Self-Sufficiency in Style
february 2003 diary
|
Self-Sufficiency in Style february 2003 diary
|
|
| February starts with snow damage. | |
|
Entirely my own fault, I was using the fruit-cage to protect some cabbages
from pigeons. If snow is forecast, the netting has to be removed.
I didn't do it - and once the snow has fallen the weight, which is considerable, bends the aluminium poles. There is not a lot you can do at this stage, but wait for the thaw. |
Carelessness! |
|
But the damage was not as bad as feared - just a little straightening.
|
Really, it is quite difficult to get the right width, length, material and
right sized mesh for a fruit cage. The netting takes on a life of its own,
especially in winter. It's not easy to get it on and off with frozen hands.
There is no need for a cage of this height for a few small cabbages. So, I will use the repair opportunity later to make two half-height cages for use on cabbages in winter and strawberries in summer. A smaller net will be easier to get on and off. The larger fruit cages can be left bare of netting all winter. |
|
As the last of the snow clears, a red letter day comes. The last of the fruit trees for the walled garden... There are two acid cherries for the North facing wall - "Nabell" a change from the more usual "Morello." For the favoured South facing wall there is an Almond and a sweet cherry "Sunburst." |
Well packed from the nursery - and alarmingly large. |
|
Acid Cherries for where the sun never gets. |
I take some time off from rowing with the government - a sacred duty for
any smallholder in any democracy.
Persecuting the Prince of Wales' cronies - an optional extra for any red blooded male that has had his wife annoyed, his pig killed and his peace disturbed, takes still more time. But trees must be planted in unfrozen soil as soon as possible. |
|
The south facing wall is the favoured site for the elite trees.
The cherry, joins another sweet cherry. The almond is next to a peach and an apricot near the house. |
A high thick wall in full sun all day. |
|
Little piles of twigs and even whole branches collect everywhere. |
Pruning is now in full swing.
Originally the writer was a nervous pruner: a little snip here, an inch off there. Now, he is a demon, professionally massacring anything within sight. However, the advanced technique does give its casualties, usually by doing it at the wrong time of year in the wrong way. |
|
Another North facing wall citizen, the Damson, was shaped to a glorious fan
from a little maiden twig.
The first real fruit crop is expected this summer. Some trees arrive already trained from the nursery, but when we do it ourselves, the results are often better, even if the process is a bit riskier. |
Pride and joy. |
|
This White Currant got a haircut. |
One thing that has to be understood is that Red and White Currants are
similar to Gooseberries for pruning purposes. The unusually White Currant
is really a Red Currant variety.
Black Currants are entirely different. That's odd when you realise that Gooseberries are related to Black Currants - and you can get a crossbreed - a Worcesterberry. |
| The greenhouse is now coming back to life. |
The peas and beans are intended for the tunnel. |
|
Under a propagator to keep warm. |
These seedlings are the first of the year and are mostly ready for transplanting into pots. |
|
All gardeners get seduced by seed catalogue claims. These are the earliest
tomatoes and will need to be kept warm for a long time yet.
We don't want to heat the greenhouse all day and night, so they remain crowded in their juvenile accommodation. |
Outgrowing the propagator. |
|
At the very end, of the shortest month, we start to
prepare to spring into action once again after a period of relative
lethargy.
There are a couple of warm days, and we find more frost damage. |
|
|
The power of frost. |
The vegetable tunnel is awash with water.
A quick investigation shows that the valve that controls the little-used irrigation system has split. Fortunately, it is a fairly simple task to turn off the water supply and blank of the branch supplying the tunnel. A little plumbing expertise and a big box of parts is an essential requirement for any smallholder. It helps if you can keep to one single supplier and standardise on the spares - not always possible. |
|
The conservatory is a picture with citrus blossom - and it smells nice
too.
But there is some infestation, so a warm day is a chance to take them outside onto the terrace and spray. The building can get a good clean at the same time. The insects have produced a black soot everywhere - it is filthy. Then a water all round with soft water from the pump. |
Orange Blossom. |
|
The pump was dry. |
Alas, the pump hangs dry - no water.
More frost damage? Well in a way, but no need for spanners or spares. The pump needs "priming." A watering can of water poured down - and it is away again. Words that we all use are brought back to life by a trivial incident... "Priming the pump." How often do we recall the original meaning? |
|
We start arranging a special treat. We had "chitted" some early
potatoes in the conservatory and now plant a few in buckets.
They are kept, frost-free, in the greenhouse under the staging. We hope to get a few meals of new potatoes extra early from these tubers. |
Pampered Potatoes.
|
|
|
Finally, on the last day of the month, there is an air of excitement.
We lost a couple of chickens from old age during the winter and we have bought some posh replacements. They are point-of-lay and instantly attract the attention of the Rottweiler, the cockerel and the other hens - more or less in that order. They will be kept in a special pen near the chicken house for a couple of days, until they get their bearings. Then the cockerel , Walter, will take over. We will get some photographs as they emerge. |
|
New poultry arriving at Hangman's Cottage, just to the south of Misery Corner. |
