seeds to grow. Any advice/suggestions?
I brought my seeds a couple of weeks ago, can’t wait to get started
We missed the boat on planting any tomatoes this year which was a bit disappointing. Although lots of people who did have lost them in the 120 degree temps we’ve been having.
Dave’s garden is perfect for a Conga line.
Gosh, you’re all very self sufficient in Norfolk, aren’t you?
I like the idea of trying to grow some veg, but a full time job and the fact that I’m lazy sort of get in the way.
Snowed heavy and once over here. Nearly all gone now. Still lots oop north though. Remember getting snowed in as a kid. Loved it.
Gophers have taken over our yard so we will be zero scaping in the spring. But,I love hearing about everyone else’s planting plans.