Quaking in our gardening boots about the weather

We watched the weather forecast on telly last night and the tall chap in the suit was a little unsure about what’s going to happen next week, “It will get colder and there may be snow or maybe not, even we don’t know”. We deduced from this it’ll be a good idea not to be too keen this weekend especially sowing something outside, so we’re holding our horses as they say.

Because of the cold weather today we decided to give it a miss even though we had some jobs to do out in the garden. We did have post this morning that cheered us up though, a small bag of Rocket early seed potatoes (If you want to know the different types of potatoes from earlies to lates explained simply, have a look here), some shallot sets that we’ll put in mid-March after this cold spell hopefully and some packs of seeds: spring onions (the variety Guardsman that have dark blue/green leaves), purple sprouting broccoli and some miner’s lettuce which we’ve never come across  before. More on the miners lettuce here.

Also a good mate of ours sent us a packet of Quaking/Quivering Grass seeds (top right hand corner of the above pic). They weren’t sure if that was the actually name of the plant or just the name the person who gave them the seeds called them. We checked on google, it did exist but it was only one of its names, it’s also called: didder, doddering dillies, jiggle-joggles and quakers-and-shakers. More on Quaking Grass or Briza media here. Do keep warm this weekend!

Seed Swap in SE15

This Sunday coming February 12th 2023 is the annual Seed Swap at Glengall Wharf Garden, Peckham SE15 6NF. Last year we picked up a great assortment of seeds including some Texsel Greens (Ethiopian Mustard), some nice tomato varieties and lots of poppy seeds and hopefully will do the same ths year. The eventbrite link is here.

Bring your duplicate packs of free seeds from the gardening magazines or bring your surplus seeds down to SE15 6NF from 11am – 2pm.

On a seed swapping tip

We’ve just heard of a great seed swap from Incredible Edible in Lambeth next month at The Garden Museum, 5 Lambeth Palace Road SE1 7LB on Saturday 18th February 2023 from 12-3pm. Get those spare seeds in a packet and get on down there and see what’s available to swap.

Know of any good Seed Swaps in the London area? If so do get in contact and we will post up the details as we love a seed swap here.

Attention KMRT Shoppers

We all love a bargain so here’s the studio audio of last Sunday’s KMRT Back to School Shortwave Special. As we all know KMRT is “The only official KMART radio station on Shortwave” (subject to availability and only while stocks last).

Expect all sort of Supermarket/Back to School type classics and at 44.24 there’s a mix from One Deck Pete called “A cleaner required to Aisle 5 please” and here’s the tracklist:
George Feledichuk – The Best To You (Excerpt)
Guerrilla Biscuits – RAR
Curator – Lullaby
We Buy Records – The We Buy Records Theme (MAP remix)
Horace Andy – Money Money – Black Star Liner – evol roots money mash Version
Eric Hilton – Flowering Soul

The best to you…

Yesterday once more

Here’s the studio audio from last night’s KTAB, the latest in the Imaginary Radio Stations series transmitted to the world via the valves and wires of WRMI.

At 24 minutes into the recording is One Deck Pete’s “I’ve got those broadcast blues”. Here’s the full track listing of the 15 minute mix complete with the Bandcamp sites the tracks were obtained from. Do check them out as there were a lot of interesting stuff on the labels, Death is not the end feature tons of tunes from Jamaican Doo Wop to Pirate Radio Adverts from the Acid House days and as for Canary Records, there’s a truck load to explore there!

One Deck Pete presents “I’ve got those broadcast blues”
Japanese Movie 1940s-1950s – A1  Senri Records
Washboard Sam and His Washboard Band – Broadcast Blues Putz Disc
Keith & Enid – Worried over you  Death is not the end
Charlie Barnet – Ogoun Badagris (Voodoo War God) Swingin’ Dick’s
Kishor Kumar – Eena Meena Deeka Canary Records
Japanese Movie 1940’s-1950’s – B1 Senri Records

Using your modern day computer, take a step back in time and enjoy an hour of old time business that comes back again!

