Achiltibuie Garden Blog

 

Achiltibuie Garden Blog

 

Tuesday 22 February 2011

Down at the Garden

Despite a poor start February has been great weather wise which has meant that Di has been kept busy with the outdoor garden - preparing the ground for the growing season has been one of her major tasks. With all the high tides it has made it easier for her to gather seaweed from the shore - an incredible source of nutrients for the soil. Along with Ruth she has started to create a willow screen to protect the apple orchard.

Following the planting by the moon calendar sowing has been quite hectic - the cats were particularly happy when propagating light! Alison found one of them sleeping quite happily alongside the germinated tomatoes. Today is a "root" day so the season's beetroots have been sown.

Great news for the residents of Coigach - we have a fantastic crop of purple-sprouting broccoli! The severe frosts of the winter has resulted in many supermarkets supplies having either failed or been reduced drastically.

I am now spending increasing amounts of time in the "mail order department" - our shipping container - as our customers, old and new, are getting ready for growing in 2011.

On a totally different subject, on the 10th March there is to be a special preview of Eagle - the film starring Channing Tatum and Jamie Bell - which was has part of the storyline filmed here in Coigach. Tickets for the screening are by application only for those who were extras or involved in some way. (Hopefully I have been successful).

Julie

Tuesday 1 February 2011

Getting ready for growing
Although the weather is still pretty cold, Di is starting to get sowing. She has already germinated the first batch of flat leaf parsley, and the 'Tumbler' tomatoes are through as well. We've also been getting the fruit cage ready, knocking in some posts to train our new 'Glen Fyne' and 'Valentina' raspberries against. We took delivery of lots of soft fruit plants just before Christmas, including strawberries 'Korona', 'Marshmello' and 'Flamenco' for the hydroponics systems. For outdoors, blueberries, redcurrants and gooseberries will join our existing blackcurrants in the fruit cage.

If you read 'Scotland on Sunday' you may have seen the article about us on 30 January. To read it, click here (it's on page 26).

We'll be updating the info about opening hours in the next few weeks, so keep watching the website if you'd like to visit us!

Alison, 01 February 2011