Thursday 14 April 2011

The best way to sow parsnip seeds.

The best way to sow parsnips:

One technique is to sow along a half-inch deep drill in the soil and then thin out to one plant every six inches.

The other is to sow three seeds at a time every six inches and later thin the seedlings to leave one parsnip at each station.

Monday 11 April 2011

Dwarf beans. (French Bean).

- do not need staking.
- during the Autumn or Winter dig in old compost or well rotted manure
- in the spring add some organic fertilizer.
- seed should never be sown if the soil is wet and cold
- never pour water in the drill at sowing time, water under cloches when the plants are 15cm (6in) high.
– sow under cloches (Put cloches in place two weeks before sowing to warm up the ground.)
- in late March or early April for a harvest in June in a cold frame 5cm (2in) apart and 5cm deep
- transplant seedlings towards the end of May, 22.5cm (9in) between plants and rows 45.5cm (18in) apart
- time between sowing and harvesting - about 10-12 weeks
- sow the next crop in May without glass, so every three weeks from April to the middle of July.

Sunday 10 April 2011

Radishes

Radishes -
- a growing companion to other vegetables such as peas or beans
- 'Champion'. Very easy to grow, it produces medium-sized ruby-red radishes which are both crunchy and tangy. An excellent choice.
- a very well-dug soil to a depth of 15cm (6in) with no stones or fresh compost in it.
- For summer varieties, begin sowing in mid-April and continue at three week intervals to September.
- For winter varieties, begin sowing at the end of July at three week intervals to September.
- about 3cm apart is ideal and rake in or cover with a centimetre of soil.
- They can be ready in as little as 18 days from sowing, although 20-30 days is more usual.
- they are a brassica

Thursday 7 April 2011

Green manure | Plants | Gardening Blog | Talk | BBC Gardeners' World

Green manure | Plants | Gardening Blog | Talk | BBC Gardeners' World: "There are a few green manures to sow now, suitable for a range of soil types:

1. Grazing rye (Secale cereale) improves soil structure. Sow from August to November and dig in the following spring.

2. Winter field bean (Vicia faba) is good nitrogen fixer for heavy soils. Sow from September to November.

3. Mustard (Sinapis alba) is a brassica, so should not be followed by other brassicas in your crop rotation, as this can lead to the build up of diseases such as club root. Gardeners in the south can still sow it now, but those up north should wait until spring.

4. Red clover (Trifolium pratense) is good for loamy soils and fixes nitrogen. Its flowers are a great food source for bumblebees. Again, gardeners down south can probably get away with sowing it now, those up north should sow winter beans instead."

Wednesday 6 April 2011

Планирование Участка.

Что бы отложить прямой угол, достаточно куска веревки!
Берете веревку длиной 12 метров плюс еще чуть-чуть – чтобы связать концы узлом. То есть после связывания длина веревочного кольца должна быть ровно 12 метров. Теперь краской или фломастером наносим на веревку метки. Узел возьмем за первую точку, вторую метку ставим через 3 метра, третью – еще через 4. В результате на веревке отмечены три куска длиной 3, 4 и 5 метров.
Вам нужно отложить перпендикуляр к забору в определенной точке? Вбиваем в эту точку колышек. Второй вбиваем тоже около забора на расстоянии трех метров от первого. Надеваем на них веревочное кольцо так, чтобы метки, отмечающие трехметровый отрезок веревки, легли на эти колышки. А теперь отходим, держа в пальцах последнюю метку до тех пор, пока веревка не натянется. Четырехметровый отрезок будет идти по отношению к забору ровно под прямым углом. Сумма квадратов катетов равна квадрату гипотенузы.


Это взяла отсюда:
s0no: Про дачу. Еще раз о планировке участка, а также о стиле и тяжелой болезни: "чтобы отложить прямой угол, достаточно куска веревки"

Mulch your garden


The types of mulch are varied and can be anything organic or inorganic.
  • Straw/Hay/Lucerne – These are great to put around fruit trees and look great in cottage gardens. They’re inexpensive materials and will keep down weeds very effectively. The best way to apply this type of mulch is to first put down some blood and bone fertiliser around the base of the tree. Overlay this with some newspaper to cover the spread of the tree and then cover the paper with sheep or horse manure (slow-release fertiliser). Finally apply the straw densely over the manure and water in.
  • How to mulch

    • Before mulching make sure the site is clear of weeds and the soil is moist. Water if necessary as it's difficult to wet dry soil through a layer of mulch.
    • Fill up a wheelbarrow with your chosen mulch and spread a 5cm (2in) layer around plants or across the soil with a spade, leaving a little gap around the stems of plants.
    • Rake to a level finish.

Sunday 3 April 2011

We are sowing seeds...

...I cannot put into words how much I am enjoying spending time in the garden.
We are sowing:

What to grow in your allotment.

What to grow in your allotment - Times Online:
carrots
cabbage
calabrese
potatoes
quick-growing salads

cold frame: Try beans
peas,
radishes,
onions,
salad leaves
beetroot.

- need lots of watering:
Courgettes,
tomatoes,
squashes and
pumpkins