Gardening Sister

Papaver somniferum

noreply@blogger.com (gardening _sister) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 08:52:00 +0000

Thanks to Mr. Mcgregor's daughter who identified this beauty as Papaver somniferum or common name Bread Seed Poppy. Stupid question but are these the little black seeds on bread rolls?

After reading up on it also seems to be commonly known as an Opium poppy. I didn't know these grew over here in England, i thought these type of poppies were some sort of tropical plant that only grew in hot countries for drugs etc. It is growing in the shadiest part of the garden although it apparently prefers a sunny location, i think a bird must have dropped the seed.

Unidentified Flowering Plant

noreply@blogger.com (gardening _sister) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:56:00 +0000

Can anyone tell me what this plant it? It was not in the garden last year and i have no idea where it has come from. I liked the look of the leaves so let it grow and it just kept on growing and growing. It now stands 4 foot tall has numerous flower heads and the flower stalks have fine thorns on them that you may just be able to make out from the picture. I hope someone out there can help me out and identify it.

Organic Slug Control

noreply@blogger.com (gardening _sister) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:00:00 +0000

I was out pottering outside in the garden and i could hear rustling, in the overgrown grass. At first i couldn't make out what it was (yup the eyesight ain't as good as it once was!) Then out the corner of my eye i saw them... "Meet the Frogger's" two of 'em clambering alongside the greenhouse. Frogs, my organic slug control, i think they had come in from next doors garden because as soon as they saw me they were off hopping and diving back under the fence.

So that's it,my next project is making a wildlife pond in the plot to encourage them and other beneficials into the garden. I have got an old Belfast sink that i want to use for the project, I don't have alot of space but if anyone has got any ideas or suggestions i would welcome them.

I keep up to speed with the other blogs that i like to read, but I've really not kept on top of mine , sometimes life gets in the way, other times i just don't have anything to say, but a month is way too long without an update!

Ripe for the picking.

noreply@blogger.com (gardening _sister) — Sat, 31 May 2008 11:37:00 +0000

The sweet strawberry aroma that greeted me as i went into the greenhouse was just too much. All thoughts of taking a photo of the big juicy red berries for my blog went entirely out of the window. I picked the best of the bunch for my tea, then went back with my camera, talk about doing stuff in reverse!

The variety is "Elsanta," i got them last year as a pack of six seedlings, which did fruit, though i wasn't that impressed with them.

They have just sat in the greenhouse and i haven't paid them much attention really, just the occasional watering when i remembered. I even thought about composting them to free up some room in the greenhouse but when i saw the flower buds i decided to give them another chance. Am i glad i did or what? They are so deliciously sweet, from now on i will be nurturing them all the way! Now where did i put that cream?

My Veg Plot.

noreply@blogger.com (gardening _sister) — Sat, 24 May 2008 15:35:00 +0000

After procrastinating for long enough, the bottom of the garden has been fenced off to keep the dog off what is to become my home allotment. I have already got a couple of raised beds down there which i grew stuff in last year.
The two guys that made it happen! Notice the supervisor overseeing the work from the chair, ha ha. The partners in crime are my DH and daughters boyfriend. They both worked really hard that day. No post auger just a spade and a lot of sweat. They hit bricks and coal while digging out for the posts but tenacity won the day.
Finally posts in and boards on.
now the work is down to me on this side of the fence!

Not a bad size to grow some veg's, i feel like i got my own allotment. After years of gardening in a small courtyard with containers and grow bags this area seems huge!

noreply@blogger.com (gardening _sister) — Sat, 24 May 2008 15:20:00 +0000

In the far corner of my plot I had an area that had been neglected and used last year as a bit of a dumping ground for lawn clippings, pruning's and leaves, after i had gotten out the old branches that hadn't rotted down i was left with the most workable dark rich soil, in fact the best bit of soil in the garden. I decided to use this as my potato patch and 10 days ago, in went 20 well chitted Kestrel seed potatoes.

