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I'm not very good at growing brassicas from seed. I was without completely last year after slugs devoured all my seedlings, and I've had to resow this year after many of my seedlings withered and died. One of my favourite brassicas is purple sprouting broccoli, so to make sure that I'm not without again come spring, I've invested in some small plants. They only cost me £1.99 for ten plants, not a bad price at all. I've got some more seedlings just growing, so I could be inundated at harvest time, but I'd rather have too much than too little, or none at all.
I haven't done much gardening over the weekend as we've had a couple of days out, so I'm hoping that I can get to the plot today. The weather is beautiful again so I really need to make the most of it. There's lots of jobs to be done in the garden too, so it looks like it's going to be a busy day.
Weather is gorgeous here too- happy days! I know what you mean about the end-of-life wheelbarrow- we have one with big holes in, but it is still attached to the wheelbase. I have put heavy duty plastic in the barrow bit and it seems to be holding out at the mo xx
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting and leaving a comment. The weather has taken a turn for the worse towards the end of the day, but it was lovely while it lasted. We gardeners seem to make things last as long as we can, I'm sure I'll find another use for the weelbarrow once it's no longer able to be used as it's intended to be used.
DeleteDon't give up on the barrow Jo. You could make a new body with some reclaimed timber, and give it a bit of character at the same time.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds beyond my capabilities, I'll have to have a word in Hubby's ear.
DeleteThat wheelbarrow looks new compared to ours! The last one we used for years with a piece of wood in the bottom to stop things falling through the bottom.
ReplyDeleteThe one we have at the moment has handles that are getting shorter by the minute as rusted parts drop off!!
I don't think the photo shows it in it's true light, it might look better there than it actually is. It's not good when the barrow part slides off. The handles are intact though so our's might be slightly better than yours.
DeleteMaybe you can send us your handles!
DeleteIf only they weren't moulded from the same metal as the rest of the barrow, I'd be able to take them off then.
DeleteOur wheelbarrows tend to have the same tipper action as yours lol. I now have my very own barrow that hubby can't pinch for work (at least he won't once I've painted it Pink).
ReplyDeleteI think your barrow will make the perfect planter and just think of all the fun you'll have filling it.
Oooh, that's a good idea, I'll have to look out for pink paint when we're in the DIY shop. I think my barrow will be the talk of the site once it's planted up, for one reason or another.
DeleteJo, my garden is too small to need a wheelbarrow, so I can't offer any advice on that subject, but one thing I do know: there is no such thing as too much PSB! What varieties have you got? I wasn't too impressed with "Rudolph" this year, so I'm going to try a different one. I always have at least two varieties in case one fails.
ReplyDeleteI agree regarding the PSB, I love the stuff. I'm not sure of the variety I've bought, but I'm trying to grow Rudolph and Claret. I'll have a great crop next spring if it all grows well.
DeleteHere is my post on how to save a wheelbarrow. Ours was worse than that.
ReplyDeletehttp://simplyselfsufficiency.blogspot.com/2012/12/how-to-save-wheelbarrow.html
What a great project. Unfortunately, there isn't much to put a bolt though anymore, I think the photo shows it in a better light than it actually is. It'll put us on until we buy a new one though, we'll just have to pick the barrow part up each time we empty a load.
DeleteLove your barrow! There's one here just like it too.. drainage holes and all. The wheel axle broke recently, but we were trying to heft a fully grown hydrangea into it at the time.. even so, Mike has managed to coax a bit more life out of it.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your sunshine while it lasts, raining here now :(
It looked as though it was on it's last legs when it was passed on to us, but it's served us well since. It's amazing how much extra work we can coax out of these things. Sorry to hear that the rain has appeared with you, I don't think it will be long before it's here. It's much cooler now and the sky's grey.
DeleteYou wheelbarrow would make a lovely planter for herbs. Enjoy the sun, lashing rain all day here.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a lover of planting herbs up together, they tend to have different requirements, so what works for one leads to another's demise. It would be nice to put a few different mints together in it though. I do like mint, even though the plot was covered in the stuff when we took it on, it's still there now, so I think a wheelbarrow would be the best place for it. Sorry to hear that you've had rain all day, it's been lovely again here for the best part of the day, but rain's forecast for tomorrow.
