2009/2010 gardening - what are you planting this year?

[leedarkwood]

Sell Overseas Property

Thought it might be an idea now Spring has come, to start a new gardening thread where people can record what they are doing in the garden, with costs if appropriate.

So today, bought raspberry canes in market, 50 st each, and planted them out. Also rose bushes, rosemary, sage, honeysuckle and lavender, good strong plants, at 4 leva each from a local nursery. Still got to clear ground and put in onions, and repair our greenhouse for tomatoes and cucumbers, which were also available. Finally got a daffidil in a pot, for a leva! We have a selection of vines at 3 leva each and fruit trees at 5 leva still heeled in waiting to go out.

[Simonita]

Sell Overseas Property

Got inspired one warmish day a couple of weeks back and bought three roses, some hostas, liatris, red hot pokers, onion sets and garlic for 27 levs at a little shop in Elena. Finished off the new flower bed, sieving all the earth through chicken wire attached to an old door frame, edging with stones etc, and planted the bush roses and herbaceous plants in the new bed togther with a yucca and yew brought from the UK. Next day, two feet of snow. Couldn't even find the climbing rose I left out in the garden, so both that and the veg will need to wait until next trip for planting. Judging by last year, our garden is quite fertile (ex-cattle yard), but I think would benefit from some more lime. Hope to also deal with that next time out.

[Tvarditsa-markets]

Sell Overseas Property

Hi,
I'm just wondering roughly how much it would cost to get my garden 'tidied up' for summer. Its about 400m2 all it needs is weeded rotovated raked level and grass seeds.
Any advice? It was rotovated last year but they went too deep and pulled up bricks and stones etc that now have to be removed.

Best Regards

Mikey

[leedarkwood]

Sell Overseas Property

There are a few stories on here about the problems of trying to get grass seeds to grow. I put some down and the village hens moved in en masse, other people just stood and watched the ants take them. Plus here it would need a lot of watering to get it to take I think. Do a search on lawns, and there are also threads on what to pay for garden work.

[Dusty]

Sell Overseas Property

We have found that if you keep strimming an area it eventually becomes a recognisable lawn. That is, if you don't want a state of the art lawn. Our chickens now do quite a good job and our field has become a mass of wild flowers which we are loathe to strim until absolutely necessary. Its saved us loads of money!

[leedarkwood]

Sell Overseas Property

I have been given a number of seeds from a kabocha squash, which is said to taste like chestnuts! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabocha

If anyone would like some, send me your address, I have loads.

I found redcurrents, blackcurrents, a fig, and red and green gooseberries at metro yesterday, so as soon as it gets a bit warmer today they are going to go into the polytunnel until the frosts stop. I have covered some ground with the bendy plastic canes and plastic type cloches that they use here (canes were 38 st. each, a real bargain as they seen to last for years) and I will get our onions in under that when the ground is warmed.

[B52]

Sell Overseas Property

The weather has taken a bit of a down-turn here, although the sun is trying to poke through at the moment.

We've tidied up the "meadow" area and, in the process, found some raspberry canes in the undergrowth. They have been moved to a more suitable location and don't look any the worse for wear (wishful thinking, I'm sure).

The vegetable area, approx 20 x 30m, is about 80% dug but, meanwhile, with the rain that we have had, the weeds in the other 20% now outnumber those that we have already removed.

Lots of blossom on the trees already.

Now trying to fit out part of the barns as a reasonable potting shed, instead of having everything strewn all over.

[Villyman]

Sell Overseas Property

Jo has planted 14 rose bushes,daffs and marigold seeds in the flower garden.
There are still quite a few packets of flower seeds to put in but it's a wee bit early yet.

Onions are under pvc and the garlic and spring onions were planted in February and are growing well. Beans also planted. Peas will be going in next week along with the red onions and in April the corn, cucumbers and herbs.

Chili's are coming up nicely on the kitchen windowsill. I think she planted about 130 chili seeds so there will be plenty for her curries and for freezing for the winter.

[Pirol]

Sell Overseas Property

It might be a good advice to keep in mind that Bulgaria is not England. In most areas it needs a lot of work and water to make the garden look like an "English garden" (e.g. to keep the grass short and green). Probably it´s a better idea to take a look at the surrounding landscape and to adjust your plans to the existing conditions - better for the environment and less work for you...

[owain]

Sell Overseas Property

Good Advice Pirol,
I think I'll plant Opium Poppies and Marijuana,just in case the financial crisis gets too bad