Monthly Archives: April 2023

The Anaesthetists Allotment – 30th April 2023

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Disclaimer: I’m a professional anaesthetist, not a professional gardener. I do a bit of gardening and cycling in my spare time. I have grown veggies for many years and have learnt what works for me (sometimes!). These are my ramblings! I would be honoured to be corrected / advised by those with more knowledge than me!

Hello again!

Well it’s been a couple of week’s since my last update. I must admit to being a bit disappointed that I was not snowed under with a deluge of enquiries from my millions of loyal fans as to why there was no edition last week. Well to be honest, there was not even one enquiry!!!!! I suppose I have to be grateful that there was no applause either. I guess that it was a good thing that I could not hear all of the sighs of relief!

Hello hello hello
is anybody out there?
does anybody hear me?
Is anyone at home?

“Pink Floyd, The Wall”

I have two weeks of leave. So, predictably, the lovely weather of late disappears on the very first day of my leave. The temperatures have dropped dramatically and everyday has had some form of severe wind, rain, hail, sleet or snow. Most of the time it has been the majority of these all at once or alternating at very frequent intervals. Ahh 🙄, Scotland at it’s very best, in spring!

The first week:

Understandably, sub zero temperatures and frost are not a gardener’s best friends. Tiny, fragile seedlings are very vulnerable to such conditions. So the best plan of action is to batten down the hatches, keep the greenhouse door closed, heating on, and weather the storm!

So I guess you will understand when I say that nothing much happened in the garden in that first week – hence the lack of a report back!

I did manage to brave the weather conditions for a couple of hours during the week.

I erected a couple of ‘wigwam’ support structures for my runner beans (in the left picture). I have sown the seeds as well, in the hope that the ground was warm and that they will germinate. Hmm 🤨.. We’ll see!

With a similar theory in mind, I have sown the second planting of broad beans directly into the allotment bed (picture on the right). I am so confident in these germinating that I have even erected the support canes for them 🫣

Similarly, I have erected a frame with netting for my peas to climb up. The peas have also been planted. Fingers crossed 🤞.

The superstructure of the pea frame has been reinforced with a horizontal cross bar, which seems to prevent the weight of the peas from causing the whole thing to droop, sag and fall over.

In the middle of the bed I have used an old scaffolding plank as a walkway. This will separate the early planting (this one) and the second planting which I will sow in about 4 to 6 weeks to try to give us a succession of pea harvests. The “walkway” will also allow access to the insides of the rows of peas without having to walk on the soil and compacting it, thereby maintaining my no-dig soil structure and philosophy.

The Rhubarb is growing away nicely. I’m looking forward to that first delicious crumble. Rhubarb crumble is one of my favourites! 😋

But look at the triphid growing up out of the middle of it. This is a rhubarb flower. As with most vegetables, if a plant is allowed to flower, if feels that it has done it’s duty in life (reproduced) and dies. The secret is to not let the plant flower and it will keep beavering away as before. So this flower spike must be cut out ASAP to keep the plant producing well. Done ✅

The second week:

I have moved most of my brassicas (cabbages, Brussels sprouts, etc) into the cold frame to harden off. This is basically a process of allowing the plant to acclimatise to the colder weather outside, so that when they are planted out into the allotment they continue growing away strongly. I have never done this before. I have always just planted them directly out from the greenhouse into the veggie garden / allotment. I must admit that the plants always do seem to get a bit of a shock and take a few weeks before moving on again. It will be interesting to see if this cold frame malarkey makes any difference!

On the right hand side of the picture, are the first sowing of broccoli, which you have followed from their rather sick looking arrival several weeks ago. In front of them are the broad beans which I sowed some time back in the greenhouse. They are both now looking fantastic and have been in the cold frame for over a week, so are ready to plant out into the veggie garden / allotment.

I prepared the raised beds by weeding, hoeing and then adding a layer of compost as a mulch over the top. The broccoli were planted out into this at, I hope, appropriately spaced distances. They were then tied to support stakes to protect them from our rather substantial winds.

A cage of netting is then added (right). This has two purposes. Right now, it will keep the pigeons, and other birds, away from the lovely green food, which they can’t resist, particularly at this time of year when there is not much about! But, more importantly, it will protect them from the cabbage white butterfly, one of my pet hates, which lays its eggs on cabbages – hence the name. These eggs hatch into an army of caterpillars which can, and do, devastate a crop of brassicas. So it is essential to protect them with a fine mesh netting like this one.

The broad beans have also grown well and are even developing their first flowers (top).

They are also planted out into well prepared beds and supported with stakes from the wind (bottom).

Inside the greenhouse – this weekend:

Thursday 27th April

The second planting of broccoli plug plants have now arrived in the post. They look almost as bad as the first lot did when they arrived. I have potted them up into a tray and they will, I am sure, take off in no time and be looking nice and healthy.

