It's been a while

Just wanted to update this blog with the developments over the last few months.

Found out in May that I was going to be a Mum again so the last few months have been filled with moving to a bigger house, sadly leaving my little 'allotment'. There will be a few photos uploaded soon of the produce we did successfully reap this year. Mainly potatoes and some outstanding orange tomatoes which were divine!

The new house has a slightly bigger garden/yard, so I'm looking forward to rediscovering my home-growing in 2010.

Pots and potatoes

Finally getting round to posting the potato-growing instructions kindly sent through by my Dad. They are for planting in large polythene pots, like sturdy bin liners only more the size of of a side plate on the bottom and about 1ft high.

1. Select potatoes that you like to cook - place selection in egg box case, eyes up in warm, dark place for a while to get eyes to shoot before planting in pots.
2. Open up pot.
3. Put 2" compost in bottom, press into corners.
4. Place 2 potatoes in with "eyes" up.
5. Cover with 2" compost, press down.
6. Leave until shoots grow through compost - when shoots are 3" high add more compost to nearly cover shoots.
7. Repeat above until pot is full of compost.

Apparently this should lead to layers of potatoes throughout the tub!

I've currently got two types of potatoes in the cupboard. One lot are ready to plant as they've been there a week or so. The others I put in yesterday so will plant them later.

I'll probably be planting these out on Saturday.

Actually took the plunge today too and planted some seeds in my loo roll pots to start them in the propagator. Planted the following:

• Chilli Pepper 'Anaheim'
• Tomato 'Tumbler F1 Hybrid'
• Courgette 'Defender F1 Hybrid'
• Herb 'Mild n Meek' (looks like it'll be a bit like rocket)
• Basil 'Sweet Green'

Not very exciting to look at at present, just loo rolls and soil, so will upload a photo when something happens.

Composting: chic or unique?

Have just been researching the composting idea...

Options (when you only have a small concrete back yard) are basically the wormery idea. There's quite a snazzy indoor composter by Bokashi, which I found on Eco-worrier's blog, or there's this DIY one by One/Change: Indoor Compost Bin.

Am thinking the posh one might be best but may need to find a cheaper or second-hand one.

Tweet tweet....

Have just set up a Twitter account for the newly titled "Allittlement"!!

Click here to view my profile

Am so excited!! Really getting my head round this Web 2.0 business!

Just need to motivate myself to get outside (particularly now it's stopped raining and the sun's back out again!)

Planning and purchasing

Have sort of made a start in terms of planting. Well, 'planting' is a bit strong; 'planning' is more accurate. My Dad's off loaded some unsellable (if there is such a thing) packets of seeds - which would otherwise have been thrown out - so reuse/recycle in action there. My planning so far has consisted of spreading the packets out on the floor of the front room and putting them into random piles (for which there is a vague understanding of what each pile represents). Loosely it's what type of container they will require.


This was all in preparation for a bit of retail therapy (which is completely going against the reuse/recycle ethos - oops!). I did manage to do it fairly economically though. Got two hanging baskets, a hanging basket crook (so as not to drill holes in 100 year old walls) and 6 medium sized pots; all for £4 in the Pound Shop. Then got two largeish, deep, square tubs for £3.99 each (reduced from £6.99) from a hardware shop. Also got liners for hanging baskets and a little trowel (also reduced to £2.99). Also got some 6ft canes as I'm thinking the first thing I'll plant is runner beans - possibly with some sweetpeas in with them. Will use the hanging baskets for tumbling tomatoes and possibly salad leaves in the other.

Desperate to find a good junk shop/car boot sale opportunity soon. Oh, and find someone with a car who's willing to traipse round with me!

Have fallen in love with some purple gardening clogs.... Might have to put in a 'birthday present request' at some point.

I keep going back to the idea of a little greenhouse. Have seen a little 4-tier, polythene thing for £20. Still in the back of my mind though is that there'll be some car-boot equivalent lurking somewhere which would do the job. Tactic might be to manage without and maybe invest in something like that next year.