Could you get your feet off the seats please?

Big shout to all the bus and train spotters out there! This Sunday grab yourself a shortwave platform ticket and hop on aboard CTRN via WRMI at 2200 utc on 9395 kHz for some locomotive classics.

Below is an old CTRN from last year with all sort of railway tunes including a mix from One Deck Pete at 40 minutes in called “Off the rails”.

Here’s the track listings:

Instantly Distant: Samples, Foley and Field Recordings – Bank Negara Station
The Lamplighters – London Station
Commodore 98 – Mind the gap (interlude)
Dennis Brown – Westbound Train/Version
Dub Syndicate – Night Train

Life on the wild side

It’s going to be hot this forthcoming week, we’re looking at nearly 30°C in SE23 and we think the garden is going to enjoy it. So get the watering, weekly feed and any fiddling with a hoe out of the way early and then park yourself in the shade and enjoy the weather.

The courgette/zucchinni plant we stuck in a pot as we couldn’t find any space (above) is doing well, giving us some nice flowers. The area around it with the raised beds of potatoes (below) are also on their way but impatient as we are, we keep looking around the plants and still only getting golf ball sized spuds.

The one raised bed of tomatoes are now setting fruit and we’re checking that there’s no side shoots forming and tying the main stalk to the support canes when we remember.

And on the wildlife tip, we’ve put another “pothole pond” down the wild bit (below) after being influenced by Bill Shimmers’ great pond here. We stuck some wood leading into the water after Bill mentioned in his reply of our effort on Twitter. “Any water body adds extra wildlife habitat to a garden. One thing I always include, any steep sided ponds need a sloping shelf or ramp to allow critters to get out as well as in. Stones or branches will do.” Our one is not exactly steep but we’re including the sticks to add further disguise to the former B&Q product container.

And in our main pic this week are the inhabitants of our pond, well part of the mob that are in there at the moment. And the big question is where do they disappear to? Enjoy this great weather when pondering on that thought.

Smells like comfrey liquid

“Well it’s that time again when the comfrey does a grow”. As you know, we like to do gardening on the cheap and there’s nothing more economical than making your own comfrey plant food. The darker it is and the smellier it is, is always a sign of a good vintage and definitely one to pour out of an old plastic orange squash bottle 1 part comfrey to 10-15 parts water (depending on the thickness/darkness of the feed). There’s lots online about the magical comfrey liquid including how to make it and how good it is. Have a look here for more info. Do remember to wear some gloves as the leaves can irritate the skin.

We have stripped the plant at the bottom of the garden (above) which is out of the way from view and the plant is looking well bare but don’t worry those leaves will be back in no time to harvest and if you do let the flowers grow the bees love them.

As for our comfrey brewery, ours is kept well out of the way of smelling distance of humans and has at most times a lid on it. We use an old 80’s Boots fermenting container (remember those Boots wine/beer making kits?), a good old housebrick and a little bit of water. What goes in is the leaves and stalks and add nettles, Green alkanet and borage to give it an extra kick. We wait till the liquid is well dark and very carefully strain the liquid (you get any of it on your clothes and you’ll forever be smelling it.) It’s good stuff and a nice thing to pass on to felllow gardening friends but make sure the container it’s in don’t leak or you’ll never be hearing from them again!

X-Raydio on Channel 292

Tune into X-Raydio tomorrow at 2200 UTC (2300 U.K. time) on Channel 292 on 3955 kHz for a show features a piece on Bone Music by Stephen Coates from The Real Tuesday Weld and also a couple of flexi discs mixes.
The first is at 31.55 mins in from Shane Quentin of The Garden of Earthly Delights and at 46 mins one by One Deck Pete called We Love You Lyntone. Tune into Channel 292 here if you haven’t a shortwave radio for something a bit different!