Big gardening mistakes of all-time – number 5 in an ongoing series.
Never fill a compost trench with the contents of a compost bin that has lots of potato peelings in it. The above picture taken earlier this evening is proof why. If you look closely there is a courgette and a pumpkin plant in there somewhere. You live and learn…
More on why the compost trench (above) was originally dug in April here (you will laugh!)
This morning before the sun started whacking out some serious heat this nice poppy (above) showed it head.
We must be getting boring in our old age as once we used to be obsessed with obscure seven inch reggae singles. The other year it was mint plants (including chocolate mint, pineapple mint and Eau de Cologne mint, god forbid!) now this year it’s the humble poppy. It’s not unknown for us to walk around the front and back garden in the late evening with a packet of poppy seed giving it a pinch here and there in an anarchic fashion. Fingers crossed this anti-social behaviour will pay off when we have all sorts of mad varieties springing up out of nowhere later this year. 
The obsession started when we discovered this gem of a poppy, the dutch flag the other year and what a flower it is! We’re presently waiting on the postman who if all goes well will be bringing us some seeds for the Welsh poppy, papaver oases and Californian poppy sun shades. Expect more pics of the results from our evening clandestine poppy sowings.
This post was written while listening to this great chilled out mix from our mate Phil Mison (a.k.a the balearicbailiff/toothgrinder/facepainter) with the back doors open celebrating the sun we had earlier today as you never know what it will be like tomorrow!
A big shout to Dr Strangedub and DJ Baby Swiss from the excellent radio show Echo Chamber on KFAI who every Wednesday from the crack of dawn play the best in reggae, dub and downbeat.
On this week’s show they played Dr Strangedub’s “In the garden of dub” mix (above) from a couple of years ago celebrating the “pleasures of gardening, the roots of life and the seasons of nature.” We here think it’s great stuff and includes Singers & Players (ft. Prince Far I), Madtone, Leroy Sibbles, Jah Wobble, Lee Perry and lots more, dedicated to the late great Peter Sellers (aka Chauncey Gardner). More proof that music and gardening do mix!
The rebroadcasting of the mix comes at an apt time where last week Graham Porter on Gardening with Tim Crowther on BBC Radio Leeds said that we’ve now reached the point where tender plants can be now put out. But that’s after the plants have had a period of being hardened off, a good watering and some slug protection has been put down first. But do keep that fleece handy just in case and watch those weather forecasts as you never know if/when those damn frosts will reappear.
Tune of the week here at Weeds HQ, the title track from Mark Pritchard’s new album on Warp records. One to listen to on headphones while waiting for this heatwave that’s supposedly soon coming.
Big shout to Graham Porter for giving the green light for those bedding plants and frost-hating vegetables to go in on Sunday’s Gardening with Tim Crowther on BBC Radio Leeds. But do keep that fleece handy as you never know!
The weather experts say it’s going to tip it down tomorrow after a nice few days of summery type vibes. But with tunes like this from Bob & Gene and The Inversions (produced by the great Victor Axelrod aka Ticklah out of New York ) who cares. Thanks to the Rt Hon David Rodigan for alerting us to this one. Below is where the vocals are from, cheers to Ticklah and The Inversions for giving it an overhaul. Tune!
A big shout to our good mate Jim N for this pic (above) of his egyptian walking onion (aka tree, topsetting, walking or winter onion) that’s now starting to “travel,” great stuff!
As you know we love a plant that’s a bit “out there,” and we do love the weird and wonderful world of the egyptian onion (below) and especially this website here. 
As it says on there “The ancient Egyptians worshipped onions. They believed that its spherical shape and concentric rings symbolized eternal life. Small onions were found in the eye sockets of Ramesses IV… The name “Walking Onion” was given to this plant because it literally walks to new locations. When the cluster of topsets becomes heavy enough, it will pull the plant over to the ground. These plants can walk between 1 and 3 feet per year!” An absolutely bonkers plant and as you know, bonkers is good!
A couple of years ago we featured the great garden of Jochen from Splintercell Sound from near Bielefeld, Germany (more about Jochen and his garden here.) He grows veg and fruit in a greenhouse and various pots on top of his carport, how brilliant is that?
A big thanks to Jochen for sending us some pics the other day, the pots have been prepared and the gardening season over in Bielefeld has now started! 
Above, a selection of the potatoes that are going in; “annabelle”, red potato, “bamberger hörnchen” ( aka “Bamberger (City) Croissant,” a great name!) and a blue variety. A nice old array of potatoes. More on the different varieties of the ‘umble spud here.
In the greenhouse there’s peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers. Also has peas, beans, potatoes, strawberries (around the greenhouse – below left,) rasperries, gooseberry, currant and a kaki tree (persimmon fruit) that’s got flower buds after four years (below right.) There’s a cherry tree and apple trees in the small yard between the house and the carport too.
Jochen is also involved in the club Feel Like Jumping (music policy, reggae from rocksteady, rub a dub, dancehall, ragga to modern roots) in Münster and looks like a great night with some fine flyers too!
A big up to Jochen for the pics again and picking this fine tune from Wayne Jarret. Further proof that good music and gardening do mix!
Big thanks to Fliss C for letting us know of the Tools For Change campaign. A few years back they helped her community garden project with reconditioned tools repaired by Wandsworth prisoners. So if you have any unwanted blunted hand tools (“no power tools, workshop tools or secateurs please”) bring them in to a Wyevale garden centre between 9 May – 9 June 2016 and receive 10% off new ones! Cos’ it’s for a good cause!
Find out more at www.wyevalegardencentres.co.uk/toolsforchange
It was absolutely bonkers weatherise here in London today and we spent most of it indoors but when the clouds came over for half an hour in the afternoon, we transplanted some tomato plants out into the back. Come 4pm we chased an ace double-winged Dragonfly around the back garden in the extreme heat with a camera for ten minutes. Big up the tropical warmth!
It was officially summer on the 1st of June but you wouldn’t have thought it what with the cold blustery weather at the moment. Everyone still keeps on saying about this expected heatwave. Don’t hold your breathe…
Weeds up to me knees 