2003 Record

Preparation

Soil preparation was easier this year than last. We did not till through the winter - to reduce the amount of soil runoff in heavy rains. Each plot is tilled at least four times in the month prior to first planting to break up plant matter, aerate and generally improve soil condition. This seemed to work, however, later in the year we were not able to work the land as much as we would have liked and weeds were allowed to get up. This is not good. Therefore to control the problem, at the end of the year, in preparation for 2004 we ploughed the field.

Notes

A very poor year in the Garden Field, though the walled garden did better than expected. Irregular rain seemed to be the main problem - germination was poor.

The executive summary of a census of organic farming by the Department of Agriculture is here.

Plot 1 - Cabbages and Spinach

A couple of hundred seedlings of brocolli and spinach are germinated in March and transplanted in April. Most spinach was eaten, about half the brocolli survived. In June deciding whether or not to leave in. The answer is no. A very dry season makes this a difficult crop to invest time in.

Plot 2 - Beans

Some remaining carrots and parsnips are left from last years season. By June we decided that additional growth had finished, was meagre and developing flowers were taking all energy. The're tilled in, except a few for seed.

Week of 2 June: A selection of beans sown. But these never germinated properly.

Plot 3 - Carrots

Carrots. garlic and onion (red and white) were sown. Carrot transplants failed - partly because of drought and apparently they don't like to be moved. Garlic and onions propagated but yield was low. More weed clearance would have helped in mid-season.

Plot 4 - Courgette

Week 6/2: Various courgettes sown. Special black in walled garden. Field sown germinated but had weak growth. Walled garden did well.

Plot 5 - Peas

April: 2 rows of last years sown. Week 26/5: 6 rows Karina Week 6/2: 6 rows Markana and 1 row of mixed sweet.

None of the peas germinated well. Not even in the walled garden. We might blame dry weather. Harvest was negligible.

Plot 6 - Potatoes

Week 4/21: potatoes sown. 2 rows of last years. Week 4/28: potatoes sown all the rest!

All the varieties germinated well and came up. They were protected with string and scare tours. Dill weed was heavy and given some control with strimmer and hand weeding. Weather in late spring and summer seemed to be dry. July brought unseasonal blight which surprisingly and annoyingly took over two rows of arran victory.

Late August and weather is warm and dry. A quick test gave tasty potatoes but low volume - drought and blight have not helped. A bit of water could help and then well see what sort of harvest we get.

In the end the harvest was unsatisfactory. We ploughed over 80% back in and decided to start with a clean crop in 2004.

Greenhouse

Some spring veggies have been planted for the kitchen and will be harvested before the main crop of tomatoes and corn.

Tomato germination was fine, but all seedlings died in the second or third week - perhaps because the temperature in the greenhouse was not high enough at night. Seeding tables are needed.

Luckily beefsteak tomatoes self seeded from last year and we transplanted over 50 plants in April! Maize has been planted successfully - especially Golden Bantam. Final yield was imnpacted by inadequate water - our fault - but suggests that we can grow maize successfully.

Fruit cage

Its new position seems to work well. The fruit bushes did well leaving enough for jams. It needs a good tidy a couple of times a year and pruning and tidying of bushes. The black gooseberries are fantastic!

More Walled Garden

We heavily coppiced the hazels in February, along with cutting the hedge trees. This has let in much more light and warmth, which is showing some of the promise of the garden.

The strawberry patch was moved in to the old orchard. It worked quite well and the harvest improved over last year.

Work on the stream continues to help give access. It is getting to the point of being useful all year round. Silt traps need to be maintained.

Marrows, parsnip (home seed), and carrot planted have all done well. Peas did not.

Cantry Bog

Joe Roberts kindly dug a trench with his landscaping equipment along the bottom of the field in February. If it helps with drainage during the year we'll keep it.

At the begining of June we mowed the field to top the weeds and planted some home-seeded horse chestnuts at the top near the marshy area.

Maintenance

Topper: redesigned again fixing chains on instead of bar. Works well on rough ground because stones don't interfere. Though cut is not tidy.

Sickle bar mower: In renovation - new teeth required. Still.