Because i am working on a heavy clay soil with crap drainage, in wet weather its waterlogged in dry weather it bakes hard and deep cracks appear on the surface. My long term plan is to grow most stuff in raised beds, but there's still loads to do and i reckon it will be a bit hit and miss this year as to how successful my growing efforts will be as i am having to put anything else i want to grow straight in the ground, with some exceptions such as the cucumbers going into grow bags

noreply@blogger.com (gardening _sister) — Sat, 24 May 2008 15:14:00 +0000

This year I've got white and red onion sets and garlic occupying about a quarter of the space of one bed in the other half of the bed i am going to transplant my leeks that i grew from seed and squeeze in some peas at the end.
I have got butternut squash and french beans ready to go into the other raised bed. i'm lucky to have a friendly neighbour that has supplied me with well rotted manure which i have already dug in a couple of weeks ago in anticipation for the massive squash and bean harvest! I hope :)

Out of Hibernation

noreply@blogger.com (gardening _sister) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 12:31:00 +0000

well it's been a long 3 months since i posted, but i have finally come out of hibernation and ready to get to work in the garden. The bulbs i planted are looking good but a bit sparse in places because of the bulb thief. There is a lot of clearing up to do as i want to clear the far end corner of the garden to hopefully put in my potatoes which I've got chitting ready.

i bought some Rainbow heirloom Mix, Tomato seeds while on holiday in America which I'm gonna try out this season and also Ruby Queen Sweetcorn so it will be interesting to see how these do here in Yorkshire.

Happy New Year.

noreply@blogger.com (gardening _sister) — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 09:49:00 +0000

It's snowing!!! but i can't help thinking it is 10 days late for that elusive traditional white Christmas as depicted on most of the cards of the season.

There isn't much happening in my garden at the minute but covered in a thick blanket of white felt, it looks beautiful. The sky still looks like they may be more snow to come so I will be snapping away with my camera.

December tulips and daffodils???

noreply@blogger.com (gardening _sister) — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 11:55:00 +0000

I have a pot by my back door and I planted it up with tulips and daffodils in October the same time I planted out the rest of the bulbs into the garden. I noticed this morning that the ones in the pot have started to come up. Does this seems way too early??
I have checked the rest of the garden and they doesn't seem to be any sign of the other bulbs growing. Though I know the squirrel has managed to kyfe a few of them he can't have got them all. So.... has anyone else got bulbs coming up? Do i cover them over with more soil or do I leave them?

magical muck

noreply@blogger.com (gardening _sister) — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 09:12:00 +0000

Because this is the first time i have had a garden, it is also my first time composting and i can't wait to see how it turns out. I got the bin free from the council and i gotta say i love the whole composting idea, helping the environment and hopefully getting rich sweet smelling compost for the plants next season.
The bin is three quarters full but I'm not sure if i should be turning the contents as yet?
I'm thinking i might just lift the bin and mix the stuff up a little, i have seen compost activator on sale, does anyone use it? I read on this site the best thing to do is pee on it, i aint done that yet but thinking of giving it a go,has anyone else? I'll see how it looks after its been turned!

sugar frosted pansies

noreply@blogger.com (gardening _sister) — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 14:13:00 +0000

The icy fingers of jack frost had traced its way around pansies in the hanging baskets.
The garden is looking pretty miserable today all grey and gloomy, I checked on the plants overwintering in the green house and the geraniums are still flowering. I'm not sure if i should be cutting them back ready for spring, but I think I'll just enjoy the last flush of colour.

here's a fun quiz to test your knowledge on eating flowers

http://my.funtrivia.com/playquiz/quiz193667162d270.html

I got 9 out of 15 so it looks like I need to do my homework!

Let me know your score.

Magpie

noreply@blogger.com (gardening _sister) — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 13:21:00 +0000

I would really like a better camera, that can zoom and take clearer photo's, or it could be my tecnique, so we will move on!

