http://www.waark.com Peck (Neck Twist)-crow = gurgle/C^2 Sun, 20 Jul 2008 17:03:58 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en The first of this years baby common sand lizards have made their fairly cute presence felt.  It may explain why foxes are digging in my raised beds. http://www.waark.com/2008/07/20/i-for-one-worship-my-new-lizard-overlords/ Last year I tried planing tomatoes in tyres.  This was an interesting experiment which involved me reusing a waste material (tyre) as a garden container. First I dug over the ground, put a potato in, tyre on top.  Let it grow. Then forgot about it and it didn't come to anything. This year ... http://www.waark.com/2008/07/15/potatoes-in-tyres-fail/ I thought that perhaps I had rats last year - but I was wrong, I've now confirmed that it was mice.  This is for two reasons.  One I trod on one (don't worry, I'm heavy, I'm sure it was immediately terminal for it and no, it was an accident) and ... http://www.waark.com/2008/07/15/of-mice-and-carrots/ I just though I'd brag about two new purchases I made today whilst out and about in my work-town of Chelmsford.  The first was an absolute stonker of a bargain from the £1 shop.  Without going into the world of child labour (lets face it, how can an electrical device ... http://www.waark.com/2008/07/14/eco-friendly-radios-and-phones/ Popped down the allotment this morning as I am want to do on a daily basis before work and made a bit of a havest for lunch.  I picked two little gem lettuce, a couple of ripe tomatoes, the remainder of the strawberry crop which was about 30 little alpine ... http://www.waark.com/2008/07/14/pumpkin-ahoy-2/ I won't bore you with a second pick - the 2nd tomato (200% as many tomatoes than last year) has just been plucked! Also last night we got two new courgettes and I'm sure there's another cucumber on its way!  Hurrah. http://www.waark.com/2008/07/11/second-tomato/ Should I be this excited about my first chunk of gold?  Well, sungold tomatoes (I think..) Yes my very first edible (and it was so, so edible) tomato from my allotment, grown in enviromentally unfriendly peat because I didn't realise till I got home what I'd bought.  So delicious mmm... (yes it's ... http://www.waark.com/2008/07/10/first-tomato/ Unfortunately my sweetcorn seems to have failed this year.  The general opinon on the downsizer forums is that they have been somewhat mistreated.  They do have their feet mainly in rotted manure which is probably too rich for them.  Only a foot high they've just sprouted their silks.  It could ... http://www.waark.com/2008/07/08/failed-sweetcorn/ The allotmenteering world has been rocked recently by the news that a certain herbicide has somehow made it into livestock feed and bedding - the result is that many manure sources (and straw) including some certified as organic are now veggie killers.  Whilst it is noted that some vegetables are hardy ... http://www.waark.com/2008/07/08/toxic-horse-manure/ For those who check up occasionally on the site the photos are up. Went down the plot today, rain had ceased for a bit and I closed up the greenhouse, wandered round the plot when I realised it was suddenly getting darker.  Then in the distance I heard the distinct sound ... http://www.waark.com/2008/07/07/downpour/