First post in twelve months

First post in 12 months. How time flies.

This is the allotment as of yesterday

beetroot in the foreground going to seed, parsnip at the back, going to seed, an apple tree just to the left

the allotment

at the back of the parsnips are some golden gourmet shallots (down the left of the shot), garlic and some leeks left over from last winter. In the background is a gooseberry bush, well two actually.

This is bottom of the allotment (where the shot was taken of the flowering parsnips, two chairs weighted down and ground that needs clearing. At the back are hawthorn trees, I layered the ones directly behind the chairs in winter as that was just bare soil.

This is common mullen (I am told) Verbascum thapsus. It started growing and I thought it looked nice, so I left it. It apparently can make flower spits 6ft tall in its second year, bring it on.

Verbascum Thapsis

After a very cold and wet April start of May, this was the grape vine in the greenhouse, wilting with the heat!!!

the vine

This is the Victoria plum tree. Last year it was in a pot and produced about 20plus great tasting plums. This winter  it went in the ground and I am hoping for lots more plums

At the base of the plum tree from left to right is strawberries (yellow flower in the middle if a poppy), poached eggs plants and then chives

This is a colony at the bottom of my garden. A rather strange tale in that I picked up the swarm a few weeks ago, I then thought they all died but later were resurrected and now a thriving small colony. I might post a full account later on.

This was yesterday morning, me and Duncan were moving some bees (well this is one of four colonies we moved)

the bees in a box

Weather yesterday in Wakefield, England was very hot and sunny (20 degrees C plus)

Fruit trees are sprouting new leaves

A couple of shots below. One for the "Victoria" plum tree I have in a tub and the second for the "Jonagold" apple tree that is in an old paint pot.

This is the "Victoria" plum tree (hose pipe and car cleaning brush in the background)

This is the "jonagold" apple tree, This is being trained as an espalier and is still in a 15litre ex paint bucket. I think this year I will upgrade to a larger bucket of some design

Both showing signs of plenty of growth. I have added some bone and blood meal tonight to feed them

The weather in Wakefield today has been pleasant but a little cool

Click here to view my gardening forum

Gooseberries cuttings are starting to grow and so is everything else

I took some gooseberry "red desert" cuttings last year, and the little darlings are starting to grow again.

The "Victoria" plum tree is also starting to break bud

Of note my Denistons Superb plum tree has not started to grow yet and I think it might have died. I will post more later in the season

I planted some Goji Berry seeds back end of last year and they got to about 2inch high. These seedlings are also showing spruts (at one point they were bare stalks)

Weather in Wakefield today is wet and cool

Click here to view my gardening forum

Fruit trees are fruiting

The fruit trees are growing very well indeed and all have fruit on. The Malus Jonagold apple tree has approx 20 apples on. There was more apples but I have took some off so not to over load the tree

The Victoria plum tree has lots of plums on, and I have thinned some out. As I want to discourage biennial fruiting (not a great shot)

The Dennistons superb although had lots of flowers on has only about 6 plums on. but what is on there, are looking good

Weather report - Really hot and Sunny all day ,Wakefield, England


Of note, checked the beehive tonight with a Pro who will remain nameless. Essentially there was no brood (baby bees), oh shit! So the pro took my hive/colony away and will requeen her for me. I should have the hive back in a couple of weeks. Fingers crossed

Click here to view my gardening forum

Plenty of plums

the Victoria plum has lots of plums developing, however the Dennistons superb doesnt have nearly as many plums on

I have an iris in a 9inch pot that my father in law gave me and it is surviving very well even though it is pot bound. It gets a little bone, fish and blood now and then

the Boskoop Kiwi plant is now nearly 5ft, it started off as an 18inch woody stem at the start of the growing season

Weather report - mixed weather, sunny and raining on and off all day, Wakefield, England

Click here to view my gardening forum

Plums are plumming up

Been fairly busy in the garden today,  painting pots to get them looking a little tidy. If truth be known they all need painting but only 4 got done today. Couldnt find any green paint in the garage so they are now black

The fish in the half barrel keep making an appearance and appear to be doing very well. This is their third week in there, the algae is building up so I will soon be clearing some of that out

The plums are looking like real plums which is awesome. These two are on the Victoria plum tree. Cant wait to taste them although I did see a wasp taking interest at the same time as I me taking the photos

Click here to view my gardening forum

Anyone for another Apple

About  a month or so back I bought another apple tree, the variety is Golden Delicious, it was bare rooted from Wilkinsons. I did not expect anything from it this at all. However it has come out in lovely blossom. If I get any small apples appearing I will nip most of them off though so the tree is not strained

I have some tomatoes in the greenhouse that are coming along nicely, not as good as they could have been but not doing bad. The variety is Gardeners Delight. A small sweet cherry tomato

My victoria Plum tree is having issues today and I am not quite sure what is wrong. It has been a very very hot day here in Yorkshire. Gorgeous is a word I would use to describe it. the leaves at the top of the tree have started to curl. I dont know if plums can get to much sun. The pot is moist as I have been watering the tree regularly in the pot

Click here to view my gardening forum

Flowers, buds and fruit

A quick snap shot of what is flower in the garden...


Apple -Malus Jonagold

Ajuga Reptans

Chard Flower

Chives

Grape Flower

Passiflora flower

Victoria Plums

Raspberry - Glen Ample flower

Sorrel Flower

Alpine Strawberry

I look in to the garden and do not see many flowesr, but on closer inspection they are there all around. Which is great.

Click here to view my gardening forum

It is still cold outside!!!

I noticed this week after Emily pointed out to me her spuds had suffered windchill/cold temps on a night time that the kiwi has took a bit of a nip and so has my Victoria plum tree


Actinidia Deliciosa, 3yrs old grown from seeds

Victoria plum tree

and finally the greenfly on my gooseberry bush is being beaten back in style by a friendly ladybird (or as the Americans say ladybug... I think)

I dont use any pesticides in the garden and this is why.

Click here to view my gardening forum

Blossoms of Fruit

 The fruit trees are all at various stages of blossom

This is  Dennistons Superb plum. The blossom is just about gone now

Victoria plum which is still well in bloom

and the Malus Jonagold apple is just starting to come out

My only concern with the Jonagold is that it is a triploid and needs another apple tree variety as a pollinator. My neighbours have apples tree so I should be ok. Although I am still nervous it will affect fruit set. Time will tell.

Click here to view my gardening forum

"Denniston's Superb" in flower and "Victoria" in bud

The Denniston's Superb blossom

The "Victoria" plum in bud

The above top shot is Denniston's Superb plum in flower. It is coming along nicely. these are the first flowers to appear. I have also included another shot of my "victoria" plum tree as this also is now nicely in bud but appears to be at least a week behind Denniston's which should hopefully spread the harvest out a little later on in the year.

Below is a full picture shot of my apple tree "malus Jonagold" on it's frame, I hope to add another bar at the top this year and get a third line on the tree. Jo, I hope this makes my explanation more clear.


It has been a real hough getting this post on today as my computer is putting it mildly playing up!!! Fingers crossed tomorrow goes better

Click here to view my gardening forum