Mulching the Redcurrant/Blackcurrant and Gooseberry Bushes

After reading on the net about how good it is for these bushes to be mulched I armed myself with a wheelbarrow and shovel and started covering the soil around them with wood chips.

The wood chip mulch will provide moist soil and will provide lots of food for beneficial critters and fungi in the soil and most importantly around the root system. Earthworms love such environment and will make sure the soil is well aerated under it. Mulch will also decompose with time enriching the soil with nutrients and will also supress the weeds from growing in that area which would only deplet the soil's nutrients.

NOTE!!! Never ever dig the wood chips into the ground. This will encourage anaerobic bacteria which will take up all the Nitrogen. Only cover the soil with 5-10cm of wood chip.

Seeds springing to Life

All hail the seeds !!! They are growing!!! :)

I looked into the tomato green house and two seeds have started growing!

Even the Apple seeds have started to lift their heads above the ground :)

Exciting times indeed ! :))

There is no word for this love

Lettuce and Lovage seeds planted indoors

I have planted Lettuce and Lovage (called Libbsticka in swedish) indoors today. Im precultivating them so I can use them in food preparation as soon as possible.

Lovage seeds. Lovage leaves are used as the main ingredience in soups.

I have discovered that the Tomato soil has gone dry! Not sure how that happened because I sprayed water on tjem every couple of days. It didnt dry totally but still Im a bit worried! I cant see any seeds germinating yet so hopefully this little dry spell didnt ruin them I soaked the soil very well today and even poured water in the aquarium so the soil can suck it in if needed. This should keep the soil moist longer.

The temperature in this tomato green house (aquarium) goes up to 28'C in the day time and down to 16'C at the night time. I do place a styrofoam sheet between the window and the aquarium during the night time and I open the top glass during the day to lower the temperature to about 22'C. 

Cold Frame

I have built a cold frame from reused pallet wood and windows. I will plant lettuce in it as soon the temp stabilises over 5'C

 The windows are removable. 

Windows open for ventilation on hot days.

Clean the Bird Houses

The Spring has come and much is to be done! Birds are a very important part of the Soil Food Web even though they themselves are not living in the soil but they do balance the parasites which take birth in the soil or tree bark.
Placing bird houses around the property will encourage birds to build nests there. This will help alot to keep pest insects at bay.

 Old nests is thrown out so the bird house is clean and empty, ready for the next bird family to move in :)

The Greenhouse is Finished

I completed the green house today. Im so happy with how it turned out, especially because it was entirelly made from re-used materials (except screws). There is still one small part of the roof missing. Now its left to remove the bigger weeds and to cover the soil with newpappers and compost soil which I get for free from our local recycling plant.

This greenhouse has no door, instead I the windows are removable

Siberian Peashrub and Black Locust seeds planted

After soaking the seeds in water for 24 hours (never exceed soaking them for more than 36 hours) it is time to plant them into a potting soil mixed with sand (3:1). Seeds are placed on top of the mixture and covered with a thin layer of sand. Watering is done from underneath.  The pots are placed indoors near a window.

The beginning of the greenhouse

This lovely sunny day inspired me to start building the greenhouse. I have collected all the materials I need from skips (windows) and reused pallets which I got from a building site in the city. The plastic roof I had in the garage from the previous owner of our summer house.

 neighbour's horses came to check the greenhouse construction

the roof is on and the main construction done. I hope to finish the whole greenhouse tomorrow. <the size is small, 2 square meters but Im very happy with it!

Apple seeds germinated and planted

Most of the stratified apple seeds germinated. I planted them today using planting soil which I saturated with water. Now its just about waiting for the plantlets to stick their heads out of the soil and come into the world :)