I love this time of year, the seedlings that only a few weeks ago were tiny little things needing lots of protection from weather and temperature fluctuations under their propagator lids are suddenly big strong plants. Some in the process of being hardened off ready for transplanting outside and some already in situ in their final growing places.
This Courgette is happily ensconced in the net tunnel, as are a couple more. They have lots of room to grow, good compost to grow in and the safety of the net to keep hungry rabbits off. Not that there have been anywhere nearly as many bunnies as there were last year on our hillside, the dreaded myxomatosis seems to be infecting rabbits here in North Wales at the moment :-(
On the opposite side of the tunnel at the far end are pots of potato plants, then white onions inter-planted with some radishes, then come the red onions.
The top left hand corner has the strawberry plants all grown from last years runners, with a pea support and three pea plants in the centre.
Nearer the front doors on the left is the garlic bed and another of the courgettes.
I've not planted as much garlic this year as we are only just finishing eating 2015's garlic and are just about to start on last years large crop. I want us to catch up a bit, because although it has stayed perfectly edible it would be nicer to be eating it that little bit sooner after harvesting. All this years plants are grown from our own garlic cloves harvested last year, and so have cost us absolutely nothing to produce. Hopefully I will be able to do this every year from now on.
Just in are the carrot seeds, planted in the raised bed, in the tyres and in the pot for extra depth (and length of carrot). I was a bit late sowing them this year, but with the warm weather, sunshine and this weeks lovely, much needed rain, hopefully there will be signs of growth nice and quickly.
Also just back in the centre of the net tunnel, in their own large pots, are the three Blueberry bushes. They had been sat outside at the back of the tunnel (as in this photo), since their flowers first appeared but now that the bees and other pollinators have done their work and had their fill of nectar, the bushes are once again safely under the protection of the net tunnel. Fingers crossed for a bumper crop like last year, it's looking very promising.
So that's a round up of the Net Tunnel as it is today. I love working in there ... except when it's raining when you get big drips of rain right down the back of your neck ... it's a slightly shaded protected feeling that I'm sure the plants enjoy as much as me :-)
Sue xx
Glad to see all of you growing going on and I hope the bunny illness gets routed out...what is done about that?
ReplyDeleteI don't think anything is done, it seems to kill off rabbits every few years and then the virus dies down for a while. Maybe nature has grabbed on to a man-made virus and is using it to even out numbers. We were literally invaded last year, Rosy had a great time doing her bit to keep numbers as low as she could ...aided and abetted by Ginger.
DeleteIt's all looking very good. Your blueberry bushes are huge! I've only tried one once many years ago and the bush got smaller each year instead of bigger! perhaps I'll try again as they've probably developed hardier types now
ReplyDeleteThey were my Mum and Dad's so they have to be at least 7 or 8 years old. They get new compost and a bigger pot every couple of years ..... if I remember ;-)
DeleteBunnies on our work campus are less numerous, come to think of it!
ReplyDeleteIt seems to be in patches all over the country ..... poor bunnies :-(
DeleteI have never thought of planting blueberries in pots. That could be something I should look into.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
It's a good way to grow anything that needs a different growing medium. Although last year I was advised that most multi-purpose composts are now pretty suitable for Blueberries and it seems to have been good advice.
DeleteOh gee wizz, I haven't even got my potatoes in the ground yet! I've also got a pink lemonade blueberry bush for this year... don't think it will fruit but looking forward to seeing it grow nonetheless!
ReplyDeleteI got my potatoes in a while ago, with some out on the hillside too, but I think some naughty chickens have been nibbling at the shoots as they are appearing ... so thank goodness I've got these in the tubs and end bed of the net tunnel.
DeleteLovely to see all the healthy plants. Well done.
ReplyDeleteThank you :-)
DeleteI've taken advice and will put my blueberry in a pot. I would love the room for a large net tunnel, well any tunnel really 😁
ReplyDeleteIsn't it wonderful that suddenly everything is really bursting into life.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you're back, your posts bring a lot of simple pleasure x
ReplyDeleteLooking good! We're eating so much out of the garden already it's great! I'm even selling lettuces and other things to local people! I love this time of year!
ReplyDeleteI can't tell you how much of a buzz I get when I find a new post from you.
ReplyDeleteIt's lovely to catch up on your blogs.
I was a child when myxomatosis was first released into the British rabbit population.
It was devastating cruel.
My father, who was a vet, couldn't bear it and treated several rabbits when we were on our week's
holiday in Scotland.
Rabbits are a pest in rural areas but there are better ways of control than this disease which is particularly cruel.
I'm glad that, even though you must have mixed feelings about them you are sorry for the afflicted ones.
I will never forget the sight of the Scottish ones who were too ill to run from us. Sue
Looking really good Sue - So envious of all that space you have to grow your own. Your Poly and Net tunnels are wonderful.
ReplyDeleteAnd THIS is what country living is all about.
ReplyDelete