Sunflowers

It must be autumn, not only are the mornings so dark and depressing, but after last weekend of bringing the sunflowers down, this weekend it was the turn of the wigwams.  I didn’t actauly have to dismantle them too much as one had been resting on the wall for a couple of months due to the wind (which had uprooted the peas and beans growing up which had since died) while the other one was leaning quite a bit with half uprooted giving one side of nice green and flowers and the other all dead.     They are now all down and stored for next year.   I am rather chuffed that painting them red and green seemed to work and so will do the same again next year.

Related:

• May 30, 2008 -- Second Wigwam
• May 21, 2008 -- Wigwams
• September 7, 2008 -- Wigwams blown down
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 - Sweetpeas
• June 27, 2008 -- @10 weeks - sweetpeas and beans
• June 17, 2008 -- @week 9 - Beans and Sweetpeas
• June 4, 2008 -- @Seven Weeks - Sweetpeas
• May 13, 2008 -- @Four Weeks
• May 8, 2008 -- @Three Weeks
• October 11, 2008 -- Sunflowers in the front still looking good

The first one came down the other week during the strong wind and rain we had.  The second one is halfway down following once again the strong wind and rain.  Note for next year to put them further into the ground!  Mind you, saying wind and rain is a bit of an understatement, more like strong gales and torrential rain would be better.   The front garden has been flooded which makes me slightly happy that I didn’t get round to adding top soil and grass seed to the grass in the front, all of which would have had floated away by now.

Related:

• September 30, 2008 -- Wigwams down
• June 27, 2008 -- @10 weeks - sweetpeas and beans
• June 17, 2008 -- @week 9 - Beans and Sweetpeas
• May 30, 2008 -- Second Wigwam
• May 21, 2008 -- Wigwams
• May 13, 2008 -- @Four Weeks
• September 5, 2008 -- Sweetpeas along the side
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 Sweetpeas at ‘the side’
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 - Sweetpeas
• August 11, 2008 -- Beans Beans Beans

We didn’t grow the runner beans in order to achieve a massive great harvest, but what we do get is all good news.   The green wigwam has done really well, the red one has not a sausage (well, not a bean actually).

Related:

• September 30, 2008 -- Wigwams down
• September 7, 2008 -- Wigwams blown down
• July 24, 2008 -- @w14 - beans
• June 27, 2008 -- @10 weeks - sweetpeas and beans
• June 17, 2008 -- @week 9 - Beans and Sweetpeas
• June 4, 2008 -- @Seven Weeks - Runner Beans
• May 30, 2008 -- Second Wigwam
• May 21, 2008 -- Wigwams
• May 13, 2008 -- @Four Weeks
• May 12, 2008 -- Beans planted

They are still climbing, flowering, and I noticed a couple of small runny beans hanging off the other night..

Related:

• September 30, 2008 -- Wigwams down
• September 7, 2008 -- Wigwams blown down
• August 11, 2008 -- Beans Beans Beans
• June 27, 2008 -- @10 weeks - sweetpeas and beans
• June 17, 2008 -- @week 9 - Beans and Sweetpeas
• June 4, 2008 -- @Seven Weeks - Runner Beans
• May 30, 2008 -- Second Wigwam
• May 21, 2008 -- Wigwams
• May 13, 2008 -- @Four Weeks
• May 12, 2008 -- Beans planted

The runner beans are making a runner for the top of the wigwams, even against all the strong wind we have had nearly every day this week.   The sweetpeas continue to be small and growing only slightly, a lot of this caused I am thinking by the lack of preparation of the soil.   I don’t think the soil where the sweetpeas are is really deep enough for their roots.  However, they are growing slowly and will still manage to do something worth while I believe.  I have used some of the twigs and things that I cut off the cherry tree earlier this week as supports for the sweetpeas.

Related:

• September 30, 2008 -- Wigwams down
• September 7, 2008 -- Wigwams blown down
• June 17, 2008 -- @week 9 - Beans and Sweetpeas
• May 30, 2008 -- Second Wigwam
• May 21, 2008 -- Wigwams
• May 13, 2008 -- @Four Weeks
• September 5, 2008 -- Sweetpeas along the side
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 Sweetpeas at ‘the side’
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 - Sweetpeas
• August 11, 2008 -- Beans Beans Beans

It is hard to spot them all here, but loom and you will see runner beans climbing up and at each corner the sweetpeas are having a good go too.  Within two or three weeks this will be a tower of beans and peas.

Related:

• September 30, 2008 -- Wigwams down
• September 7, 2008 -- Wigwams blown down
• June 27, 2008 -- @10 weeks - sweetpeas and beans
• May 30, 2008 -- Second Wigwam
• May 21, 2008 -- Wigwams
• May 13, 2008 -- @Four Weeks
• September 5, 2008 -- Sweetpeas along the side
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 Sweetpeas at ‘the side’
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 - Sweetpeas
• August 11, 2008 -- Beans Beans Beans

They are now all planted out at the wigwams.

