Sowing Morning Glory & Opium #9

 Flower Sowing Time!

I decided to begin sowing some of my flowers again after I had started my Pansies off last time. Here you can see my Morning Glory seed packet followed by what the seeds look like in my hand.

I ended up sowing ten seeds, two per pot I had upcycled from yogurt pots I ate from. They are sizeable seeds that can easily be handled without any stress. The process was very simple. Just pop two seeds per pot about half a centimetre deep and cover them up, sprinkle with water and your done.

My Opium seeds came in this little paper packet and the seeds look identical to other types of poppies except they are much larger due to Opium being such a big plant.

Here is what the seeds look like for Opium, they have a greyer tint to them compared to common field poppy which I also have that is completely black.

Here is what they look like after I sprinkled them over the soil. The opium seeds are still too small to bother with sowing a certain distance apart. That practice is kept for larger seeds such as my Morning Glory seeds above.

Thanks for reading and don't forget to check out my youtube channel which is also about gardening!
 

Third Steps In The Allotment #8

 Raking The Soil Level

I headed to the allotment a third time to continue my weeding and managed to do a fair amount. I used my rake to further crumble the soil into a fine tilth.

You can see in these photos the difference on the left and right side of the plot. The darker area on the right has been raked well and the lighter area on the left was not yet done.

Here's the same plot from a different angle.

This is the sunnier side of my plot. It was covered with a ground sheet that I partially peeled back. It did a fantastic job at keeping the weeds down which made my life easier. 

Finally these two photos show you how it looks like after I cleaned this part up. I used these wooden frames that are actually part of my compost bin to use as some raised beds for some of my crops this year.

This should be a very interesting year. Stay tuned with my gardening content on Youtube!

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Second Steps In The Allotment 2022 #7

 Storm Eunice Hits The Greenhouse

We had a pretty strong storm hit us here in the UK recently which caused a lot of damage to my greenhouse. Shattered panes of glass were everywhere as well as the door to the greenhouse being completely ripped off.

Thankfully we had already removed a good amount of the glass panes the last time we had come in January with a relative of mine. The ones that remained as well as the ones we left outside were hammered by the storm.

Large and small pieces of glass had covered the ground sheet and some pieces actually sliced right through it and pierced the soil. I had to carefully remove them bit by bit.

The greenhouse has a sliding door and that was completely ripped out. Thankfully nobody was hurt in the process. I'm also proud to say this happened at a time of year where I had not yet planted any crops. 

Later to make things easier I grabbed a wheelbarrow and began collecting all the bigger pieces to throw away in the bin.

Besides the clean up I did manage to start weeding around the part of my plot that was no covered by the ground sheets. It was a lovely day and so I took my time to do it well and ended up with good results.

Here you can see all the weeds I had managed to dig out of the ground, they weren't too tricky to deal with but I have had some that were a pain in the past. Compared to then, this was a breeze.

I threw all of the weeds into my compost bin (none of the weeds had gone to seed so it was okay) that way I can eventually get them to turn in to compost. The bottom layer has already done so, it's just a matter of time until the rest does too.

This is the final area that needed to be weeded but I will leave it for a later date due to having other matters to sort out. I will be posting more updates as time goes on. Don't forget to check out my channel on Gardening! 

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How To Grow Pansies From Seed #6

 Getting What You Need

I sowed my Pansies in early February this year and I've got a few seedlings that have popped out. All I used was a set of old yogurt pots I had washed and filled them with multi purpose compost and popped two seeds in each pot.      

The process is very simple and you can easily get a result as you can see in this photo. After having germinated some, I decided to sow some more in a different container to start off a fresh batch.

Here I grabbed myself a tupperware container to use. Make sure any container you use to start off your seeds is clean.

In this photo you can see the little Pansy seeds inside the packet. They are small but still manageable using your fingers. I would not fuss about spacing though, just lightly sprinkle them over the surface of the soil leaving a little space between each seed.

 

You can just about see them in this photo, I've sprinkled about twenty-five seeds on the surface and left adequate space between each seed. This will make thinning them out easier as they grow. 

After having done that, I put a thin layer of compost over the seeds and gently patted down. I gave them a good soaking of water when I was done.

Once that was  done, I sealed the top of the container with it's lid and named as well as dated the day I sowed them. I kept my container on a windowsill but this is not absolutely necessary. Within a few weeks, you should be able to see some seedlings just like in the first photo!

I have a Youtube Channel about Gardening, don't forget to check that out for more content! My Youtube Channel 

Common Pests In The Garden #5

1.Aphids

These creatures are incredibly common and are found in almost every garden or allotment setting. They are typically green but may also be black or pink depending on the variety of aphid. Reproduction happens very quickly and you can find yourself struggling to keep up with them if you don't deal with the issue very early. They consume the sap of plants and can cause it to wither and die back when they amass in large numbers. This video on my Youtube channel will show you an easy way to get rid of them.

2.Cats

Believe it or not, this beloved household pet can indeed become a nuisance in some gardens. I myself have suffered from their digging and pawing at my plants and lost quite a number of them because of it. You can try to attack a cats sense of smell by having plants such as Rosemary, Lavender & Thyme potted or planted nearby to deter them. This will decrease the chance of them ruining your vegetable plot or using the soft garden bed as a litter box which is not good either.

