tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14313403245184577282024-03-13T19:05:34.455+00:00Froggarts Cottage GardenWe have a large garden in semi-rural Leicestershire. This blog is about what we do and what's happening out there because of - or in spite of - our rather amateur gardening efforts. We grow vegetables, we have an orchard with apples, plums and pears, as well as an extensive ornamental garden. Surrounded by fields we enjoy many species of birds, frogs & toads and occasional foxes and other four-legged visitors. Enjoy!Froggarts Cottage Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04351276418561248713noreply@blogger.comBlogger265125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431340324518457728.post-8129223431718354512023-03-08T15:42:00.006+00:002023-03-08T15:45:29.644+00:00Snow and Rhubarb<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikSLbhkRSOqecsRuMxJkAWM80ZL439qIzMxIqTONx9C01jh9nFgciuVIBb_w-nFqox1cSMY1ZYokTqiMSTvovdOdTQJPm-pt1dmKr5lKB1AG21QicEl8aNQxeeCQykTutRD5NjBW57lGvBnOtMWc27ZZQqOr7Ec1Eyy8FqgyLM3aZXhfL7zO3uoTw_JQ/s1200/rhubarb20230226_145907-1200.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikSLbhkRSOqecsRuMxJkAWM80ZL439qIzMxIqTONx9C01jh9nFgciuVIBb_w-nFqox1cSMY1ZYokTqiMSTvovdOdTQJPm-pt1dmKr5lKB1AG21QicEl8aNQxeeCQykTutRD5NjBW57lGvBnOtMWc27ZZQqOr7Ec1Eyy8FqgyLM3aZXhfL7zO3uoTw_JQ/w640-h480/rhubarb20230226_145907-1200.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <p></p><p>This was our rhubarb, coming up nicely 10 days ago. We've had a couple of picks - rhubarb and custard and rhubarb fool - lovely! <b>But today it's zero degrees and snowing!</b> Last night I covered the rhubarb with hessian and fleece and I'm hoping it won't get zapped by the frost.</p><p>We don't force rhubarb because we don't see the need. Our rhubarb is really tasty and the early pickings are tender and sweet. But I guess if it's under a dustbin it is protected from the elements.</p><p>Forecast is for snow and frost for a few days, so Spring will definitely be on hold for a bit. <br /></p><p><br /></p>Froggarts Cottage Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04351276418561248713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431340324518457728.post-79526742265224744702023-02-28T12:02:00.002+00:002023-02-28T12:07:57.708+00:00Snowdrops and crocuses<p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Looks like Spring is here! </b>But still very cold overnight. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeNuMtEELtcoKnKd0Mmp9WZ51-r_ob-LaTDf9NDv0APiymn-AsAssitpdYXtK5bSiZ9gQhoFLTbAJux5yAtO81sU2xlivwwDZkrCf5EGvUC-EYjSZ9NgbJLIMz7W7mrYL6G4WYJal2R4NmRLHoc-SSlvxUi-UuVOusqeDZsJCiywb89_FbTzh3EpuRdA/s4000/20230226_145616.jpg" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeNuMtEELtcoKnKd0Mmp9WZ51-r_ob-LaTDf9NDv0APiymn-AsAssitpdYXtK5bSiZ9gQhoFLTbAJux5yAtO81sU2xlivwwDZkrCf5EGvUC-EYjSZ9NgbJLIMz7W7mrYL6G4WYJal2R4NmRLHoc-SSlvxUi-UuVOusqeDZsJCiywb89_FbTzh3EpuRdA/w640-h480/20230226_145616.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv24BeB5DsVqB3kxS8Li1so7aGYpFCXW12Dgxhj4LCd9IzvhDjTYQITtGT7XWQfG4UBBDG-iCOU6lm7FKKli6URuPjhhlgVMNxmSqyXYdmz3NesKHyJPF5jk_31MGrZwRZVpvo_eYLnDoIC57IqbGTs8FrTV5DYAsSVjOvBRFz-wVomUCuamdyAbz7Sg/s4000/20230226_145654.jpg" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv24BeB5DsVqB3kxS8Li1so7aGYpFCXW12Dgxhj4LCd9IzvhDjTYQITtGT7XWQfG4UBBDG-iCOU6lm7FKKli6URuPjhhlgVMNxmSqyXYdmz3NesKHyJPF5jk_31MGrZwRZVpvo_eYLnDoIC57IqbGTs8FrTV5DYAsSVjOvBRFz-wVomUCuamdyAbz7Sg/w640-h480/20230226_145654.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZExWN0PhbFGRNFyS6QDmfaniaCdxVU-YHr_2CxbNowu-W9uAx4K_QUQRIRLp_XplHcdEZbZT7b6b2R5RWD5Sq1-SaxNhmYZbiGQRXYBLDfE94n712Xd6PVbkRpkLDS2a_FXhWOmlYjMPM3-3e2W6u3bhpeXsMPvZAUC4Wpi7mDrfLu9AuG9FncJYl4Q/s4000/20230226_145715.jpg" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZExWN0PhbFGRNFyS6QDmfaniaCdxVU-YHr_2CxbNowu-W9uAx4K_QUQRIRLp_XplHcdEZbZT7b6b2R5RWD5Sq1-SaxNhmYZbiGQRXYBLDfE94n712Xd6PVbkRpkLDS2a_FXhWOmlYjMPM3-3e2W6u3bhpeXsMPvZAUC4Wpi7mDrfLu9AuG9FncJYl4Q/w640-h480/20230226_145715.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9q1SeDuMccZhljD1qiHnBzDxghWxcDHxsbGTsvP8xTj6zTDV8VfFhoTWL1bV8tzzLoch2i9Wv1CJpF1pUNKg8qrQ6eFS0s5HLYgsjeTilQnuJXZBXRsphZdi48PG5uyqhyP3vzVhoZXb66pz4pUcLkX8_Eoa9s_e-xTkAqukEhAOMG8rD6g4kcIkxQ/s4000/20230226_145735.jpg" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9q1SeDuMccZhljD1qiHnBzDxghWxcDHxsbGTsvP8xTj6zTDV8VfFhoTWL1bV8tzzLoch2i9Wv1CJpF1pUNKg8qrQ6eFS0s5HLYgsjeTilQnuJXZBXRsphZdi48PG5uyqhyP3vzVhoZXb66pz4pUcLkX8_Eoa9s_e-xTkAqukEhAOMG8rD6g4kcIkxQ/w640-h480/20230226_145735.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCd247d3GPojEMQdtePsnEq7Ml6ALeCnnENkztoYF2CKjfqTyyuTzSfkczODkPzPitLR5ixmwLIfpCBbUhLncFJJWurcXwsITkxFDNJlk5wB9QDU__aAL3UUkrRiV8UaOocTyP6nVhjgEjgS-SQLTLi-qCm6qTnSdFy4qMIezedqZYoi_00GxSJL948Q/s4000/20230226_145756.jpg" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCd247d3GPojEMQdtePsnEq7Ml6ALeCnnENkztoYF2CKjfqTyyuTzSfkczODkPzPitLR5ixmwLIfpCBbUhLncFJJWurcXwsITkxFDNJlk5wB9QDU__aAL3UUkrRiV8UaOocTyP6nVhjgEjgS-SQLTLi-qCm6qTnSdFy4qMIezedqZYoi_00GxSJL948Q/w640-h480/20230226_145756.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Froggarts Cottage Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04351276418561248713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431340324518457728.post-52531215175071702602021-01-31T15:47:00.121+00:002021-02-10T16:42:16.092+00:002021 - A Real Winter!<p><b>2020 ended with snow and 2021 has largely followed suit.</b> If it isn't sowing or freezing it's been pouring with rain. The ground is saturated and the green pipe and waterfall have been flowing the fastest we've seen in nearly 15 years here. </p><p>2020 was a year for records - wettest February, hottest summer. Apparently this is the coldest January for 10 years. <br /></p><p>These snowy photos taken on 25th January. </p><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha9o9k8TSgB7f54a7AgqcAqopsB36OabU0ECRxE_xt_3YHghlv2_Y8d0-3QcvgEpHECK5CEf-swRGS5r0CNf4gUpE_cuPAOxeWLInklA9WJw3cVX5OC0yVXCK4gOaryDn1AnBBjXTlrl9W/s1200/snowy-garden20210125_094654_1200.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="759" data-original-width="1200" height="405" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha9o9k8TSgB7f54a7AgqcAqopsB36OabU0ECRxE_xt_3YHghlv2_Y8d0-3QcvgEpHECK5CEf-swRGS5r0CNf4gUpE_cuPAOxeWLInklA9WJw3cVX5OC0yVXCK4gOaryDn1AnBBjXTlrl9W/w640-h405/snowy-garden20210125_094654_1200.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from our back door<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCiu-AjOspbyyRZRMIfq8ITzK4HBB-cIlqQY1zzDIKOsh7mKd3F6YdBy10b-nDRPhzhr5W8jM9C3lFjzZvOAOLyfblzTPgwd_MkQwhyJQQ4jXeJ1O3G3lHbhTyvAdg4dlQtCgXhX1rVdPL/s1200/veg-garden20210125_103527_1200.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="729" data-original-width="1200" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCiu-AjOspbyyRZRMIfq8ITzK4HBB-cIlqQY1zzDIKOsh7mKd3F6YdBy10b-nDRPhzhr5W8jM9C3lFjzZvOAOLyfblzTPgwd_MkQwhyJQQ4jXeJ1O3G3lHbhTyvAdg4dlQtCgXhX1rVdPL/w640-h388/veg-garden20210125_103527_1200.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span> </span>Across the veg gardens from the greenhouse<br /><br /> </td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaUuIAmzSFKA6MWSzLnDyGl1AL0pgaLFjS2m6N5hrf-3ZRouqqIuO8LlaAENdyQ7SJ0kdwzzfu1jn4KvErhqvFUVKhf4lGnMD1ppwOlEsQzP3k2E0HevSOFOOrBTqZUM7lJ_hr11GWtgvT/s1201/veg-garden20210125_103530_1200.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="729" data-original-width="1201" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaUuIAmzSFKA6MWSzLnDyGl1AL0pgaLFjS2m6N5hrf-3ZRouqqIuO8LlaAENdyQ7SJ0kdwzzfu1jn4KvErhqvFUVKhf4lGnMD1ppwOlEsQzP3k2E0HevSOFOOrBTqZUM7lJ_hr11GWtgvT/w640-h388/veg-garden20210125_103530_1200.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The nets over the Brussels sprouts nearly collapsed with the snow.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p style="text-align: left;">All very beautiful, but difficult to get much done. There were some warm spells when I spread compost over the empty beds and did a bit of tidying up.