Progress so far.

Well I have made a start. I mentioned in another thread that I am using the raised base of an old greenhouse to make a cold frame. Being on a very tight budget means that I have had to adapt and improvise. So using some old fence planks I have made two short walls to go inside the old greenhouse base. This has given me two areas 2 feet wide by six feet long. I am using some of the panes of glass from the old greenhouse to cover the top of the frames.

This what it looks like at the moment.



Inside the section going across tha back, I have set out some cauliflower, purple sprouting and brussel sprout seedlings that I bought as plugs. I have thinned them out and planmted them on into 31/2" pots and trays with seperate cells. All of them have at least doubled in size since I potted them on.



This is part of what is going to be my veg patch. The uneven edge to the left is where my good lady has had to stop digging and removing turf. I can't do the heavy work at the moment, so my lady is doing as much as she can when she can. We already have some seeds in the right hand side of the bed.

The chicken wire enclosure at the back of the veg plot is where I am going to keep some chickens. I have all the materials for making a chicken coop, but as I am still very weak I cannot lift them to start work on that. Also got to make a small gate for the coop.



This is the propogator that I was given. It is electric and will take three half size trays and a couple of strips from a cellular tray. I have sedded some Pompom Dahlias, dwarf Dahlias, Asters and the two cellular strips at the front are sweetcorn. All of them are doing really well at the moment.



I will be out in the garden again tomorrow and hope to get some more tidying up done. One of my mates is coming round to help me do some work on my new workshop at teh back of the house. I started work on it then had a heart attack so things kind of got delayed. Hopefuly we will get a lot done over the weekend.

Loving every minute of it.

Chopper.

 

Looking good there Chopper :thumb:. To my eyes, the ground looks like it needs some organic matter (manure/compost). Obviously you've only just started, but as and when, try to incorporate some. Hmm, chickens you say. I seem to remember my father using the 'muck' from his chickens. It's strong stuff though, as I remember, so needs to be used sparingly and well rotted. Btw, what are you doing with your old turfs (turves) ? If you have the space, you can stack them upside down and let nature make loam for you. To speed up the process, you could cover the heap with dark polythene, remembering from time to time to check to make sure it's still moist, adding water if needed. Keep up the good work and keep us posted. Cheers...freddy.

 

Looks reall great !
I put about 6 packets of scented night stock in an area last weekend and they are already growing. My peonys are also thriving and herb garden.

 

Hi Freddy

I have used some of the turves for patching up and leveling out some rough ground by my woodwork shed. I was going to use some more to tidy up the front lawn edges. Now you have got me thinking though, that maybe I would be making better use by making some loam to dig into my veg patch.

You are absolutely right about the soil in my veg patch. I have rescued two big compost bins, but not yet found out where I am going to put them. I wil be making full use of them from now on. We get lots of grass cuttings etc so the bins will soon be full. In the meantime I was going to buy some good quality compost to dig/rake in this year for all my seedlings. Been doing some serious reading about making good use of what I have rather than buying manufactured material. Besides the cost, I am rather concerned about the amount of chemicals that get added to bought in material.

I have space to stack the turf from the veg patch, is there anything I need to add to the pile or just stack the turves and cover it?

Not got my chickens yet as I need to build them a nice house. I can't do that until I am a lot fitter. Just doing the bits I have done so far has really worn me out. Had my mate round today to do a load more work on my new workshop, but he has an ulterior motive for doing that!!! I have promised him that as soon as the workshop is finished I will refurbish a trike for his good lady and tune it up for him. Be a bit cheeky to ask him to build a chicken house as well! :D

Thanks for your comments Freddy, much appreciated.

 

I like threads like this. Nice work chopper.

 

"I have space to stack the turf from the veg patch, is there anything I need to add to the pile or just stack the turves and cover it?" That's pretty much it, remembering to stack them upside down :thumb: