Nathan's Garden

Bean and pea sowing

2012-01-23T15:01:00.000Z

Today has been a good day for sowing and potting up. Eight trays each of peas and broad beans. Looking forward to planting these in the garden soon. The weather's still a bit cold for me so I have them waiting in trays for the big plant out.
I also made time for potting up a few Geraniums which I hope to pop outside the front door and sell to passers by. I took cuttings back in August and they have grown so quick. All proceeds go to my designated charity (my back garden).

Christmas.

2011-12-28T17:08:00.000Z

This year was a great year for gardening presents. Santa brought me plenty of bird food, bird feeders and seeds. The birds will love my garden this year. A nice new watering can arrived too. I'm a bit of a snob but I'm fed up of plastic cans so asked for a galvanised one instead. Should last a while.

As well as these great gifts I received a beer making kit and some Demi Johns. There is beer brewing as I write. When it's ready I will have about five days to drink it before it goes off. That'll be a great weekend!

Merry Christmas everyone

2011-12-24T18:22:00.002Z

and a prosperous New Year.

I know what Santa's bringing!

2011-12-22T20:25:00.000Z

Arriving home from work tonight I spied a wrapped present in the shape of a watering can. This could be either very stupid or very clever wrapping. Stupid, if it is a watering can or very clever if it's really a pair of slippers or a DVD player.

My rainy day off.

2011-12-07T20:21:00.000Z

I've been waiting for my two days off for ages now. Just when I think I'm going to be outside the weatherman is warning me of rain and storm force winds. Why can't I have a bit of luck for once? So, no gardening means Christmas shopping instead. Off over to the Mall at Cribbs Causeway to indulge in some retail therapy (phtt, I hate shopping. I'll get it done in about half an hour and be back home with my feet up in front of the telly).

At least this year I won't leave my present buying until Christmas eve!

All I want for Christmas is?

2011-12-01T12:17:00.000Z

I'm sat at my pc trying to work out what I want for Christmas. I need to make a list. So far I've thought about a home brew kit (something to keep me busy during the winter). The big day will be here before I know it so I need your help. I'd like to have a few gardening gifts for around £10 - £20 to put on the list. Any suggestions?

Time in the garden

2011-11-29T20:29:00.000Z

I've the next two days off. What will I do? It would be a good opportunity to do some proper tidying. The shed could do with reorganising and so could the garage. I'm going for a breakfast first thing with an old friend so that will set me up for a great day in the garden.

Hopefully I'll get time to get to the garden centre and see if they have any reduced plants for sale. Last year I bought some empty pots of soil for around 10p each. The guy in the store said I could have them because they had died in the cold weather. Little did he know, they were perennials and had just gone to sleep. I managed to get about fifteen or so lupins and hollyhocks. Let's hope he still works there.

I just don't know what to do with myself.

2011-11-27T21:38:00.000Z

The days have shortened and it's colder than a witches boob. I work until six and don't get home until half past. That's no time at all to get into the garden this time of year. I have thought about investing in a miner's helmet to help me see in the dark, but I worried what the neighbours will think. What can I do to help me pass the time? What do other gardeners do this time of year?

Pepper-ama

2011-11-25T21:34:00.000Z

My last few measly peppers! Why do I bother tending and nurturing for 6 months for such a pitiful harvest?
Next year I'm going to grow giant pumpkins again. A couple of years back I couldn't move for enormous orange gourds. At least they look after themselves too. I just got to try and get used to pumpkin pie, urghh!

Leaf mould

2011-11-22T15:18:00.000Z

After clearing up the leaves from the garden I jammed them into some old bags I had lying around. I'm hoping that next year I'll have lots of lovely mulch to lay around my veggies. After a good few hours of leaf collecting, I felt a bit disappointed that I'd ran out of leaves. Is it wrong to sneak into next doors garden and pinch his leaves?

Only 5 bags? Pathetic!

Pickle wants to know why his Dad is photographing bags of leaves.

The hedgehogs are back!

2011-11-18T20:28:00.000Z

It's been a long time since I last saw these spikey little chaps wandering around the garden, munching on slugs and nicking cat food.
I decided it was about time to remove my home-made "hog box" and plant something in it's place. On lifting the lid I was greeted with the sight of two plumpish looking pin cushions. Carefully placing the lid back on, I popped back inside for a brew safe in the knowledge that my torch-lit slug-hunting evenings could be put on hold once again.

Who's pooping in my bed

2011-11-14T15:39:00.000Z

This question's been bothering me for some time. One of my little kittens has decided that his litter tray is clearly not big enough and instead has taken to using one of my raised beds. We've not spoken about the matter since but I can tell by the look on his face, he knows he's in the wrong.

