A Satisfying Weekend

We managed to make quite a lot of headway in the garden this weekend. Our Little Garden Helpers were very eager to help out and in particular wanted to please me because it was Mother's Day. I took full advantage and let them help with some weeding and some sowing.

It was very satisfying to finish weeding around the apple trees, where Garden Dad then laid some weed fabric to supress any other weeds that were thinking of popping their heads above the soil. We need browse the garden centre for ideas of what to put over the fabric so for the moment it is weighted down with some large stones. We have left a gap all around the edge of the bed so we can add some pretty flowers. Garden Girl is very excited about choosing some which we will probably do over the Easter break.

Then I weeded around the blueberries where I discovered a strange, fungus type thing growing. At first I thought it must be some strange plant growing in the acid compost we planted the blueberries in, but on closer inspection it turned out to be mould, growing on cat poo. One of the neighbouring cats seems to be using our blueberry bed as a toilet. We have now covered the soil with weed fabric which will hopefully deter the cat as it will no longer be able to bury its little presents, however I am concerned that it will simply relocate to another of the raised beds, digging up our carefully sown seeds. If anyone has any ideas on how to deter the cat let us know.

With lots of weeding accomplished we took a break and had a brew and a piece of Turkish Delight, chosen by our Little Garden Helpers for me for Mother's Day. Then it was time for the fun stuff and we spent the afternoon filling pot with compost and sowing seeds. We sowed,

Painted Lady Runner Beans
Gem Store Squash
Sprinter Squash
All Green Bush Courgette
Dario F1 Courgette
Long Green Bush Marrow
Yellow Sunflowers
Black Magic Sunflowers
Coriander Santos

Garden Girl and Garden Boy also enjoyed moving the onion sets outdoors. These had produced lovely healthy roots and had started to sprout in their tray in the greenhouse so were ready to be moved to the raised bed. The shallots are not showing quite as much growth yet, so I have left them for another week.

We also managed to scatter our grass seed and set up the watering system in the greenhouse which is essentially a piece of fabric which soaks up water from three containers. The pots with seedlings sit on the fabric, soaking up the water and keeping them moist for slightly longer than usual. Garden Dad also built me another table for the greenhouse as I have now run out of room for all or seedlings.

And this week the sun has been shining and I have been able to spend more time clearing weeds. I just hope it has not been too dry for our newly sown carrots, spinach and spring onions.