Feb 2006. So far we have bought the seeds and they are awaiting the day they are planted. At the moment it is too cold here to plant; the ground is still frozen and not at all workable and we do not have a heated greenhouse. I will just have to be patient and await Spring coming in its own time!
End of April 2006. I have planted some seeds in the greenhouse: geraniums, basil, chives, oregano.
May 2006. I planted some flowers in the greenhouse: marigolds and cosmos.
We had a heavy wind storm and lots of big branches came down off our silver birch tree in the front garden. The branches are over ten feet long and I at first thought that our caring tennant had taken off the damaged branches. I later found out it was the wind that had done it. Powerful wind!
March 4th 2006 A lovely sunny day which began with a heavy frost. Time to prune the pear and apple trees. All the new growth was taken off and thrown on the grounds. The sticks were collected later and put ready to burn. Two pears tree were pruned and three apple trees. Last year the pear trees produced vigorously. However the apple trees only produced a few fruits. I know things go in cycles so maybe this year the apple trees will be better producers.
March 5th. Very windy out today and not much sunshine. We have two plum trees and one bing cherry tree and I went to see about pruning them as I didn't know if they needed it. The branches do not have as much growth on them as the apple and pear trees had so I was in doubt as to whether they needed pruning or not. I came in to research on the internet and the answer seems to be a resounding YES. If I don't prune then the tree will not be as good a fruit bearer as it could be with pruning.
After researching about pruning on the internet I went outside to look at the plum tree to see what needed doing in the light of my new knowledge. The tree had loads of bushy bits growing underneath it that were not part of the plum tree. I set about cutting back what I could of that. I ended up with a big pile of twiggy bits and a tree that had more light coming into it and less garbage round the base.
May 2006. I have planted seeds in the greenhouse: geranium, cosmos, marigold, sage, rosemary, thyme, chives.
We bought two fruit trees... a nectarine and a peach.
We bought two blueberry bushes.
I have begun planting in the veggie patch: corn, runner beans, onions, swiss chard, peas, radish and cabbage seeds.
We plannted out three tomato plants that we bought. Also the pepper plants that we bought.
The zucchini and the melon have been planted out from the greenhouse.
June 2006 We got given 16 tomato plants so they are now planted in the veggie patch.
June 30th 2006
My husband decides to buy the tractor we saw a week or so ago and agrees on a price with the owner.
July 1st 2006
My husband and his friend who has his trailer/caravan on our land for the weekend go to collect the tractor. One drives the car, the other the tractor. They swap half way home. It travels at about ten kilometers an hour in third gear so they take about an hour to get home. It is a 1950's Ford tractor painted blue. It looks nice!
July 2nd 2006
I try the tractor but we don't get to start it! It keeps shorting out. However I find that I cannot operater the gears as I cannot depress the clutch. Both men agree later that I could do it IF i use my heels and not the toe of my foot! We will see next time!
July 2nd 2006
The mower is used as it has a 6 volt battery to jump start the tractor. The tractor is moved a little way up to make room for the trailer which will be left by the trees when the owners depart on Tuesday.
Aug 24 2006
We have been picking zucchini for some weeks now. The plums on the front plum tree are ready and are being picked and used. The tomatoes are beginning to ripen. The peas have all been eaten and the pea plants cleared away. The apple tree that produced just about ten apples last year is heavily laden and the apples are ready now. We thought that most of them had worm in but we have had a goodly few that are perfect! We have had our first picking of corn and they too are delicious! The pears are hard like a turnip but that is how we like them (unlike most people!)