How Do You Weed Yours?

Have been cropping more than just small holding quantities this month! We've gone all industrial and brought in the hay - vintage style!  

 

Poor Farmer John has had a dicky leg for a good few months now, but still thinking he's a young pup got himself in a fix a few weeks ago when he fell and knocked himself out chasing the young un's outside the pub. Witnessing it left us all very shaken and more aware of the vulnerability of his age than we ever had  been.

The next day we went to see him with some food, only to find him out in the fields, bloody bandage still on, bringing in the hay. "Ye can't waste a good day lass," was his response to our chiding that about needing rest. So we humped in the bales with his son-in-law until there were none left. My experience of crop farming in the past had been charging around in big shiny tractors and trailers with back wheels on them bigger than me, having fun until the job was done. Working on Johns farm felt like a step back in time! Amazing to think that with just a little more time and patience you can still get the job done without the latest technology and best equipment, just a little harder graft! And to be honest, I think we enjoyed it all the more! 

I will confess, I have always had help with weeding the flower beds, the ones actually in the ground with the real soil that is. My containers and raised beds with compost in are dead easy to do, the weeds don't seem to get in so deep - so obviously I grow more in those! Maybe Steve didn't know what he was doing either (although that I very much doubt!) I suspect he was just to polite to correct my gung-ho throw it all away style and made the best of the job he could! Joan, however, was less passive, and upon catching me weeding asked what on earth I was doing! "You don't just throw shovelfuls of soil out with the weeds!" she told me, laughing her head off! I was so embarrassed at my apparent wasteful ignorance that I giggled inanely and took off with my wheelbarrow to hide the evidence before anyone else saw! Wish I had asked actually asked her how you were supposed to weed! I'm now guessing that just shoveling compost on top of all the soil I take out isn't quite right. So is weeding like eating a cream egg? Is everyone is different or am I missing something really obvious? Pray tell me, please, how do you weed yours?

Sutton's seeds were right about calendula being a favorite with kids as its really easy to grow - even I managed it! Its simple daisy like flowers are a beautiful dense orange, and its bloomed all of our short growing season, with buds still on yet! Will definitely grow that again next year. 

Cosmea was a favorite as well, simply stunning plentiful plants, and the range of colour is fantastic. Slower to come through are the rudbeckia. Checking back through the blog, I sowed them in February, but the flowers are only threatening to come out now. Shame as they looked stunning in the gardeners world show - clearly the problem is me!! Next year if I grow them again think I will feed them every day and try a sunnier spot! 

 

The tomatoes have also taken their time coming though, but what they lacked in August quality they will certainly make up for in September quantity! Little green baby toms are coming on every day - can't wait to get my greedy paws onto them when they ripen!

More than just green fingers!

Never mind green fingers! I have green hands this week!! With the park opening looming for another season, Johnny & I have been scrabbling around like wee rats trying to get the place looking perfect. My job yesterday was to paint the outhouse floors British racing green! Hope it sticks to the floors as well as it's stuck to my poor skin!!!

Tunelessly blasting out whatever parts I knew to random songs that came into my head and of course, shamelessly flashing my builders bum at the whole of the courtyard (stops any customers coming over for a chat!) I merrily got on with the job in hand! 

It got really gusty outside, so had to shut the door to stop the whirlwind of leaves trying to get onto my lovely glistening floor. When I finally made my way across the room, everything was painted except for the outline of my feet.... literally, my hiking boots will never be the same again! Tried to push open the door..... Nothing happened. Thinking it was just a bit stuck, I rammed it with my shoulder, bearing in mind that I couldn't move my feet, or spill the paint, or drop my phone on the floor or in the tin of paint. It was at this point I realised I really needed a wee. 

Use your phone dum dum you think..... I eventually thought of that too, after the total panic had subsided.... but it had no reception! How rude!! Phone now also green. Gave up trying to use my initiative and yelled help like the feeble woman that I am until a sniggering Johnny finally came to the rescue and let me out. He has no idea how I got stuck in there. Figures 'someone' must have sneaked up and locked me in on purpose, just must not have heard them as I was singing so loudly....... Hmmmm....... 

The broccoli and african marigolds space hoppers are growing great guns now!!! The Space Hoppers are the smaller seedlings. Bit worried that they both may be bolting a bit though. They are not under cover at all, get turned every day, and are on a south facing window. What do you think? I always imagined broccoli to be really squat and just get fatter and fatter every day. Didn't imagine them starting of little thin things! Guess I have more in common with them than I thought.... Green skin.... Growing round as I age.... Hope I taste as nice!!! Not that I want to be eaten. That wouldn't be good! Anyhow... moving on!!!! Can now see 2 teeny tiny shoots on the rudbeckia sowings as well! She is finally coming out!

Off to try and scrub these poor hands some more! Not sure I like being a broccoli!