It was a warm and busy day. The first thing was to prepare the plot where the corn will be planted around the middle of may. The thick flower garden debris was rolled back and three bits of weeds were removed and then a nice thick layer of compost went down. Next was a layer of old stall manure. Instead of covering it back over with the mulch, we will leave it like this so the rain can soak it down well. Then the peas were ready to be planted out. They were germinated in plastic guttering in the greenhouse and were now tall enough to plant out. Personally, i would have waited until the peas were taller, but the bride wanted them in today. We use the guttering method of germinating because it is so quick to plant them out and there is the very minimum of disturbance to the roots. Afterwards I took my bride out on a date--we went to a film and then a bite to eat in a small restaurant in the town centre. I was thinking about parking...but it was still light. Maybe next time. First thing is to make a shallow furrow that will receive the germinated plants. Just let the soil in the guttering dry out a bit so that they will slide out of the gutter more easily. I just open one end of the guttering, hold my hand at the back and pull the guttering backwards whilst moving down the row. When each segment has been lowered into the furrow, just pat it down firmly and rake soil over the plantlets from both sides. Just place a stick with the name of the plant at one end and that is that...unless you have pests, like mice. If you want to keep the birds off your plants at this vulnerable stage then one must place a wire-gauze "roof" over the plants. There is a big mouse problem on our complex, thus I set a trap in with my peas and sealed off the ends so that no birds could get in. We also put some slug traps off to the side as well, as they are coming out of hibernation and are ravenous. Some beans down the way were absolutely ravaged and the ladies lost all their plantlets to mice and slugs...I am taking no chances.
I planted my first batch of peas on the allotment last weekend, a sugar snap variety and a normal one called ambassador. I have another two types just germinating in the greenhouse. We have a mousy problem on the plot too so I always start them off at home. I still need to sow mange tout and then, if time and room permits, I will do a late sowing for a crafty late picking.
Sounds like things are getting under way there with your planting. I am pleased to report that I caught no mice where the peas were planted. Well chuffed I wuz. I heard from two more allotmenteers today that they too had mousy probs. I am beginning to think there may be a bit of a plague at the moment.
I hate to confess, but I lostbthe first sowing of beetroot in the greenhouse thanks to meeces, so I put a couple of traps out and in the end, caught 11! I lost a whole batch of fancy sweetpeas last year to the little fuzzy blighters.
Uggggh--mice and rats. They are a big problem on our lottie complex. Moles as well. If left unchecked, these guys will take everything that you plant--they are ruthless. On my own lottie, I begin with catching mice and rats in the winter so that by the time I am ready to plant in the spring, the population will be diminished. Our allotment club is so large that we have "work groups", and everyone must participate. There are many different types of groups--one for everyone. I am in the website group and pest control group for our quarter. I am always astounded at how much damage these pests do... well, at the moment with this "winter preparation" technique, the problem on my lottie seems under control. I can remember years ago when our lottie neighbour man was alive, he would tell me how many mice he would catch each year--it was above twenty. I thought that he was exaggerating until I opened the drawer of my little cabinet in my garden shed and at least five mice sprung out and onto my hand, arm and tummy! Needless to say, I took immediate measures. It is an annual struggle. I wish you better luck with your second planting.
