Dad's Mini Allotment Part 1: March to April 2020 by Becky James

Another little check up on the happy gardener, the grumpy gardener. There he is, down there. And what's happening now, is it the great gardening expedition? You're going to put your onions in? Let's have a look, show me what you've got. It's a baby onion. They're very cute. Do they get big? I'm following you through to your little vegetable pouch here. So I can see you've taken your bean hulls down. And you've been getting prepared in the ground. Good. All under control. What else are you going to put in? Today? Eventually. Run the beans up the fence there. And then your tomatoes in the greenhouse. Which you do every year. Marvellous. Well we'll come back and see the progress later. Ta ta for now. No, we won't expect anything today. Bye. I've noticed you've got your onions in now. So they're all ready and buried. They're growing already. And it's March. And then your next, what are you going to put in next? You said your beans? Beans in there, there'll be. There it is. Wow. What are they, about eight foot? They'll get snatched up. Right, this is the seed tray. That's Connie's big head. And what are you planting? I'm planting. Okay. Sweet millions. And you get millions. Oh, they're nice. You do, don't you? Yeah. Connie. And you've only got 16 seeds? I think so, usually about that many. If that. So we're making sure Connie doesn't interfere. Okay, so when you've planted them, do you leave them in this conservatory for a little while? Yeah, leave them in here. That's all you get. I'm coming in. Zoom. Oh, wow. Flipping heck. They're F1 hybrids. They're guaranteed to germinate. Okay. Know what I mean? And then you leave them in here for, what, a few weeks? And then you get about an inch or two, and then you put them in the compost in this greenhouse in a grow bag. So you're using a toothpick to... Oh, wow. Very intricate work. Look at this skill. Toothpick planting. You can't do it all up, can you? You can't do it all up big. Got Connie's nose pushing the camera. Oh, yeah. Got good eyesight. Okay. 16 little compartments prepared and 16 seeds going in. We'll see how they're growing. It's only 16. They're usually about that many. Yeah. It's certainly not a lot. But what you get from them is amazing, isn't it? It's like weeks and weeks of tomatoes, and all the neighbors are coming around again. Well, there's an exchange that goes on. Like when we were growing up on Elder Road, we were always passing food and things around. Have you got 17? And you've got an audience, which is really great. Connie, come here. Come here. It's windy. You've got to brave the cold elements now for your soil. Can I assist? Dog out of the way. Out into the arctic conditions of the north of England. So cute. It's like being a brain surgeon. You've got to concentrate. Marvellous. Where will you sit them now? There? Yes. Aha. That's it. Fresh tomatoes tomorrow. That would be amazing. Can you imagine? And you can sit and watch them growing while you're sat there reading your newspaper. So when will they be ready? August. Great. Okay, thank you. When they get to me about that big, I replant them into bigger pots. And when they're about that big, I put them in grow bags. Great. Which I might have cleared out by then. So what's this, to go in your greenhouse for your tomatoes? Oh, I see. So you just cut some holes in the top and put your baby seedlings in? Okay. I'll help, hang on. We've had a slight issue with our trolley. Dad's DIY fixed trolley earlier, rusted away. Well, we're not allowed out. We're all in quarantine at the minute. So we're making the most of this time to get our vegetables ready with some help. These are onion sets. Onion sets? Why do they call them sets? No idea. Have a look. Let's have a close-up. Okay. And you just put them in the ground. And they sprout. They throw down roots and they sprout. Great stuff. And then I've got a great photograph, which I'll post of you, with last year's onions. You had hundreds. And we're still eating them now. So that's a year, really, isn't it? How did you store them? In a string bag. Yeah. In the dark and cold? Yeah. And then we're still eating them now. How many have you got in that bag, then? Do they duplicate? Or is that as many as you can? Yeah. Okay. Amazing. Great stuff. Isn't nature wonderful? Nature's amazing. I'm going to put these in the front yard so your mother will go here. Oh, dear. Never mind playing with your dog. Go get your onions in. Did you break? They're probably a little bit too near apart. They seem to do all right last year. Do you mean a bit too near together? Yeah. Did I say apart? Yeah, a bit too near apart. I was trying to keep up. We know what you meant. I think quite a few people admire your crocs. What's your fifth pair, is it? Because Edie keeps eating them, doesn't she? How big was that other garden we used to have? Bigger. Okay. Well, I've got no idea what that means, but it was big. Too much when you're working full time. And two children. Nice fresh water around here. So, do you wish you had a bit of a bigger garden? I think you've got enough there. It's manageable, isn't it? And your tomatoes and your sneaky other things that you're shoving in my mum's plants. And we've got our herb box over there with our rocket. And some strawberries going in and some rocket and just whatever else we feel like. And what are you doing? You're sneaking some onions into the front garden. Okay. Well, we've caught you red-handed. And we might have to tell mum because she might dig them up if she doesn't know they're there. Let's have a little look at one of those tiny onions. They're so tiny. Right, well, I'll leave you to it. Your sneaky little onion planting. Like a little squirrel burying his acorns. Okey-dokey. I'll be back in a minute. Oh, have we