Saturday 29th April

The Squash: Courgettes (Yellow and Green), Butternut, Gemsquash and Pumpkins, are all taking off like triphids in the nice warm greenhouse. Some of them already need potting up. That will be Sunday’s job!

The Casablanca potatoes are about to flower. They are “Earlies” so do produce a crop sooner, but wow 😯! I’ve never had flowers this early before! Theoretically, I could start harvesting new potatoes as soon as they flower, but I might just leave them a bit longer to get a wee bit bigger! Hmm 🤔, maybe not!

Sunday 30th April

It’s potting-up day in the greenhouse!

The Tomatoes (Gardeners Delight) are planted out into grow bags. I have used these top-planting pots for a number of years now. They make a nice neat hole in the grow bag, add an extra depth of soil to help with growing, and have a watering section which encourages root growth and reduces the chances of the plant’s stems and roots becoming too wet and rotting.

I’m busy setting up my irrigation system in the greenhouse. You can see the pipes and drip feeders going into the watering areas of the pots. It is not yet connected up as it’s still quite cold, especially at night. This risks the pipes outside the greenhouse freezing up at night and bursting. I will wait until it is a bit warmer before connecting it all up. Maybe next week 🤞!

The Cucumbers (Mini Munch) have also been planted out into grow bags using the same system. They are looking fabulous!

In previous years, I have had problems with rodents (mice) biting trough the stems of my cucumber plants soon after planting them into the grow bags. This year, I have allowed the young plants to grow a bit more before planting them out. 🤞

The Squashes which are staying in the greenhouse to grow are potted up and placed into their final positions within the greenhouse. Trellis is erected for them to grow up and irrigation system is installed, but not yet connected.

Gemsquash (Little Gem) – top left

Butternut (Walnut), a new variety I’m trying this year, top right.

Butternut (Walnut), yes again! Two reasons: Butternuts do not tend to grow well outside here in the North of Scotland, so I grow them all inside. And, secondly, the other variety which I usually grow has failed to germinate this year 😬. To the right of the butternut, in the corner, is Pumpkin (Jack of all Trades). I have done well with Pumpkins outside in previous years. So I have planned for the vast majority of them to be outside this year, keeping more of my precious greenhouse space for the butternut. Hope I don’t regret this decision.

Butternut (Walnut), yes again! For the same reasons as above! Bottom right.

In the Garage

Unfortunately, no further plants have sprouted, despite my best efforts. 😔

So I have nothing to report from this area. I shall be moving those few plants left here up to the greenhouse in the next couple of days to be planted up into bigger pots. This area will then be closed down until next year.

See you next time!

Completed! – Highland Hospice Cycle 200 – 26th April 2023

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I’m cycling 200 miles in April to support Highland Hospice

You can follow my progress on my Facebook Page or on this blog.

Please support my efforts for this worthy cause using this QR code or the “donate” link below.

Thank you!

Donate

The challenge: To cycle 200 miles during April 2023

After my cycle ride on the 19th April, I had completed my challenge of cycling 200 miles in April!

😁 🥳 👏 🏆 🏅

Thank goodness for that, because, after that, the weather has taken a major turn for the worse. Temperatures have dropped dramatically and everyday has had some form of severe winds, rain, hail, sleet or snow. Most of the time it has been the majority of these all at once or alternating at very frequent intervals.

My bike is allergic to such weather and had gone into hibernation in the garage, refusing point blanc to come out. Not that I tried too hard, to be fair!

Today, I woke up to crystal clear blue skies with the sun shining strongly and only a very slight North Westerly wind. The weather report declared that there was not supposed to be any rain. 😂🤣

In the North of Scotland, there has to be a catch. Indeed, there was! The temperature was 1’C and there was quite a hard frost lying on the ground.

Who cares! With weather like this, its time to go cycling! So it was into the back of the cupboard, rummaging through all the cycling gear, pulling out all of the winter kit again. Multiple layers on and warming pads in the shoes to protect the delicate tootsies, I set off just after nine am. By this stage it was a balmy 2’C!

A lovely ride of 52Km (32.5 miles). Not even a stop for coffee, food or ice cream! I must be sick!

After today’s ride, that’s me up to 235 miles in total.

The weather is due to deteriorate again tomorrow. Hopefully, I’ll get a chance to get out and add a few more miles to the total before the end of the month.

I have been absolutely blown away by the financial support I have received during this challenge. Initially, I had a donation target of £150. When I reached this target, I very cheekily increased it to £250. Again, this target was breached and I increased it to £300, never thinking in my wildest dreams that we would achieve that.

Well, look to the left. It has been exceeded, and how! Wow 😯!!!!

Thank you to everyone who has supported my efforts for Highland Hospice. You’ve been brilliant and made it worth all the effort. 😊

For those of you who haven’t yet managed to support my cycling for this worthy charity 😝: Come on! Donate! You can still do it!!!!!

Please support my efforts – click on the “donate” button above or scan the QR code.