3.Birds

For those of you who know me personally this may be somewhat ironic since I am a big fan of birds and enjoy their presence. However some birds can also be pests because they can eat away at the seeds that some of your plants produce and can unintentionally cause extra damage to the crop in the process. They can also target fruit producing crops which allows them to enjoy it before you even have a chance to pick it. I made an article about how to keep birds away from your crops here.

4.Slugs & Snails

Another very common set of pests that are so well known I hardly need to say more. There are various ways to tackle them such as using slug & snail pellets, beer traps, using pieces of rock salt, using copper tape around your containers since it gives them an electric shock or removing potential shelters for them that may be in the dark corners of your plot such as broken pottery, buckets, large stones etc. If you have a pond with frogs, they can be handy at keeping the slug population lower since they eat them.

5.Spider Mites

These pests are rather small and create lots of webs all over your plants if you don't notice or tackle them early. They are arachnids making them related to spiders, scorpions and ticks. I had a number of them attack two of my cucumber plants in 2018 that was growing on my balcony. Unfortunately I noticed them far too late and they ended up killing a large portion of the plant. The good news is that I managed to harvest those cucumbers before that happened. Insecticidal soap is a good choice to get rid of them. Spraying neem oil is also another option that you can use individually or after using the insecticidal soap. It will eventually kill the spider mites.

These are a small handful of common pests that growers and gardeners encounter, I hope you may have learned something and benefited! Don't forget to check out my channel for gardening related videos. My Youtube Channel

Common Plant Diseases & Disorders #4

1.Blossom End Rot 

This disorder appears as dark patches on the blossom end of plants such as peppers, tomatoes, aubergines etc. The problem is caused by a calcium deficiency in the affected plant or plants. Calcium is not typically lacking in soil so the most likely issue is that it is not reaching the parts of the plant furthest from the roots due to not enough water. Plants grown within limited root space such as pots or growing bags are at a greater risk since the water either from rain or you is not consistent enough leading to a local calcium deficiency. Keeping the plant moist throughout the season is the best way to prevent this problem.

2.Chocolate Spot

This disease causes dark brown spots to appear on the foliage and stems of plants, notably broad beans. This effectively reduces the vigour of the plant or kills it entirely. The fungus that is responsible for it thrives in damp areas with low air circulation. The best way to avoid it is to make sure you are growing plants in well drained soil and that you give your crops the correct spacing.

3.Botrytis 

This is another fungus that negatively affects plants. It causes decay of the soft tissues of fruit such as raspberries, strawberries, grapes etc. It is a fuzzy grey-brown looking mould that commonly attacks plants grown under glass cover where conditions will be more humid. If you are growing plants under cover, make sure to remove dead plant material and allow for a small amount of ventilation. Some modular trays are designed to have small gaps at certain intervals where the cover meets the actual tray. This promotes a small amount of air flow which will decrease the chance of this mould developing. 

4.Damping Off

This particular disease causing your seedlings to suddenly collapse and die. Like the previous disease, it is caused by fungi. To reduce the risk, plant seeds thinly and keep good ventilation. As mentioned in one of my other articles, use clean pots and containers and mains water.

5.Powdery Mildew

This disease causes powdery white layers on leaves and stems and is fairly frequent. They're actually a collection of related fungi. When the weather is dry, it's even worse. Among the many common culinary and ornamental garden plants impacted are apples, gooseberries, grapes, crucifers, courgettes, cucumbers, peas, and even some grasses. Powdery mildew fungus are also damaging to grain crops. One way to prevent the development of this common problem is to mix a solution of baking soda and dish soap with water in a spray bottle. This will act as a preventative so that you don't have to deal with the mildew to begin with.

That was five common diseases and disorders that you may or probably have encountered at some point when gardening. I would like to remind you to check out my channel on Youtube where I post gardening related videos. My Youtube Channel

Caring For Your Containers #3

 Reusing Old Pots

If you're going to undertake some container gardening, it's critical to keep them clean after you've used them to grow plants in the past. This is especially true for any pots or containers that have been left stacked in the garden. If you've ever used seed trays, the same rules apply. Even if you keep your pots and seed trays covered outside (or in a shed), they can become a breeding ground for pests and plant diseases, bug larvae, snails, slugs, and other unwanted critters. Scrub your pots well with warm water and detergent or soap to eradicate any potential concerns.

You can see an example of one of my pots with a dead plant and some dried out compost in the shot directly below. The pot has been in use for several months and has served its purpose; it will now need to be carefully cleaned. While the plant was still alive, I noticed gnats and other insects circling around it, which had most likely laid eggs in the compost. This is why, before reusing the pots and containers, they must be completely cleaned.

In the second photo, you can see an example of one of the small pots I had previously used, but it has been well cleaned and is now ready for use.

Protecting Wooden Containers

Avoid exposing wooden containers to moist soil or compost to prevent them from decomposing over time. Apply a wood preservative to the interior and exterior of the container before using it, allowing it to seep and dry into the wood. This will need to be done at least once a year, preferably in the winter after you've finished with it during the growing season. When selecting a wood preservative, keep in mind that it should not be poisonous to your plants.

Linseed oil is a good alternative because it's fully natural and performs a good job of preserving your wood while causing no harm to your plants. Drill a few drainage holes in the bottom of your wooden container if it doesn't already have any to let any surplus rainfall out.

Don't forget to check out my Youtube videos on gardening! My Youtube Channel