Through the Garden Gate--April 2024

It's been a busy month in the garden, catching up with Spring jobs, mulching, planting, sowing, tidying up. The weather has continued to be very mixed with plenty of rain. This month we have had wind and hail too as well as some sunny days. I finished mulching the borders, a job which I started last month. At the weekend I put a bark mulch down on the woodland bed which made it look much better. It smells really woody and the plants show up well against the bark. 

The borders are filling out now as the plants start to grow.  There's not much yet in the way of colour from flowers, but everything is starting to look really green and fresh.

 The star of the garden at the moment is the crab apple tree which is full of white blossom. It started to get quite windy yesterday so I was hoping the blossom wouldn't get blown away. We are hoping for plenty of fruit in the autumn. Last year there was hardly any when in previous years there has been loads of crab apples which give a lot of colour through the autumn and winter. The birds like the fruit too.

I've been filling in a few gaps in the front garden borders with plants which I lifted and divided from the back garden last year. So I planted some Solidago (Golden Rod) and pink Cow Parsley. I bought a perennial wallflower (Erysimum) which someone told me will flower from now until October. That sounds the ideal plant, so I will wait and see. I planted it in the raised bed border in the back garden, where I want more colour.  Also in that bed I wanted to fill a gap at the back to hide the fence, so I bought a clematis --Clematis Montana Alba.

Last month I told you about a pot of tulips I'd planted which I thought were orange but as they were opening looked like they were going to be white. Well they've opened up and this is what they turned out to be. They are called 'Copper Image'. They don't look very much like copper to me, but I do like the colour and they are lasting well. 

It was my daughter's birthday in April and she didn't want a gift but a day out with lunch. She's been working hard on her Masters degree and has finally finished. I'm all for a day out, so it was a treat for me too. We went to Lytham Hall, there's lots to see there. Click on the link to find out more. It was a lovely day and we were able to sit outside for our lunch. The birds were hopping around us obviously used to being fed by visitors. The Hall is really interesting. 

We had a walk in the grounds which has a lot of woodland and was easy walking. There is also a walled kitchen garden which was immaculate.

The volunteers were working at the time and it was nice to chat to one of them who was so enthusiastic about her work. Also outside in the courtyard area was an antiques and salvage hub and a plant hub. We couldn't leave without buying a plant or two. I bought foxgloves for my daughter and myself. It was a good day out.

I am linking this blog post to Sarah's blog at Down By the Sea for her monthly Through the Garden Gate post.

Spring on the allotment

 

April is a busy time on the allotment. It's time to get sowing and planting. The soil is warming up and the weeds are starting to grow. Despite the awful wet weather we've been having over the last few weeks we've managed to keep up with our winter jobs and are fairly well prepared now as once the growing season gets underway it can get to be very busy on the allotment.

I've pruned the fruit bushes, and tidied up the strawberry tubs then gave them a feed and mulch. The fruit cages needed quite a bit of weeding too. 

The shed finally got it's big spring clean out, I'd been putting it off but it's always good to see it clean and tidy again. While we were cleaning we found holes where the rats had been able to get in. And lots of  rat droppings! So Richard blocked the holes up and after cleaning I sprayed round with a peppermint oil spray which is supposed to help deter them. They don't like strong smells apparently.  Camphor, garlic, coffee grounds are other smells they don't like. Putting pots of mint around the plot is supposed to help keep them away. It won't get rid of them completely I know, but if it helps to keep them out of the shed I'll be glad. We've seen them running around outside on our plot and neighbours plots, they seem to be quite active at the moment. 

I've also cleaned the paths of debris, weeds and mud and swilled them with a cleaner. I always think that if your paths are clean and tidy it helps to make the rest of the plot look good too.

The green houses and cold frames are filling up with trays of seedlings. The broad beans and peas look almost ready for planting out. I started planting the onions a few days ago. It's a back breaking job especially for me with my back problems. I did three rows before I had to give up. That was 66 onions. There are still plenty more to plant so it could take me a while to get them all in the ground. 

The first early potatoes (Rocket) were planted in potato bags two weeks ago. I have been transplanting tomato and flower seedlings this week and  have now moved them to the allotment greenhouse because there is no more room at home.  I will be growing the flowers in the cut flower bed on the plot and anywhere else I can find space for them. I wish I had more space to grow  flowers for cutting I always seem to grow more than I have the space for.

I always seem to be going on about the weather, but it's important for gardeners to have the right conditions for sowing, planting and growing. So many people I know have got really soggy allotment plots and are finding it difficult to get started on their new seasons jobs.  So let's hope we get some drier weather soon. How are you getting on with your allotment at the moment?