Highland Hospice Cycle 200 – 19th April 2023

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I’m cycling 200 miles in April to support Highland Hospice

You can follow my progress on my Facebook Page or on this blog.

Please support my efforts for this worthy cause using this QR code or the “donate” link below.

Thank you!

Donate

The challenge: To cycle 200 miles during April 2023

I am away at work this week at Stracathro near Brechin. The weather was predicted to be great for the entire week, so I loaded my bike onto the car and brought it down with me.

Monday 17th April: Woke up to a predicted day of bright sunshine and no wind. A quick temperature check, oops 😬 , only 6’C. Ok better put on an extra layer then. Open the curtains to thick fog, what they call a haar here in the Northeast of Scotland. No sun yet! That’s not going to put me off. I’m still cycling!

It’s a late-ish finish in the evening and I have a VC meeting to attend in 45 min. So it’s a quick dash home, cook supper and log on to the meeting. The temperature had improved slightly on the way home and the sun was out, but someone had forgotten to tell the North of Scotland that it was supposed to be warm. A maximum of 12’C! Ha! Warm, no not really!

These two commutes add another 14.4 Km (9 miles) to my charity cycle total. 😊 Every little helps – where have I heard that before?

It’s Tuesday 18th April, and the haar is back even thicker than yesterday. The temperature is even lower at 4’C. I’m still doing it! So it’s onto the bike and set off. Today, I try the alternate road out of the AirBnB as it looks less rough. 😬 That was only for the first 2-300 yards. The tar then ends and its a gravel road but covered with stones a few inches in diameter. These can be fatal to a cyclist especially when going downhill at speed, as I was. Note to self: stick to the advised route, they are advised for a reason!

Again, it’s a late-ish finish. What’s happening this week???? The cold breeze still comes off the North Sea and keeps the temperature to a lowly 12’C, but the sun is out at least.

That’s another 15.2 Km (9.5 miles) from today’s two journeys – yes the alternate route was longer as well as being worse!

It’s Wednesday 19th April. Again it’s predicted to be a lovely day. Even better, I have a day off, so I am planning a wee cycle ride today. Surprise! Surprise!

Now, as you are no doubt beginning to realise from my blogs, my cycle rides revolve around food stops. Today is no different! I cycle from my AirBnB to The Drovers Inn, a lovely pub / restaurant situated near Forfar in a little village called Memus.

There are a few ways to get from my AirBnB to and from Drovers. I opt to take the high road to cycle there. This is shorter but closer to the nearby hills and therefore much more up and down. I think that most of you also know that hills (climbs), and me on a bike, are not best friends!

On the way back, I will take the low road, longer, but flatter, allegedly.

Now, I realise that the wind is a wee bit stronger today. I check my phone and see that the wind is directly from the East, gusting 40 Kph 😬 . In my head, I envisage Forfar lying directly South of Brechin and I am therefore going to be cycling at right angles to the wind which will be perfect 😊.

Off I go. The way there is very hilly, well, for me anyway. But, I have a plan! My electric bike will assist. I am managing the hills pretty easily on very low settings of the electric power. It must be that all of the additional cycling I have been doing recently has improved my fitness and power!

About three quarters of the way there, I realise that the grass and bushes on the side of the road are all blowing parallel to the road, and in my direction of travel, not perpendicular to it as I had imagined. The penny drops! 😱 No wonder it so easy, I have a fairly brisk wind behind me, blowing me along.

When I get to Drovers, I formally check a map. Forfar is actually almost directly West of Brechin, not South as I had imagined. Hence the lovely tail wind on the way here.

The way back is not going to be fun 😬! The good news is that with the brisk tail wind, I had only used 20% of my battery. So I had 80% left for the cycle back into the wind. I was going to need it, I think 🤔!

The Drovers Inn has a lovely beer garden outside where one can sit, eat and drink in summer. For us Scots, whenever the sun shines, it’s summer, no matter the temperature! So despite it only being 11’C and quite a blustery wind, I sat outside. Yes, I admit, I found a table protected from the wind by a hedge which served as a very effective wind-break.

I opt for two starters. Pork belly and scallops.

Both absolutely delicious 😋

Oh! And a wee glass of Pinot Grigio (well, maybe not so wee) – Just because!

I head off after lunch for home, full of trepidation. The wind blows straight into my face for the first 14 miles. It is heavy going. Despite being the flatter low route, it is by no means flat and has many climbs and descents, just not as big as the high route. I have no shame in admitting that my battery was well used on the way back, as were my legs. I arrived back with 20% left in my battery and 0.3% left in my legs!

Another really good cycle ride of about 48 Km (30 miles) ✅.

After today’s ride, that’s me up to 203 miles in total.

That means that the challenge of cycling 200 miles in April has now been completed!

😁 🥳 👏 🏆 🏅

Thank you to everyone who has supported my efforts for Highland Hospice. You’ve been brilliant and made it worth all the effort. 😊

For those of you who haven’t yet managed to support my cycling for this worthy charity 😝: Come on! Donate! You can still do it!!!!!

