Palaisglide

What's the weather like in your area?

Not gardening weather in Stockton but come next weekend the heated sandbox will be fired up and the Tomato seed will go in plus the first pots of sweet peas.
I do not mess with them they go in deep pots out of the packet and left to set and grow on, then drop them out of the pot into position and sow some extra seeds around for a longer flowering time. I do not go with all the mystique for growing sweet peas.

Frank.

Gardeners World new season

Dovefromabove, Gardeners are innovators, they cut the cloth to the size they have you do the same it would seem, make use of it all. I once saw a Yard with no soil which had been turned into a garden, all in pots boxes and almost anything that would hold a plant, it went up the yard and house walls with brackets and shelves not only producing Veg but also Fruit, the couple doing it were elderly but determined and that is what counts.
Some of the postage stamp new builds down the lane from me are suddenly producing food and they use every square inch of available ground fence and places to put a pot or a box. That is gardening, no point in having a moan about not having an estate or helpers, use what you have to its full capacity, it is surprising what you can produce and the satisfaction it gives having beaten the odds.

Frank.

MOB rants

G/G, My Father grew masses of Daff's and Tulips as he could sell them and would tell me to trench the bulbs after cutting. In an un-used bit of the garden I would push a spade deep in the ground working along making a trench (quite narrow) put some grit in the bottom or sand and then dig up the bulbs often in clumps drop them in the trench and cover leaving the leaf to take in the goodness for next years flowers. It worked for all bulbs, once the flower is gone it puts all its energy into building up the bulb.
When I did not have room in my garden I dropped the bulbs into pots and found it works just as well, they can be left out as they need a cold spell to start them into growth, If like last year we have constant rain turn the pot on its side and chock it to stop rolling.
My Daff's on the front East facing curled up in balls through the bitter cold spell we had I thought them gone, they have uncurled and standing up like Guardsmen now, I had never seen that happen before.

Frank.

Gardeners World new season

That would be a good idea putting the young mob on early, I could watch something else not seeing them make blatant mistakes or mishandling tools.
The small area garden was done so well by Geoff and could probably be repeated for the new gardeners.
What I like about Monty is his showing exactly what he is doing and why, fair enough he like myself  an old style gardener ready to learn as we all did last night with Carol's leaf curling, I had never seen that before and what a good idea for large plants instead of chopping the stems to a couple of leaves.
My sand bed will go on warm up next week end and the Tomato seed sown, the sweet pea seeds unchitted unsoaked will go in deep pots as Monty did last night and the whole pot full put into the ground when the time comes, I do not get show sweet peas but they show for months with a few more seeds sown as the young plants go in the ground.
Beans Peas Salad crops and carrots will all be started after Easter weekend and the Strawberries cleaned and sorted, in the North East spring comes late but then so does Autumn.

Frank.

MOB rants

G/G. Joan as a bit of a joke at me retiring bought an expensive trowel and fork set with longer handles and blades. "Do not want you suffering back ache from bending do we" hm. I found it absolutely ideal for digging out bulbs when they went over but still had leaves to see where they were. Push down all round the bulb or clump and lift, I drop them all together into an old large pot fill it with compost and let them die down naturally in a sheltered corner, the bulbs can then be dried and bagged or just left and replanted the next year.
Another tip is to buy the pond baskets from a GC they come in all sizes and shapes, plat up the basket with bulbs, cram them in, sink in compost until ready then dig a hole and plant the basket complete, I do that for my Daughters, the baskets can then be lifted and left to die down naturally. It does not cost the earth as once bought they last years, the bulbs get a good start in shelter then instant flower garden. As with everything some planning ahead saves both time and money.

Frank.
PS Yes G/G a rich and often colourful life none of which I would change though I do miss Joan..

MOB rants

My Mother taught me to cook because boys should be able to look after themselves. It was basic as rationing did mean you had to see what was there we had our own small holding and animals so never went hungry, bread was a basic and wash day with a hot steamy wash house was ideal for raising the dough.

Once we got away from base in the Desert fresh food lasted a day then it was all dry or tinned. No kitchen as such each section would look after their own food breakfast before sun up then an evening meal at sundown, to hot to eat in between. A soldier would cook the section meals but our lot dragooned me into doing all the cooking as it got me out of guard duties I got a nights sleep. The Officers of all the sections threw their rations in with our section and ate with us. I had a box of spices picked up in the Souk, we had dried everything from rice to fruit, Pom Dried Cabbage and of course Bully beef everything cooked on Benghazi burners.
My recovery truck would have fruit being re hydrated in water, cabbage being brought back to life all for the evening meal, which could be a curry, Panackelty, sheperds pie or any of many rice based concoctions and always a pudding. The Officers would wash all the tins as their input.
Three years at cookery when I retired gave me cake making and the one I really loved raised pies hand made. As with everything you make mistakes and learn from them now my Grandchildren want to come and eat here, well everyday if they could, now that does please me.

Frank.

MOB rants

Tina in this family it is the girls who do not know where the kitchen is. Once staying with a Daughter I got a message saying "could you start dinner I will be home in an hour" Certainly what is it and where is it? "in the freezer it is the chicken you could start it off in the micro wave"??? When I recovered I went to the market and bought a cooked chicken and had everything ready when she came in. That was lovely how come your food is better than mine, there followed a lecture from me about chickens defrosting and micro waves, the dangers there off.
Their Mum was a brilliant cook it just did not rub off.

Frank.

MOB rants

G/G, I did see the post that upset you and felt as you did, from experience on many boards from 2000 I did learn to leave those posts, not answering makes them angry at being ignored and in the end they vanish.

Tina you could rant at me all day, I would listen politely but my hand behind my back would have two fingers stuck up. Joking aside I am an old fashioned gent who was taught there are only Ladies in this world treat them as such. I am quite happy for a woman to be in her place!!! which is out of my kitchen. Daughters do not mind one bit, they demolish what comes out of it.

Frank.

What's the weather like in your area?

Brumbull, nope you are correct and that weather coming from Siberia crosses the coast over us first, the joy of living with one foot in the North Sea.
So put off the seed sowing another week and then on will go my heated sandbed and a frost guard fan heater.

Frank.

MOB rants

My Wife's school had one very bad teacher and everyone knew she was bad although they could not get rid of her she was young at the time. I was talking to another ex-teacher who told me she is still there and they cannot get rid of her.
We may be lucky, the schools my Grandchildren go to and have done since they were three are very good indeed. They have discipline and the teaching skills outstanding, Parents take a lot of interest and school events have to be rationed so many wish to attend.
My Grandson 12 can recite times tables, I quietly set him tasks in Math which he does in quick time, probably my genes as I excelled at maths. What I am saying is all schools differ depending on area, size, quality of Heads and Teaching Staff, I think area has more influence on things as the parents set goals. I watch my Granddaughter 8 concentrate on doing something an hour at a time and people say children have a thirty second concentration level, don't believe it, I have hopes for their future which is all we can do.

Frank.

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