Hi everyone, I used to post a lot in a previous Gardens etc until my wife was also diagnosed with cancer just over 2 years ago and she went through such a hard time so my time was taken up with not just Mrs Tvman but I was not good because of the rise and fall of red cells, white cells, neutrophils and platelets.
The good news is that I have a little bit more free time to garden. I never stopped because it's in my DNA to get working in the garden. I'm also a wheelchair user because of a serious back condition called spinal stenosis and the pain is so great that I'm only able to work in short bursts.
So let's see photos of your gardens or allotments, whether they be large or small or maybe you only have room for pots and troughs in a balcony or back yard.
My speciality for the last 40 years is vegetables and I have won hundreds of prizes over the last 20 years or so. I have had vegetables in show that have made me Northern Ireland champion for my sins. Unfortunately, since covid some shows have ceased therefore I haven't entered any for a few years.
I've a few photos below, that's if I can remember how to insert them! It's been a while.
Below is a photo of the contents of my greenhouse, there are tomato plants left and right of the pathway. Also just past the tomatoes are cucumber plants against that have frames for them to climb up. The cucumber variety is Mini Munch, they're a small variety that are sufficient for a few salads
The plants in the large pots below are aubergines, variety Black Beauty and inbetween the pots is a seed tray in which spring onion seeds have been sown which of course haven't germinated yet. Over here in Northern Ireland we call spring onions "scallions" and apart from in salads we have them with butter in mashed potatoes and that dish is called "champ". Believe it or not that was served as a stand alone dish that we had when I was small, some 60 years ago. Just mashed potatoes with small pieces of cut up scallions, cooked slowly in real butter then a dinner plate was loaded up with champ, a hole made in the top and filled with more butter then everything was mixed together and eaten. Along with an Ulster Fry in the morning, no wonder we had the highest rate of heart disease in Europe!
Last photo below for this post is a bed of garlic (on the left), shallots in the foreground and at the far end for those of you eagle-eyed is a few red and white onions that are just 2 or 3 inches high. They are grown from onion sets that are small immature onions and usually come in a net bag weighing 250g and there are about 70 in total.
You'll notice that I have wire netting around the beds, that's because 3 years ago I had a rabbit problem. 35 years without them, 1½ years of rabbits and none since! The wire netting is staying for a while yet!
What about some photos from anyone else?
Tvman
Took some pics of my allotment this week 
Firstly Eddie, I'm jealous of you on the Welsh beach, sounds idyllic 
. Given your health issues it's understandable that you can't put all the work in and there's no way that you would want to ever give it up. I have an area or two that is a little wild but aren't we encouraged to have wilding areas to help with biodiversity? That's what I tell Mrs Tvman every year lol.
Like you I haven't harvested anything yet apart from spring onions and parsley that I have on the go all year round. My early potatoes are Home Guard but realistically they won't be ready until late June. Home Guard potatoes are the go to potatoes for Northern Ireland and we have a saying that goes: In on Paddy's day (St Patrick's day, 17th March), out on Billy's day (12th of July, battle of the Boyne). Mine were in on 17th February this year and covered with fleece so they should be ready before July.
It's good to see the odd post from you Eddie.
Take care my friend
Tvman x
Hi Stella, wonderful news your making good progress following you operation
, you'll be in good shape for your Norway cruise with mum, I don't know if you've been before?, but I know you will love it, it's stunning, wonderful people who speak good English and the food is divine, and hey you can never have too much fresh parsley and basil. Sadly we cancelled our Norway trip, hospitals, but hopefully later in the summer, and thank you sweetheart, I'm expecting a little discomfort from the new meds, but hopefully a little more time.
love to you and your mum xx