This magpie looked so cute sitting on the T.V. aerial surveying its territory, probably keeping its eye open for sparkly jewels to snatch and decorate the nest with. Hey, I can relate to that, i also like bits of bling to hang in my nest and garden!

One for sorrow,

Two for joy,

Three for a girl,

Four for a boy,

Five for silver,

Six for gold,

Seven for a secret

Never to be told

Eight for a wish

nine for a kiss

Ten for a bird

You must not miss

oooooo

As kids we used to sing this rhyme whenever we saw a Magpie, as back in the 70's there was a children's programme on called Magpie, whose mascot was a Magpie called "Murgatroyd". At the end of the show they put the above words to music as the credits rolled. Remembering back to those halcyon days, you were either a Magpie fan or Blue Peter fan. For the record, I was a hip Magpie fan!

update on ladybird problem (Harmonia axyridis)

noreply@blogger.com (gardening _sister) — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 20:51:00 +0000

OK the ladybird problem we had in my daughters bedroom is still happening. We are still finding them nearly every day but nowhere near as many. It got ridiculous, they were appearing as quick as we was getting rid of them. They release this stuff called reflex blood when you try to pick them up and it stains yellow and smells unpleasant, and it was driving us all mad! In a week of us having the problem it had gone from "oh look at the cute ladybird," to "arrrggghhh get rid of the bug!"

The update is, we found a hole outside in the brickwork and cemented it up so I'm hoping that was their point of entry, and I'm thinking that although we are still finding them, they might have got in before we filled in the hole so hopefully it will dwindle.

If anyone else is having a problem this year or has had one in the past, I'd be interested to know how you dealt with it.

Bulb Thief

noreply@blogger.com (gardening _sister) — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 14:49:00 +0000

For the past few days i have been seeing the earth disturbed in the flower beds where i recently planted the bulbs. I thought it was the local neighbourhood cats having a scratch around. Then i caught this squirrel red handed digging away, and here is his mugshot. He definitely has balls of steel and attitude, he just ran up the fence and sat looking while the dog was barking herself into a frenzy. he then flicked his tail ( i think i know what that means in squirrel language!) and slowly skipped off, no doubt laughing to himself!

My bargain plants.

noreply@blogger.com (gardening _sister) — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 15:59:00 +0000

Yesterday i went with DH to the local DIY shed, while he was mooching around the tool section, i took myself outside to look at the plants and stuff. I'm so glad i did as they were selling off a selection of houseplants, so this is my bargain find...the small Creeping Fig was 50p, the Boston Fern £2 including the ceramic plant pot it came in, and the spider plant was £1. Then just as i was thinking how well i had done, i looked down and spied this cute little bonsai tree a snip at £2. I'm not sure what the tree is so if anyone knows please tell me.

Dad's Sky

noreply@blogger.com (gardening _sister) — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 20:32:00 +0000

Looking out of the loft window at sunset, over the field that backs on to my house.

The camera really doesn't captivate the full beauty of the colours but it is still a beautiful sight.
My dad was a deep sea fisherman originally from Aberdeen in Scotland but made his home here in Hull, and he used to say " a red sky at night sailors delight, a red sky in morning, sailors warning."

Beanz meanz Heinz

noreply@blogger.com (gardening _sister) — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 10:01:00 +0000

I took this pic while rummaging in the garage and was amazed by how fat it was. I googled to find out more and found it is a common British garden spider called Araneus diadematus or as my daughter calls it "the bean with legs." i just hope there ain't another 57 varieties lodging in there.