DeleteWe have a wheelbarrow just like yours but probably with fewer holes! I planted our broccoli plants yesterday. They are under a netted cage which will hopefully keep out the slugs and butterflies - hopefully!
ReplyDeleteLove from Mum
xx
I wouldn't bank of the slugs being kept out, I haven't found anything which will keep them at bay yet. I noticed lots of white butterflies out and about today, obviously looking for our precious brassica plants to lay their eggs on. They're such a pest.
DeleteAlways a sad day when a trusty piece of garden equipment can no longer be used for its original purpose Jo but I'm sure that you can find a new use for wheelbarrow as a planter. My broccoli seedlings have been munched this spring so may be seeking replacements. It's about time the molluscs learned to read the 'Keep Out' sign on the greenhouse door.
ReplyDeleteI think the wheelbarrow will look quite fetching planted up and given a new life. I know only too well what a pest those slugs are, they gobbled the lot last year and I was without any brassicas at all.
DeleteLovely old wheelbarrow! I inherited a very ancient lawnmower with my plot, it's fantastic. I've never had much success with brassicas, except for a couple of cavolo neros that grew up and up and up. I've lost so many to slugs and caterpillars and pigeons I'm not planting any at the moment. No doubt I'll try again though, such is the optimism of the gardener.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing what people leave behind when they give their plot up, I was only too happy to use whatever was left. Slugs left me without any brassicas last year. I can put up with being left without most things, but not purple sprouting broccoli, I was so envious when I saw everyone harvesting it this year and I had none. I hope the same thing doesn't happen again next year.
DeleteI fancy using an old wheelbarrow as a planter.
ReplyDeleteToo many, or much, is always better when it comes to plants. I hope that got plenty of gardening done yesterday. Flighty xx
I think the wheelbarrow will look great planted up. I'd rather have too much of something than too little, there's always someone who will take it off your hands. I made the most of the good weather yesterday and got lots done on the plot, as well as in the garden. It's just as well as it's raining today.
DeleteStick some soil in it Jo & scatter some flower seeds for the bees & butterfly's. Or what about a couple of your PSB plants instead.
ReplyDeleteI'd have to construct some kind of net over it if I put the purple sprouting brassica plants in it, the pigeons and butterflies would have a field day otherwise. I think it would look nice planted up with flowers.
DeleteYou should plant it up. There was a wheelbarrow planting competition for schools at RHS Cardiff show for local schools and they were brill. Maybe alpines could work if they had really good drainage. Hope you managed to get to the plot. It's raining again here. :(
ReplyDeleteI love to see wheelbarrows planted up, I've seen them done at shows before too. I think alpines would look lovely. We had rain this morning but it's brightened up again.
DeleteWell at the least the wheelbarrow had a long and happy life - now it can be retired into a corner and filled with flowers for the rest of its days.
ReplyDeleteI was very grateful for the wheelbarrow when we took on the allotment, one less thing to buy. I'm sure it will look lovely planted up.
DeleteLove the idea of using the wheelbarrow as a planter - perhaps you could put some of your strawberry plants in there? You wouldn't have to bend so far to pick the fruit! My PSB seedlings have done the same and I'm at a loss to know why! Luckily the kale seedlings have flourished but I don't want to be without PSB so may have to search out some plants!
ReplyDeleteIt would be good as a strawberry planter, it might just keep those pesky slugs from nibbling them. I'm never very successful with brassica seedlings, if it isn't one thing it's another. I hope you manage to find some purple sprouting brassica plants, definitely worth looking for.
DeleteOh plant it! It will love adorable, I always plant my old wheelbarrows.
ReplyDeleteBrassicas!!!! I never have any joy with them, either the slugs get them or the cabbage white!xxxxx
I think the wheelbarrow will look good planted up. I don't know what I do wrong with brassicas, if they're not gobbled by pests, they just seem to wither up and die.
DeleteEven before I got to the part where you mentioned using it as a planter I was already thinking about that for the wheelbarrow Jo, I hate wastage and think it would be a lovely planter in the garden.
ReplyDeleteThose P.S.B. were certainly cheap. I have grown purple and white this year so that should be interesting.
I'm sure it will look nice once I eventually get it planted up. I've never grown white broccoli, but purple sprouting broccoli is one of my favourite veg, so I hope the plants do well.
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