highbarns's Blog Just another Vegblogs weblog 

Back from the show now, eaten some of the exhibits for tea but still to empty the car as it has been raining since my return. I will have to venture out to put the turkeys away later.

A good haul of winners, and won the ladies cup again for most points (79). The giant marrow won again although it appears to have lost weight since the last show. Total earnings to date £2.50.

They are getting bigger and eating much more food now. We have had to move onto a bigger jug for their ration.

The turkeys like to look at the chickens but when one of them does get out they seem very lost and don’t interact at all.

The dahlias are doing well at the moment. I’ve entered the Elsworth show and got 2 second places, today it is the Comberton show so here’s hoping.

My favourite varieties are the ball types particularly Jomanda (terracotta) and Mary’s Jomanda (dark fuschia pink). I did well at the Barton Show with Carstone Ruby (deep red).

Lavender line always does well here – a pinky purple cactus.

The dahlia bed in the back garden September 2011

Yesterday we went to the Harrogate Autumn show to review Dahlias, caarnations and chrysanthemums. Several new varieties appeared but generally the old favourites such as Mary’s Jomanda.

It’s a shame but some varieties don’t seem to get up any steam before the first frosts, Maggie C is one in particular. A Fimbriated orange yellow variety which seems to promise but doesn’t often deliver flowers.

After weeding and tidying

The vegetables are starting to suffer as it’s been warm and we haven’t had any rain lately.

After weeding and a bit of tidying it was time to water the leeks and  beetroot. The Asters are grown for showing. The soil is infected with Fusarium oxysporum which means I cant grow onions here. By the look of the Cleomes I will not be able to grow them here either. I’ve opened up a new vegetable garden at the front of the house and the onions are looking great.

The badger was at the plums before they were ready

 The badger, which is living under next doors shed has been busy wrecking the plum tree before the plums were ready. They have already had all the Discovery apples. Next it will be the sweetcorn!

The giant marrow is still growing, it’s a bit short but getting fatter every day. I’m feeding it Miracle grow and it’s getting 2 gallons of water every day.

Getting fatter!

The garden is looking great this year. After a severe drought in the early part of the year we have had enless rain and the garden has benefitted considerably. This year there are loads of flowers. I’ve tried to major in floxgloves this year but not many flowered. My favourite is Candy mountain a lovely girly pink spire of flowers much favoured by bees.

A true sign that Christmas is around the corner is the arrival of 6 turkey poults to begin their long slow fattening period. I provide the accomodation and love whilst two friends buy the food. We did this last year and managed to raise all 6 through to Christmas weighing in at 18-22 lbs a piece. As they get bigger they will get to eat cabbage and marrows from the garden.

Hello vegeblogs
Welcome to Highbarns. My garden is located in Cambridgeshire at the edge of the fens. We are a heady 60m above sea level and rainfall levels are moderate to dry.
The garden is about half an acre and full to the brim with vegetables and flowers.
Flowers are a particular favourite specialising at the moment in pinks, dahlias and introducing border carnations.
Vegetable always include cucumbers, tomatoes, other salads, beetroot, brassicas, courgettes and asparagus to name but a few.
I also share 2 alotments with 2 friends where we can grow other veg.
Our soil type is Hanslope clay, a deep heavy clay with a high pH (7.6-8.0). The clay restructures well after bad treatment but digging is hard work.
The rest of the family compose 2 dogs, 2 cats, chickens and 2 guinea pigs.