Unfortunately my productive start to the day has wained as the clouds have come over and it's threatening rain. Purchases are safely in the 'shed' and seed packets still all over the floor. Might draw up a bit of a schedule for planting. I know, I think I said that in the last post, but haven't got round to it yet!

Teabags and eggshells

Haven't been out much lately due to illness, wet weather and actually being a bit scared to start planting anything as I've not yet sorted out where I'll put them when they start to grow!

Seriously need to get to grips with the types of containers I'll be planting things into. I think I need to turn scavenger this weekend and seek out some suitable items which could be used as planters. My inspiration is being drawn from the metal sign I found outside and I'm hoping to develop a kind of 'shabby chic' look. The trouble is, that's quite a popular look so tin baths and such like are going for about £30! Might need to be a bit more inventive than that.

I also need to draw up a bit of a planting schedule so that I know what to plant out when. Get a rota underway so I avoid the situation where I'm suddenly having to use up 75 courgettes.


A couple of things I am doing in preparation, though they are hardly back-breaking tasks, is save used teabags and eggshells. Apparently tealeaves can be sprinkled onto the soil for extra nutrients. The eggshells can be broken up and scattered around the edges of pots to deter slugs. Genius!


I have been putting the rainy days to good use however and have turned my hand to making gifts for the string of children's birthday's which have come up over the last few weeks. Baking aprons which I coupled with mini baking utensils to make quite cute gifts. Am thinking this might be another area to develop. Got the pattern from a favourite blog of mine by Randi called "I have to say....": Apron Tutorial

To weed or not to weed?

Found this lurking in an old pot which was full of weeds (although quite pretty lilac weeds!) and was just about to pull it out when it struck me that it seemed a bit more substantial than a normal weed.
This was the best I could come up with as far as close-up photos, but I need a bit of an expert eye as to what it is. Posting this in the hope that my Dad will be able to deduce what it might be.

Any ideas? Rare variety of something which'll make me rich and famous? Probably just a weed. :)

Berries and bees

One thing I forgot to mention yesterday was that I think I may have bees in my birdhouse! It's been there since September last year and as yet hadn't seen any birds anywhere near it. While out there yesterday however I did see a bee (or two bees!) go into the house twice. Not sure what type of bee they are though. Definitely not the bumble bee, more like the thinner bees. Think some research is needed.

Also planted two berry trees (though they're more like twigs at present); one blackcurrant and one gooseberry. Hadn't planned to go into growing soft fruits but each plant was just £1 in the Pound Shop so I couldn't resist! Certainly worth a try. Will upload some photos of them soon.

Tidying and treasures

Made the most of the sunshine today (and a child-free Bank Holiday) and got out in the yard for the first time and had a tidy up. My first port of call had to be the little lean-to shed at the end of the yard.

It's full of old bits and bobs from previous tenants, most of which is destined for the bin really. I cleared out the obviously rubbish, saving and old bucket, dustpan, and two large plastic boxes.

I found some treasures too! Look, an old metal coffee advert. I gave it a clean and it looks fab.

Also found some nice yellow flowers on the roof of the lean-to (probably weeds but still pretty).

There's an old bookcase/cupboard in the lean-to which I'm yet to tackle. Had reached my bravery limit in terms of spiders and potential animals living in there, so will save it for a time when I'm braver. I'll be keeping the cupboard as it'll be useful for storage. There's also a mysterious boxfile underneath it which might hold something intriguing. Tune in for the next exciting instalment!

As you can see there's a drastic improvement after a bit of sweeping! I will get rid of the junk from the cupboard, honest.









After a bit of weeding and general tidying things are beginning to look quite pretty. Definitely more inviting. Now all we need are a few more sunny days and I can continue.

Spuds and sheds.