Related:

• September 30, 2008 -- Wigwams down
• September 7, 2008 -- Wigwams blown down
• August 11, 2008 -- Beans Beans Beans
• July 24, 2008 -- @w14 - beans
• June 27, 2008 -- @10 weeks - sweetpeas and beans
• June 17, 2008 -- @week 9 - Beans and Sweetpeas
• May 30, 2008 -- Second Wigwam
• May 21, 2008 -- Wigwams
• May 13, 2008 -- @Four Weeks
• May 12, 2008 -- Beans planted

It was been quite a while since last post and that is mainly down to being out of the country and then various illnesses that have been going on.  But, things have been moving.  We had a long spell of sun followed by a long spell of rain (we seem to still be in that) which has been wonderfull for the garden and in particular the grass seed in the front.   It certainly looks like a lawn now thanks to warmth and sun and rain.

We put up the second wigwam the other weekend and planted two of the bean plants and the rest of the sweetpeas.  Some sweetpeas I have tied up against an old stump of a bush that has no branches or leaves, so will make a nice part instead of just a dead looking bush sticking out of the ground.   This second wigwam is green, I am not so sure I like it as much as the red one.

Related:

• September 30, 2008 -- Wigwams down
• May 21, 2008 -- Wigwams
• September 7, 2008 -- Wigwams blown down
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 - Sweetpeas
• June 27, 2008 -- @10 weeks - sweetpeas and beans
• June 17, 2008 -- @week 9 - Beans and Sweetpeas
• June 4, 2008 -- @Seven Weeks - Sweetpeas
• May 13, 2008 -- @Four Weeks
• May 8, 2008 -- @Three Weeks
• October 11, 2008 -- Sunflowers in the front still looking good

It’s been a while, but I have been away from home.   Last weekend we spent some time putting up the first of two wigwams for sweetpeas and beans and anything else that wants to,  to grow up it.    We planted the sweetpeas at the bottom and maybe when I get back I shall see some progress.

Related:

• September 30, 2008 -- Wigwams down
• May 30, 2008 -- Second Wigwam
• September 7, 2008 -- Wigwams blown down
• August 11, 2008 -- w17 - Sweetpeas
• June 27, 2008 -- @10 weeks - sweetpeas and beans
• June 17, 2008 -- @week 9 - Beans and Sweetpeas
• June 4, 2008 -- @Seven Weeks - Sweetpeas
• May 13, 2008 -- @Four Weeks
• May 8, 2008 -- @Three Weeks
• October 11, 2008 -- Sunflowers in the front still looking good

So much going on and so little time to do things!   I have added a whole load of extra things this week, so comments are with the photos.  It has been sun sun sun, hot hot hot all week, which has meant lots of watering although only on the small things.  Everything else has to take their chance, including the new grass seed in the front garden which is a bit of a pity.  I have watered it a couple of times, but it will come up eventually and if it doesn’t then a top up on Autumn will do the job I am sure.

Beans - only planted them a couple of days ago so no show as yet: 

Rhubarb - needs picking, we have made some pies from it already:

Tayberry - this is a new one this week.  One of the fruit bushes that we got reduced from Woolworths and it seems to have taken and has new growth on it:

Wild Strawberries - some nice little flowers and some small green strawberries starting to show.  That and the two plants are now multiplying like it is going out of business:

Blackcurrents - this is the third or fourth year (I forget) and this year the bush never got pruned and so it is really looked after itself.  Mind you, a good growth of flowers appearing:

Sunflowers - the ones that started it all.  These are no four weeks old and no more slug problems after using pellets.  They are well on their way outside while a couple more are just starting to show inside (to replace the slug eaten ones) as well as two planted directly outside showing now too:

Potatoes - I managed to get a couple more off freecycle, so now we have four seed potatoes in the pot.  The existing ones the growth was about an inch above the soil, so I have now topped it up with more soil.  The next time I have to do this, it will be at the top:

Grass - don’t be fooled by the photo, it is actually quite patchy and the hot sunny weather has not helped at all.  Mind you, it does look like it is meant to be there and from a distance is a nice carpet of green. It is meant to rain tomorrow:

Tomatoes: now repotted and outside:

Chillies - now repotted outside.  The stones are to keep them upright:

Clematis is growing very well, about an inch or more per day.  It will soon be up to the wire and off along the fence:

Amaranthus - I really need to read up on what to do with these:

Basil - growing nicely and time to repot them I think:

Cress - more luck this second time and half of it eaten, yum:

Mini Sunflowers - ready to plant outside:

Sweetpeas - every single seed seems to have done something which is fantastic:

Salad - still growing but very slowly, and little bits of it dieing too, not doing too well.  I think we will put some seed outside at sometime:

Related:

• May 8, 2008 -- @Three Weeks
• April 27, 2008 -- @Two Weeks
• September 30, 2008 -- Wigwams down
• September 7, 2008 -- Wigwams blown down
• June 27, 2008 -- @10 weeks - sweetpeas and beans
• June 17, 2008 -- @week 9 - Beans and Sweetpeas
• May 30, 2008 -- Second Wigwam
• May 21, 2008 -- Wigwams
• April 21, 2008 -- @One Week
• September 14, 2008 -- Autumn Grass Seed