Topsy Turvy in the Greenhouse

I’ve got one of the Topsy Turvy Tomato Planters so I thought it was time to put it into action. One thing they warn you about  is that it gets pretty heavy when it’s full of compost and a large plant as well. So I fixed an aluminium bar onto 3 of the roof beams to spread the load. Since one beam is the corner which is thicker and has vertical supports I think it will be fairly secure.

It was bistering in the greenhouse and it’s a bit awkward getting the crop-head bolt into the groove and supporting  the cross beam while drilling for the other bolts. Anyway, got  it fixed up and then realised that, when the plant grows, it’s going to block the door. Now, in theory, I could swop the cross beam to the other end but in practice it’s a few millimetres out so back home to retrieve the drill and fix another cross beam. (half an hour of cursing deleted)

Got that all fixed up and took the opportunity to put another cross beam in the big greenhouse to tie the tomato support canes to. We’ve a roll of wire that I used but it’s easy to not see the thin wire so I may put some tape onto it. Of course, it may have been the steaming up of my spectacles stopping me from seeing the wire.

Having done that I proceeded to plant an Ailsa Craig into the planter using the contents of a growbag to provide the compost. Larry lent me a couple of S hooks to support the planter from the beam and the job was done. He doesn’t look too convinced by the tomato planter but we’ll see how it does.

I tried to take some photographs of me filling it but I couldn’t work out how to use the timer function on the new camera. Must read that 200 page manual one day.

Back on the plot I took some time out to deal with the weeds. The strawberry bed is dire – lots of couch grass and horsetail popping up. Cleared the worst but I think I may have to  empty the bed and spray the horsetail with Amicide to really  sort it. Might be as well to move onto a strawberry barrel when I do – TowWests have a good one – available here.

There is quite a lot of bindweed in the paths on plot 29 so I used a glyphosate based spray on those. I avoid weedkiller on growing areas but this is a real time saver for the paths. Getting the roots out is not only difficult but it would mess the paths up  so herbicide. I also sprayed the horsetail in the path. I know it won’t kill it but it will knock it back  until I’m able to mix up some amicide.

Back over on plot five I carted the side panels for my brassica cage upto the top of the plot.  Without protection the pigeons would have the lot overnight. 

I suppose I had time to plant out some brassicas but I felt absolutely washed out  and dehydrated from being in the greenhouses for hours. So headed home for a  couple of pints. The first went down  nearly in one go!