got some good news? Okay, what's happened? Are we having a birth? Oh, wow. Is it? I think that's one. Oh my gosh, yeah. They're little tiny. Oh my gosh, they're on the way. It is? Oh, wow. Babies are coming. Oh, how sweet. Well, that one's got something over the top of it so we can't see from this angle. Amazing. Yippee. Baby tomatoes. Hello. What's happening? Wow. Amazing. Oh, wow. That's so cute. Lovely. They look strong. We're going into the greenhouse to plant some runner beans. We've got a little fox here. He's been walking this way. We'll fill the fox up with cornflour. We've got a little birdfish popping up. We're going to the greenhouse now. What are these? Runner beans? Runner beans. Scarlet emperor. Oh, they look nice, don't they? They're like Jack and the Beanstalk beans, these, aren't they? Oh, they're so gorgeous. Let's have a look. They look lovely. You can put them in like that. Can hear the little birds. So all those are planted already? Yeah. Okay, and then what are you going to do with them? So what happens next? God does the rest. Marvellous. Hello, Dad. We're having a little update. So, what's going on? You've put a row of beetroot in or are you going to? What can we see sprouting over there? And what are we on the 4th of April? No idea. You don't know what day it is? Nope. But beetroot are going in here today? Yes. Okay. What are you doing breaking the lumps up? Tea bags? Or have you put your compost? I think they make them a plastic these days, the tea bags. Yeah. They used to be paper, didn't they? It's a packet of seeds now, it's huge. Is it? What, beetroot? Maybe. A huge packet of seeds. Let's have a look at beetroot seeds then. Oh, aren't they a funny shape? They look like the top of coronavirus. Hopefully not. You're making a little channel for them. Do you need a piece of string? How far apart are the rows going to be? Hang on. How far apart are your rows? About 12 inches between rows. Can't do that. Okay. Right there where you are. Two rows. Marvellous. What's in this lot here? Runner beans. Oh, runner beans that are not doing a lot at the minute. Oh, they might do. I can see they're splitting. Yeah. They're splitting, aren't they? So they're starting to wake up. There you are. Well, they're in. They're all coming out. What's that, onions? Dad's tomato plants and he's actually thinned them out and he's put them in. It looks like these are his pride and joy ones. And it's the 5th of April, I think, or something. It's the 6th of April. I actually thought it was Tuesday last Friday. Beans. Are they going in today? They look very healthy. Are they different to these beans here? Are these runner beans? Yeah. Where are you putting these? Down here? In the ground. Okay. Get out of there. Go on. Look at her, she's really neat. I didn't realise where she was. That was funny. It's a bit more secure. Is that to keep Edie out? Are you going to put some beans in? Your dad? So how far apart do you plant your beans? How far apart do you plant beans? Will you come out of the way? Edie? I might have to pull them and then she'll jump up and down on these onions. Well the ones that we put in the conservatory, in the little tubs, they're coming out. Little red leaves. Your onions are looking good. How many have you got? Five? How many have you got? Thirty? You put some out the front as well, they look like they're going to be good for next door. He'll be able to lean over and help himself. Our lovely neighbour. There he is. One. Okay. Two. You look really healthy and lovely. When are the beans ready then? Next week. Next week? All in the lap of the gods. Yeah. Oh Mrs. McGrath, a sergeant said, would you like to make a soldier out of your son, Ted? With a scarlet coat and a big pot hat. Oh Mrs. McGrath, wouldn't you like that? With your two raya. Fali-do-do-da. With your two ray-oo-ray-oo-ray-ya. With your two ray-ah. Fali-do-do-da. With your two ray-oo-ray-oo-ray-ya. Now, Mrs. McGrath lived by the seashore for the space of seven long years or more. She saw a big ship sailing into the bay. Is my son Ted? Will she clear the way? With your two ray-ah. Fali-do-do-da. Two ray-oo-ray-oo-ray-ya. With your two ray-ah. Fali-do-do-da. Captain dear, where have you been? Have you been sailing in the Mediterranean? Tell me the news of my big son Ted, Is the poor boy living or is he dead? Well, up comes Ted without any legs, And in the place he has two wooden pegs. But she kissed him a dozen times or two, Saying glory be to God, Should he couldn't be you, Would you too, Raya? Fala dee dee da, Would you too, Raya? Raya, Raya, would you too, Raya? Fala dee dee da, Would you too, Raya? Raya, Raya, would you too, Raya? Must have been drunk or were you blind, When you left your two fine legs behind? Or was it while walking by the sea, A big fish hit your legs from the knees, Oh, away with you too, Raya? Fala dee dee da, Would you too, Raya? Raya, Raya, would you too, Raya? Fala dee dee da, Would you too, Raya? Raya, Raya, would you too, Raya? I wasn't drunk and I wasn't blind, When I left my two fine legs behind. But a big cannibal on the 5th of May, Tore my two fine legs from the knees, Oh, away with you too, Raya? Fala dee dee dee da, Oh, Teddy, my boy, the widow cried. Your two fine legs were your mommy's pride. The mold stumps in the tree won't do at all. Why didn't you run from the big cannonball? With your two right? Magic. Lovely job. Yeah, yeah, yeah. All foreign wars I do proclaim between the Donald, Juan, and the king of Spain. By the Herons I'll make them rue the time that they shoot their legs from the child of mine. With your two right. Foley, duivor, da, with your two right. Oh, right, you right, yeah, with your two right. Foley, duivor, da, with your two right. Oh, right, you right, yeah, with your two right. Foley, duivor, da, with your two right.