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Planted up some big pots with potatoes - 2 in the greenhouse, 3 in the annexe conservatory, but much too cold to sprout. The pointy cabbages in the greenhouse are coming on slowly and the luttuces are hanging on. The Brussels sprouts, when not covered by snow, are doing really well and we.ve had several meals with plenty more coming on the second planting (nearest the front on the right under the snow!). Also had a few Chantenay carrots from the greenhouse.</p>Froggarts Cottage Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04351276418561248713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431340324518457728.post-22038924905689386882020-12-31T16:10:00.003+00:002020-12-31T17:18:20.632+00:00Brrr...Winter Snow<h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>Last day of 2020 - and very cold.</b> </h3><p style="text-align: center;">First snow of the winter fell two days ago and lots hasn't melted yet despite some lovely sunshine at times. Makes a change from the dreary and wet wrathe we've become accustomed to.<br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0nIoK3HMoF62Lzj7HTDx18Vnl2v-n9QbBdcNP3miVrK8FuXd-E5hX6nX7r02uQFdWaWOZpcRpb9WI1iTis-ZVu__P6b2q07gO0EymktgXTeWzGw1_3988rUN-g-xFh8SQT4jZ274sKC47/s1000/snowy-garden20201229-1000.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0nIoK3HMoF62Lzj7HTDx18Vnl2v-n9QbBdcNP3miVrK8FuXd-E5hX6nX7r02uQFdWaWOZpcRpb9WI1iTis-ZVu__P6b2q07gO0EymktgXTeWzGw1_3988rUN-g-xFh8SQT4jZ274sKC47/w626-h336/snowy-garden20201229-1000.jpg" width="626" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;">View from the kitchen on Tuesday morning</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgYUWk51imGaxv4BF2qzyk2JPJwrqePiDXBqSQz5ttKYbVAxZML-w1OPPv9PbzvKobv-7VOX6VaIb1C2dKCXFb_HguPV9rdYx2t3ffeBWwIUCBiP2H4abYAVLtjAHAsckoTRTvhMsoKEWl/s1000/snowy-veg-plots20201230-1000.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgYUWk51imGaxv4BF2qzyk2JPJwrqePiDXBqSQz5ttKYbVAxZML-w1OPPv9PbzvKobv-7VOX6VaIb1C2dKCXFb_HguPV9rdYx2t3ffeBWwIUCBiP2H4abYAVLtjAHAsckoTRTvhMsoKEWl/w629-h354/snowy-veg-plots20201230-1000.jpg" width="629" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">The veg beds yesterday morning</div><div><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpVnX9qyEy8lqeyJpQJJYKhRJ1ufCqvfiKxx486t8nKeUbbSFxL0cNdqfUenOuk4OA0jxdKR3piIc9wXRKBzPQRk6O3Qb5MmBUPt0LZnL4Aa__q4agC5AdsoxS_fqhmiLHnti2Rf5evJXW/s889/yucca20201229-500.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="889" data-original-width="500" height="539" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpVnX9qyEy8lqeyJpQJJYKhRJ1ufCqvfiKxx486t8nKeUbbSFxL0cNdqfUenOuk4OA0jxdKR3piIc9wXRKBzPQRk6O3Qb5MmBUPt0LZnL4Aa__q4agC5AdsoxS_fqhmiLHnti2Rf5evJXW/w303-h539/yucca20201229-500.jpg" width="303" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMCmPo1JlCt7YO02GwJ7V9dlbacB9OVE5hDrQj279R_n6SMs1xmLsPqebQOVS_Bj1xLdS-_SJp8ENWO79ItQcGCaeN1yXAj53KntdgoExztCGlM_9Aj-8_-RuMtz4FZ_7Jke9U2M9Auxk5/s889/snowy-lily20201229-500.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="889" data-original-width="500" height="538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMCmPo1JlCt7YO02GwJ7V9dlbacB9OVE5hDrQj279R_n6SMs1xmLsPqebQOVS_Bj1xLdS-_SJp8ENWO79ItQcGCaeN1yXAj53KntdgoExztCGlM_9Aj-8_-RuMtz4FZ_7Jke9U2M9Auxk5/w303-h538/snowy-lily20201229-500.jpg" width="303" /></a></div></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">Yucca and a lily brave the cold<br /></p><p><br /></p></div>Froggarts Cottage Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04351276418561248713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431340324518457728.post-58729755188290729632020-11-23T12:12:00.003+00:002020-11-26T11:18:47.525+00:00What's growing now<p><b>It's the back end of November. The days are shorter and the light not so bright during the daytime. Last night was the first real frost of the year.</b></p><p>We've eaten all the potatoes we grew this year (there's four adults in the house to feed now), only a dozen or so tomatoes ripenng on the kitchen window sill, beans and the first sowing of pointy cabbages finished. So what's left:</p><p>In the garden:</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Lots of celery - great germination and planted out about 36 seedlings which have now become a forest. We eat quite a lot in salads and stews and just to munch. I've put some in the freezer for winter cooking.</li><li>Brussels sprouts - doing brilliantly this year. We've already had several meals and will have some tonight. There are two groups, one planted out from their modules a little later so are further behind. So we should have plenty into the new year.</li><li>A few kale plants - looking rather sad because the cabbage white caterpillars devasted them early on, but are now pushing out a few leaves which will go in stir-fries.</li><li>A lovely patch of rainbow chard - provided many meals already and looks like they will continue through to the spring.</li><li>Peas - an experimental late planting in the ground where some potatoes were lifted. They are doing surprisingly well and producing some lovely, pest-free peas, though not more than a spoonful for each of us. Lots of flowers still. Next year I'll plant a whole lot more. They are frost-resistant.</li><li>A broad-bean sprouted in the compost - so I thought I'd give it 11 more for company. I don't usually do autumn-sowing because they come up quickly and early in the spring anyway. But we'll see. Another way of using the space after the potatoes have been lifted.</li><li>Rhubarb - is already sprouting, so covered with a good mulch of garden compost to protect from the frost and give them a boost.</li></ul><p>In the greenhouse:</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>5 pointy cabbages in the soil where the tomatoes were earlier - 1 Dutchman and 4 "Tinty" red ones. These have been great outside all year and these late sowings into small pots seem to love their new home.</li><li>Two little gem lettuces remaining from two troughs sown earlier. They have been doing well all summer (outside during the warm months) with successive sowings.<br /></li><li>Two troughs of mixed lettuce seedlings</li><li>Trough of spring onions</li><li>Trough of Charentay carrots - small but tasty.<br /></li><li>2 large pots each with 3 Pentland Javelin potatoes saved from this year's harvest. Planted these yesterday. I usually plant up a couple of pots just after Christmas, but the weather has been so warm (except for frost last night!) I thought I'd jump the gun and try to get some earlier spuds (especially since we've finished all the store).</li></ul><p>In the conservatory:</p><p>We have a large, very light conservatory which isn't heated, but is warmer that the greenhouse during the cold winter months. Good for starting off seeds.<br /></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Pot of parsley seeds. The summer outdoor sowing didn't take at all, they were rather old seeds, so hopefully these will come along better. But they are very slow-growing.</li><li>Tray of Ailsa Craig onion seedlings. <br /></li><li>Radishes - haven't grown these for a while. All the seeds germinated and are looking happy so maybe Christmas radishes? <br /></li></ul><p>Spare bedroom:</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>7 tomato plants on the window sill! I really don't enjoy shop-bought tomatoes so would love to find a way of growing them through the winter. Last year I made (at <a href="http://www.charnwoodshed.co.uk" target="_blank">The Shed</a>) a planter with a trellis for growing a clematis and flowering plants and in June replenished it with garden compost. In addition to the flowers up came 7 tomato seedlings. They looked pretty healthy so I potted them up and had them in the greenhouse for a while. A couple had flowers and one had two tiny fruits. <br />As the weather got colder I brought them into the conservatory, but it was too cold. So I took them upstairs where it's warm and gets more sun in the mornings. I also draped some LED Christmas lights around to give more light. Initially they produced a lot of flowers which I dutifully tickled up with my Mum's paintbrush, but they didn't take. The two tomatoes are growing steadily though! There are a few more tiny buds, so maybe.....