A day out for me!

Today’s post was scheduled to post itself as I have managed to get a day off work in return for the travel I did for them back in June where I lost my weekend and Father’s day.  So me and the family have gone out for the day to spend time as just us, no distractions.  Bliss!

This week I have sown some late carrots into the spare veg bed.  This was full of cabbages and cauliflower for the last few weeks but as they have been harvested now, I looked up what else I can plant and have started with the carrots.  I’ve also bought some spinach and spring cabbage to sow in the next few days.

I’ve decided to get the seeds organised into those clear packets stored in a file to start preparing for next year.  I have been useless at labelling everything so far, so the plan is over winter (or whenever) I am going to write up lots of labels in advance leaving room for date sown so they can be picked up and used quickly, instead of having to take ages writing all the names on with soil covered hands.  Also I am completing a list of what to sow when and making sure I work out successional sowing.  The reason being is this year I seemed to have loads of cauliflowers ready together, literally on the same day, so I think 2 week intervals will be more appropriate.  I’ll include a plan showing which beds will end up with what in them, following the advice on how to rotate your crops, now that we have the space.

I’ll keep my notes in there on what I’ve learnt ‘by month’, from mistakes, successes  and observations from this year.  So for example, the asparagus harvest was amazing this year, but it took me by surprise as it literally would shoot up inches in a day and need picking.  I wasn’t quick enough to get all of it and didn’t realise there was a date when you last harvest it (or there abouts).  Supposedly “Don’t harvest asparagus after the longest day in June and no more than 8 weeks from 1^st harvest” so these are all loose rules that I will bear in mind and see what works out for me.  We’re a good 2 weeks behind the south of England for example, so when they say their strawberries are ready, mine are 2 weeks behind that and so on.  I’ll record first and last frosts, when the rhubarb comes through, how to force it and when to do so.  My mind is full of ideas and this file will be a great place to keep them and to take with me to the greenhouse.  The file I’ve used is from work and happens to be green too!  Very veg like :D.  Maybe I could keep the recipes in there too that we’ve liked for each veg/fruit.