Extreme Makeover

noreply@blogger.com (gardening _sister) — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 17:03:00 +0000

Jack was an only vine fruit, no siblings and as you can see a little on the plain side.
He decided on an extreme makeover to help make him shine
after intricate surgery and hours of planning,
he was ready to unveil his new look
HAPPY HALLOWEEN

The bulbs are in!

noreply@blogger.com (gardening _sister) — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 15:57:00 +0000

Got the bulbs in and used one of those bulb planter tools, wow was i impressed i got the job done in half the time. I have put the red hot pokers at the bottom of the garden in the hope they will grow but because it is north facing i think maybe I'm hoping too much as i think they prefer a bit more sun, but I'll see how they get on. Apart from the bulbs in the picture, i got hold of some beautiful Fritillaria Meleagris I have always admired these when I've seen them in other gardens. I got a real bargain as well £2 for 15 bulbs. I also bought some dwarf mixture tulips and daffodils and have planted them up in clumps here and there as well as in a planter box by my back door.

Finished clearing one of my vegetable beds and I've covered it over with old carpet, hope fully stopping any weeds from seeding in it. Then i went back out and guess what? Gypsy (my dog) had been right in there and re dug and uplifted the bits of carpet i had laid down. Yup gardening must run in the family! Needless to say i wasn't very happy at the mess she had caused but i had to laugh at her muddy face and i got my own back by giving her a bath!

I also emptied the hanging baskets and replanted them up with ivy and winter pansies.

Problem with Harmonia axyridis (Harlequin Ladybird)

noreply@blogger.com (gardening _sister) — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 19:25:00 +0000

For the last few weeks i have been having a problem with harlequin ladybirds in my daughters bedroom. They just seem to appear on the ceiling and window, even though the window has not been open in a while. They have appeared in numbers ranging from one to nine at the moment. I have tried looking for their point of entry but had no joy in finding it. I know they must be getting in somewhere but i haven't a clue!

Although my daughter isn't keen on creepy crawlies in general she used to love ladybirds. The problem is when she is going to bed on an night, any that are in her room seem to take to flying around when the light goes on and they seem to crash land. The thought of them crash landing on her bed is enough to put her off sleeping in there. It just seems odd that they are congregating in her room, when we used to see the odd ones in the garden it was a case of "ah how cute is that ladybird" but it is a whole new ballgame now they are squatting in the bedroom!

I have checked the seal around the window and it seems secure but i know i am obviously missing something as they are getting in somewhere.

Has anyone else had this problem and if so how did you get rid of the infestation. My daughter has taken to sleeping downstairs on some occasions because of this and i really would appreciate any advice.

The louder you scream the faster you go...

noreply@blogger.com (gardening _sister) — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 20:42:00 +0000

Last week the annual Hull Fair arrived. It is the largest travelling fair in Europe and it has become a tradition in Hull. http://www.hullfair.net/ui/historyhome.htm this site has some great facts.

I remember going to Hull Fair when i was a small girl and the magic and excitement as October drew closer was all me and my friends could talk about. Daring each other to go on the biggest ride and winning a goldfish in a plastic bag full of water on the side shows. The latter got banned as it was cruel, many of the fish ended up dumped because there was nowhere to put them while the kids still wanted to ride the roundabouts.

My favourite rides were the Speedway, standing up against the bar as it sped around and around, The Waltzers spinning cars till you was dizzy and sick, and with no safety restraints! Health and Safety was not as keen in the 1970's as they are today!

This year when i went i thought how i had changed, instead of getting excited to be going on the rides i was more excited to be taking the pictures, jeez i suppose that tells me I'm getting old and boring!

autuminal colours

noreply@blogger.com (gardening _sister) — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 20:21:00 +0000

American Style

noreply@blogger.com (gardening _sister) — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 09:23:00 +0000

I think one of the major jobs next year is to create some kind of porch back way in the garden. We have got decking laid as ya walk out but I would like some sort of roof/cover so that i can enjoy being out there sheltered doing stuff in the winter months. Some of the American houses with their porches look fab, in fact i like the traditional American style of housing full stop.

Oysters for tea.

noreply@blogger.com (gardening _sister) — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 15:14:00 +0000

I inoculated two logs with mycelium dowels last September/October time, one was shitake and the other Oyster mushroom. I put them behind some bushes at the back of the garden so they would stay damp and cool and this morning this was the site that greeted me.