The Temporary Greenhouse (Photographs From The Beginning Of The Season And Now)

The steel framed and plastic temporary greenhouse I purchased this year has proved a little disappointing.  Light levels were lower than in a glass greenhouse while humidity and consequent possibility of disease was higher.  I couldn’t stop the tomatoes going lanky and gave up in the end.  The structure itself is not that strong and I found I couldn’t put very many plants on the built in staging and even with a very modest number the greenhouse is leaning badly that side.  With hindsight it would have been better to have separate staging and also additional support for the main structure – or have no staging at all and use the greenhouse for cucumbers (who would appreciate the humidity) or similar plants.

Here is a photographic record of the growing year.  It has to be said that if I had had more time to spare I could have probably managed the plants and greenhouse a bit better.  I hope to do better next year!

The greenhouse in March

At the beginning of June 1

At the beginning of June 2

The greenhouse in the middle of August

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The Smallest Allotments In The World: Update One

I thought I would post an update on how the two very tiny vegetable beds either side of my top greenhouse are progressing.

I made the mistake of sowing all the most appetising vegetables to slugs and snails in the bed facing the top shrub border – which I keep quite wild with log piles and lots of leaf litter for the wildlife – inevitably I have had a lot of losses; I will sow them in the bed between the two greenhouses next year.  I did get some tips on snail control from other bloggers which have helped but there is a very wild area immediately behind the fence at the top of the garden so there appears to be a never ending number of extremely rampant molluscs coming through.

The first sowing of carrots failed, although many did come up but were subsequently eaten off, and I have made further sowings; ditto further radish sowings.  I have a row of beetroot, spinach and salad leaves (I bought a packet of lettuce seeds and then lost the packet – thats how hectic it has been recently!) plus the peas are germinating well – no sign of the broad beans though.

The shallots and onions are doing well and I am giving them a light feed of Phostrogen when I water them.

There are some, not very good, photographs below and apologies for the weeds – I have been extremely busy potting plants in the greenhouses lately (thats my excuse and I am sticking to it!).

The Smallest Allotments In The World!

I haven’t made any posts recently as I have been very tied up with work.  I am behind with everything in the garden too.  I haven’t started potting yet and I have four greenhouses to do; the ground elder in the mixed border is out of control and all slabs around the pond need relaying.  Phew!!!

I have managed to sow some vegetable seeds though – well I have to give the slugs and snails something to eat!  Apart from pots on the patio and three mini greenhouses (temporarily bereft of plastic after next door’s cat tried to climb up them!) I have two tiny beds either side of the top greenhouse.  Each is two feet by eight.  I had earlier sowed radish, carrot and spring onion seeds plus onion and shallot sets and this weekend I added beetroot, parsnip (too late I know), spinach, different carrots, broccoli, leeks and more radish.  I will sow peas and beans in the week.

The radish, and possibly carrots, have already been partially eaten so I may have to reluctantly get one of the wildlife friendly slug/snail treatments.  I used to pick the up every night and take the up to the wild area beside the railway track!  Sadly time is in short supply at the moment.

No prizes for the number of weeds you can spot in the shrub border the other side of the path.  I tend to throw old compost along this bed so the weeds grow to gigantic proportions – one of the turtles does eat the dandelion leaves though!