Polytunnel Progress

Graham hung around the house all day on Tuesday, waiting for the polytunnel to arrive.  It did eventually get here, at about 7.30 in the evening.  He spent Wednesday making one of the doors and is up there again today making the second door.

This is the area that is cleared ready for the tunnel....



Here are some of the components...

Here is Graham with the first door he made....

He is very enthusiastic about this polytunnel and is looking forward to gardening in it.

We saw the fox up there this morning, it was sun bathing on the soil but ran off before I could take it's picture.

Being Patient

I'm trying to be patient but it's difficult.  My polytunnel hasn't arrived yet, the company I'm buying it from said 7-10 working days before dispatch.  Well, ten days have gone by and still no word.  If I've not heard anything by Tuesday I'll have to get in touch with them.

I went up to the veg plot to take a picture of the area that is cleared ready for the tunnel but when I got up there I forgot - don't you just hate it when that happens!  I did take a picture of my rhubarb....

What on earth would eat rhubarb leaves?  Tomorrow I'll go up there and check for snails, it could be them and I wonder if eating these leaves kills them?

It's been so dry lately and I had to water my strawberries.  I transplanted them a couple of weeks ago and they are doing well, one already has a fruit forming...

I got lots of runners off the few plants I put in last year.  When I get my tunnel I'll buy some more plants for in there - when I get my tunnel!!!

The miniature cooking apple has blossom coming on it...

I always get a few apples off this tree but I did prune the top off it at the end of last year because it had bowed over and I couldn't get it to straighten up.

The miniature damson tree had loads of blossom on it this year, since I transplanted it out of its pot it has done really well.  Last year I got some fruit off it for the first time and I've had it for at least fifteen years!

Comfy Feet

I’ve been searching for years for a pair of comfy sandals.  Last year I bought some Hotter shoes so I thought I’d have a look at their sandals.  This is what I decided on………

Don’t they look comfy?  They have two velcro strap closures so if my feet get a bit hot I could loosen them.  Perfect for wearing this summer.
While I was in the shoe shop I chose a pair of slippers too.  My previous slippers had to be thrown away, the soles were dropping to pieces.  These are what I chose………

Lovely, comfy, warm slippers!  These are made by http://www.dbshoes.co.uk/.  I was going to buy some of their sandals but I preferred the look of the Hotter ones.
So, that’s me set up with footwear for a while.

Gardening Season

For quite a few months now, I've come to a bit of a standstill with my blog. I've been doing the usual things, sewing, baking, cooking etc but no gardening. The baking I've done is my usual type of thing so nothing new to report there.

Today, for the first time for ages, I had the urge to check on my veg plot. I also went to the nearest garden centre. I was going to buy seed potatoes but when I saw the queue at the checkout I put them back! Everyone must be in the gardening mood, the place was crowded. The other thing I noticed was how much prices seem to have gone up this year.

Back at home I started mulling over what to do in my plot, mainly because of the problem we had last year with the fox. It ruined a lot of my veg even though I'd put protection around the raised beds. I like that there is a fox around, some people dislike them but I think they have as much right to be here as we do. So, what to do? I did think of getting a fruit cage and having it for an area with the veg that the fox seemed to like trampling. Then I thought a bit further. The weather can put me off going into the garden if it's wet and cold so how about a polytunnel. This would mean that I could protect my veg, be out there in all weathers and grow the more tender varieties. After a bit of research and discussion my DH and I decided on an 6 ft x 12 ft tunnel. Yes it's a bit expensive but the garden is our summer hobby and we enjoy our fresh veg so we ordered one.

I'm hoping that this year is an uneventful year. I don't handle stress well and the last few years have been horrible, like last year it was the MIL being ill and dying, my dear little dog being so ill then dying and then my DH breaking his wrist when he fell. The year before that my DH was very ill in hospital then taking months to get back to normal. Please let this year be boring!!!