Please support my efforts – click on the “donate” button above or scan the QR code.

The Anaesthetists Allotment – 15th April 2023

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Disclaimer: I’m a professional anaesthetist, not a professional gardener. I do a bit of gardening and cycling in my spare time. I have grown veggies for many years and have learnt what works for me (sometimes!). These are my ramblings! I would be honoured to be corrected / advised by those with more knowledge than me!

Hello again! Welcome to this week’s update

Firstly, in the Greenhouse:

Thursday 14th April 2023

As the iconic Inspector John Rebus would say “There’s been a murrdurr”!

I have been practising the dark, or enlightened (depending on your way of looking at it), art of Artificial Selection which is similar to Darwin’s theory of Natural Selection but there’s nothing natural about. It’s all about me murdering the smaller, weaker-looking plants so as to leave only one, the strongest, plant per cell. This allows them to grow on strongly.

These are the Brussels sprout, summer cabbages, winter cabbages, chard and perpetual spinach. The top photo is pre-thinning. The bottom photo shows the trays after the murder.

The Murder – chapter two

These are the beetroot plants which have been similarly thinned out in the bottom photo.

Remember those squashes which I have been growing in the garage? Well, they were rapidly out-growing their heated and well-lit home in the greenhouse (photo on the left). They were in dire need of being separated and then potted-up into bigger pots to allow them to grow on.

So, a painstaking task was undertaken and the vast majority of the squashes were split up and repotted into larger pots. They were then re-located into a mini-greenhouse within the main greenhouse.

This was not only a painstaking but painful 🤕 task! The tedious processes of thinning and repotting had me bent over a workbench for ages. When I came to the end of it my neck was stuck. Completely frozen and immovable. Bent forward like the hunchback of Notradame, I could not extend it to look up, or look to the left or to the right. After a while, I had to revert to anaesthetist mode and took a large dose of paracetamol and ibuprofen, followed a wee while later by one of the best painkillers around, alcohol, in the form of a couple of glasses of wine! An hour or so later and the neck had relaxed back to it’s usual grumpy self (I am never going to fix that!).

My neck was not the only thing that was sore. The poor wee plants do not like having their roots pulled and split apart and then being repotted into new, presumably cold, soil. A short while after planting, they were looking dreadful. The leaves had all wilted and they looked like they were about to give up the ghost.

Fear not! I have seen this before! They will recover, he says with bravado! So no paracetamol or wine for these poor plants.

Friday 15th April 2023

Ooh 😲! They are strong. The squashes which looked like they were about to be gathered by the grim reaper yesterday have, as predicted, fully recovered. They are looking great now. Whew 😅!

The brassicas (cabbages, Brussels sprouts etc,) are also looking good after witnessing the murder and narrowly surviving themselves.

You know, I can almost imagine that they’ve grown a fair bit, even in a day!

The Beetroot have also survived their ordeal and are looking great. Have they also grown? You blink and you miss it!

One of my favourite flowers is the Rhodesian national flower, the Flame Lily, or to give it’s botanical name Gloriosa Superba ‘Rothschildiana’. Perhaps as a Zimbabwean (Rhodesian) I am biased, but it is beautiful!

I ordered and planted a single bulb of this plant four years ago. It flowered beautifully the first year. To my great surprise, it has re-emerged year after year since then despite my best efforts at neglecting it.

I have obtained another couple of bulbs of this fabulous lily. Planted today (left). 🤞

In the Garage

Some of the squashes were still too small to pot up, because they have yet to develop their true leaves. Others have not even bothered to germinate – will they ever????

I probably have enough of most of them, with those that I have planted out already, but the Pumpkin Wicked has not germinated well for some reason, and will leave me a bit short for my needs. So I pop an extra couple of seeds into the cells, and all of these bad boys go back into the heated and disco-lit propagator in the garage. Let’s hope for some progress here!

In the Veggie Garden (Allotment)

No further activity in the actual veggie garden / allotment this week. If I am to be honest, I’ve run out of time 😬!

However, there is nothing to report on the potatoes which were planted last week. No signs of any growth yet, not that I’d expect any!

The onions are looking good 😊. No bird damage 😁.

It’s a busy, but exciting, time for veggie growers. Lots happening!

See you next time!

Highland Hospice Cycle 200 – 15th April 2023

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I’m cycling 200 miles in April to support Highland Hospice

You can follow my progress on my Facebook Page or on this blog.

Please support my efforts for this worthy cause using this QR code or the “donate” link below.

Thank you!

Donate

The challenge: To cycle 200 miles during April 2023

As predicted we had a couple of days of grubby weather with lots of wind, rain and even some hail. My bike decided it was going back into hibernation and did not emerge from the garage.

Friday 14th April: Woke up to bright sunshine and no wind. Yes it was cold, but, hey after the last couple of days…….

