Ecky thump - hot weather - shame about the pests

Friday, 16 June 2006

We all get ‘one of those days’ don’t we? Well I am having a run of them and I wish they would go away and pick on someone else as I really think that I have had my share lately.

I slip, slap, slopped on the factor 50 sun lotion, wore long sleeved shirt over tee shirt, long trousers, big floppy hat and sun glasses – if that isn’t enough to put you off going up the allotment – I don’t know what will…………………….

Except perhaps………..rabbits.

Today’s devastation consisted of Brussels sprouts, psb, and a chewed and felled tomato plant (surely we don’t have beavers in this neck of the woods, we are a bit short on water and dams). Obviously the rabbit did not like the taste of tomato plants.

8 mini cauliflower plants – rabbits or slugs – hard to tell.

Dwarf beans – ditto above.

Climbing beans – signs of a mouse hole burrowed underneath the rows – well a few, or maybe a rat hole? The beans that have survived are a bit slug damaged on the lower leaves but are climbing now and looking healthy, but I have lost 80% of my bean crop. It rained the day we were away, so the slugs must have had a field day and the rabbits too – as they ate all my next two neighbours climbing bean plants too – they had bought theirs and they were lovely.

Three dead birds – for no apparent reason and not showing any sign of injury. Old Geoff found a few the other day on his plot. Maybe it is the farm cats, but it is a bit odd.

Only one egg and the remains of an eaten one!!!!!!!!!!!!

I feel downhearted, defeated, and down in the dumps.

I can’t find where the rabbit is getting in. Surely someone is not opening the gate at dusk and then closing it (joke). My gates are pieces of corrugated iron and fixed with posts.

I just had to give myself the proverbial kick up the rear and get down to work.

Today’s task was to tie up all the tomato plants to their canes, and pinch off all the bits growing at the leaf joints. I started with the ones in the cage, and weeded whilst I was in there. Then I did the ones outside and found the tomato plant ‘felled’ and it was a big one too.

Doing all that took me almost three hours in the boiling hot weather in the sun. I was going to go back tonight and water the tomatoes and courgettes and pumpkin plants but the shingles has decided to play up just to remind me it is still there. So I am doing my blog instead.

I don’t know what got into the chickens this morning, and they have never broken an egg and eaten it before. They free range at least 3 hours a day, and their run in on the meadow, so plenty of opportunity to scratch up any extra grit they need, but their food contains all that they are supposed to need anyway. Maybe it was a thin shelled egg and one of the stood on it and it cracked. I will give them the benefit of the doubt this time!

So ladies and gentlemen – forgive me for not being my usual happy chirpy self.

I did cheer myself up picking some gooseberries – glad the rabbits don’t like those, and pulled some rhubarb stalks – and just to ‘make my day’ when I stepped over a chicken wire fence to go and put the girls back in, I found myself flat on my back a few seconds later – having whacked my arm and feeling rather uncomfortable with a big sharp stone poking in my back. It took me a few moments to work out where I was and what I was doing!! I rolled over on my side then gingerly got up on my hands and knees. Just another few bruises to add to the rest! Still my dearly beloved won’t mind – he can’t even give me a cuddle to make me feel better as the shingles are like electric shocks! He He He.

Off for a shower and to top and tail the goosegogs.

Things will look better in the morning, so the saying goes, and my beloved said he will help me water the plants in the morning. (he is out bowling tonight).