<br /><br /></li></ul><p> <br /></p><p> </p>Froggarts Cottage Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04351276418561248713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431340324518457728.post-17199618162158248092020-11-17T12:59:00.000+00:002020-11-17T12:59:11.503+00:00November flowers<h2 style="text-align: left;"> It's NO-vember - damp, grey and dark by 4 o'clock -</h2><p style="text-align: left;">but there are still some flowers out there bringing a bit of colour to the scene.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO2CSzXYeLIpqJcGR47H2xy6YtHz1hW9eGbl5dfcf1HAfrd-VtTYPPDKbwSeDaUfReHXaHgYIRNVxJMCYsU2sjCzHL634aSSX-pmnG8m01LUReFrrWHhFeilZSLhJ3ebq_w0Bu0YfNTHYm/s600/fuschias-20201107_103644-600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO2CSzXYeLIpqJcGR47H2xy6YtHz1hW9eGbl5dfcf1HAfrd-VtTYPPDKbwSeDaUfReHXaHgYIRNVxJMCYsU2sjCzHL634aSSX-pmnG8m01LUReFrrWHhFeilZSLhJ3ebq_w0Bu0YfNTHYm/s16000/fuschias-20201107_103644-600.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Fuschias still glorious in there pots outside the conservatory. <br />They'll need to come indoors when it gets frosty.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzconoJIqvUfQgBKzDphtd9W7-7oZs93GBXKRDkP1h8jvdpHgqucRFe-Fxi5RliYdblUd0XkRYOyBhtZy1DKfZ_u3lBLIwUOSdZq8L_SP4PhAH1qDO6BqEx88awd98EVrn2KLfqP39N_7E/s600/flowers-20201107_103449-600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="449" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzconoJIqvUfQgBKzDphtd9W7-7oZs93GBXKRDkP1h8jvdpHgqucRFe-Fxi5RliYdblUd0XkRYOyBhtZy1DKfZ_u3lBLIwUOSdZq8L_SP4PhAH1qDO6BqEx88awd98EVrn2KLfqP39N_7E/s16000/flowers-20201107_103449-600.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Don't know the name for these. Their colourful flower spikes bloom from mid-summer onwards through the autumn.<br /></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZK5x0MhKM_EvhY-MEbKDYoMHJ-vd_i8jjQ2ueXdYrXRB-V5TWgG5xcRfyNeVAnKmvnYIl9ocwssicrrYGI-J9xlWACVX2FX2hD0FMsrkKexQuSJCmMWz9KHR7IZ2GxE27RWcUkuj9hpq/s600/Hellebore-20201107_103440-600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZK5x0MhKM_EvhY-MEbKDYoMHJ-vd_i8jjQ2ueXdYrXRB-V5TWgG5xcRfyNeVAnKmvnYIl9ocwssicrrYGI-J9xlWACVX2FX2hD0FMsrkKexQuSJCmMWz9KHR7IZ2GxE27RWcUkuj9hpq/s16000/Hellebore-20201107_103440-600.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">A hellebore! They normally start to flower in january or February. Crazy seasons!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJM7fkEQDYLfzBR8eUz_KvST22sH8CEz9vF38eh_7A__W7YtpUNxkQcCy9vt79LK2P_cEgXx_ilIbJtyj04Bve5WwAdkJNUGM9I6T1xcyyDo1WrUOENxweEYQzLH8eF4CKp_Y4PXqwKyfT/s600/cyclamen-20201008_180502-600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJM7fkEQDYLfzBR8eUz_KvST22sH8CEz9vF38eh_7A__W7YtpUNxkQcCy9vt79LK2P_cEgXx_ilIbJtyj04Bve5WwAdkJNUGM9I6T1xcyyDo1WrUOENxweEYQzLH8eF4CKp_Y4PXqwKyfT/s16000/cyclamen-20201008_180502-600.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Cyclamens and sedum still flowering, though not covered in bees as they were in October.<br /></div></div><div><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p></div>Froggarts Cottage Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04351276418561248713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431340324518457728.post-21621809422753396452020-10-14T16:24:00.003+01:002020-10-14T16:55:55.933+01:00Tomato & Chilli Chutney<h2 style="text-align: center;"></h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfNMYPGQWUqUUYH90oUN-YCPjF_jWDghkKmHvoZ8ztr6k_7XyirV_bFMEXlrh-R67tG6EySGU4IRRcGl0FPMe2XezyQxtHUS7PE4W7b5wSYwF0s7-uhcrRzp5zK-FRRsknH0Wv7wvW8yX3/s1000/tomato-and-chilli-chutney-1000.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="606" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfNMYPGQWUqUUYH90oUN-YCPjF_jWDghkKmHvoZ8ztr6k_7XyirV_bFMEXlrh-R67tG6EySGU4IRRcGl0FPMe2XezyQxtHUS7PE4W7b5wSYwF0s7-uhcrRzp5zK-FRRsknH0Wv7wvW8yX3/s320/tomato-and-chilli-chutney-1000.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">At this time of year the greenhouse tomatoes are coming fast and furious in the lengthening sunshine and the chilli plants have given their all, so a wonderful way to create a reminder of summer during the winter days is this delicious chutney.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Ingredients:</b></span><br /></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: medium;">4 lbs tomatoes<span style="line-height: 107%;"> </span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">1 lb 6 oz onions</span></span><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">4 cloves garlic</span><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">5 small fresh chillis</span><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">1lb 6 oz sugar</span><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">5/8 pint vinegar</span><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">6 oz sultanas</span><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">2 ins piece of root ginger<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>or 2 tsp
ground ginger</span><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">2 tsp of dried marjoram or a bunch of fresh</span><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">1 tsp salt</span><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Couple of twists of black pepper</span><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">2 tsp black mustard seed (optional)</span></li></ul><p><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> <b>Method:</b></span></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Put clean jars and lids in oven at
around 120C for half an hour</span><span style="font-size: medium;"> <span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /><br /></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Chop onions into small pieces</span><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Chop garlic into tiny pieces or use a garlic press</span><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Wash tomatoes, remove stalk and any hard centre</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Chop the tomatoes inc skin and pips</span><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Chop chillies finely, similarly the root ginger</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br /></span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Put all the ingredients into a
heavy pan, preferably stainless steel. Cook on medium until the onions and
tomato skins are soft then cook gently until it thickens up a bit. This may
take an hour. Keep stirring so it doesn’t burn. It makes a fairly soft chutney.</span>
</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Put hot into the warm jars filling
them up to the top and put lids on right away. (I use lids with the button that
goes down when the chutney cools and stays down so you know the seal hasn’t
been broken.)</span><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /><br /></span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Label and store. Ready to enjoy in
2-3 weeks.</span><span style="font-size: medium;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I made a batch with 3lbs tomatoes –
everything else pro-rata - and made 5 and a half 300g jars.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.realcomnet.co.uk/Tomato-&-Chilli-Chutney-recipe.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: medium;">Download pdf of Tomato & Chilli Chutney recipe >></span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">(from my other website!)</span></i><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></p>