It’s not going to last, however, rain predicted by 1200. Tomorrow is predicted to be a better day – all day! Planning a cycle ride tomorrow.

I have to go to the shops for a couple of wee things this morning. This weather is bugging me. It’s sooooo nice! I go down to the garage and wake the bike up. A wee cycle to the shops will help with my #TeamHighlandHospice charity ride total.

So off I go to a couple of shops in town. Goods into rucksack and turn for home.

Nah!……

Take the long way home!

A quick wee 23 Km (14 miles) added to the total.

Let’s hope the weather holds for tomorrow!

It’s Saturday 15th April, and true to form the weather is beautiful. Sun, no wind – ok it’s only 9’C, but you cant have everything!

So it’s bike out and off we go to the “Bootlegger’s Bar and Grill” in Hopeman for lunch. Helen drives down to join me, but it’s holiday season and she has to park miles away at the harbour 😂🤣 – you should have cycled!!!!

Lovely meal with a lovely view. Great service.

After lunch, it’s time to dash back home because we are off to Nairn to have fish suppers with our folks – better get another few cans of G&T on the way then!!!!

Another really nice cycle ride of about 46 Km (28.5 miles) ✅.

That’s me up to 155 miles in total, 77% of the way to my target. Over three quarters done now 😁!

Only 45 miles to go!

I am away next week at work.

But the weather looks great, so guess what?

The bike is going with me……………😁

Please support my efforts – click on the “donate” button above or scan the QR code.

Highland Hospice Cycle 200 – 11th April 2023

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A route of Fuel-stops!

I’m cycling 200 miles in April to support Highland Hospice

You can follow my progress on my Facebook Page or on this blog.

Please support my efforts for this worthy cause using this QR code or the “donate” link below.

Thank you!

Donate

The challenge: To cycle 200 miles during April 2023

My last rather pathetic 25Km cycle ride on the 9th April wiped me out completely as the wind that day was a bit on the vicious side. This meant that it was not possible to do my planned longer cycle ride from Elgin through to Nairn for a fabulous Easter Sunday Roast Lamb Lunch on Sunday 9th April. I do have to admit that the aching muscles were not the only reason for the ride being cancelled: the weather had deteriorated further and the wind was even stronger, so I chickened out!

Monday 10th April: As predicted, the weather had deteriorated even further. Heavy rain in the morning and gale-force winds in the afternoon. Not a day for the bike which remained locked in the garage.

Tuesday 11th April: A big weather front is expected to hit the UK tonight. It will lash us tomorrow and Thursday. So today is the only potential chance to get out for a cycle ride. I stick my nose outside, hmm 🤔, it’s still rather windy 😬 . I do have a charity challenge to uphold for Highland Hospice, and as the next few days will be a write off, there is no chance of ducking out today, or else the whole week would be a write-off and my attempts to meet the 200 mile challenge would fail. Can’t have that, so it’s gotta happen. Today’s the day!

It was a lovely day, despite the breeze

A few miles, six or so, into my ride, I pass the RAF airfield at Lossiemouth. I am treated to the wonderful sight of a Poseidon MRA1 reconnaissance aircraft on a training run doing circuits around the airbase.

From Wikipedia: The P-8 (Poseidon MRA1) operates in the anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASUW), and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) roles. It is armed with torpedoes, Harpoon anti-ship missiles, and other weapons, can drop and monitor sonobuoys, and can operate in conjunction with other assets, including the Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton maritime surveillance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

I also pass the fascinating Duffus Castle, seen here from across recently ploughed fields. A different angle from my post a few days ago.

Duffus Castle is a motte-and-bailey castle and was in use from c. 1140 to 1705. During its occupation it underwent many alterations. The most fundamental was the destruction of the original wooden structure and its replacement with one of stone. At the time of its establishment, it was one of the most secure fortifications in Scotland. The strongest part of the new castle was a two-storey stone keep, surrounded by a stone curtain wall. Unfortunately, the keep was not built upon strong foundations, and this fact would some become apparent! Sometime before 1350 the castle passed to the Earl of Sutherland. Around this time the soft motte underpinnings gave way, and part of the stone keep slipped down the motte, where it lies today, canted at an absurd angle. The most obvious part of this cockeyed structure is a garderobe bench, now slanting dramatically upwards on one side. One has to hope no-one was sitting down at the crucial moment when the motte gave way!

Arriving in Lossiemouth, on a lovely sunny day like today, one is treated to a magnificent view.

From the clubhouse of the Moray Golf Club out over the Old Course, a fabulous links golf course designed by Old Tom Morris. It is listed at 31st in the Top 100 Golf Courses in Scotland.

The view continues out over Lossiemouth West Beach to the Covesea Lighthouse beyond and then out across the Moray Firth towards Sutherland in the North.

After about 20Km or so, it;s time for a re-fuelling stop. Harbour Light’s Cafe next to the Lossiemouth harbour is a favourite. A hearty Scottish breakfast does just the job!

