OK, back to work. Since it's nearly apple-blossom time AND a nice day, we got busy and seeded up the "Pot-O-Carrots" for the season. It's a large planter, about 19 inches in diameter and 15 inches deep, holding about 12 gallons (43 liters) of potting mix. We use pelleted seed and plant in concentric circles with about ยฝ inch spacing. Pictures are an attempt to show what we do and what the scale is.
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#Allotment
#NewEngland
#Zone6b
#carrots
#Spring
It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood! Won't you be my neighbor? It's 75F / 24C degrees this morning with a clear, blue sky. BeetBear is luxuriating on the "lawn" with our friends, the dandelions and violets. Also to be seen are the peonies and lillies. Back to work later, but for now... BLISS!
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#NewEngland
#Zone6b
#BloomScrolling
#Spring
Hurray! The mailman just delivered our onion plants (Ailsa Craig) so BeetBear and I got busy & planted them out. I didn't buy any extras this year due to costs, but we still managed 140 plants in the ground with about 18 spares in pots in the greenhouse. Picture shows how a board is used to mark the plant spacing. Board is 4 in. (10cm) wide and the black lines are 6 in. (15cm). Now if it will just stay warm & rain a little bit.
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#Allotment
#NewEngland
#BeetBear
#Zone6b
#Onions
BeetBear inspected the lettuce planting, as well. When we were done, the whole row got covered with fleece to protect from (you name it) cold, wind, critters, the neighbor's drones, etc.
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#Gardening
#Allotment
#NewEngland
#Zone6b
A couple of warmish days and bright sun have warmed things up considerably. Soil temp is good, 10-day forecast looks "acceptable" and I have been notified that my onion plants have shipped. BeetBear and I prepped a small section of the garden today and got the lettuce (3 types), beets (Boro), and cabbage (2 types of mini pointed) set out. We have officially started gardening! Now if it wasn't always so damned windy...
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#Gardening
#Allotment
#NewEngland
#Zone6b
A Visit to Llanerchaeron Estate: History and Fun

We were staying in a holiday cottage right next door to the Llanercheraen Estate (Pontbrenmydyr) so it was just a stroll along a footpath to get to the entrance. We decided to have a look around thโ€ฆ

Horace the Alresford Bear
Had 28F/-2C again this morning with frozen water (I'm never going to refer to it as ice ever again) in rain barrels. Will check on plants in greenhouse soon. Heater was on in there all night so we should be good. BeetBear is looking at the long-range forecast & has good news (it's warming up) & bad news (it's going to rain for a week). BeetBear's question is: "What do April Showers bring?" He suggests:"Muddy Feet" Anyone else have ideas?
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#Allotment
#NewEngland
#Zone6b
BeetBear says we must soldier on in spite of the missing spring and get the tomatoes potted on. We use 110 mm square plastic pots that we have had for more years than I can remember and we got the first dozen done this morning after the other chores were done. Only 4 dozen more to go...๐Ÿ˜€
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#Gardening
#Allotment
#NewEngland
#Zone6b
#Tomatoes
I now assume that I started the tomato plants too early & am forced to move them to the greenhouse & get them potted on. The spring weather has still not arrived (it was 27F/-2.8C this morning with heavy frost. My ability to keep the greenhouse warm enough at night will be sorely tested if spring does not arrive soon. Peppers & eggplant are still happy to continue under the lights for a while yet. I've got to go wake up #BeetBear for some help.
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#Allotment
#NewEngland
#Zone6b
BeetBear reminded me that a year ago today I had to be hauled away in an ambulance because my gall bladder had burst. My daughter stepped in and kept the garden stuff going for a week or so until I recovered. ANYWAY... We started bringing stuff up into the greenhouse to make room for more stuff in the grow room. First up is the cabbage and lettuce, which is looking pretty good. Tomorrow we'll make some decisions on what comes up next.
#BeetBear
#Gardening
#Allotment
#NewEngland
#Zone6b