I love mulch! It’s a great way of getting great gardening results and is less effort than you’d imagine.
Hoeing is a way of creating a dust mulch.
I was hoeing between the garlic at the community garden last night creating a mulch of dust. The weather has been strange this year already even though it’s only April. With a spell of very wet weather and then some warm weather the soil appears to be cracking in places. This is in beds without a lot of organic matter in. Mulching the surface of soil can help protect it from the various weather conditions that cause the soil to be dried out or crack. It can protect it from the wind drying out the soil, and from excess rain.

Whatever you use as mulch ideally it will be free! Everyone loves a freebie and so people want to look at using whatever you can get your hands on. Grass cuttings should start being available as soon as you mow the lawn. I know some people are keen to keep grass clippings on the lawn to mulch that, but for anyone who grows vegetables it’s a great way of making the the soil safe and protected. It can be good for mulching thinly around onions, over potatoes, as well as a layer in the compost heap to get things really going.

Mulching can make your garden area look neat and tidy too. More public areas may need bark chippings, as many people will frown at the grass clippings fading on the borders.

If you’d like more information about mulching, the different types of mulch, then have a look at this ebook I’ve written.

The Joy Of Mulch

Reduced price on items today at Van Meuwen

Petunia ‘Priscilla’™ (Tumbelina Series) – 5 plug plants was £7.49 now £5.99
Soft lavender blooms with dark purple veining adorn the trailing stems of this beautiful petunia. The large double flowers of Petunia ‘Priscilla’ look fantastic tumbling from baskets and pots. This outstanding variety was bred in the British climate for the British climate, so its resilient flowers are completely weather tolerant. Combine its beauty with its delicious fragrance and you have a real treat for the senses. Trails to: 35cm (14"). Supplied as plug plants.

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New lines at Van Meuwen

Geranium ‘First Yellow Improved’ – 6 geranium plants in 10.5cm pots £22.98
A yellow geranium is something of a rare find! Geranium ‘First Yellow Improved’ is now stronger and more vigorous with brighter yellow blooms than ever before. Plant this unique zonal geranium in beds, borders and patio containers and enjoy an abundance of flowers all summer until the first frosts. Don’t miss out on this highly sought after variety as supplies are limited! Height 40cm (16"). Spread: 30cm (12"). Supplied as plug plants.

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A greenhouse and a huge pile of glass was dumped on our site. It was the remains of a previously donated one. After someone kindly went through the glass and threw all the broken stuff away, there were just four intact sheets left.
So basically I’ve acquired half a wheely bin of broken glass (Normal waste, not recycling round here!) and an aluminium frame. There are no wheels with it even though the plotholder who had it previously had been made some. My husband is a clever bod though so will make some!

So how do you go about replacing greenhouse glass? Ideally you’ll know what sort of greenhosue it is and find instructions online which will give you an idea of what the finished item is supposed to look like. If they’re all 2×2 pieces then it’s as simple as buying some new bits and fitting them. When you’re faced with replacing all the glass in a greenhouse it’s a bit more interesting. Especially if you get the frame dismantled. Replacing greenhouse glass should involve gloves, good boots that are tough and will protect your toes. Plus goggles and a good glass cutter.

We’re looking on freecycle for a free greenhouse full of glass but haven’t got any yet.
In the mean time I am looking at polycarbonate. It’s dear but a full kit can be bought for about £150 or you can buy sheets to cut yourself which will I think work out a bit cheaper. However it’s all a bit pricey still so as there’s no rush to get it up as I have a greenhouse at home, then we will perhaps hold on a bit longer for glass off freecycle.
If it’s not appeared by my birthday then I will put some birthday money towards the polycarbonate. I’ve read it should have a good ten years life in it. Which isn’t as long as glass – which will in theory last much longer although risks getting broken.
It will be nice having a second greenhouse on the allotment. I always crowd the one in the garden because I want so many different types of tomato growing but with a second one I will be able to spread them out better! Or maybe just have two overcrowded greenhouses!

Polycarbonate sheeting at Amazon

RawGarden reduced the price on this item today

Twiggy rattan armchair – 3.5mm weave was £139.99 now £119.99
Our Twiggy rattan armchairs are the number one choice for comfort. They have a removable cushion and so can be left outside all year. They look great with the Trinity table.

9 couples:

Edd and Harshani – husband and wife, Northamptonshire, she’s a yoga teacher. Moonplanting.
Gary and Pete – beekeepers from Brighton
Shawn and Liz, work colleagues from Manchester
Sally and Michelle, sister in laws from Kent,
Alex and Ed
Shirley and Victoria – mother and daughter from Banbury
Jo and Avril – allotment neighbours from Redditch
Rupert and Dimi, husband and wife drum and bass enthusiasts from Surrey
Kate and Eleanor

They have started with blank plots and a list of things to grow for the competition. They will be judges on challenges each week. Preserve making, vegetable growing and flower arranging. They are allowed to bring in their own soil conditions.

