My raised beds are only 1.2 x 1.2m, because I'm very short and can't reach to the middle of anything bigger. Also my garden is very small... but 4 raised beds that size produces enough strawbs and veg to be a useful contribution to our meals (just 2 of us).
Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
Now that's interesting Liriodendron -what crops did you grow and how did you lay them out? Interesting Bean Rail Fixings here (Side poles screwed to frames either at the back or in the centre) _ Which tree seeds did you buy GWRS. Hope you have a good walk. Did any of you see the Moon last night -absolutely stunning but slightly orange which denotes frost -and 'yes' we had a hard frost this am. Very high tide today - usually dsignates change in weather again -And I thought Summer was coming!! Shall now go across the road and ask builders if I can have their scaffolding planks when they've finished as they are building a new house -They can only say 'no'!! -Brilliant idea Thank You.
Hello , tree seeds where free from " The Woodland Trust " , they where already germinated just needed to pot them up , there where about 3 of each , Rowan , Dog Rose , Holly and Alder buckthorn , it would be great if they grow ?
Biofreak, I used to do a 4-way rotation - but only grew things we really loved, which were expensive to buy from the shops, or which were best picked & eaten within a short time. Then we got club root from somewhere so brassicas were out. Shame because really fresh purple sprouting broccoli is one of our favourite veg... Now I just rotate 2 beds, with the other 2 full of strawberries (OH's favourite fruit). This year I've swapped the beds over, so the 2 strawberry beds are this year's veg beds, and we have new healthy strawberry plants in last year's veg beds. We always have sugar peas and runner beans in one bed, with a bit of a variety in the other - a courgette plant in the middle, with maybe herbs or salad leaves or beetroot in the corners.
Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
Great info all round thank you. -French Builders shook their heads in disbelief at my request! - Still they didn't say 'no' and coming round for a 'calva'* on Friday *Calvados. (They don't do Builders Tea here -Beer and Calva the accepted ritual drink when negotiating important matters like scaffolding planks!!!)
Anyway -Lots more plants that I had forgotten about moving now sprouting, so outside with the fork and trowel again this afternoon -O/H going mad 'How many trailer trips will this be?' Was this morning's exasperated question 'Lots!' I replied. Pushkin stuck up poplar tree wailing -highest he has climbed O/H fetching ladder. Must go!
Pushkin fine -Now looking for more trouble -We moved trailer to load up with garden bits and bobs and to his delight he found various carcasses stashed away by Boots the Bengal in different states of decay! 2 Rabbit Ears, 1 Large Wing (Pheasant?) and Best end of Rat promptly carried into house by one very happy kitten. Smacked bottom and thrown out again with the debris!!! Oh Joy!. Still I am over the Moon (Ouch I didn't mean that!) Last Month on a Lunar Fruit Day, I stuck Redcurrant and Gooseberry Prunings into ground and they have taken!!! So now I have last year's Baby Blackcurrants to move plus reds and goosegogs -Absolutely delighted.
Watch out for Lunar Calender tomorrow.-Before Calva with Builders! (hic)
Hi Everyone - Here are a couple of tips I picked up this morning from a Nurseryman who only plants according to the Lunar Cycle - When transplanting welsh onions/chives or leeks, trim their roots and divide clumps on a descending Moon in preference during the constellation Cancer or Scorpio (Leaf Days) thus guaranteeing fast establishment and strong plants.
Here is the Lunar Calender 17th-31st March
17th March - Flower Day Moon Descending in Libra. Prick out Cauliflowers and Broccoli and Busy Lizzies (Impatiens) sown 26th Feb. Prune Summer flowering shrubs.
18/19th March - Leaf Days Moon in Scorpio - No gardening after 12.30pm on 18th Moon apogee (Furthest point in cycle from Earth)Plant asparagus. Split clumps of chives or Welsh Onions (Use tip obtained this am) Continue blanching dandelions (These are fantastic raw sprinkled with olive oil and tossed with hot crispy bacon as a warm salad and garnished with garlic croutons) Plant rhubarb and bush herbs.Prick out cabbages sown 1-3rd Feb. Thin out spinach and lettuce sown 28th Feb 1/2 march.
20/21/22nd March - Fruit Days Moon ascending from 5.24am on 21st in Sagittarius. Sow Round Peas and Broad Beans outside, earthing up well once they have sprouted. Graft Fruit Trees.
23/24th March Root Days - Sow Carrots/Radishes and Beetroot for early crops outside.
25/26th March Flower Days - Moon ascending -Despite winds and variable weather predicted Sow first annuals outside and sweet peas.
27/28/29/30th March - New Moon 3.57am 28th March - Leaf Days No gardening after 8.25am on 30th Moon at nearest point to Earth i Cycle (perigee) - In a well exposed Nursery Bed sow Cabbages/Brussell Sprouts and Salad crops. Under Heat sow Rocket/Parsley (Pour boiling water over Parsley Seed first) and Chervil. On 30th at 10.53am Moon moves into Aries so Fruit Day starts -Sow Melons.
31st March - Root Day Sow more Radishes.
Happy Gardening and Keep all comments and extra info coming!
Posts
My raised beds are only 1.2 x 1.2m, because I'm very short and can't reach to the middle of anything bigger. Also my garden is very small... but 4 raised beds that size produces enough strawbs and veg to be a useful contribution to our meals (just 2 of us).