</li></ul>Froggarts Cottage Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04351276418561248713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431340324518457728.post-32280600313539924952020-10-11T10:22:00.007+01:002020-10-14T10:27:58.666+01:00Evening sun on the walnut trees<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp6SdtwZgrT2XFeRDaxkYxgfUF4_PxTb9h53uTZWU7mk3bKdmF5lYmse0gHasP3d6_mKsX1VD08nZwpGk9d39oFk1DsnaAkc7puOr35D871gDo59PmHSlUCbiLPu2sWEkycGdp4PUdAdMg/s1431/20201008_sun-on-walnut-trees-and-fields-beyond-1000.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1431" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp6SdtwZgrT2XFeRDaxkYxgfUF4_PxTb9h53uTZWU7mk3bKdmF5lYmse0gHasP3d6_mKsX1VD08nZwpGk9d39oFk1DsnaAkc7puOr35D871gDo59PmHSlUCbiLPu2sWEkycGdp4PUdAdMg/w447-h640/20201008_sun-on-walnut-trees-and-fields-beyond-1000.jpg" width="447" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLAXILynSQBrLo1rU3AFld0jZiG_i3vN5IwrNIuRPkrSxvIDH_89rQr0Ap_wm_FBjwqtondPLC0vTbNedAsvIdkORVK1hL2w0kGkP0EXiQvO9zFl4WGOx3Y8q_DN4tiGQBs2PVMLLZMl2V/s1000/20201008_evening-sun-on-walnut-trees-1000.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLAXILynSQBrLo1rU3AFld0jZiG_i3vN5IwrNIuRPkrSxvIDH_89rQr0Ap_wm_FBjwqtondPLC0vTbNedAsvIdkORVK1hL2w0kGkP0EXiQvO9zFl4WGOx3Y8q_DN4tiGQBs2PVMLLZMl2V/w447-h251/20201008_evening-sun-on-walnut-trees-1000.jpg" width="447" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Froggarts Cottage Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04351276418561248713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431340324518457728.post-23011424135018362532020-09-07T18:31:00.000+01:002020-09-07T18:31:14.716+01:00Autumn approaching<b>First week of September gone already.</b> There is definitely a feel of Autumn in the air - cool wind, even when the sun shines, and earlier evenings of course. Lots of trees are showing yellowy or brown tinges and Autumn colour in the garden comes from the lords and ladies, pink autumn-flowering cyclamen, rose-hips and rose flowers. The big pink sedum, which the bees and butterflies love, is beginning to open.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZtQRv0_kh-IXRmsBFYixnHFbuwKDkLKhAPeWnquqbMMmJP6iljCdIVArpcEaHTn6OwJToLV2MtEYPJCOe2k4hLFGTxTJyD2bBtkKBaFp1AQtbR3jsNqocQ1UZflShiJDox-zPecUQdZXg/s1600/20200904view-from-greenhouse650.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="366" data-original-width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZtQRv0_kh-IXRmsBFYixnHFbuwKDkLKhAPeWnquqbMMmJP6iljCdIVArpcEaHTn6OwJToLV2MtEYPJCOe2k4hLFGTxTJyD2bBtkKBaFp1AQtbR3jsNqocQ1UZflShiJDox-zPecUQdZXg/s1600/20200904view-from-greenhouse650.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the greenhouse across the veg plots & rhubarb </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR0X4roRSTNCPr9h85L-LuIL1sNES-Kj95r0jQpSqbFvwiSVGfwzujXaVxZ9HYW2xegYvhNGj1DsT8iGRKVnRy8AQimvy_8b4zN-04CCGnAWj_AvRr8gP5_VmfnMk4g4A0_4dEeEFoRfV3/s1600/20200904view-across-leek-bed650.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="366" data-original-width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR0X4roRSTNCPr9h85L-LuIL1sNES-Kj95r0jQpSqbFvwiSVGfwzujXaVxZ9HYW2xegYvhNGj1DsT8iGRKVnRy8AQimvy_8b4zN-04CCGnAWj_AvRr8gP5_VmfnMk4g4A0_4dEeEFoRfV3/s1600/20200904view-across-leek-bed650.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sedum beginning to flower, rose-hips and a carpet of pink autumn-flowering cyclamen</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ3q3RICjavXoS7EeuVJLPShwDpfJFNsmhqbjxeFw6M4KN2gHG8bI0DYkbj24nIuqq582rvf35IWI9xNRvm5Jf-RqAwk55YvDjom-ifrk7ohP4QGxzefeKpCqgR1tergBIjoUXy_kz9b4X/s1600/20200904-lords-and-ladies650.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="366" data-original-width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ3q3RICjavXoS7EeuVJLPShwDpfJFNsmhqbjxeFw6M4KN2gHG8bI0DYkbj24nIuqq582rvf35IWI9xNRvm5Jf-RqAwk55YvDjom-ifrk7ohP4QGxzefeKpCqgR1tergBIjoUXy_kz9b4X/s1600/20200904-lords-and-ladies650.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lords & ladies glowing proudly</td></tr>
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<br />Froggarts Cottage Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04351276418561248713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431340324518457728.post-63164508716861307262020-08-25T16:19:00.000+01:002020-08-25T16:21:35.114+01:00Missing my Tuesday fix!<h3>
It's Tuesday and I'm missing my fix - my usual weekly session at Men and Women in Sheds in Loughborough.</h3>
Like most other activities its been put on hold because of the Covid thing, though hopefully opening again soon. See what we get up to at <a href="http://www.charnwoodshed.co.uk/">www.charnwoodshed.co.uk</a><br />
<br />
Pottering around the garden I see some of the things I made:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfdqgbM9qDCb9D3HYlYRXHO_-LOvSEMJUuHsDfIHjffOAUNSKeYeOlUs9x3g5v-_BfgHQ9ccdkJTQLaDKMnp2EhaGtZ4PILHsjR_YoVpfzfNcnYtaiSL3CyiyjV5YTkuM1zEIyawBtfGL_/s1600/garden-table-and-stake-store20200714_171601-650.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="498" data-original-width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfdqgbM9qDCb9D3HYlYRXHO_-LOvSEMJUuHsDfIHjffOAUNSKeYeOlUs9x3g5v-_BfgHQ9ccdkJTQLaDKMnp2EhaGtZ4PILHsjR_YoVpfzfNcnYtaiSL3CyiyjV5YTkuM1zEIyawBtfGL_/s1600/garden-table-and-stake-store20200714_171601-650.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Garden table and a store for all those awkward bamboos and stakes.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgblF0HiqcPqhLUD1nx_c3EoeO1c740__SjIaZWkfh3IXncaJ320nUYpdsbI5fpFlOWWzxmK_QnZFZSdUn2H4rfxfFL0nzz4pWgYdiSaz6hccQJ81QoxsfuMr3ORa4tpKuVcml5BY-vIMlI/s1600/garden-staging20200421_153842-600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="366" data-original-width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgblF0HiqcPqhLUD1nx_c3EoeO1c740__SjIaZWkfh3IXncaJ320nUYpdsbI5fpFlOWWzxmK_QnZFZSdUn2H4rfxfFL0nzz4pWgYdiSaz6hccQJ81QoxsfuMr3ORa4tpKuVcml5BY-vIMlI/s1600/garden-staging20200421_153842-600.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Staging for the strawberries and seed trays in the greenhouse.</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxuywxAOvEVtLOBNKU1JPMzJsRt4MtyD9BnXYvRXJ_yFOYXakB4-_3W3YnYbobujt7mcGBOvhKfqS4rv8RIrPs4JU2XGT_2u_j7EBL-0qw3JECOQVxvbONJ48t-w901-LKVm2T52MizU04/s1600/roses-in--frame20191015_164611-650.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="366" data-original-width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxuywxAOvEVtLOBNKU1JPMzJsRt4MtyD9BnXYvRXJ_yFOYXakB4-_3W3YnYbobujt7mcGBOvhKfqS4rv8RIrPs4JU2XGT_2u_j7EBL-0qw3JECOQVxvbONJ48t-w901-LKVm2T52MizU04/s1600/roses-in--frame20191015_164611-650.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A-frame to support climbing rose</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<br />Froggarts Cottage Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04351276418561248713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431340324518457728.post-65061059570491812762020-08-07T18:13:00.000+01:002020-08-07T18:13:30.418+01:00Potatoes<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigjowh3nTUPd3TUv9DrQ6uAs9VyZnIjey77EGxgxsJ6TRMquSlcTeAhFc9tipYlrMGUC4MDPO5InIMPjlwLb08l9NamM9j9aObMFzdaz9zvwYejK-LjtnwW8vPJj2ONcuoj8gmsqRBnZpO/s800/desiree-potatoes20200804-800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="Desiree potatoes harvested August 2020" border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigjowh3nTUPd3TUv9DrQ6uAs9VyZnIjey77EGxgxsJ6TRMquSlcTeAhFc9tipYlrMGUC4MDPO5InIMPjlwLb08l9NamM9j9aObMFzdaz9zvwYejK-LjtnwW8vPJj2ONcuoj8gmsqRBnZpO/w625-h351/desiree-potatoes20200804-800.jpg" title="Desiree potatoes harvested August 2020" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Desiree potatoes harvested August </td></tr>
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<b>2020 has been a pretty good year for potatoes.</b> As usual in Jan and Feb I started several pots in large containers in the conservatory and then several more in big pots and compost bags in the greenhouse. They provide a tasty early crop before the outside potatoes are ready. Santes, Desitees, Robintas saved from last year and some shop-bought organics that had started sprouting.<br />
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The rather wet spring meant the potatoes went in late March and end of April, not quite as early as I'd have liked. But even then we had a light frost in May which knocked back the early growth a bit.<br />
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First plantings were Orla and Pentland Javelin - both white earlies - followed a couple of weeks later by the Desirees. I bought fresh seed potatoes for the Orlas and Pentland Javelins and some Desirees, but I also used some Desiree tubers saved from last year. <br />
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As well as these deliberate plantings a reasonable number of what we call "feral" potatoes emerge from the vegetable beds where potatoes or bits even have been missed when we harvested last year. These actually provide some useful additions to the crop.<br />
