A busy week at plot 144

The Sweet potato slips (Georgia) arrived yesterday morning. I was amazed that they looked half dead., so I followed the instructions and put them in water to "revive" them overnight

However the next morning they looked no better, so I phoned Thompson Morgan and emailed them a couple of photos. I got a very nice email back with a comparison photo and all looked well, so also as instructed I potted them on in deep root trainers and within 3 weeks they should be fit for the purpose they were intended for!

To Other News from plot 144

The cauliflower plants were looking a little sad - maybe they were getting pot bound or maybe they were too warm in the heated greenhouse?  I may never know, all I do know is that they were about to die, so dispite the weather, I put them outside ..

.....Under cloches and fingers are crossed. 

The Tomatoes, Chillies and Leeks are all enjoying the freezing cold weather, as that means I put the paraffin heater on overnight....

Arthurs Lettuces really want to be outside now, and the pak choi (2nd attempt) are just starting to show too!

 More Tomatoes (cherry) some ridge cucumbers (to the left) and even the aubergines are making progress

As you can see the heater is in position and ready to go

Now this was a surprise find - a pink watering can - and I say surprise because I found it in my Greenhouse!  After scratching my head and asking Derek, who denied all knowledge, I came across Arthur who admitted it was him. He said he was in Wilkinsons, saw it and thought of me!

Back to the heater, and as you can see it's fired up and heating the place up!  I went every evening to turn it on and every morning to turn it off!  It got down to -4degrees one night!!

Now this is my flower seed experiment.  I put a mixture of all my flower seeds into the tub and scattered them on the barren area against the fencing.  Hopefully something amazing will happen and I will have created a flower border.

And finally - the weather warmed up enough yesterday to warrant taking a few Greenhouse residents out to the sunshine for the day.  I put them back inside at night last night, but no heater for the 1st time as it was only down to 4 degrees not -4 last night.!

Mad dogs & Englishmen...... & a day full of surprises

......go out in the mid-day sun (Noel Coward)

What a scorcher! I was at the lotty yesterday (Sunday) nice and early (1oam) but sensibly packed up my tools at 1210 and went home to sit in the shade. However there were LOADS of lotty people still hard at work when I left - a little bit of sunstroke must have been had by some I think!

As mentioned in a previous blog, I am always excited about arriving at the lotty, because you NEVER know what is going to surprise you next. This was my surprise for the weekend - a courgette/zuchinni flower! I like this so much I have set this picture as my desktop!!

Well, as I only had 2 hours, I got on with some serious weeding. I don't know where all the blighters come from. Still, it all added up to a good work out.

My lotty friend Susan, kindly bought me a little plaque for my herb trough.

How cute is that!

Another surprise was my first Nasturtium flower

And another........

These wonderful flowers on the potato plants. The flower above is from my Earlies & the flower below from my Late Earlies

My next surpise was the size that my pepper plants had got to!

And then my pumpkin plant surprised me as that too was in flower!

And if that wasn't enough, my husband then surprised my by asking if he could have his own little bit on my new plot 144 - Well I never - I am soooooo pleased!