A Month as a Surrey flower farmer - progress so far

We finished working up at Hill top farm today as the sun set.
Today's task was planting Allium's - 1 bed of 300 Allium Speraecephalon - and one bed of mixed alliums, donated by Mum and Dad from a garden border of their's that had produced huge amounts of bulbils.

We made a small trench in the soil to plant, then covered them over with a good layer of organic compost. Our pile of which is getting rapidly smaller, as we're now up to nine beds covered.

We've also made 8 raised beds to make good use of the large area of hardstanding that we have.

These have all been planted up with Herbs. So far, lots of Mint, Sage, Parsley, Rosemary, Rocket, and Mustards, which I'll use both as culinary crops, and then as flowers. There are 7 more of these to be made over the next week, so they'll be more Rosemary, Thymes, lots of Chives (I luurve the flowers of Garlic chives) Basils (in May) and Marjorum.

i'll also be growing Dill and Fennel, but they will need deeper root runs, so will be in the ground.

This month i've also got my planning application in for my Polytunnel. - The beaurocracy of the planning department is not something that I have enough patience for, but I have finally (I hope) used the right form. Plus given the right diagrams, to explain how my Polytunnel is of less height than the hedge that will shield it from the Road.

So i'm making excellent progress so far. February will be another month of moving compost and making beds (well acutally i'll be doing that every month for the foreseeable future!) but as we get towards the end of the month, i'll be able to start sowing seeds again.

if you want more regular pictures of what i'm up to, have a look over at https://www.facebook.com/Plantpassion

Comments

[Helen]

I think your progress is amazing considering the weather and time of year

[Claire, Plantpassion]

Thanks Helen
I like to crack on with things when I get going. - Having to earn my living through gardening still tho' so can't give it all my time. Lots of help from family has been great.

[Lynda Adlington]

Well done, like Helen said, its amazing you have done so much in this weather. I seem to be struggling to get things done. Greenhouses we have inherited with property need fixing and TLC before I can use properly. Always looking for people to inspire me. You have today

[Janet/Plantaliscious]

Goodness, you have made a lot of progress. Those raised beds are a great use of space. Can't wait to see the field when all those bulbs flower, it will be wonderful.