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After harvesting I let them dry off for a couple of days, well covered with thick cardboard to prevent them going green. Then I sort into small or damaged ones - which go into the kitchen cupboard to be used right away - and good, medium and large ones which I store in sealed cardboard boxed in the garage (nice and cool). Wine boxes are great because the inside cardboard bottle spacers keep the potatoes apart and prevent any mould or rot spreading.<br />
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Very little by way of underground damage, worms ir slugs. There are some decent-sized Desirees that I'm looking forward to baking.<br />
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<br />Froggarts Cottage Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04351276418561248713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431340324518457728.post-43585561210366962702020-07-31T22:57:00.003+01:002020-07-31T22:57:54.374+01:00Carrots<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPyXTOzxscXVWJkqyqRoGHitgWOGhkqzN9NjuHaEaRM0d8-tqCcRG9wg0BVEATm6J9jJak9t39DTusvYp0AEwzPMTmKKic5RLwkY2EEQRmQFtNoP2u5D4irYLx7uJjczjTnXPuaIPY9I33/s1600/carrots20200719-800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="501" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPyXTOzxscXVWJkqyqRoGHitgWOGhkqzN9NjuHaEaRM0d8-tqCcRG9wg0BVEATm6J9jJak9t39DTusvYp0AEwzPMTmKKic5RLwkY2EEQRmQFtNoP2u5D4irYLx7uJjczjTnXPuaIPY9I33/s640/carrots20200719-800.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Royal Chantenay carrots</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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I've never had much success growing carrots. I've tried sowing them direct in the veg plots and I've tried in large pots. This year I sowed some Royal Chantenay carrot seeds in the green plastic troughs that we used to use as window boxes with geraniums in the summer. They are just the right size and the Chantenays don't need a great depth because they are small conical-shaped carrots. I raised the trough up on a double row of bricks to get them above carrot-fly range (so far so good!).<br />
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The carrots are delicious! Excellent steamed or gently microwaved. So two days ago I sowed another batch. Jo Hashman (Dirty Nails) suggested a late sowing was worthwhile, especially in a container that could be taken into the greenhouse when the weather gets wintery. I'll let you know how it goes!<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1905862326/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=0007375271&linkCode=as2&tag=realcom-21" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="amazon"><img border="0" src="https://ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1905862326&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=GB&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=realcom-21" /></a> On-the Plot - a week-by-week journal wandering through his garden with hints and tips and philosophical musings.Froggarts Cottage Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04351276418561248713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431340324518457728.post-83261125791899650492020-07-16T22:57:00.000+01:002020-07-16T22:57:51.820+01:00Bats<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbDg9_v9uhSQ9IKBE9TS6kjbC0l3IvWEyZanG1obs48dqUbZmbjC7JutQfd3-ddqDrajPHiOmU-eEkUAFImUd3Y7rdGtj7xmbfdAq8_vIgjZuuZEkWIJTHPnk0UlkOG_Ga-H1YYNeFrM59/s1600/bats2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="76" data-original-width="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbDg9_v9uhSQ9IKBE9TS6kjbC0l3IvWEyZanG1obs48dqUbZmbjC7JutQfd3-ddqDrajPHiOmU-eEkUAFImUd3Y7rdGtj7xmbfdAq8_vIgjZuuZEkWIJTHPnk0UlkOG_Ga-H1YYNeFrM59/s1600/bats2.jpg" /></a></div>
<b>Went for a gentle saunter "around the block" this evening</b> and walking along the footpath down from the Rec I was delighted to see a couple of bats.<br />
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I got back home about 10pm, made a cup of coffee and sat outside the greenhouse for a while. Several bats out hunting. Seemed to be two types, small and slightly larger.<br />
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A couple of nights ago I met a couple looking out over the meadow at the bottom of the road by the brook. They had a device that slows down the frequency of the bat calls so humans can hear them. They identified different bat species by their calls.<br />
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Good to know the bats are still around after the building up at the old school and at Yew Tree House.Froggarts Cottage Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04351276418561248713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431340324518457728.post-29169641425321709682020-07-14T22:52:00.002+01:002020-07-14T22:52:25.007+01:00Around the vegetable plots<b>After the frantic Spring digging, sowing, planting out, the vegetable garden is producing the goods.</b><br />
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Everything seems to be coming along nicely, even the runner beans are catching up after suffering from frost, slugs and rabbits. This year I've been careful to protect the sprouts and cabbages from butterflies and pigeons, using frames made from plastic cable ducting and fine-guage netting. The cable-ducting was an idea picked up from the garden at the <a href="http://www.charnwoodshed.co.uk/" target="_blank">Men & Women in Sheds at Loughborough.</a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlC1IhU0REnXxnN9TOgnxtHnt62HqcKy01Bg3z0nm1svxjwYiNGOcKR9li8tvmSVJDpw_lnhPRT3A46Y1_7v6nmugfs4SrOoRJjmDF77DMZFThqJqGmGgwZgGBXuOIU5DKwR5i4Tit-fcq/s1600/20200714_from-lh-bed800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlC1IhU0REnXxnN9TOgnxtHnt62HqcKy01Bg3z0nm1svxjwYiNGOcKR9li8tvmSVJDpw_lnhPRT3A46Y1_7v6nmugfs4SrOoRJjmDF77DMZFThqJqGmGgwZgGBXuOIU5DKwR5i4Tit-fcq/s640/20200714_from-lh-bed800.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Middle bed has peas, broad-beans, celery, cabbages, brussels sprouts<br /> - and poppies</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1hGdLxVEhdRLslHT82OlBZKVcWdsuKu9pV2gfLlu1rec0fRnsjZQzBOEIMp2FAhL_wEbIJXCml3R9C9-X_TM31-LI8bw5cQeFcehnQmdbJC5xe0WqRMY-v9Fe89U1dxzXK8P8WK2OU28s/s1600/20200714_poppies-and-veg800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1hGdLxVEhdRLslHT82OlBZKVcWdsuKu9pV2gfLlu1rec0fRnsjZQzBOEIMp2FAhL_wEbIJXCml3R9C9-X_TM31-LI8bw5cQeFcehnQmdbJC5xe0WqRMY-v9Fe89U1dxzXK8P8WK2OU28s/s640/20200714_poppies-and-veg800.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Through the poppies - view of broad beans, coming to the end now, <br />and across to the walnut trees and up to the old school.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTYcjY7KaJD0L1n2fz8oDn0O5SPEAIkxhNS8kEsdEmaBCtJ-2F8OpwjshQjOSj4YsKKlU1HTHyg3t5zIgmf2wl4seaveP5h9YyTssYip1VXS6sTe_heelYrRrdiYVGHP6BHwKvT-nUcDBW/s1600/20200714_celery800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTYcjY7KaJD0L1n2fz8oDn0O5SPEAIkxhNS8kEsdEmaBCtJ-2F8OpwjshQjOSj4YsKKlU1HTHyg3t5zIgmf2wl4seaveP5h9YyTssYip1VXS6sTe_heelYrRrdiYVGHP6BHwKvT-nUcDBW/s640/20200714_celery800.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Celery doing really well - and tasty!<br />First time we've tried growing celery, but the shop-bought stuff is full of chemicals.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6nboxgCnZMq4ecusnESyX2zUnrclOueWqJZ4qSio4OuzwRi5nVXS3vYrX2HW_YC7ROtJTPy-E7B-ijXR2olY3dXshMS8Zpnp5uvCSM7qlGZBi4JDOaP1wd9FZ8Z89CVAwyQLRjRmygR8v/s1600/20200714_right-hand-bed800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6nboxgCnZMq4ecusnESyX2zUnrclOueWqJZ4qSio4OuzwRi5nVXS3vYrX2HW_YC7ROtJTPy-E7B-ijXR2olY3dXshMS8Zpnp5uvCSM7qlGZBi4JDOaP1wd9FZ8Z89CVAwyQLRjRmygR8v/s640/20200714_right-hand-bed800.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">RH bed with rhubarb, horseradish, potatoes and runner beans on the frame at the top</td></tr>
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<br />Froggarts Cottage Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04351276418561248713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431340324518457728.post-14211440781615272982020-03-24T11:30:00.000+00:002020-03-24T11:31:19.342+00:00Goldcrest<h3>
