Thursday, 6 June 2019

A Postcard From The Potato Plot And Ice Plants.


I thought I would show you the latest photo from the veg plot.  The new potatoes are beginning to flower.  More perennial cuttings are potted up in the bath.  The bay in the background and Beara peninsula.

It takes me back about fifty years ago when everybody grew a field of vegetables for the humans and cow cabbages for the cows and mangels for the cart horse.  Piking hay by hand, chasing rabbits with salt and my dad and his brother drinking cold tea in a bottle brought to the field in an old sock.  


Ice plants that the wife grew from seed.  She got the seed free from Lidl a few months a go.  They made me think of the Algarve in April a few years ago.  We walked along the cliff tops to Carveiro and the Ice plants where growing wild there.  

16 comments:

  1. I have never heard of ice plants. A sort of daisy?

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  2. They're called Ice plants because they shimmer like ice. They love warm and dry areas. They close up and go to sleep at night. You probably saw them growing wild when you went to the Algarve. Thanks for your comment Rachel. Always appreciated!

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  3. That's a lot of green growing. Your ice plant looks like a little succulent.

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    1. Hi Joanne. Yes its North facing (Northsider)and the potatoes outside are just beginning to flower. Yes the Ice plants are succulents like the Sedums at the bottom of the veg plot photo. Thanks.

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  4. What do you mean by chasing rabbits with salt? Is this altering the shot in a cartridge? As rabbits seem to have gotten into my veg garden at the moment and it's driving me crazy!

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    1. Ha, ha. I was just reminiscing about the time when I asked my grandmother how to catch rabbits Kev. She told me to sprinkle salt on its tail. She wasn't happy when she found the salt cellar empty later.

      I saw two mannequin scarecrows the other day in a field. An adult and a child. Like you would see in a clothes shop. It was brilliant and so human like.

      I know someone who puts chicken mesh round their raised beds with sticks stuck in the ground. The rabbits only get any vegetation that grows through the mesh. Thanks.

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  5. Such a good view from your garden as well!

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    1. Yes its a good view on a nice day. Sometimes you don't see the bay when its raining and blowing a gale. Thanks. Good luck with your talk on Sunday!

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  6. We have some luscious iceplants around us. They tumble over walls in a riot of colour and greenery!
    I remember them from back home in NZ too. I've been thinking for ages of taking a cutting. Now I've seen yours I shall go and do so!

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  7. Lucky you LA. Please let us know how you get on with the cuttings. I have no problem rooting Sedum cuttings. You don't even need hormone rooting powder or liquid. Just cut a couple of inches cutting, leave just two leaves on and stick it a pot of compost or a vase/glass of water. They will root in less than three weeks. I have hundreds on the go at the moment. You can also divide Ice plants and Sedums. Thanks.

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  8. I like ice plants but no longer have any, and I am intrigued about the rabbits... never heard of chasing them with salt.

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  9. Hi Valerie. They're nice aren't they? I use to mither my grandmother how do you catch a rabbit? She would say: sprinkle some salt on its tail. So I tried to chase them and sprinkled the salt and my grandmother ended up with no salt! Happy days. Thanks.

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  10. That lovely view of the sea from your veg plot made me feel quite needy for a paddle. But we do have a river, and that I could go paddle in if it were not for the torrent it has become because of the recent heavy rains we have had!

    Not to worry, will have to make do with trudging through the wet grass to go pick the last of the cherries before the birds finish them off.

    And just to say that reading your blogs about taking cuttings and veg plotting activities keeps me on track with getting going again out on our own veg plot. Thankyou. Vx

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  11. Thanks Vera. I seem to be going more and more horticultural propagating garden plants. Have you visited many French Potagers? I did a carboot sale in a gale last week. We got our carboot selling fee back and made thirty odd Euros in two hours. There was a lady selling home baked cakes for five Euros a bag and she was doing a roaring trade. Are you any nearer getting a polytunnel? Thanks!

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    1. We have not visited any French gardens here, that is something to look forward to when we 'retire'! As for getting a polytunnel .....not until Lester finishes with his current work, but fortunately we do have a long growing season. I have not even planted my tomatoes yet!

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  12. Good luck with the long growing season, garden visits and polytunnel Vera. I like visiting gardens because they inspire me. Thanks.

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