I'm trying to find something other than the wind to talk about, but it has been the theme of this past month now. It is interfering with all the usual tasks at this time of the year.
To make matters worse I finally bought a shed to replace my old broken greenhouse/shed. This should be a winter job but, hell, I saw an offer I couldn't refuse, and it is my birthday - in a few weeks time...
My 20 year old shed doesn't look too bad from this angle, despite the 'contingency woodpile' in front of it:
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| Old Shed |
But from this angle:
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| Shed and a half |
(That's the new shed flat pack resting inside the shell)
Back to wind. I planted out about 30 dwarf beans two weeks ago. After one week under fleece we had one calm day at the weekend - and I foolishly took the fleece off to harden the plants up. This weekend they looked like this (or worse). The wind took off the first two true leaves of every plant. This one looks like it will recover with the new growth. Quite a number have given up the ghost. Fortunately I've got plenty still sheltered at home to fill in the gaps.
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| Wind damaged bean |
Back at home, and desperate to plant SOMETHING out I planted up two big tubs we have out front. Only the wind out front was worse than at the back.
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| Shrouded Tubs |
At the (relatively) sheltered back, where my brick raised beds are, the salads bed is burgeoning. Its time to pick the radishes and 'asian greens' to make room for new sowings. Here's the the 'asian greens' which are all wonderfully architectural, succulant, peppery, textural, piquant, fresh and otherwise unobtainable :
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| Asian Greens |
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| Mizuni |
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| Green Mustard |
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| Bok/Pak Choi |
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| Rocket |
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| Red Mustard |
And here's a bowlful of joy :
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| Yum Yum |
p.s. Just sorry that some of my pictures have reverted to their original orientation when uploaded. Blogger appears to be playing up something rotten lately, being logged on already when I sign in and then refusing to post my comments even on my own blog (sorry for resulting lack of response to comments) and by now all our personal details are probably in the hands of the internet pirates somewhere in cyberspace. Hope they like veg!
We're desperate to plant things too but just can't face leaving them to the ravages of the wind in a bone dry soil.
ReplyDeleteThe wind is a nightmare!! Ruining some of the crops! The asian greens look great! We are growing pak choi!
ReplyDeleteMartin :0)
Your veg looks really lush and yummy. Good luck with the shed - I always feel a bit sad for rickety old buildings, when you finally clear them, after they've served you so well!
ReplyDeleteAt last, as I write, the tearing gale has calmed down. I don't know about you, but I've felt that the constant gales have got inside my head. My beans are going over, they're so long overdue for planting out.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the new shed. Hammer those nails in well...
These winds sound horrible! You do have lovely fresh pickings though! I hope your bowlful was delicious.
ReplyDeleteThose Asian greens look great, one area I will definitely look into next year. Good luck with the new shed.
ReplyDeleteLove those asian greens, hoping my cheapy packet of peppery salad mix from morrisons will see us thought this year but would like to be a tad more structured next year and grow some interesting salad greens. :)
ReplyDeleteI sympathise, the wind has been shocking and slowed everything down. Finally today it feels a bit warmer. Agree on Blogger, it refuses to post links at times and earlier today told me my blogs didn't exist! Hence why I am posting under my real name, as Blogger won't let me in to comment.
ReplyDeleteOhh, that wind was crap, I'm so glad it's gone. I'm only putting out bedding plants now. It depletes my energy too.
ReplyDeleteTerrible wind!! We had it down here to and it ruined a new bed id built and tore a hole in my material cloche :-(
ReplyDeleteyour pak choi look great...mine never seem to heart up....they just go into flower...Any tips??
ReplyDeleteIm pondering the ships in the night you did for your beans. It seems most of the cold damage is from the wind is it not? So Im wondering has anyone else tried just a 'fleece fence' and what happens? Obviously snow can get in and the wind might turn it into a sail!! Then it will be like a proper ship in a storm!
ReplyDeleteI deployed the fleece again this year to ease in the transplanted beans - to no avail. They didn't get going properly before the cold weather arrived! You can try to gain an edge but if the weather is like this year you have to accept the inevitable! Moving south might be the only option!
ReplyDelete