Beautiful sunny morning - Spring is here!</h3>
and a tiny <b>Goldcrest </b>tapping on the window. He (or she) was feeding off the small aphids that are already covering the climbing rose around our front door.<br />
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I have never seen a goldcrest here before - only seen the pictures in bird books. Hope he brings his friends.<br />
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<a title="Alpsdake / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Regulus_regulus_japonensis_face.JPG"><img width="250" alt="Regulus regulus japonensis face" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bb/Regulus_regulus_japonensis_face.JPG/512px-Regulus_regulus_japonensis_face.JPG"></a>
Froggarts Cottage Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04351276418561248713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431340324518457728.post-21329898019366938882019-11-16T16:55:00.000+00:002019-11-16T16:55:07.617+00:00Walnut Trees<h3>
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What to do with Walnuts</h3>
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We have two walnut trees at the top of our garden. When we arrived in 2006 they were fairly modest, quite dainty trees. Now they are very large.<br />
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They don't come into leaf until June and have shed all by mid October so they must have pretty efficient constitutions. <br />
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We have had a few nuts in previous years but this year they have gone crazy. I've picked up off the floor 3 buckets-full and could probably find more in the long grass and under the raspberries. We were told by the previous owners of Froggarts Cottage that they aren't English walnuts, I think she said Italian. The leaves are thinner than English walnuts and the nuts inside the hulls are ridged lengthwise rather than rippled and smooth as the English nuts are.<br />
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Thought I better do a bit of research to find out what I can do with all these nuts. Turns out they are likely to be American Eastern Black walnuts."<i>junglans nigra</i>". They have smaller kernels which are tricky to get out, which is what we've found with ours. <br />
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Earlier in the year when the first nuts formed I tried pickling some but haven't yet tried eating them. For pickling walnuts need to be under-ripe with the inside shell still soft. Problem is the nuts grow high up so if this appears to be a good use we'll have to use the tall ladders to reach them. <br /><br />
Once they have fallen from the tree Googling suggests bashing the green hulls with a wooden mallet and peeling off by hand. Will need to wear gloves because they stain fingers black. <br />
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<br />Froggarts Cottage Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04351276418561248713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431340324518457728.post-21241085066340729342019-02-22T22:52:00.001+00:002019-02-22T22:52:42.910+00:00Spring?<b>The warm weather continues - 15deg C and sunny today. </b>The nights are cold and a big, bright moon - but no frost thankfully.<br />
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Its tempting to start sowing, but we've been caught like that before! However,<b> broad beans</b> are frost resistant and its good to get them going early. Sowed 8 pots of 6 beans in each. They should be fine in the unheated greenhouse. These are seeds saved from last year's harvest - masterpiece green longpod.<br />
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The peas I sowed a couple of weeks ago have just started shooting also the Navarro lettuce and the Bedford onions in trays in the conservatory.Froggarts Cottage Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04351276418561248713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431340324518457728.post-77469060251310293892019-02-15T17:57:00.001+00:002019-02-15T17:57:20.929+00:00Start of the year<b>We've had unseasonably warm weather for a week or so</b> and its due to continue for a few more days. Mind you, along with balmy sunny days we've had some early morning frosts. The rhubarb that was beginning to shoot nicely has got zapped a bit. but it will recover.<br />
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<b>The snowdrops are a joy</b> - bringing elegant brightness to the borders and all over the lawn.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCyixGJbKyShpcQ8MLAwPhUpwsGJ82E2t7pHZpKxfJrvTrk8Mk6PLt7Wo7NgaGmcQV6I1RmSw3Acx1jhKl9kLJSSe6sZhcXLw_K0GSEDKCooeCWGgs69LtniKt5ISSdnRb687mttw7AsqM/s1600/snowdrops600_161000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="364" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCyixGJbKyShpcQ8MLAwPhUpwsGJ82E2t7pHZpKxfJrvTrk8Mk6PLt7Wo7NgaGmcQV6I1RmSw3Acx1jhKl9kLJSSe6sZhcXLw_K0GSEDKCooeCWGgs69LtniKt5ISSdnRb687mttw7AsqM/s1600/snowdrops600_161000.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Trying to get an early start with potatoes </b>in the last few days of December I planted up 2 large pots of Pentland Javelins, saved from last year's harvest, and have them in the conservatory. It's too cold up in the unheated greenhouse. They have just started to show some green shoots. Last weekend I potted up some shop-bought Maris Pipers that had gone a bit green and were displaying some impressive shoots. They were not fit to eat but may make some nice new potatoes around May before the outdoors ones are ready.<br />
<br />
I've also sowed onions and lettuces in trays in the conservatory. The lettuces over-wintered in the greenhouse have pretty much finished.<br />
<br />
So the seasons move on. This will be our 14th summer at Froggarts Cottage.Froggarts Cottage Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04351276418561248713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431340324518457728.post-2918494647891643962018-09-28T09:58:00.000+01:002018-09-28T10:02:57.857+01:00Lettuces<b>This year the lettuces have been quite successful.</b><br />
<br />
I sowed Little Gem and Navarra (curly, red-tinged leaves) in trays in the greenhouse.<br />
<b> </b><br />
Mainly because of lack of space in the veg plots I decided to plant out the seedlings into some green troughs which had held bulbs and winter flowers. I have to say that apart from a couple of complete losses of the small plants right at the start they have grown well and provided the kind of small young tender lettuces we like.<br />
<br />
I came across this article about an experiment the RHS did to test out theories about popular anti-slug remedies. .<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-45652170" target="_blank">https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-45652170</a><br />
<br />
Their conclusion is that none work - but that growing lettuces in pots
reduced the damage. That's definitely my experience. I think that with
the very dry summer the plastic troughs helped to retain moisture and it
was easier to water them anyway.<br />
<br />
I did two batches this year and both have worked well so will definitiely do this again next year. I may try and keep some going in the greenhouse during the winter.<br />
<br />
See also <a href="https://www.froggartscottagegarden.co.uk/2016/07/">"Do slugs drink beer?" July 2016 post >> </a>Froggarts Cottage Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04351276418561248713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431340324518457728.post-48796582924368090882018-07-27T19:05:00.001+01:002018-07-27T19:05:23.057+01:00Picking Gooseberries in the Rain<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Nothing surprising about that maybe –<b> but this is the first
significant rain we have had since the beginning of June. </b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Following the torrential and unremitting rain we had in the
spring, when I couldn’t plant the potatoes because there was standing water 6