Just found this link for growing potatoes in a small space. http://lifehacker.com/5202849/grow-100-lbs-of-potatoes-in-4-square-feet

Not sure I'd attempt potatoes but if I can get the container it would be tempting to try.

Am hoping the sun comes out tomorrow as I'm desperate to get out there as it's my first opportunity since deciding to do this. First thing will be a trip into town to get (if nothing else) compost. Am planning on composing at some point but need to research wormeries etc first to decide what's best.

Am delighted to be inheriting a lean-to shed from my parents, which will be surplus to their requirements, so that will be my outdoor store for gardening things. Can't wait!

Will update with more photos tomorrow once I've been out there. Am off to cut loo rolls in half now. :)

Of course!!

Loo rolls as little pots!! Brilliant!

Grow seeds in cut up loo rolls then just plant straight out as cardboard will disintergrate!

Genius!

(Think I might cut mine in half though... guess it depends what I'm growing...!)

Pots and innovation

Right, so I've had a quick chat with my Dad who is my guru regarding most things of a practical nature, particularly of a gardening nature, and he thinks my plan is more than possible. He's suggesting I use decking planks, or similar, to fashion a raised bed at the house end of the yard. I suggested 100cm x 100cm but I think Dad's suggestion of 200cm x 100cm might be better.

I'm thinking that I am going to go down the reduce, reuse, recycle (reclaim?) route as to the materials for this. I'm sure there will be some things which could be used as raised beds rather than creating something (or dare I say buying something) new! Ooh, imagination running wild. I wonder how potatoes would grow in an old bath tub, or carrots in an old tea chest? Could be fun finding things. I'm thinking I need to investigate the possibilities of Freecycle in my area to see if anything is going spare. I might also visit the dump and see if anything is crying out to be planted up!

I have a feeling I may be jumping the gun a little in terms of this project, though it wouldn't hurt to have that in mind in case I see anything in the meantime.

Drawing on my limited knowledge of agriculture, if I'm planning on growing vegetables from seed I'll need some sort of propagation system. I'd then plan the more mature seedlings out. I think I know what's needed for this though the challenge would be to find it on the cheap, or put an existing item to an alternative use. Innovation.

I can imagine a basic frame with maybe 3 or 4 shelves on it, which can then be covered by clear polythene to act as a mini greenhouse. Old buggy raincover would do it. I can see the challenge may also be to make these reclaimed/reused item aesthetically pleasing too!

So that's another thing to look out for:

• greenhouse frame
• greenhouse cover (unless buggy cover is usable)
• raised beds/alternatives
• seeds (obviously)
• and POTS!! Lots of them, seedling trays initially. Might be a Pound Shop visit at some point then. :)

Potential

This is the extent of the 'garden-ness' off my back yard. Nice isn't it?!

The lean-to is just to the right. Am too embarrassed to include a photo of that as it's full of rubbish and quite obviously has a leak as there's a plastic box full of rainwater in it so will show that when it's transformed! Or at least when it's tidy.

Am thinking "potential" is the word which springs to mind....... amongst others..... :)

Finally finding something worth blogging about

Have decided what to use this for. I live in a small, rented, terrace house, 2-up 2 down, which only has a small back yard. The outside area literally consists of a concrete floor and lean-t0 shed by the back gate. It's tiny. My Dad is a Chelsea Flower Show Gold Medal winner and I've grown up with things growing up around me. I currently have an array of pots (donated by my Dad!) containing various things, herbs, a rose tree, bedding plants, a bay tree etc, but I'm wanting more!

The sun's come out consistently now for at least 3 days in a row so spring must have sprung, finally!

It's got me thinking that this "something meaningless" should be something meaningful one day, so I've decided to see if I can turn this rented backyard into a YARDEN!

I want to grow my own veggies, try my hand at composting, and basically see what is possible when you only have a small area to play with. I also want to see what's possible when I ultimately have to remove anything I do out there when I move out.

I like a challenge.

This is going to be credit crunch eco-friendly gardening. Can't wait!!