Back on to the bike and head toward Fochabers via Garmouth. Just after Garmouth, I joined the Moray Coastal Trail and cross the magnificent Spey River, famous for it’s salmon fishing.

The Spey Viaduct is an old Moray Coast railway bridge that crosses the iconic Spey River near to the mouth of the Spey River in Moray where it terminates into the Moray Firth / North Sea. The Spey Viaduct (sometimes also known as the Garmouth Viaduct) is no longer used for its original purpose, it has become part of the sensational Moray Coastal Trail and Speyside Way walks. It is frequently used by walkers, runners and cyclists to safely cross the River Spey between Garmouth and Spey Bay. A popular route is to walk from Spey Bay WDC Scottish Dolphin Centre down to the viaduct along quiet back roads taking in the wildlife and Spey mouth. The Spey Viaduct is quite picturesque and contrasts between the wild forested areas on either side and its own strong industrial iron lattice appearance. The bridge had to be built with the changing nature of the Spey in mind, the river can often surge and change direction depending on the amount of rainfall so it had to be big enough to take this into account. Taking in all spans the viaduct is 950ft / 290m long and is a fantastic example of Victorian engineering.

This my video of my cycle across this iconic bridge

After crossing the bridge, I turn South onto the road towards Fochabers. The wind is blowing from the South East. I am heading straight into it. Deja Vue! Memories of my last short ride from a few days ago flood back. I tell myself, that it’s only 5 Km until I turn East again. I can do this!

The reward, a refuelling stop at the lovely Fochabers Ice Cream Parlour. Mmm 😋

Ice cream and tea repleat, it’s time to head for home on the last leg of my journey. This takes me directly East, and into the wind again. Switch on, and turn up, the electric power on the bike!

Again I pass over the magnificent Spey River over another disused rail bridge, now converted for use by pedestrians and cyclists, which runs right next to the main car route, the A96.

My battery does the trick and I make it home despite the best efforts of the wind.

Three stages of about 20Km each, perfectly separated by refuelling stops. A total of 61Km (38 miles) today. Ahh 😌! Time for a sit down!

That’s me now up to 112 miles in total, 56% of the way to my target. Over half way now 😁!

The next few days have seriously poor weather predicted, so that’s the bike packed away until the weekend. The legs will get a well deserved rest!

Please support my efforts – click on the “donate” button above or scan the QR code.

The Anaesthetists Allotment – 10th April 2023

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Disclaimer: I’m a professional anaesthetist, not a professional gardener. I do a bit of gardening and cycling in my spare time. I have grown veggies for many years and have learnt what works for me (sometimes!). These are my ramblings! I would be honoured to be corrected / advised by those with more knowledge than me!

Hello again! Welcome to this week’s update

Firstly, in the Greenhouse:

The early potatoes (Casablanca) in the growbags continue to grow really well and are looking very healthy indeed.

I’m now starting to give them some “outside time” during the day when the weather is not too cold or windy. They still need go back in every night.

The Casablanca Picasso potatoes in the growbag are now starting to get going.

The herbs in the greenhouse are also looking really good. We have mint, parsley and chives. They have already been added to salads and the mint, of course, so special with Easter lamb.

Strawberries in the greenhouse are also way ahead of the ones in the garden and have many more flowers this week. Might have some delicious strawberries soon!😋

A week makes all the difference!

Two weeks ago, I showed the photo at the left top of seed trays in which I had sown various seeds.

In these seed trays, we have: Beetroot (Boltardy = red and Burpees Golden = yellow) and some peas (Early Onward) to, hopefully give us an early crop of peas.

Last week, I showed the bottom picture above of the miracle of germination. This week, on the right, the wee plants are starting to develop their true leaves. Once they have the true leaves, hopefully later this week, I will thin them out to leave only the strongest in each cell. This will allow them to grow on strongly ready to plant out into the garden later when the frosts have gone. Natural Selection 🤔 ! It is not a job I enjoy, as you feel kind-of like a three way cross between Darwin, the Creator and the Yorkshire Ripper💀! It seems such a shame after all the effort they have put into germinating. The wee plants which are murdered are not wasted and can be added to salads as delicious micro-veg.

Again most of the Brassicas have moved on well during this week.

The Brussels Sprout (Marathon) and summer cabbage (Caraflex) are both looking great, with most starting to develop their true leaves. They will also be ready for thinning out later this week. The winter cabbage (Tundra) is a bit slower – but has now started to sprout 😁

In this seed tray, to the right, there is also a row of Chard (Bright Lights) and a row of Perpetual Spinach.

The bowl of Spicy Lettuce which I sowed last week has sprouted 😁

The Broccoli plugs I received in the post two weeks ago were looking really grubby when I potted them up on arrival (left). They are now looking fantastic (right).

