Strawberry Fields Forever....

A little dramatic that title, more like strawberry beds until the decking rots away.

On a sunny Saturday morning  I fitted my painted raised strawberry beds to the bed frame. They are lined with plastic and filled with a mix of topsoil, manure and potting compost.

Once the plants are in and start to fruit I'll fill the gaps between the planters with weed control fabric and a layer of straw to keep the weeds down and reflect the sunlight, which is also the reason for the white paint.

Provided this weekends storm has left me something to work with I have to fit another layer of painted decking on top of the outside of the bed before making and fitting a hinged netting lid. It may seem like over kill but I like strawberry's and the critters usually get more than I do!

It's been a bonus to get on with such jobs in January thanks to the mild weather, although the ground is certainly too soggy to dig so it's limited to a hoeing the exposed areas.  

Also in the fruit bed it was good to see that the rhubarb crown I dug up, split and moved at the end of last season has survived, this new leaf has come through in the last week.

The next post could be a damage report, we'll see as soon as I can get down the farm in daylight.

Happy gardening folks!  

The Bullet is Bitten

What a lovely Easter weekend, or should I say typical...

We go away tomorrow for 9 nights and predictably the weather improves, just not where we are going. The broad beans were starting to get pot bound so we had no choice but to brave it and start the season on Sunday.

Under the covers the ground is a bit warmer and not too wet. A quick hoe down to about 6 inches to break up any lumps of manure or compressed bits where the securing stones have been, a rake over and its ready for planting. Here's a before and after shot.

There is still fair bit of rain forecast in the next couple of days so the spuds and asparagus can wait until we get back, for now it was the broads to go out, some peas seeds and a few odd bits under cloches to plant. Oh and the usual weeding.

The broads have been living in the cold frame so should be fairly well hardened off, the worry as ever is any high winds. As you can see they were getting desperate to be planted out. There are 34 plants in all so hopefully a good crop. Maybe this years bad weather will keep the black fly at bay. You live in hope. Here's the finished job.

Under here are couple of short rows of radishes, beetroot, lettuces and something called Red Orac, a spinach substitute, we had haven't tried it before, we found it at a garden show. Could be interesting.

I know this may seem like a lot of pea seeds to put in a trench, but our luck with them is appalling, so carpet bombing and thinning is the way forward this year.  

Heather gave the garlic, remaining leeks and asparagus bed a good weeding, once she'd finished lunch in the boot of the car that is, surprisingly little had actually grown. The beds behind H are next doors, he is currently putting us to shame.

We are still harvesting last years crops, the weather had kept us away so they are lasting us well. Some of the parsnips are huge now, the leeks never really got that big, the sprouts are done and  finally the purple sprouting broccoli is coming through.

The rhubarb and the raspberries are showing new signs of life, so mother has got her act together somewhere at least.

I have a day off when we get back so that will be spuds and asparagus day, fingers crossed for good weather!

Happy gardening folks!!

Best Use of Rhubarb

I've got to be honest, I don't really eat rhubarb, and neither does Heather. Like almost every plot holder we inherited ours, my dad planted it and I keep it there for him. Don't get me wrong I like the odd crumble but we're unlikely to eat all the plants produce.

However this year I think I've found a use for a couple of pickings....... Rhubarb Gin!! As recipes go they don't get much simpler and its a tasty little number.

You'll need:

A 75cl bottle of gin, nothing special for this
400g of rhubarb, the pinker the better
250g of sugar.

1. Chop the rhubarb into 2cm chunks and put into a large kilner jar or similar with the sugar and gin.

2. Give it a shake and store somewhere dark and cool for 1 to 2 weeks until the gin turns pink and the rhubarb turns green. The pinker the rhubarb, the pinker your gin. You can give it a swirl every now and then.

3. When its ready strain it back into the original bottle.

It's lovely over ice on its own, or with a splash of tonic, but for more exciting ideas try these

https://www.warneredwards.com/cocktails/rhubarb

Note: I used a 70CL bottle and its quite sweet but you still get the rhubarb sharpness, maybe cut the sugar down a little if you don't have my sweet tooth.

Now I just need a fancy label!