inches down in the soil, we have had a very hot, almost totally dry summer. All
the rain-water butts are empty so we’ve had to use the hose to water the veg
and the fruit bushes and trees almost daily, heaven knows what the water bill
will be. There are great cracks an inch wide and going down to middle earth in
the veg plots.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So I got up early this morning to do the watering before the
heat comes and was overjoyed to feel spots of rain on my face. I think it had
rained overnight – the forecast promised that but I’ve stopped believing them –
because the grass was just a little damp and the garden chairs had small
puddles on the seats.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sipping my morning coffee and with a background of rumbling
thunder I pottered around the garden, watered and tidied up the tomatoes in the
greenhouse (and picked a few) and decided to harvest the remaining
gooseberries.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We have 4 gooseberry bushes. (<a href="http://www.froggartscottagegarden.co.uk/p/soft-fruit.html">see our Soft Fruit list</a>.) 3 were here when we came 12
years ago, but are under the shadow of two large apple trees, plum trees and
the walnut trees. One of these bushes produces a reasonable crop every year,
but does suffer from the brown mouldy stuff. That’s maybe because it needs more
air and light. A few years ago I took some cuttings and we planted the one which
survived and flourished in a new row set between the blackcurrants, along with
a couple of jostaberries which some friends gave us. This new gooseberry is
doing really well and it’s that one I harvested this morning. I have taken half
a dozen cuttings this year, so hopefully will have a couple of new bushes in a
year or so.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After a slow start the jostaberries produced a few berries
last year. This year one bush has died, but the other has provided enough for
an apple, loganberry and jostaberry crumble and some to go in the freezer.
Jostaberries are like large blackcurrants without the intense flavour, are a
little sweeter and don’t have so many pips. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On returning to the house with my harvest, the heavens
opened and for a while rain poured down. But an hour later, the sun is
shining and promising another hot, hot day.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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Froggarts Cottage Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04351276418561248713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431340324518457728.post-74524375354193343732018-06-24T19:57:00.000+01:002018-06-24T19:57:04.128+01:00Weed lady!<b>I have found a fellow gardener of my own heart! </b>She seems to have produced a catalogue and encyclopaedia of our garden at <a href="http://www.gardenwithoutdoors.org.uk/weed_guide">www.gardenwithoutdoors.org.uk/weed_guide</a>.<br />
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This lady takes photos of suspected weed seedlings and records them as they grow and flower, and <b>she takes cuttings of weeds!</b><br />
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I found her website when trying to identify a horrible climbing weed that has appeared in our hedge. terrified it was knotweed - but turns out to be <b>black bryony</b>. Not so terrifying but nasty and apparently poisonous, so it's on to the bonfire for that nasty.<br />
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<br />Froggarts Cottage Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04351276418561248713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431340324518457728.post-29091610809839854842018-03-25T22:47:00.001+01:002018-03-25T22:53:17.263+01:00Summer time<h2>
Clocks went forward to summer time today </h2>
and appropriately it was a warm sunny spring day. It's the first time we've been able to get out in the garden due to the cold and very wet weather this year. There's been snow even last week, and everything is behind schedule. But this weekend the birds have started singing and things are looking up.<br />
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Yesterday I planted 60 broad beans - saved from last year's crops - in 12 pots in the greenhouse, and today I planted 48 beetroot seeds, 15 Alicate tomato seeds (favourites - tasty and good croppers) and 10 "Gardeners Delight" tomatoes which I haven't tried before. I noticed from our planting diary that most years I've had the broad beans in by early March, or even February and the tomatoes and beetroots in too. But this year it's just not felt like it was time until now.<br />
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I have some big pots of Sante potatoes in the conservatory which are now shooting nicely and 3 pots of Desiree up in the greenhouse planted a couple of weeks ago. These are all saved from last year's harvest. I've ordered up some new Desirees (red) and some Pentland Javelins (whites).<br />
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Today I was able to get started on some of the jobs in the garden. I cut back the<a href="http://www.froggartscottagegarden.co.uk/p/soft-fruit.html"> raspberries</a> and took out the dead canes, hoed our <a href="http://www.froggartscottagegarden.co.uk/2016/06/another-busy-weekend.html">rhubarb bed</a> - which are all looking pretty good - and started digging over the veg beds. The soil is pretty wet still and the<a href="http://www.froggartscottagegarden.co.uk/2013/01/wet-wet-wet.html"> green pipe and waterfall</a> are in full flow.<br />
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Lots to do!<br />
<br />Froggarts Cottage Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04351276418561248713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431340324518457728.post-45826282920812188802017-12-31T12:14:00.003+00:002017-12-31T12:16:27.797+00:00End of year round up<h2>
Well that was 2017!</h2>
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A very strange year all round what with Trump and Brexit and the Weinstein fall-out, as well as all the problems out in the far east.</div>
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In the garden our efforts were much hampered by needing to spend a lot of time with an elderly neighbour, general care and keeping her company and also a lot of legal stuff. So the garden is a real mess - but will come up looking great in the spring as it always does.</div>
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The end of the year has been cold and wet. We had some serious snow and then rain, freezing and further snow. Today the soil is still frozen, so there's not much to be done. Yesterday while the sun was shining briefly I cleared out the spent tomatoes from the greenhouse. I was harvesting ripe tomatoes right up to the end of November.<br />
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Generally the year was fairly good for vegetables and absolutely crazy for fruit.</h3>
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Potatoes</h4>
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The early warm weather meant that the potatoes grew pretty well and harvested before any blight attack, and unlike last year they didn't drown. I just planted two varieties this year - Desiree reds and white Sante. The Desirees were really good with some nice big ones good for baking, the Santes a bit small but OK. There were very few worm holes or other kind of pest problem. The Desirees have kept well too.</div>
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Beans</h4>
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All the beans were all pretty good - French climbing, runner beans and broad beans. This year I planted <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">"</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Fasold"</span> French beans and they were great. I won't bother with the Blue Lake again.<br />
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Beetroot</h4>
