Hello

 Sown on 27 January these broad beans are off the heat and out into the greenhouse to toughen up before they are planted out at the allotment.  

Garden Bird Count

Despite the recent daily appearance of siskins to add to the charming goldfinches only one goldfinch turned up in the allocated hour for the  Great British Garden Birdwatch.  The explanation is that Storm Malik visited Edinburgh on Saturday night and I did the watch on Sunday.  But later in the day I spotted another possible reason: the sparrowhawk which is nearly as big as the sunflower seed feeder it is staking out. If this has been hanging around for the last few days it will have scared off the regulars!

 Aside from the one goldfinch  I did see 2 bullfinches, robins, blackbirds, coal tits, Jackdaws, pigeons, solitary great tit, wood pigeon, magpie and 8 house sparrows.

New Year Cheer

 January flowers are such a rare thing. Thank goodness for the witch hazel

Winter Flowering Cherry

and Winter Jasmine

The bulbs are sprouting green leaves but not even the snowdrop will manage to put in an appearance before January is out.

And on the subject of bulbs I have this week planted 3 rows of garlic at the allotment (to add to the autumn sown ones).  Back indoors I have sown 32 broad beans into deep root trainers.  These will go into the greenhouse once they emerge and on to the allotment in due course.  Yes spring is just around the corner.  Next week will be busy now that I have looked out my seeds for early sowing! (Leeks, onions, shallots, tomatoes and chilli, as well as lobelia .

Getting Ready for Christmas

 

Italian inspired snack food. Taralli and grissini.  Both keep well - and taste a treat.

End of Year Report

 

Pride of place has to go to the brassica patch. Brussels, kale and PSB still to come. Far left is a short row of mooli that I keep forgetting to check for root development. 

The old potato patch looks like a building site, but there are garlic bulbs planted at this end and two short rows of potatoes left under the fabric. 

At the far end are parsnips for this winter and 10 bags of farm yard manure to beef up the fertility for next year.

The contents of the fruit cage looks suitably dormant. I am currently half way through pruning . The net has been removed to avoid the danger of snow damage.

My customary "view from the end" looks a bit bleak but the leeks in the foreground should come on in the spring. The net hides the end of this year's carrots and next year's spring cabbages. To the right of the net are the last of the celery and celeriac.  Both were high on expectation and a little short on delivery. ( The white piping is just awaiting deployment as protection for plants)

Just for completion, here is the pumpkin patch, currently fallow. There are beets, root and leaf, under the net, and some spring onions.  Beyond are strawberry plants and a wannabe asparagus patch.

After The Fire - The Frost

 

Here's the scene on awakening this Sunday.

Fiery Sunset

 The Edinburgh sunset this afternoon was so dramatic that it deserves a post of its own.  There seems to be a fire breathing dragon looking down on the pizzeria - or maybe  I just have an overactive imagination.  

It was enough to distract some from their shopping imperative!