Now that's interesting Liriodendron -what crops did you grow and how did you lay them out? Interesting Bean Rail Fixings here (Side poles screwed to frames either at the back or in the centre) _ Which tree seeds did you buy GWRS. Hope you have a good walk. Did any of you see the Moon last night -absolutely stunning but slightly orange which denotes frost -and 'yes' we had a hard frost this am. Very high tide today - usually dsignates change in weather again -And I thought Summer was coming!! Shall now go across the road and ask builders if I can have their scaffolding planks when they've finished as they are building a new house -They can only say 'no'!! -Brilliant idea Thank You.
Hello , tree seeds where free from " The Woodland Trust " , they where already germinated just needed to pot them up , there where about 3 of each , Rowan , Dog Rose , Holly and Alder buckthorn , it would be great if they grow ?
Best of luck with the Scafolding planks ?
Biofreak, I used to do a 4-way rotation - but only grew things we really loved, which were expensive to buy from the shops, or which were best picked & eaten within a short time. Then we got club root from somewhere
so brassicas were out. Shame because really fresh purple sprouting broccoli is one of our favourite veg... Now I just rotate 2 beds, with the other 2 full of strawberries (OH's favourite fruit). This year I've swapped the beds over, so the 2 strawberry beds are this year's veg beds, and we have new healthy strawberry plants in last year's veg beds. We always have sugar peas and runner beans in one bed, with a bit of a variety in the other - a courgette plant in the middle, with maybe herbs or salad leaves or beetroot in the corners. 
Bio , a picture of some raised beds at allotment , the boxs are good as you can put fleece or nets across top , e.g. Great for carrots, no carrot fly
Hoping to go to plot on Saturday to put in first early potatoes
Great info all round thank you. -French Builders shook their heads in disbelief at my request! - Still they didn't say 'no' and coming round for a 'calva'* on Friday *Calvados. (They don't do Builders Tea here -Beer and Calva the accepted ritual drink when negotiating important matters like scaffolding planks!!!)
Anyway -Lots more plants that I had forgotten about moving now sprouting, so outside with the fork and trowel again this afternoon -O/H going mad 'How many trailer trips will this be?' Was this morning's exasperated question 'Lots!' I replied. Pushkin stuck up poplar tree wailing -highest he has climbed O/H fetching ladder. Must go!
Calvados , on Friday sounds good to me , bought a Bottle from Lidl last December so will join you for a drink ? Cheers
Hope Pushkin is OK
Pushkin fine -Now looking for more trouble -We moved trailer to load up with garden bits and bobs and to his delight he found various carcasses stashed away by Boots the Bengal in different states of decay! 2 Rabbit Ears, 1 Large Wing (Pheasant?) and Best end of Rat promptly carried into house by one very happy kitten. Smacked bottom and thrown out again with the debris!!! Oh Joy!. Still I am over the Moon (Ouch I didn't mean that!) Last Month on a Lunar Fruit Day, I stuck Redcurrant and Gooseberry Prunings into ground and they have taken!!! So now I have last year's Baby Blackcurrants to move plus reds and goosegogs -Absolutely delighted.
Watch out for Lunar Calender tomorrow.-Before Calva with Builders! (hic)
I bet Pushkin was just bring you a present ? !
Hi Everyone - Here are a couple of tips I picked up this morning from a Nurseryman who only plants according to the Lunar Cycle - When transplanting welsh onions/chives or leeks, trim their roots and divide clumps on a descending Moon in preference during the constellation Cancer or Scorpio (Leaf Days) thus guaranteeing fast establishment and strong plants.
Here is the Lunar Calender 17th-31st March
17th March - Flower Day Moon Descending in Libra. Prick out Cauliflowers and Broccoli and Busy Lizzies (Impatiens) sown 26th Feb. Prune Summer flowering shrubs.
18/19th March - Leaf Days Moon in Scorpio - No gardening after 12.30pm on 18th Moon apogee (Furthest point in cycle from Earth)Plant asparagus. Split clumps of chives or Welsh Onions (Use tip obtained this am) Continue blanching dandelions (These are fantastic raw sprinkled with olive oil and tossed with hot crispy bacon as a warm salad and garnished with garlic croutons) Plant rhubarb and bush herbs.Prick out cabbages sown 1-3rd Feb. Thin out spinach and lettuce sown 28th Feb 1/2 march.
20/21/22nd March - Fruit Days Moon ascending from 5.24am on 21st in Sagittarius. Sow Round Peas and Broad Beans outside, earthing up well once they have sprouted. Graft Fruit Trees.
23/24th March Root Days - Sow Carrots/Radishes and Beetroot for early crops outside.
25/26th March Flower Days - Moon ascending -Despite winds and variable weather predicted Sow first annuals outside and sweet peas.
27/28/29/30th March - New Moon 3.57am 28th March - Leaf Days No gardening after 8.25am on 30th Moon at nearest point to Earth i Cycle (perigee) - In a well exposed Nursery Bed sow Cabbages/Brussell Sprouts and Salad crops. Under Heat sow Rocket/Parsley (Pour boiling water over Parsley Seed first) and Chervil. On 30th at 10.53am Moon moves into Aries so Fruit Day starts -Sow Melons.
31st March - Root Day Sow more Radishes.
Happy Gardening and Keep all comments and extra info coming!