My Tiny PlotEverything is Growing…
I spent two hours at mtp last night just tidying up, weeding, watering, transplanting, edging the grass etc. I’ve got some lovely Nasturtiums and some violas (just flowering) ready to go in the beds next weekend once the weather has cleared up. The lettuce patch is going crazy too. All the Little Gem, Pentard Red and Webs Wonder I planted last weekend are showing and the peas are coming up! And as you can see here the potatoes are doing well. I was very happy to see that everything is growing nicely… except…my carrots. Still no show from them, the lazy little… The weeds were getting a bit much aournd them so I took some drastic action…I hoed the area and have bought some new carrots to go in tonight (if it stops raining). I read on A4A that sometimes they can’t break through tough soil (although the peas managed it, good ole peas). So what I may have to do is put the seeds in but then cover them with compost instead of the usual soil. We’ll see if it works. Oh and a nice man called Brin gave me some onions, so I’ve put them in too. Thanks Brin!
I don’t know if it’s of any help, but my mum told me to dib out a long whole in the earth, then fill it with compost and sow the seed on top – allowing both leeks and carrots easy passage downwards. Might sound a bit like cheating, but it seems to be working for me
Brilliant – those are just the little blighters that didn’t show. I’ll try out your mum’s suggestion. Thanks!
Difficult to tell from the pics, but it looks like your soil is quite heavy, clay based. It would really help, towards the end of the year to fork in lots of organic matter, and some bird crap. It helps break up the soil a lot (potatoes are good for conditioning the soil too!), as well as feed it.
Get loads of leaves in the autmn too. Not only do they add organic matter to the soil, but worms will nibble on them, and break up the ground even more.
Those big, hard clods are just too tough for a lot of seeds to get through, especially when the weather is dry.
Wow thanks for the help NV. I’ll certainly try that next year. Most of the seeds are in now and it seems that the only ones having problems are the wee-tiny carrots. Poor little lambs!
HI I have just stumbled across your site and may I say well done .I am disable and due to the fact we have a flight of stairs down to the garden I dont get out there much , but I can follow you progress it is great.I have a chidhood mate who has an allotment and when he phones he keeps me posted on things I live too far from him but your site is in my living room.Well done Gods blessings and better success with the carrots next yearthough I do suspect you mayhave a small sucess if you plant some now in compost.CHEERS DON
Thanks for the words of encouragement, Don. I did try again with the carrots and this time ‘success! I’ve just thinned them out and they should be ready in around 2 – 3 weeks. At the minute I’m enjoying some lovely home-grown potatoes. Come back soon!