A Fruity Tip.

This is a little tip that I’m going to show you that makes life easier for me when picking fruit, Raspberries in particular. It doesn’t work so well with fruit that you pick while bending over, taller Black Currant bushes are another thing I’ve used it on with great success.

What I have in my hand is an ex-army ammo pouch.

This one clips on to my belt (which is covered by the shirt) that I wear all the time to hold up my trousers.

You could find something along the same lines to do the same job at a hiking store or similar. I like this one because I don’t need a separate belt also its pretty stiff canvas which as you can see doesn’t crush anything you put in there.

Then when you have it full all you need to do is take it off and tip the contents in to something larger and then set too and refill the pouch – hopefully many times over because I think most of us like our fresh soft fruits.

I’ve used this method for many years and find it handy not having to use one hand to hold a tray or whatever, it leaves both hands free for picking the fruit.

Hanging Basket Project (Assembly).

This is the final part of the hanging basket project that I know none of you have been doing with me – I will not be put off though because I know that in time I will have the mother of all hanging baskets! Everyone who comes in the garden will say, "Oh Vicki, I love your hanging basket"!

Today is assembly day, the day when all three parts join to make one – provided the hanging basket bracket doesn’t drop off the wall under all the extra weight.

It’s just a simple matter of hooking each of the baskets under one another, this is why you need to use the mesh type baskets as the solid plastic type don’t have anywhere underneath to fasten a second basket also the plastic hooks are only just strong enough to support a single basket.

If you want to see the previous instalments on how to make this beast then just click on 'Hanging Basket Project' label in my sidebar.

I will post more pictures of this later as the dots become joined up - just so you can see what you missed out on. Oh by the way, the Petunia's I used are scented ones so that should be a nice bonus.

Hanging Basket Project (Post Two).

Today I will show you how things are progressing with the hanging basket project that I started last month. Click here There is still away to go yet but as you will see things are coming along nicely.
Also I've put together a basket of Oxalis, it doesn't look much at the moment but hopefully in a few weeks it will look much better when the plants haev covered the plastic.

Sowing Lettuce.

I said the other day that I would show you how I sow my lettuce, also a few other things for that matter. There is no reason at all why Lettuce can't be sown straight in the ground at this time of year but this method is particularly useful for early sowings when the ground is wet and cold, however I also prefer this way no matter whatever the time of year is.

I take a tray with cells, I use a ten cell tray as that will provide at least three Lettuce a week.

Fill with potting compost and firm, then top off and level before making a dent in the compost with your finger, don't make the hole too deep as this is mostly the cause of bad germination in seeds. It just wants to be deep enough to cover the seeds.

Put a few seed in to the palm of your hand, and I then use the blade of my knife to scoop up a couple of seed and place in one of the holes in the compost.

If the seed is new then a couple of seeds in each hole is all you need, if its older seed then put in a few extra.

Then just cover the seed with your finger, water in and either place in the greenhouse or warm sheltered place. When the seedlings are big enough to handle take out the weakest leaving one good plant in each cell.

In a few weeks you will have Lettuce like this ready for planting in the garden.

Hanging Basket Project (Post One).

This contraption is something Vicki got me the other year and I find it quite handy for starting off your hanging baskets. In the one you see here I have three trailing Petunia's, I know it looks a bit sparse at the moment but these three plants will grow to fill the basket. Anyway what I like about these containers is that they're good for sitting on the greenhouse staging while bringing the plants on but once its time for them to go out in hanging baskets you simply put a bit of compost in the bottom of the basket and then drop this container with plants straight in to the basket and then the roots just grow on out though the bottom. In the picture there are three with Petunia's which are for a project I have planned for this summer and one with four trailing Tomato plants.

If you want to join in the Petunia project with me you need to get planted up three 12 inch (30 cm) hanging baskets with 3 trailing petunia's in each. Just plant them around the top of the basket and don't worry about fancy liners or trying to hide it as the plants will do that for you in no time at all, I line mine with an old compost bag cut to shape and with the black side facing out. If you have a greenhouse put them inside to bring them on faster if not then a warm sunny place outside will do and then in a couple of weeks or so I will show you what to do with them. Make sure you have one good strong hanging basket bracket in place by this time though. Also it will need to be a bit out of the way because the baskets will hang a bit low by the time we've done.

Planter Tip.

Tonight Tippy is going to show you a little something we put together the other day. Me and Tom went to the garden centre as Tom wanted some bonemeal so while we were there I decided to buy some pots to do something I've been thinking about for a while now. I was just going to get three ordinary clay pots, it doesn't really matter what the pots are like as long as each one is smaller than the other, the reason for this will become evident in the next picture. As it turned out there were three pots that both fit the bill and that took my fancy.

If you start off with the biggest pot and fill it with potting compost and then take the next size pot and just put it on top of the one you just filled and lightly press down, this will both firm the compost in the lower pot and also mark where the pot will eventually sit. There should be a part all the way around the lower pot that the second pot didn't touch and this is now where you need to put some plants, I used Busy Lizzies but you could use begonia's or sat Petunia's, trailing Lobelia would be good too. When this is done then you do the same thing again with the second pot first of all filling it with compost as with the first. If you planted the first pot right you should be able to just sit in down on top of the first pot without damaging the plants. See the picture below.

For the third pot you can finish off with the same sort of plants if you choose, I decided to put a Fuchsia in the top pot as I felt it would just give it that bit more height. Below is the finished article although I'm thinking I might see if Vicki can get some some trailing Lobelia from the shop as I think it would be better with something flowing down a bit although in time the Busy Lizzies will grow up and fill out.
This next picture was taken later on in the summer and shows you how it all worked out.

