Something new for 2009

I like to try something new most years and i have started to get ready for next year a site for growing a couple of Marrows, it is on the area where i have previously grown my Gooseberries, i am in the process of digging them up and moving them to a different position near to where i have some Raspberries and the hope is i can put up some caging over both to see if i can keep the birds from pinching most of the fruit, as this year they went with 90% of the crop.

The Marrow i,m hoping to grow is Table Dainty as i believe it can be grown of the ground and not take up quite as much growing space as some types, the ground will get a good covering of FYM and compost dug in by the end of the year and we will see how it goes if i can get a few good sorts it will give me a chance to try it at some shows next year where they are quite a popular class. I have been trying to find out how high they grow and how much support they will need of the Internet but as yet i haven't had much luck so i will just have to use some strong rails to be on the safe side

United march on

Grays Athletic 0 United 2 . No problems with Grays floodlights this time and a good professional performance putting us through to a second round tie with Crewe, and a special mention is deserved to near neighbours Barrow for a good cup win over Brentford, in my book that's Cumbria 2 London area 0

Is this the start of winter

This is the sight that greeted me this morning looking out from the front door when i was about to go to work, it was quite a shock allthough the forecast had said their was a chance of snow i was still suprised just how much of it their was. Luckily it hadn't frozen before snowing so the roads were no bother. I had fortunately taken the chance on Saturday to get on with some digging on the veggy patch and managed to get next years Onion and Leek bed turned over incorporating a lot of the compost that i made this summer as i went along then i gave it a splash of magnesium lime which i consider to be better than straight lime it seems as though the magnesium helps plants utilise N P and K more efficiently and then a bit more compost on top, hopefully the cold weather and the worms will do their bit and it should just need a quick forking and be ready to go without much work come spring. It is my intention to have a soil test done about end of February just to check how things are, the P H i suspect may be still be a bit on the low side after the 2 wet summers we have had so if i get the results back by beginning of March there will be plenty of time to get it sorted. It was inside work today and i have been trying to knock up a growing box i have a soil warming cable so if i can get some lighting sorted i may try starting some leek seeds of nice and early (first week of December?) to see if i can get them a bit bigger come August, i know most folks who show leeks start with bulbils but they seem quite a price for someone who is just learning so i think if i grow them from seeds, i might learn a bit as i go on and maybe next year if all goes well i might buy bulbils. The leek variety i have got is Windermere F1 from Medwyns it seemed an appropriate choice considering it's where i live.

Our Abi is off to Australia

How do you fancy swimming 2.4 miles then cycling 112 miles and just for good measure finishing off with a marathon 26 miles 385 yds. In just 6 days time our eldest daughter Abi and her husband are off to Australia where she is to compete in the Western Australia Ironman or should that be Ironperson competition on the 7th December at Busselton near Perth, we are all quietly proud of her here at home for having a go and wish her all the best. This is the second time Abi has done one and i know that she is really wanting to beat her previous time of 14 hours 50 minutes. I haven,t told her but i was thinking of getting in to training for it, but you know how it is just when you get ready to go for a run something crops up like my runner beans needed watering or onions need weeding so unfortunately I'll just have to pass on doing it. So best of luck Abi, if anyone wants to look at her training blog click on the link Mustrunfaster . if you do take the time to look drop her a line to give her a boost.

United are on a roll now

United 3 Brighton 1 things are looking up should be back in the promotion hunt by Christmas, well maybe playoffs, and Leeds got stuffed by Huddersfield as a Bonus.