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The first sowing was really good. I sow the seeds in modules and then plant them out in the veg patch. They all grew well, I think because of the warm weather. Most of the second batch are still out there, didn't grow so quickly, but will provide a few serving during January I should think.<br />
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Chard</h4>
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I bought the wrong packet of seeds - Rhubarb Chard instead of Rainbow Chard - but still pretty tasty and continuing to produce dark green leaves on their red stems to replace those harvested. They've taken a battering during the snow but are starting to shoot again already for meals during the winter.<br />
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Brussels Sprouts</h4>
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Well, they started out fine, all seedlings surviving. I erected a netting cage to keep off the butterflies and pigeons and pheasants. But they really haven't done too well. They haven't grown very tall and the sprouts are the size of peas. However, we've had a few meals of sprout tops and they were very tasty. Hasn't helped that the strong winds during the autumn and the snow just before Christmas collapsed the cage!<br />
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Soft fruit</h4>
All the currants did well. We netted the redcurrants and one row of the blackcurrants and got a good crop off both. The gooseberries were good, especially the new bush which I took as a cutting a few years ago - it's really got into it's stride now. The jostaberries also produced - but I don't really think they are worthwhile. They don't have the flavour of blackcurrants.<br />
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The raspberries did very well at the beginning of the year, the fruit produced on last year's canes. This year's canes weren't so good, probably because it was cooler and much wetter by the time the fruit formed.<br />
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My strawberry plants have increased and we had some lovely fruit (Elsante). I took more cuttings.<br />
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Rhubarb</h4>
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We completed the <a href="http://www.froggartscottagegarden.co.uk/2016/06/another-busy-weekend.html">clearing of the first rhubarb bed </a>and transplanted about 9 plants. We treated them with some care to let them get established, but still managed a few pies and crumbles and some rhubarb and redcurrant jam.<br />
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Apples</h4>
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Amazing! More apples than we could eat, cook up, freeze or give away. Especially amazing because last year was a good apple year and some varieties like Bramleys tend to be one-year-on one-year-off. We have put some in store but some varieties don't keep.<br />
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Pears</h4>
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The pears produced a good crop for the first time in years. They've been devastated by some fungal / bacterium thing which makes the little fruit turn black and drop off. For about 3 years I've been spraying the trees with a "winter wash" which is supposed to kill off such diseases and also eggs of moths and such which would turn into worms in the fruit. Maybe this has had some effect, or maybe just the weather - who knows? - but I'll be out there spraying again during January and again before the blossom forms.<br />
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Plums</h4>
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Mixed. We have 4 plum trees of different varieties and a damson. One plum tree which we had given up for dead two years ago produced some lovely fruit, as did the purple plum which makes excellent jam. But the big plum tree (produces BIG PLUMS) was not so good, despite there being very few wasps this year. The wasps usually get to these luscious fruits before we do. The damsons were productive as usual, and we are enjoying damson vodka and vodka-soaked damson chocolates!<br />
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Cherries</h4>
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We have a large, wild cherry tree which the birds love. We once managed to pick enough to make jam, but we don't usually bother and leave them to our feathered friends. The morello cherry produced about 12 cherries which were carefully observed and eaten by the birds when they were just ripe (before we got up in the morning). The Stella cherry is still getting going with only a few, quite tasty, fruits.<br />
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Well that was 2017 - so now it's time to start planning 2018!</h3>
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Froggarts Cottage Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04351276418561248713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431340324518457728.post-6310996107246701612017-07-31T15:48:00.001+01:002017-12-31T12:18:14.940+00:00French beans<b>We're having a really good crop of climbing French beans this year. </b>After a couple of disappointing years (last year we had none, despite two sowings of beans from different suppliers) this year has been outstanding.<br />
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I have always planted Blue Lake before, but this year I bought "<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Fasold". These are climbing French beans with rather lovely mauve flowers. Every bean I planted in pots germinated and nearly all survived after planting out. Immediately after planting out they got chopped, as did the Runner Beans. I suspect slugs but could have been <a href="http://www.froggartscottagegarden.co.uk/2017/05/" target="_blank">rabbits that had taken up residence in our Rhubarb patch.</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But after that initial set-back they've all climbed up the bamboo supports and produced loads of beans - quite a bit longer pods than the Blue Lake - and very tasty. Here's some I harvested earlier...</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAdgraDbtZQfuyBJP5Oiq9pdtNn8j4faLV0t_5nqar_xuTWuHN66LJyVtYKHeRM5ZPp8CNl8DmTJGoSVEzJJgprNnaU4q_0XbNkXGWdBnKKYOeDGBtfSgloHFGYhEpeAr33Eik9cG5uK5B/s1600/french-beans-600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="372" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAdgraDbtZQfuyBJP5Oiq9pdtNn8j4faLV0t_5nqar_xuTWuHN66LJyVtYKHeRM5ZPp8CNl8DmTJGoSVEzJJgprNnaU4q_0XbNkXGWdBnKKYOeDGBtfSgloHFGYhEpeAr33Eik9cG5uK5B/s1600/french-beans-600.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Fasold" climbing French beans</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>Froggarts Cottage Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04351276418561248713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1431340324518457728.post-2196225014421900392017-07-24T10:39:00.003+01:002017-07-24T10:47:38.624+01:00Garden Gallery<b>Very warm, proper summer but with occasional downpours - June was a great month for the garden. </b>See this collage of shots around the garden, mostly in the vegetable area with brilliant, self-sown poppies sneaking in.The Desiree( large reds) potatoes had masses of pretty mauve flowers. Now in July they've turned into tiny fruits. I've started lifting them and they are looking pretty good so far.<br />
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The Sante (white) potatoes are much better than last year, <a href="http://www.froggartscottagegarden.co.uk/2016/06/drowning-spuds.html" target="_blank">when they mostly drowned,</a> but some have been chewed by slugs so I'm going to lift them as fast as I can and store the best ones in cardboard boxes in the garage to use over the winter. I've also tipped out one of the big pots with potatoes (pots pots?) and they are fine. No slugs or worms and I'm wondering if it's a better method than planting in the ground, but probably harder work filling the pots and then keeping them watered. At least the garden-grown potatoes can send roots down if there's a dry spell. Froggarts Cottage Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04351276418561248713noreply@blogger.com0