Green Manure

We've made good progress with the kitchen over the weekend: the cupboard doors are all primed, and we've painted the fronts of all the doors, and the drawer fronts and backs. I've cut, fitted and primed the windowsills, and cut and fitted a replacement filler board (to the left of the cooker). I've had fun trying out the new cooker, too: my initial thoughts are very positive. The lowest flame on the hobs is lower than that on the old hob, which is a great improvement, and allows better simmering. Conversely, I think the highest flame is as powerful, which is just as well. There's also a much better range of hob size: one small, two medium, one large, and then the super-burner for the wok. Which I've not tried yet, admittedly: I think it might first be used on a big stock pan, or for chutney. With the wok cradle, it's designed to go with a Typhoon 35cm wok—I may succumb to the pressure to purchase one. I also did a batch (36 rolls) of bread yesterday, to try the convection oven. Brilliant: cooked in 21 minutes from turning it on. Well; I say 'brilliant', but I've not actually tried the bread yet. Looks good, mind.

The worktops now all have three coats of oil, which I think is enough to get them started. They're looking good, and are hopefully protected. I'm being a little paranoid about them at the moment, but it can't last.

Lastly, we got out into the garden (a real shame to have spent almost the entire weekend inside, when it's been so glorious), and sowed the vegetable plot with the green manure we ordered a few weeks ago. I'd have liked to sow it a week or two ago, but there's just not been time. It's a winter mix of crimson clover, mustard, red clover, and Italian rye-grass. They each have a part to play: the crimson clover provides quick ground cover (to suppress weeds) and fixes nitrogen. The mustard (a brassica) produces lots of leaf, which adds bulk to the soil, and its roots add some soil structure. The red clover, also, produces plenty of organic matter, and has deep nitrogen fixing roots (both clovers are legumes). Lastly, the rye-grass helps the nitrogen fixed by the other three to be released more slowly after they're dug in, and its deep roots help bring nutrients up from the depths. All helpfully supplied by Sow Seeds. Hopefully they'll germinate over the coming week or so, and will protect the bare earth of the vegetable plots over the winter.

While we were down there, we also cut a half-dozen gladiolus stems, to bring the flowers inside. They seem later than I'd expect: I would have thought flowering would end in September, rather than peaking in mid October, which seems likely now. We'll see, next year, if this is normal for the location.

The cyclamen we picked up are now planted out in the front, under the acer, where I'm hoping they'll recover (they don't seem to have enjoyed their spell in the workshop, sadly), and add some winter interest to that bed.