All the best,
Bob.

Tomato Plant Cuttings.

All readings are taken from a sheltered location in our

garden and cover a 24 hour period starting at 6pm.

Low Temp: 4.5C

High Temp: 16.4C

Rainfall: 0.3mm

Strongest Gust of wind: 1.4 mph

Weather Today: Bright and sunny,

some heavy showers late afternoon.

Hello everyone, I sure hope you're feeling well. Tonight I have another of Tippy's Top Tips for you. No doubt some of you are like me and enjoy growing Tomatoes. Well I will tell you something that I sometimes do, its also good for those who buy plants rather than grow from seed because this way you don't need to by as many. Once your plants get going you will find that there are lots of side shoots which in some cases you have to remove and even if you grow the sort of plants that don't need side shoots removing the plant won't mind if you take a few. In this instance I use a sharp knife that way you don't bruise the end. Below shows you what a side shoot looks like and where to make the cut.

If the leaves are a bit big then trim back the end a little so you end up with something like in the picture below and make sure you have a nice clean straight cut on the bottom of the cutting.

Then fill a pot with ordinary potting compost and stick the cutting down the side of the pot to the depth of about half an inch to an inch and then water in. Then stand it somewhere warm and light but shaded from direct sunlight.

Then in ten days to a fortnight you will have roots forming like this...

...and extra plants to grow on or give to friends.

I was intending to grow these on for planting out in the garden later but my dad has not done so well with his own Tomatoes this year so I will let him have these four plants so he will get a head start, you never know he might be so happy that he'll treat me to a pint of Fosters - now thats got to be worth having a go hasn't it? I have some more side shoots so I will take somemore cuttings to grow outside. This is so easy that even someone with brown thumbs can do it, even if its just for fun.

The Plank.

All readings are taken from a sheltered location in our

garden and cover a 24 hour period starting at 6pm.

Low Temp: 0.3C

High Temp: 12.0C

Rainfall: 0.6mm

Strongest Gust of wind: 3.4 mph

Weather Today: Bright until 3 then came on to rain, still cold.

Today I got my Hytec onion sets so I set too and got them in the ground straight away. I just happened to meantion it to Tippy when I got home for lunch and she said to make sure I tell you about 'The Plank'. Unlike the onion sets there is nothing hitec about it, its simply a plank of wood that I use instead of a garden line for marking out the rows. It works well, better than a line for the shorter rows we have here in the veg garden at the big house. Its quite thin and is 12 foot long by 6 inches wide.

What I've also done is cut marks along the edges to mark out the distances. On the side you see the plank is marked off in 6 inches, every other mark being full width of the plank so its easy to measure either feet or half feet when planting. See the picture below, my finger is pointing out the foot mark and then you can see the 6 inch mark at the top of the picture. Then if you turn the plank over one edge is marked at 4 inch intervals which is the distance I plant my oinions. There is a free edge with no marking because I find the three that I have cover everything.
As I say it works better on the shorter rows, if you have long rows then I think the line is better.

Also today, as it came on to rain in the afternoon me and Tom went to the garden centre for some grass seed to re-seed the piece of lawn where the Evergreen Oak came from. I have it all levelled and raked now ready for the seed. I haven't been in a hurry to put it in because the weather is still so cold. I don' want to sow it and have it sitting there for ages because of the dogs and kids digging holes in it.

Anyway I'd better be getting off now, take care.
Bob.

Rooting Cuttings In Water.

All readings are taken from a sheltered location in our

garden and cover a 24 hour period starting at 6pm.

Low Temp: 1.6C

High Temp: 14.7C

Rainfall: 0.3mm

Strongest Gust of wind: 2.0 mph

Weather Today: Mostly sunny after a frosty start.

Tonight I'm going to show you a couple of Begonia's that I saved from last summer. They were actually runts that got held back at planting time because they were too small so I kept them in the conservatory as pot plants all summer and then on through the winter. Then around February time when they started putting on new growth I started taking cuttings from them. I suspect a lot of you will already know how to take cuttings from them but for those who don't here is how I do it. Its very simple and hardly any trouble, all you need it a sharp knife and some sort of small container that holds water, I prefer a clear one that way you can see when the roots are forming without having to keep disturbing the cuttings. I think in my example I used the top from a tub of toothpaste but anything similar will do.

Below are the two parent Begonia's

Take your sharp knife and cut off any new growth that is of a similar length to the pieces you see in the picture below, around 2 to 3 inches, don;t worry where you make the cut at the moment.

Now strip off the lower leaves and any flowers leaving just a couple of leaves as in the picture then take your sharp knife and make a clean cut just below a join as I am about to do below.

Thats all there is too it, put your cuttings in the container as below and fill to the top with fresh tap water and be sure to keep it topped up with water until you see the roots forming on the stalks. You can keep them on a warm window sill but be sure to shade from any direct sun light. I always find the kitchen is a good place as its usually warm in there and also its handy for the tap to keep the water level topped up.

Then when you see little roots, if you look closely at the picture you will see what I mean. This is the time to take your cuttings and pot them up in to a general purpose potting compost. Handle the cuttings by their leaves though as the roots are very delicate at this stage.
In about three weeks you will have lots of lovely new plants like the ones I have below, I think I have 40 babies so far from the two plants which I'm really pleased about, especially as they're almost for free and from two plants that nearly got thrown away.
There are quite a few plants that you can root this way, I usually root Impatiens this way and I also find that Fuchsia's root easily in water. Anyway I hope that is of help to someone and if you need to know more just ask - okay.