Kate and Eleanor have llamas who produce a wheelbarrow full of poo a week! >
Alex and Ed bought in worms! >

You can watch it here on iplayer

Grow, make, Eat

Grow – pick 3 perfectly matching radishes. Shirley and Victoria win this one!

Make is flowers – grow and arrange them. Cut 7 spikes of sweet peas. Gather flowers and cut a hand tied bouquet.
Alex and Ed win the sweet peas, and Rupert and Dimi win the bouquet.

Eat – to make a fruit jam and a fruit curd. Gary and Pete win this.

Who goes home?
Shawn and Liz

My thoughts on The Big Allotment Challenge:
It’s not a program about growing things to eat yet – maybe it will be soon. The show bench uses uniformity as a criteria which is what supermarkets do. One of the very reasons many of us like to grow their own – picking taste over appearance.
The flowers bit is almost irrelevant to me, I do grow a few flowers but not for picking, for the pollinators. Phacelia and poached egg plant are on my plot, not a huge swathe of flowers.

I do make jam though so was glad to see preserving getting shown. Making jam isn’t hard, making good jam might be!

Overall it’s an interesting program that will spark people’s interest in growing fruit and vegetables. It might put some people off if they think there’s that level of criticism over the vegetables you grow. It might also make people think that an allotment will be in a really good weeded condition when you take it on!
I will be watching it next week!
There are very few glimpses of the actual allotments, which is a bit sad as I found myself straining to catch every second looking at the plots and the inventive styles people have deployed to stop butterflies and birds from damaging the crops. I’m sure I saw a clothes maiden in there somewhere!

Maybe there will be a whole load of extras of footage of each allotment plot with a verbal tour by the allotmenters. It’s certainly something the internet could be used for even if the TV audience isn’t interested.

Next week:
Runner beans, roses and relishes.

Apparently the two bearded blokes write this blog! http://vegetablism.co.uk/

John Lewis reduced the price on these items today

Stanley Classic Vacuum Food Flask, Hammertone Green, 0.5L was £26.00 now £25.00
Another travel solution from the iconic Stanley brand, this food flask is crafted from robust, durable and rust-proof stainless steel with double wall vacuum insulation.

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New items added today at John Lewis

John Lewis Oxford Outdoor Scatter Cushion, Pale Silver Sage £25.00
A lovely addition to your outdoor dining chair, deck chair or lounger, this comfy cushion offers extra padding to your outdoor seating.

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Price reduction at Garden Buildings Direct

4 x 4 Bunny Max Playhouse was £139.99 now £134.99
BillyOh 4 x 4 Bunny Max Playhouse

Hasn’t the weather turned out fantastic so far for National Gardening week. National Gardening Week is 14-20th April.
Garden and outdoors at Amazon UK everything you need for the garden

The timing of this new program coincides with National Gardening Week 2014!

This week we’ve seen the launch of the Big Allotment Challenge on BBC2. It’s getting mixed reviews with people seemingly disappointed by it not showing the hard work of starting an allotment from scratch. I had seen the program being advertised for contestants and had got the application form. I wasn’t able to dedicate the time they wanted to the program so didn’t apply.

Its been a busy week on the allotment as I have got half way through planting out my onions. I started the sets in trays and modules this year as it gives them a better start. I’ve done lots of weeding and preparing beds. I’ve spotted the lovage making it’s way up again. It’s a perennial plant like celery but should produce a much bigger plant this year. The stems taste of celery and are hollow which meant they were sometimes used as straws for bloody marys!

Amazon is always worth a look for garden related items. As well as their huge range of gardening books, then they have top categories like:
Garden Furniture
Weed & Pest Control
Lawn Mowers & Outdoor Power Tools
Sheds & Storage
Solar Lighting
Gardening Tools
Fertilisers & Plant Food
Plants, Seeds & Bulbs
Plant Containers & Accessories
Garden Bird & Wildlife Care

At the end of the week, Gardener’s Question Time will be broadcast from the Eccles Sixth form recording I went to. It was a lovely evening with lots of laughs and questions. I am looking forward to seeing how the program is produced into its final version.
If you ever see it advertised then it’s well worth going as it’s lots of fun. Some people went up at the end and spoke to the gardeners on the panel.

The photo on today’s post is a snail I found. A teeny tiny cute snail about the size of the smallest finger nail I have. Doesn’t mean it survived me thinking it was cute! Destroying pests is a part of gardening that is often airbrushed over!