cucurbits

i've recently sown a selection of cucurbits. i really hope the butternut squashes germinate. i have only managed to germinate one seed in the past. :-/ 

i read somewhere about butternut seeds being difficult to germinate! well, i will have to wait and see!

xoxo

home made bird feeders...

the toddler loved making these. simple to make.

the birdies will be happy. and the squirrels
xoxo

and the frost threatens...

oh how pleased i am that i kept the fleece on my seedlings! i nearly left it off the other day, out of pure laziness really. i took the fleece off to do some slug and snail hunting, got busy with other 'lottment tasks, the clock was ticking and i just could not be bothered to put the fleece on again. but i did, yay for me not being lazy! i kinda want it to be frosty tomorrow, just so i can be a little smug! 

me and the toddler went to the garden centre today. **in gardeners heaven**. i did very well resisting the box hedges, i really would like to have a boxed hedge at the 'lottment, with spacing for a gate. this would give my plot a nice definition between the 'un-growable' area and the veggie and fruit area! 

the garden centre we went to today was fab with good priced plants and garden accessories. there was a duck pond and chickens for sale. the toddler decided he might like to put one of his fingers into the chicken cage. yep. the chicken pecked it. he thought this was very amusing and tried to do it over and over again. oh, yes, and the parrot. the toddler wanted to teach the parrot to talk. that didn't quite work out!

i also brought some seeds. i am so excited to have the sprouting broccoli. this is the third packet i have brought. this is the only packet that has made it home! i just don't know what came of the other two packets. i brought them. i left the shop with them. i didn't come home with them! i also bought some swiss chard 'bright lights'. i've never tried swiss chard before, but its rainbow coloured. it must be good right?!

now, if it would just stop raining...
xoxo

peas to see you...

as a newbie veg and fruit gardener its still very exciting when i manage to get something to grow! i have some peas that have now begun to flower and beetroot that it is looking very good and might like to be planted in the ground

i planted out some runner beans down at the lottie the other day, the rain had stopped, the sun was shining, so i decided to go for it, take a chance, see if they make it! such a busy weekend and no chance of returning to the lottie until monday. i hope the slugs have not eaten any emerging seedlings and i hope the rabbits have not had a digging session on my beds!
xoxo

Rabbit Hideout B1.17...

...thats our lottie, Rabbit Hideout B1.17. my son named it that when we took it over in 2009, due to the fact that the resident allotment rabbits live on our plot, under our shed. they have the whole site, but they seem to quite like our plot. not at all ideal!

this is my 3rd season of having  Rabbit Hideout B1.17 but this is the 1st season i have really grown anything other than courgettes that i planted and raspberries that were already there. i really don't have a clue what i am doing, but i'm doing it anyway and having fun!

so here is my blog of what we get up too, mistakes we make, difficulties we get into and fingers crossed the fruit and veg we grow (and get to harvest before the rabbits get there first). although when i say we, i mainly mean me, with the occasional help from the 2yr old (who really only likes sitting in any holes i dig), the 8y old (who only likes helping out when its warm and there are raspberries to be eaten) and finally the man, who really doesn't like helping out, but can be spotted on occasion burning letters and carrying heavy things!

xoxo