Leaf clearing day

2011-11-13T14:56:00.001Z

I love trees. They add structure to my garden and shade me from the baking sun in the summer. Even in the Autumn the colours they provide are beautiful.

Then winter comes and they make a mess of my paths and borders. All morning it's taken me just to clear away a few leaves. I've changed my mind now. I hate trees. Horrible spindly things.

My little kittens

2011-11-03T15:48:00.001Z

Chutney

2011-10-09T12:14:00.000+01:00

Today I made some really simple Chutney. Wondering what to do with the hundreds of apples, apart from making more crumble, I looked for a recipe book. Although I didn't follow the instructions to the letter I ended up with quite a tasty concoction.

I chopped up some Apples, Onions, Pumpkins, Carrots and whatever other fruit or veg that was within eyeshot.
Added some spices (don't ask, I can't remember) and topped up the pan with some Red wine vinegar. Left it to boil for what seemed an eternity (3 hours) and packed it into jars. I steal these from neighbours recycling bins on collection day (I do this Ninja-like at 6am to avoid capture).

A break from Gardening and a trip to New York.

2011-08-26T23:22:00.000+01:00

The best park in the world?

That's what I call a pond.

The Garden in June

2011-06-06T14:59:00.000+01:00

Through the square window

2011-05-22T15:35:00.000+01:00

This mornings view from the lounge.

Bootsale Sunday

2011-05-15T18:33:00.000+01:00

It's that time again. Up at 6 (ish), load the car with as many plants as possible and off to sit in a field for 5hrs.
Out came the decorating table and on went the Tomatoes, Cues and Pumpkins. The sign at the front of the stall clearly said what I had for sale so why were so many people asking if I had Melons? After a great start and £30 in the bag, the trade dried up (unlike the weather).
It's strange how I spend all week at work waiting for the weekend and when it comes I sit in the back of a car in the hope that someone wants to spend 50p on a Butternet Squash.
A thoroughly miserable day was had by all and a grand total of £38.50 achieved. Can't wait for next week. Oh, and is it too late to sow Melons?

Hole digging, bird food eating, fig stealing mystery solved?

2011-04-17T19:13:00.000+01:00

Caught red handed (or at least grey handed) eating the food put out for the birds. Could he also be responsible for the other crimes in the garden?

Hmm, tasty bread

Busted!

Trip to London

2011-04-05T19:34:00.000+01:00

On my day off this week I left the garden on it's own and went to London. It was a nice sunny day and we visited several famous sites including Westminster Palace (from the inside). We queued for a good 45 minutes to get into the public viewing gallery in the House of Commons but it was well worth the wait. William Hague was telling us his plans for Libya. And later Andrew Lansley was roundly booed by the Labour benches for his National Health speech.

We really enjoyed our day out in the capital though with all the walking, my legs now wish they hadn't gone with me.

My lovely raised bed

2011-03-24T19:19:00.000Z

Here it is. My raised bed. On Wednesday I had a day off so I set to work on weeding, turning and raking. The seeds I have sown are Carrot, beetroot, parsnip and spinach. I also added some bottomless pots at one end ready for some tomatoes later in the year. The bed already has some asparagus so it should be brimming with veggies come summer.

Some handy name pegs made from offcuts of wood I found in the garage. Waste not, want not.

Once these crops finish I will need replacements. Any suggestions for what to grow in the bed later in the year?

Sad?

2011-03-18T21:44:00.001Z

Is it just me or does anyone else believe in seasonal affective disorder? I used to think it was a load of old rubbish. That was, until now. I now truly understand how depressing the winter months can be.
The weekend's here at last and with the week I've had I need some gardening therapy. This winter has been going on far too long and I can't wait to get out and sit in the sun or potter around in the shed. I plan on potting up some more of my Ailsa Craig toms in the morning and if it stays dry I might even make up some spring baskets. I'm sure the summer's just around the corner. Let's get gardening!

Sunday seed sowing

2011-03-13T20:07:00.000Z

Today was a beautiful day. The sun shone from early morning until 6pm. Today's job in the garden was seed sowing. All of a sudden the year seems to be marching on (no pun intended) and I feel as if I now have lots to do before it's too late.

I found this old packet of salad leaves from last year and started them off first thing. Before I realised, I was opening seeds left, right and centre. Lettuce, Tomatoes, Courgettes, Sunflowers, Cornflowers, Sweet peas and African Marigolds. All done before lunch.

Some of last years seed from the BBC.

"Cut and come again" salad leaves.

Plenty of tea was drunk too.

After lunch I cleared out the shed and hung all my tools neatly on the wall. All in all a thoroughly productive day. Back to work for a week and looking forward to next weekend.

Rain rain go away!

2011-03-10T12:15:00.000Z

Rain rain go away,
Come again another day.
Little Nathan wants to play;
Rain, rain, go to Spain,
Never show your face again!