Another month whizzes by……..and doesn’t go according to plan. Moments/events this month, and, indeed, this year, give me pause for thought. I consider some changes I may have to make in the future……it does feel like there is something of a crossroads just ahead of me.
Month: July 2021
On the Sofa: Yes, it’s chicken pox!
In which I update you on my health status. Yes, it is chicken pox. Yes, it is rare, but possible to have it twice in one’s life. No, it is NOT shingles etc….. Yes, I know about Calamine lotion and oatmeal baths. How on earth did I get it? Immunity and Vitamin D. What has been going on for the last couple of weeks…..
On the Sofa: Books, chocs & socks.
In which I share some new books, review a couple of others and share a joyful postbag……and, yes, I do name my socks! This was filmed last weekend before the pox struck…..hahah, I’m so glad it was because my face looks a bit of a shock right now.
Vivi’s Kitchen Garden: A summer’s day.
Summer has finally arrived in the garden……join me for some quiet time to do a little work and a little enjoying of the sights……. Appreciating a summer’s day amongst the plants.
Vivi’s Kitchen Garden: Sprays & Fertilisers.
Today it’s all about the sprays I use….to deter pests and to delay tomato blight. I talk about garlic and aspirin sprays (and the very simple recipes for them, plus frequency of use)….plus a spray to try against slugs. Later on I chat about the fertilisers I use in my garden. They are, of course, all organic.
Vivi’s Kitchen Garden: How big are your beds? And other FAQs.
‘How big are your beds?’ is one of my most frequently asked questions…….along with ‘Where do all the cats live?’……..so in today’s video I’m going to try to answer most of them as we take a walk around my garden and the site it’s in. Please note: I mentioned the footprint for the shed being 12 feet x 12 feet……I’m an idiot!…..it’s more like 7 x 7.
Vivi’s Kitchen Garden: Parsnips, beetroot & tomatoes. Thinning, transplanting & cares.
After something of a delay because of so many rain days I am finally getting on with my parsnip thinning and transplanting experiment……all the ‘books’ say it shouldn’t work…….but I have the space and they need thinning anyway. I also thin the beetroot patch….the thinnings will become a meal, yum! It’s a day for doing lots of little jobs including tomato cares and a bit of reseeding…..
Vivi’s Kitchen Garden: Lemon Balm: Growing, harvesting and using. Plus….an update on the horse manure experiment.
I was reminded recently that I had forgotten to give you all an update on my horse manure experiment in which I was testing for the herbicide ‘Aminopyralid’……so here’s an update on it today. Plus I harvest my first batch of Lemon Balm and discuss growing, harvesting, processing and using it. It has a great many uses……for me it’s mostly about the bathroom.
On the Sofa: How my letterbox broke!
It’s time for a long overdue postbag catch up and thank you session. It’s a wonderfully mixed bag……and I enjoy it all with a naughty beer……but I have a good excuse! And how exactly did my letterbox get broken? Well….let me explain…….
Vivi’s Kitchen Garden: Planting & Protecting Brassicas.
On another warm and humid day I set to with starting to plant the winter garden. Today the first of the brassicas will be planted: Cavolo Nero kale and a red, curly kale. As the beds will be exposed all winter they will need some mulching and, most importantly, these beds will need protecting from the pests that love brassicas. I talk about the kit I use for this protection.