So much so, that I have set up a couple of cold frames outside and moved the young broccoli into them to harden off for a couple of weeks before planting them out into the veggie garden. Hopefully this will allow them to transition gently and not get a very rude shock when planted out. This is a new experiment again this year. Will be good to see if it makes a difference.

I order my Tomato plants, Gardiner’s Delight, from online retailers as grafted plants. They arrived on Saturday in the post, looking not too bad after being dumped through the letter-box in the front door.

They were planted out immediately and will take off quite quickly. They will be ready for planting out into their final position in grow-bags in the greenhouse after a week or two.

In the Garage

Yes! In the garage……

………. because I have run out of space and electrical outlets in the greenhouse, I am trying an experiment this year.

I have sown all of my squashes etc in their propagator in the garage. I would normally put the propagator in the greenhouse. But, because it is dark in the garage, I have added special plant lighting to the top of the propagator. Here goes: 🤞

It is working! 😂🤣 Give that man a star ⭐️! Most of these squashes are developing their true leaves as well. They are all looking really healthy. So much so that I have had to raise the mini-greenhouse roof with the lights on it – hence the wooden slats at each end. It’s called improvisation! Fairly soon, I will have to repot these seedlings into bigger pots to allow them to continue to grow. When that repotting happens, they will have to relocate to the greenhouse for more space. I’d better make a plan in the greenhouse as there’s not much room left in there.

In the Veggie Garden (Allotment)

Potatoes – Two varieties Casablanca and Picasso, same varieties as in the grow-bags in the greenhouse, have been chitting in the greenhouse since late January. Chitting is a process of forcing the seed potatoes to start growing early indoors, or in my case, the greenhouse. Keeping them in a light dry area encourages those seed potatoes to start putting out sprouts and gives them a head-start when it comes to the potato growing season.

As you can see, these potatoes have super little green shoots and are ready to be planted out

In last week’s blog, I described how I had prepared the beds for the potatoes.

This week, I have now cut holes in the garden fabric, appropriately spaced (I hope), and use my trusty potato planting tool to make a hole and drop the potato into the hole, preferably with the majority of the shoots facing upwards. This is easier said than done, as the seed potatoes seem to have a mind of their own and flip over no matter how hard you try!

Three beds of tatties planted.

My back has now ceased complaining and is now on strike full-time.

The next day………………

…………………..when my back has recovered somewhat

It’s time for the onions. The onion sets were planted in the greenhouse a few weeks ago. They have all germinated nicely and are now growing strongly and need to be planted out.

This is the onion bed after winter (left). Not too bad, a few weeds etc.

After a full hand-weed, then a good hoe-ing, a layer of compost is added to the surface.

The bed is now ready for planting – this is the no-dig-technique (right). Good for my potato-knackered-back!

The young onion plants have developed a really good root system and are ready to be planted out.

And that’s all of the onions planted out into their final position in the raised bed (right).

And, yes, the back is complaining much better again!

Carrots – Amsterdam Forcing.

I have always had major problems with carrot fly in my veggie garden / allotment. These nasty little devils can, and do, destroy a carrot crop entirely. I have tried everything – mesh fences, mesh netting, timing the planting correctly, even nematodes!

Last year I tried an experiment and planted some carrots between the rows of onions in the hope that the smell of the onions would reduce the ability of the carrot fly to hunt out my carrots. It worked! Ok, I must admit that, in addition, I regularly sprayed the carrots with nematodes, but we had lots of lovely carrots last year.

So here we go again.

I am laying tape sown with carrot seeds into drills between the onion rows. The seed tapes is a very convenient way to plant seeds. I tend to be very heavy handed when I am sowing seeds. This is bad news, especially for carrots, because it means that the young seedlings have to be thinned out once they have germinated. The young plants don’t like being pulled out and emit a strong carrot odour which attracts the carrot flies in immense numbers. Carrot tape spaces the seeds correctly and means they don’t need thinning out.

So there we are: Onions and carrots planted ✅

Protective netting over the top to keep the birds away. Blackbirds seem to think that if I’ve been digging, they should too. To be fair, they are probably after all of disturbed worms, bugs etc. Only problem is that the little *******s dig up half my wee plants and leave them lying, and dying, on top of the soil. Hence the net! Keep off ✋!

It’s a busy, but exciting, time for veggie growers. Lots happening!

See you next time!

Highland Hospice Cycle 200 – 9th April 2023

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I’m cycling 200 miles in April to support Highland Hospice

You can follow my progress on my Facebook Page or on this blog.

Please support my efforts for this worthy cause using this QR code or the “donate” link below.

Thank you!

Donate

The challenge: To cycle 200 miles during April 2023

I was away at work for a few days last week. The weather was predicted not to be too great, so didn’t bother to lug the bike all the way to Brechin and back, for nothing! As it turned out, wise decision!

Saturday 8th April.

Tomorrow is Easter Sunday and we are doing a the full sheebang Easter lunch, roast lamb etc, in Nairn with our parents and Alexander. So, here is the plan, I’m going to cycle to Nairn, have lunch and get a lift back afterwards. That should add a few miles on to the total.

