Tuesday 7 April 2015

Signs Of Summer On Our Smallholding.


It's been beautiful here in West Cork for the last week or so.  We have managed to get the veg plot neat and tidy.  It's a lot easier now that we have reduced the size of it by thirty percent.  Here's the latest pictures.


 Pig slats for paths.  Gristelina hedge cuttings growing nicely.
 Japanese onions planted last Autumn.  They seem to be liking the sun.
 Our Summer onions starting to sprout.
Dogwood cuttings sprouting in a raised bed.  They are asking 6 Euros a piece for these in the garden centres.
First early potatoes sticking out their shoots.  I quickly raked soil over them.
 Homemade compost heap.  Not very neat but it makes great compost.
 Strawberries growing in old tyres.  Hope the Cadmium doesn't poison us.
 Shallots sprouting in baths.
 Fido walking on my newly seeded wildflower/apple and pear orchard.  She's stood next to peas growing in an old stainless steel sink.
 Nettles and Docks growing up the sides of my early potatoes.
 Potatoes in an old 'ride on' mower grass box growing in the poly-tunnel.  You can see a piece of last years Parsnips sgrowing with them.  Only a few weeks and we will have our first new potatoes.
 The garlic loves growing inside the poly-tunnel in the old tractor wheel rims.
 Lots of veg plants and bedding plants growing in the poly-tunnel.  We get our seeds from Lidl and Aldi for 79 Cents.  No longer do we buy veg plants.

 Domino posing in the sun.  He spends his time catching mice in the compost heap.

Some of my perennial plants that we made.  

16 comments:

  1. All looking good. I'm trying strawberries for the first time this year but in a hanging basket. I only have beetroot coming through at the moment but all of yours looks well on its way, nice harvest later in the year then.

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  2. Hi BG. Yes I just hope we are not getting summer now and rain later. Living in the countryside is great when it's good weather. Thanks!

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  3. Good going. Its been great the lwst week or so hasn't it? I've got so much done. Hundreds of seeds planted but yours seem ahead of mine. Looks a good compost heap as well.

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    1. It's been brilliant Kev. We even sat out on the patio last night. A lot of the seeds in the trays are bedding plants and some vegetables. The compost heap isn't as good as your system but it does the job. Thanks!

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  4. The circle of life my friend....thecircle of life

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    1. Are you holding one of your dogs in the air as you say that John?

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    2. You seem to be very philosophical these days John. I love this time of year. Thanks.

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  5. Sorry Marie I don't understand your language but thanks for making a comment on the blog.

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  6. Sorry Marie I don't understand your language but thanks for making a comment on the blog.

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  7. Gosh, things are really coming along nicely in your part of the world, Dave. Meanwhile, here in SW France, we remain disengaged with our veg plot!

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  8. I am sure you are more engaged in your house renovations, Vera. There is still plenty of time to get the veg plot dug over, weeded and planted. I seem to be spending all my time outside at the moment. The weather is glorious here in Ireland. Thanks!

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  9. You will have to learn to speak Portuguese Dave if you want to live there!

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  10. Can I not live in an ex pat area in the Algarve Anne? Do you know what Marie said? Thanks!

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  11. Basically she say's ,
    loved your blog already stayed for feature articles I thought them wonderful.
    she then give the link to her blog and say's
    follow me and take a peek or look?
    A bit difficult to translate as she goes from past to present tense.

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  12. Thanks Anne for the translation.

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  13. Much more organised than us this year , the Cade lambs have put everything behind

    I wouldn't worry about the cadmium (if indeed you were serious) i have been shot down many a time for the use of them on various forums but not worried , in fact i did read that most of the poisonous stuff ends up on the road after its first year on the car so the old ones must be less toxic ..................I love old tyres great for all sorts of farm/smallholding purposes :)

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