27 May 2020

Too dry...

Like last spring (and the summer before), we have gone several weeks without any rain.  In fact, I think we've had one rain since the start of lockdown, 10 weeks ago;  it wasn't even enough to refill our rain barrels either--they're empty.

However, my other strategies for conserving water are in full swing:  the washing machine exit pipe has been directed to the bed nearest the house;  there is very little bare soil in any of the beds, and I continue to add organic material to the soil such as the contents of the chicken house.  Only the soil around the edges of my patio (nearest the house) is dry enough to require watering.  So far.

However, some of the fruit trees are showing signs of stress:  the Kordia cherry has dropped some immature fruit and the fig has lost some smaller branches.  I've been trying to give all my trees a big drink about once a week, so as not to lose any more fruit.

Today the son and I mostly emptied the pond with buckets and went around watering trees and vegetables with it:  the blackest, smelliest, grossest water ever (ducks are disgusting, honestly).  I'm still planning on revamping the pond both for looks and for ease of draining/filling (with an option to refill with rain water), which will incidently add another water source for my plants.

I really hope it rains soon!
Two ducks drinking from buckets in a garden
Washing in a bucket, Apr 2020

19 May 2020

At the allotment, May 2020

I still don't have a photo of the allotment?!  Well, it's a lot less weedy than it was last year (also no photo), but it's still pretty darn weedy.  However, we are no longer the weediest allotment at the site!  For now, anyway. 

The first batch of peas put down in February completely failed.  The second batch from April is up, but pretty short still.  I only just put some peasticks and canes up, but they still don't need them yet.  Hopefully they'll get a few good rain showers and start growing.

The potatoes started to come up and then we had a late frost.  I can't remember getting a frost in mid-May before, and certainly it didn't frost the volunteer potatoes in my own garden, but it nipped off the tops of the ones at the allotment.  Luckily (I guess?) the tips were only just emerging, so hopefully the tubers have enough vigor to put out more shoots.

The garlic is growing strongly but is drowning in grass: so much grass...  I will harvest mid-June or early July, and that patch will probably get sheet mulched straight away to smother all that grass.  It's right next to where the very grassy future chicken yard will be (very near future, I hope).

Speaking of sheet mulch, the cabbages planted into the beds previously mulched have been severely slug damaged--I've already replanted once and I don't think it's worth doing again (though I do have some spare plants);  I'm putting in the rest of the brassicas at home this summer, though I may move some spring cabbage and broccoli to the allotment later in the season if I have some good sized ones. 

The husband just planted out a double row of runner beans and a double row of green beans, all started in paper tubes.  Hopefully they survive the slugs long enough to establish.

The strawberries are flowering, and hopefully forming fruits, but I'm a bit worried about the slug situation in their bed too.  We put down sheet mulch around the plants last month to smother grass, so maybe the slugs have taken up residence.  However, we have some raspberries forming, and about twenty or so new canes planted to hopefully fruit next year.

And finally, a harvest:  we have been picking purple sprouting broccoli about once a week for the past month, and it's still going, but the sprouts are very tiny now.  I think there are three or four plants, which is just enough for one or two meals.

16 May 2020

State of the flock, May 2020

Several chickens enjoying deep litter
In the yard, Apr 202
Right now we have 11 chickens confined to their yard (though allowed a few hours of free range per day) and four ducks (two male, two female) full time free ranging--sans vegetable patch of course.  We've had a few deaths over the past couple of months, mostly of old hens but also one young hen had an accidental death.  Egg production ranges from about five to eleven eggs per day, with the ducks being the most reliable:  we're getting two duck eggs almost every day.


I notice that our vegetable patch, which the ducks had access to for a few weeks over winter and spring, has a lot less slug pressure than usual.  Coincidence?  I'll probably let them back on it over summer once in a while too--under supervision--after the vegetables are grown.

The husband has put up posts at the allotment, ordered a long length of wire and made a chicken-proof gate;  we already have a little coop up there--it sleeps around four.  He plans on finishing the whole set up soon (I hope!) and we will move some of the hens up there.  There's a big grassy patch for them to clear up for us.

05 May 2020

The Vegetable Challenge 2020: canceled

Two water butts and a variety of plants next to a garage wall
Water butts at the garage, Apr 2020
It hurts, but I'm not doing the Vegetable Challenge this year.  Every year I've challenged myself to stop buying vegetables for a set period of time, and have added a month to the challenge each year.  In 2019 the Challenge was for seven months, which technically I did not complete.  Though the circumstances are different, in 2020 I have decided not to attempt the challenge at all but to continue to build our food storage with store bought vegetables. 

That said, I am still attempting to produce as much food as I possibly can: vegetables, fruits, eggs.  I hope to have surplus for our food storage.  And maybe enough extra for gifts and barter with friends and neighbors--I can dream, right?  I will still be cataloging our garden and allotment food, and am hoping to beat 2019's food totals.