What Preps are you doing this week? Part 9

[British Red]

Those basic diamond blocks are great value - a bit coarse but brilliant for removing metal when profiling a blade

[Kiwififer]

Thanks for the advice, I will look into them all.

[PreppingPingu]

Preps are keeping up with the allotment, and planning what else I can squeeze into the small space I have. Reorganising tinned and dried area storage to make more room in the garage for the tinned and bringing the dried stuff that was in plastic storage boxes into the house. Rotating the deep freezer in the shed to bring the meat into the house freezer and then visit the butcher for some more meat to put in the shed freezer. Looking for a free water butt or large bin to use as one but they are are rare as hen's teeth atm on the local free buying and selling sites so I may have to fork out some cash to buy another butt. My two in the garden are empty already and its only the start of May! If I want to grow stuff, I need to be able to water it.

[British Red]

If I want to grow stuff, I need to be able to water it.

It's been a very dry April, the pumps are running irrigating the fields here. What you mention is a salutary lesson - we need to plan water storage on how long it may have to last without replenishment. We've gone seven weeks without rain before. Those are the kind of droughts that used to cause famine.

[jansman]

Putting in a replacement smoke alarm this morning. We have three,and this one has expired. I have to fill the log store by the back door- we are still lighting up of an evening.This time of year I tend to split seasoned rounds as needed and leave the ready- to- go stacks as they are.

I have checked the weather for the next couple of weeks and we are getting warmer.Obviously still a good chance of frost ,but that’s what horticultural fleece was invented for : So I shall be getting beans into the ground.Lady Di runner beans,Blue Lake climbing French - supremely reliable, and Borlotti beans. I don’t mess about growing plants in the greenhouse,then transplanting,just three seeds to a hazel rod. A presenter on Gardeners Question Time ,many years ago,Peter Seabrook if I recall, said it was still the best way,in his opinion.I agree. It saves time,compost and water too. I shall probably drop some marrow ( Tiger Cross) and Spaghetti Marrow seeds into pots if I have time,most certainly in the next ten days.

I’ll pull and chop more rhubarb for the freezer,and there are more eggs to pickle. If I get all that done I might fish tomorrow.

[diamond lil]

I took time off to go and sit in the silence and watch for eagles and ospreys, Didn't see any - just a heron

[jansman]

You live in a lovely place.

[Nurseandy]

And sitting in silence is sometimes reward enough.

[itsybitsy]

Putting in a replacement smoke alarm this morning. We have three,and this one has expired. I have to fill the log store by the back door- we are still lighting up of an evening.This time of year I tend to split seasoned rounds as needed and leave the ready- to- go stacks as they are.

I have checked the weather for the next couple of weeks and we are getting warmer.Obviously still a good chance of frost ,but that’s what horticultural fleece was invented for : So I shall be getting beans into the ground.Lady Di runner beans,Blue Lake climbing French - supremely reliable, and Borlotti beans. I don’t mess about growing plants in the greenhouse,then transplanting,just three seeds to a hazel rod. A presenter on Gardeners Question Time ,many years ago,Peter Seabrook if I recall, said it was still the best way,in his opinion.I agree. It saves time,compost and water too. I shall probably drop some marrow ( Tiger Cross) and Spaghetti Marrow seeds into pots if I have time,most certainly in the next ten days.

I’ll pull and chop more rhubarb for the freezer,and there are more eggs to pickle. If I get all that done I might fish tomorrow.

Beans - do you put more than one vine per rod, J? I've just put my beans in - both dwarf varieties but they do like a bit of support.

[diamond lil]

And sitting in silence is sometimes reward enough.

Essential! And yes Jansman I'm very lucky.