spring

Tales from the sill 2023

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It’s growing season finally and the window sill is being utilised again. This year I’ve started with spring onions, cress and raspberry from seeds saved last year. The cress is no work at all and goes for it instantly, the onions taking a little longer but a few poking out now. The raspberries I have had to be patient with, not knowing if anything will happen. Fruit is a bit trickier to grow, but it looks as though the first signs of life are happening.

And with some already growing rocket and the little apple tree coming along, it’s a full row. (And orchids on the end so using what space there was).

(c) K Wicks

Little trees 🌳

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They are coming along. Season three for one of my cherries, and second season for what I think are more cherries and a plum tree. And first season for an apple tree.

I also saved an elderberry sprout which has established this year and looks healthy despite being overrun with aphids last year (as was the cherry). Those little ants really get on it with farming them, but despite looking weary at the end of last year, they’ve come back strong so far. It’s looking quite fruity in the garden too with the redcurrent, blueberry, gooseberry, loganberry and strawberry, although I misplaced the logan berry and it’s been overtaken by the buddleia. Maybe the little branch I planted last year will come through. We’ll see…

(c) K Wicks

Spring 2023

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Spring in now underway, even though the weather is choppy and changeable, the plants are just getting on, as we all do.

Things starting to poke through, not all identifiable yet, but clearly things I thought had died off for good, didn’t. And some flowers I let the seeds fall for are doing their thing. Calendula coming back, blueberries starting to bud and the rosemary bush is getting ready to flower. So tasty salads to come in the near future.

It’s looking good so far. The elderberry plant now looks established after being a scrawny stow away found growing round the side, so we’ll how that goes this year. Some seeds went out yesterday for a few things, fingers crossed for those, and some seeding is planned. Time to get on 🌿

(c) K Wicks

April growing

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Despite the cold and overcast days, the berries are coming along. Sprouting and budding a plenty now.

Blueberries
Gooseberry
Redcurrant
Strawberry
Loganberry
Peppers
Beetroot (with a few sneaky peppers I didn’t know were still present)
Cress and salad
Cucumber, zucchini & nasturtiums

There is lots going on and I’m getting better at the whole process of it all. Hopefully there will be tasty things at the end of it 😁

(c) K Wicks

Pond and snails

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I realise I forgot to do a proper post about my new little pond. A spur of the moment idea which is now about a month in, everything has settled and I’m making around the edge look OK with a few bits here and there.

Today I decided to move two of my five pond snails over as they have been doing well since I got them about a month ago now too. Not that easy to photograph, but I have tried. They are awesome to watch.

And today while checking the numbers, I lifted the small solar powered pump in the first tub pond, and what do I find? Small batches of eggs! There may be more snails very soon 😬

Also not so easy to photograph. But these have also been moved to the new pond. They are incredible at cleaning up, and have made the water crystal clear, and have helped clear all the algae that was forming round the growing plants.

These are the relocated two, as you can see, they have their work cut out for them here. Lots of algae there already, that may have come with the plant I moved to start it off though. Hoping for more wildlife, so far the birds have been using it as a bird bath too, so it has their approval, even using the little steps to hop down to the lawn on one occasion!

(c) K Wicks

Sprouting #2

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It’s getting busy now. Many I haven’t tried growing before so we’ll see how it goes.

Salad tomatoes and celery
Coneflower
Cosmos flowers
Spinach
Carrots and spring onion

Not sure I have enough room for it all, but I’ll make do and there maybe a few losses along the way.

(c) K Wicks