Makeshift Mini Greenhouse

...or Dubious Creations Of A Skinflint...

Yes, you may have to look twice (or even thrice) to work out what is going on here, but basically it's a large polythene bag with a window in it, turned on it's side, hung on a frame and pegged down. I aquired it as the packaging to some willow fencing. Being a natural born horder, I knew immediately it would come in useful!

It's now housing two black cherry tomatoes, and they are (so far) doing very well in it. The only possible drawback is it may get blown over (or even away) in high winds. Oh, and I suppose there is the matter of property prices to consider - if my garden gathers any more tat it is possible the local market could take a serious downturn.

Moving away from make-it-yourself corner, here's a progress report on the rest of the garden;

The peas are growing slowly despite being eaten regularly by slugs. I have been sowing more seeds in the gaps that keep appearing, and have had to give up on the far end of the rows, as I just can't keep the cats away from their chosen toilet area. I didn't give up without a fight though - there are more sticks in the ground than gaps in between now and I am left wondering how they still manage to get through, but they do. So the pea rows are shorter than hoped for and are being seriously slowed down by the slug onslaught which seems a lot worse than last year. Some will grow - it remains to be seen how many.

The onions, shallots and garlic are doing much better, being neither eaten nor pee-ed on.

I planted one of the aubergines out last week, into a container, and it is doing fine, though only about four inches tall.

The broad beans continue to be difficult - I can't believe they are supposed to be easy to grow. Slugs have devestated about two thirds of them and the ones that are growing are very slow indeed. The largest one is still only three inches tall, though it's been up for about six weeks.

About ten runner beans are up in pots, and another ten should follow shortly. Also coming up in the pots are sunflowers, sweetcorn and borlotti beans at the moment.

My courgette plants and globe artichokes are about ready to go into the ground - I am waiting for the next dry spell to give them a fighting chance against the dread slugs.

There are tomatoes already on the largest plant (the one I bought to get a head start). I count them everyday - today's count 16.

Best news of the week though - I have been round to the local allotments and put myself on the waiting list. With luck I may get one before the end of the summer.