Posted by highbarns | Posted in Garden | Posted on 17-09-2011
- Giant marrow, 11kg or 24lb
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.
- African parcahute plant
- 10 stems of annuals, cosmas and snapdragon
Posted by highbarns | Posted in Turkeys | Posted on 17-09-2011
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.
- Why can’t we be with the chickens?
The turkeys have put on a lot of growth and have a large frame but they should end up at around 12lbs at Christmas.
Their favourite food is cabbage but it took a while for them to get used to it as every new item in the run is treated with very intense suspicion for many hours. Some items never get touched eg bread and have to be passed onto the chickens.
Turkeys get bored easily and I need to make them some new toys. They also like lawn clippings.
Posted by highbarns | Posted in Dahlias | Posted on 17-09-2011
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.
- Pots September 2011
The pots around the back door continue to flower well. Next year I’ll stick to the cheap and cheerful plants such as geranium, marigold, petunia, dahlia. sometimes it’s pointless wasting money on fancy new species and varieties that don’t grow.