But this is my first day back and the weather was OK. A bit on the windy side, but hey, I have electric support on my bike, I tell myself, no problem! So why don’t I do a warm-up cycle today, just a few miles to get back into it and loosen up for tomorrow.

I set off after lunch. It is more windy than I’d thought and I’m having to fight with the side gusts to remain on the path. I try to plan a route that will keep me mostly-side-on to the wind most of the way, rather than heading directly into the gale.

It sure looks lovely in the pictures, but at this stage, I had turned back and despite all calculations was now heading directly into the teeth of the gale.

I eventually had to relent and shift the electric power up from low (green) to medium (blue). I can count one hand the number of times I have had to use this setting!

I made it back into Elgin and cycled past the beautiful and eerie Elgin Cathedral built in 1224.

Only 5Km to go from here but directly into the wind.

I struggled back home again. Legs on fire after a comparatively short ride of only 26Km (16 miles). So much for my warm-up cycle!

So, this was the anti-gale effort. I am more tired than I was after my 60Km ride a few days ago!!!

Wind and cycling just don’t go together, in my humble opinion!

That’s me now up to 74 miles in total, 37% of the way to my target.

Tomorrow’s cycle to Nairn will add another 50 to 60Km to the total.

Or will it!?!

Tomorrow comes. The wind is even stronger than the day before. My legs can hardly move from yesterdays’ efforts. Common sense (cowardice) prevails and I leave the bike behind opting for the luxury of motorised transport and extra glass of wine with lunch to console myself!

Please support my efforts – click on the “donate” button above or scan the QR code.

Highland Hospice Cycle 200 – 3rd April 2023

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I’m cycling 200 miles in April to support Highland Hospice

You can follow my progress on my Facebook Page or on this blog.

Please support my efforts for this worthy cause using this QR code or the “donate” link below.

Thank you!

Donate

The challenge: To cycle 200 miles during April 2023

Today I managed to squeeze into the Highland Hospice jersey. Very smart. I like it! But, I have to agree, they are certainly on the smaller side.

That’s Duffus Castle in the background.

As you can see it was a fabulous day for a cycle ride

It started off very chilly this morning, -1’C when I woke up.

My plan today was to go to Nairn on the train to sort out a few things for my folks and meet with my accountant, then cycle back to Elgin in the afternoon.

When I left home to cycle to the railway station to catch my train, it was still only 5’C so was still a bit chilly. Several layers were required as was warming pads within the shoes. My problem was that it was predicted to rise to 13’C by the time I was due to cycle back. Whilst I realise that for my friends in Botswana, this is positively Arctic and would require 10 layers of thermals, for us here in Scotland, this is a lovely day and definitely tropical requiring shorts etc. Because, I was cycling I had to travel light, so wardrobe selection was critical. Or, was it, 🤔, I could just dump a bunch of stuff at my parents house – to be collected later. That is what I did!

So, this is today’s effort.

The straight line is the train journey and, before you ask, was not included in the final mileage!

The wiggly line is my cycle ride. It is wiggly because that is how the little back roads are (I was following on the N1 cycle route) not because I had been on the wine at lunchtime (today anyway!)

Part of the route I used involves crossing the Findhorn river on an old railway bridge. It’s lovely.

Loads of newborn lambs in the fields today. Awww 🥰 ☺️

And of course the magnificent Duffus Castle (without me in the photo to spoil it!)

So, a heavy day today, for an oldie like me anyway, 60Km (37 miles) in total. Seven Personal Best’s (PB’s) on various Strava segments 😲

That’s me now up to 58 miles in total, 29% of the way to my target.

I am aware that it is only the 3rd of the month, but I’m conscious that I will be away a bit more at the end of the month and unable to cycle, so better get ahead now!

Now the bad news. My legs are knackered. I’m away for a rest!

Please support my efforts – click on the “donate” button above or scan the QR code.

Highland Hospice Cycle 200 – 2nd April 2023

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Highland Hospice aim to support people, their families and carers, living with an advancing, life shortening illness in the Highlands to live the best possible life and to prepare for and experience the best possible death.

I’m cycling 200 miles in April to support Highland Hospice

You can follow my progress on my Facebook Page or on this blog.

Please support my efforts for this worthy cause using this QR code or the “donate” link below.

Thank you!

Donate

The challenge: To cycle 200 miles during April 2023

With yesterday being the first day of the month, I got the bike out of the garage, blew off the dust and set off.

It was only 6’C so was a bit chilly. Several layers were required as was warming pads within the shoes and over boots – the feet are the part of me that always suffers the most when it’s cold!

A wee cyclical route around Elgin to start with, but that’s 33Km (20 miles) in the bag. Not a bad start!

So, that’s me 10% of the way to my total.

Please support my efforts – click on the “donate” button above or scan the QR code.