Garden crime wave

We got home from shopping the other day and were confronted by the local gossip and head of the neighbour hood watch.

She invited us to the next neighbour hood watch meeting, before I had a chance to make my excuses the long suffering had accepted and that was that.

The next day an agenda arrived through the door and top of the agenda was garden crime. That had me twitching so I thought I`d make the effort and attend.

I dually showed my face and listened on to PC Barry waffle on about sheds being broken into in the area and july being the busiest time nationally for garden crime. The yobs are even lifting sheds up from the ground to get in them.

Mrs Briggs the old lady from next door but one had her shed broken into at the weekend, they stole everything, all her husbands tools and even the garden ornaments they have been collecting since they wed. About £4,000 worth in all, worse luck the insurance company would only pay a maximum of £1,000.

Thats it I said to the long suffering I m digging the tent out from the atic and were camping in the garden in july, no yobbos going to steal my lawn mower.

Summers arrived

I was out in the garden the other day taking advantage of the recent good weather. It`s been a long time coming and it probaly won`t last long so I thought I`d best make the most of it, putting in some much needed tlc to my vegetable patch.

The runner beans are shooting up now and it looks like I should have a good crop this year fingers crossed.

The strawberries have ripened up nicely so I picked a few for the long suffering before the slugs get them that will make her day a nice treat for tea time.
Another bit of good news, the tomato`s are starting to show signs of life after that blasted mutt knocked them all over. So all in all not a bad day in the garden.

Doggy Disaster

The long suffering agreed to babysit her friend`s new puppy and guess who got lumbered with the flea ridden mutt as she went to the shops?

yep muggings here.

I was watching the mutt in the garden when the phone rang- when I returned the mutt was having a right old chew of my tomatos. Never seen anything like it in my life!! .

I tried to get him out of there quick but it was too late he had knocked four of them over splitting the stem right through.

I ve pinched out the end of the stems and, fingers crossed, there will be no lasting damage

A day at Chelsea.

Last week I was reluctantly dragged to the Chelsea Flower Show by the long suffering. It's her little treat and once again she enjoyed her day out.

Me? Well if you think barging your way though hordes of yapping pseudo gardeners, paying a small mortgage for a cup of tea and a bun, looking at things that resemble film sets rather than somebody's back yard is fun ... then Chelseaq is for you.

The crowds are horrendous and the so-called "show" gardens are a million miles away from reality. I was just glad to get back to my veg pack - after I'd dragged the contents of numerous carrier bags across the flippin show!

I can't stand the place.

Back to reality, I spent the weekend in the garden - the first time for some weeks - and I decided to water my newly planted fruit trees, roses and shrubs regularly to help their root systems establish. I also gave them all a dose of Rootgrow - guaranteed to get them towering over the neighbours efforts!!

I also did some work weeding my borders and I stuck some young plants into pots and filled the old greenhouse. That'll give me the excuse to potter round the garden each evening - chcuk some water on my babies and have a couple of sneaky half pints in the shed whilst I'm at it.

Anyway - summer's almost here now - and I for one can't wait to get a bit of sun on my back.

The slowest but deadliest killer going.

Its that time of year again when us gardeners resume battle with our enemy - yep I am talking about the pesky garden snail and his chum the slug.

I was about to protect my vegetables with the industrial strength snail killer I`ve been using for past few years when the long suffering reminded me of the incident with next doors cat last year (that's a story for another time).

So I've now been persuaded to join the bandwagon and go green. I've always been one for natural remedies - and so when it comes to slug duffing, I now have the perfect answer.

I use old beer!

The blighters can't resist the stuff - and its an excuse to crack open another bottle anyhow. So, I usually stick a drop of Spitfire into containers dug into my borders. You can usually rely on the silly beggars rushing out as soon as the beer is poured - and I always have a catch!

The only thing that breaks my heart though ... is the sheer waste of good ale.

I suppose its a small sacrifice though!

Still no sign of Spring

It's supposed to be getting close to Spring - but what on earth is the matter with this weather? After the earthquake came the almost-hurricane thing that threatened to bend my garden in two last week!

That said, I've been out doing my bit - there's no shortage of jobs that need doing!

I've put in my carrots this weekend and even found time to pick a nice bunch of daffs for the Long Suffering - I've also got some crocus growing in the lawn and I'll wait until they produce some seed before cutting that area of grass. I also pruned the roses on Saturday so they're looking all spick and span -cutting out the old branches as close to ground level as possible.

Some of my fruit trees looked a bit hungry too - so I gave them a dash of high potash feed. Then I did a bit more work on the lawn and repaired a couple of damaged areas by loosening the soil and sowing some seed. I then covered the patch with a bit of polythene tapped down with a couple of pegs.

So, I suppose that they're all spring-ish jobs - but I want that sun on my back please!

That's that sorted!

Those who know me know how much I enjoy my potatoes.

God's onw food I always say - and I have to say the Long Suffereing certainly knows how to prepare the best Jerseys I've ever tasted. So, in February and March I tend to sort out mt spuds for later in the year. I'm usually a bit later than most - but I find its always worked for me.

I normally get my chitting underway in late January (that simply means encouraging the seed potatoes to sprout before planting). The potatoes are then ready to be planted out when the shoots are 1.5-2.5cm (0.5-1in) long.

So, this weekend I've been out planting - the soil has started to warm up a bit by now I dug my trench about three inches deep, adding a dash of fertiliser before planting. I plant them about a foot apart with 18 inches between the rows. I always make sure the shoots are pointing upwards and careful not to break the shoots. After covering the potatoes lightly with soil I've now got to wait until the shoots appear before covering them with a ridge of soil so that the shoots are just buried.

Now all I have to do is sit and watch the little lovelies grow!