A Busy Week But Not Much gardening

Well this half term was a busy one but one where very little gardening got done.

Tuesday I woke to rain lashing the window panes and the garden looking properly soaked. The rain did stop and the sun started to break through at about 11:30am. The girls and myself spent the day emptying their wardrobe and going through the clothes to see what fitted and what didn't. Out grown clothes from my eldest were put into the loft for the youngest when she's a bit bigger and the little one's out grown stuff was bagged for the charity shop.

I soon realised that they both needed a whole set of new things as almost all their clothes were to small for them (they grow as quickly as the weeds outside, so maybe I was gardening after all) :)

Thankfully the older one has always taken very good care of her clothes so I had two storage bags full of hand me downs to go through to practically suit out the younger one in summer wear but no such luck with the older one, so a shopping trip was imminent.

When I did get out into the garden, I sowed some khol rabi and swede directly into the vege beds. I also potted around checking over everything and putting misplaced stuff to right. I think one of the cucumber plant's stem is broken, whether it will mend or not is to be seen. I think I'll be sowing a couple of seeds in the greenhouse, they should germinate and grow quickly with the current warmer weather. I have never had so much trouble with cucumbers before, I normally would sow four seeds get four plants, transplant when big enough and harvest a pretty decent crop. Ah well maybe nature is just trying to keep me on my toes this year.

Photos taken:

Wednesday was 'S' day, yes Shopping Day. So armed with a list of what they both needed to prevent impulse buying and over spending as sandals was also needed we set off to the shops. The weather was still lovely and in between shopping and a sit down lunch we also fitted in an hour at the museum to take part in one of their fabulous craft activities events.

At the end of the day almost everything was got from the list only a couple stuff to get which won't take too much time the next time I go into town.

Found this little critter inside upstairs so I moved him/ her into the conservatory onto my aphid infestered luffa plant.

Thursday was spent doing the girls laundry (Friday is my dedicated laundry day) because my older daughter was off to Brownie camp on Friday I needed to ensure all her clothes was clean so packing would be easily done later in the day. The garden saw me from time to time but it was more pottering and looking around than anything else.

The aphid infested living willow bench is really attracting the predators.

Friday was an early start as we were taking the bus halfway to her campsite destination, a friend of mine who lives in the area took us the rest of the way. The little one and I then visited with my friend and her baby till mid afternoon before heading back home. The rest of the day was spent doing the rest of the laundry that still had to be done. I was also able to start to plant out the amaranth plants but had to stop as I ran out of cardboard which I was using as a weed suppressant.

I couldn't resist temptation and bought another hardy carniverous plant for my boggy area.

Saturday I started the day harvesting all my pak choi and mizuna as the were quickly going to seed, my mom thankfully washed chopped and bagged the lot which was then thrown into the freezer. It was a blazing hot day so gardening was a little challenging so I took my little one to visit with some playmates as she was a little lonely without her sister.

When I returned home I was off again this time with my OH to do the monthly grocery shopping.

Piccies of today:

Caterpillar of the The Vapourer/Rusty Tussock - 'Orgyia antiqua'.

Sunday I woke early to do some watering mainly to the plants that are grown under shelters; the tomatoes, sweet peppers, aubergines and the germinating corn which by the way there are fourteen strong shoots. I think the recent hot weather basically fried most of the germinating seeds in the soil. So I uncovered the bed but placed soda bottle cloches around each of the young plants. Then it was time to get myself and the little one dressed as we all had a baby christening to go to.

After the service we ran a couple of errands and returned home for lunch. Before I left for the church I did put twenty one sweetcorn seeds to soak after I ate lunch I resowed them. Using my finger to create planting holes, I noted how warm the soil was and I had on gloves.

I also noticed today I have mangetout peas, I'll aim to harvest them at the end of the week to give the really little ones chance to grow. The cranberry plant that is still waiting to be potted up in its final purpose built 2ft square container is in flower (naughty me).

That done it was time to collect the eldest from her camping weekend.

Whew!!! no wonder I'm knackered I feel all exhausted again writing it all.

Piccies of today:

Fledgling goldfinch seen in pairs feasting on the aphid covered willow.

Oh by the way the robins appear to be raising another rood in the earlier used nest box. My neighbour have only seen one bird flying back and forth with food, so we are asuming the female may be in there on eggs.