The giant list of things that need to be done.

The giant list of things that need to be done.

After yesterday’s declaration of good intentions >Yesterday’s post<  I took a moment to write down everything I need to do.  And now I see why I kept it in my head and just procrastinated as a coping mechanism…  It is a tad daunting.  But it is what it is, and is what I got myself into.  So, over the coming days, weeks and months, I’ll roll up my sleeves and do my best to avoid procrastination and work my way through this list so you can all be proud of me….

First up is the main bit…

GARDEN GARDENING

On the whole – if these ones are the only jobs done in the garden each week then we’ll survive.

• Weekly weeding of all sectors.
• Harvest when necessary.
• Feed and water on demand.
• Deadhead all the flowers.
• I should pick flowers once a week for vases in the house.

To break it down into more specific tasks that need to be done beyond the basics above, each area is asking me to do a few things.

The vegetable garden.

Much of this is things that can be done in a jiffy but collectively is a lot, and there aren’t many spare jiffies right now, especially if I waste them looking into things I don’t really need to know how to do – like watching pottery videos or turning resin on a lath… no matter how relaxing they are – which is probably half the problem – it’s just too relaxing.  This is also a list that is constantly changing and by the time you see it, I can almost guarantee it will no longer be accurate with things crossed off or added in.

Sector 1

• Sort out windswept sunflowers.
• Trim scruffy herbs.
• Deadhead all the flowers.
• Sow cabbages for the food bank.
• Sow a row of peas.
• Remove spent sweetcorn plants.

Sector 2

• Sow new cool season brassica.
• Eat a lot more Kohlrabi.
• Succession plant more lettuce and salad crops.
• Process the chillies.
• Remove the spent glass gem plants.
• Give the zucchinis some love and attention so they feel special and keep going until the end of the season.
• Sow a cover crop in the old onion bed.
• Keep a daily eye on the okra and do something with them in the kitchen.

Sector 3

• Sow a cover crop in the old bean bed.
• Dig up the spuds and plant the ones I bought on a whim 5 days ago.
• Trim the Muehlenbeckia plant that was allowed to stay a few years ago to see how well it would trim.
• Feed the popcorn, it is looking quite bashed after the last burst of wind. I only hope the pollen hasn’t been blown to the neighbours – half a mile away.
• Deal with cucumbers and beetroot in the kitchen.
• Trim back fennel after it was bashed in the wind.
• Sow winter leafy greens.

Sector 4

• Sow/plant new flowers – this could mean a very dangerous trip to the garden centre.
• Give the globe artichokes some love as it puts out new growth.
• Sort out the languish area where it would seem seedlings go to die. (It is important to note that this is not the intention of this spot, but good intentions don’t seem to be enough).
• Set up irrigation through this area.

Sector 5

• Build a blueberry cage to protect the berries from creatures. It is too late for this season, but next season will be amazing I’m sure.
• Repair a break in the strawberry cage – Hubby the Un-Gardener will need to assist with this one.
• If I’m ever to get raspberries I should probably feed them.
• There is a garden bed on my garden plan that is listed as “weeds.” This needs to change.
• The stone fruit need to be summer pruned and encouraged to join the espalier program.
• This area also needs its irrigation system finished off.

The Palace:

Room 1  The Thankful Garden

• Trim the rosemary hedge.
• Take cuttings with the rosemary trimmings to make more hedges because they seem to grow really well here.
• Pull the weeds in the path (there are only a few.)

Room 2  The Time Garden

• Finish weeding that was started yesterday.
• Finish clearing the stairs – also started yesterday.
• Trim hedge around sundial and weed pavers.
• Get plaque made about the time capsule.
• Refresh the bark mulch.

Room 3 The New Project

• Organise the tractor to clear the land to start the project.
• Start designing the new garden.

Other projects – for when I have time.

This is a list of things that are out of the ordinary, demand attention or it is a great idea I really want to try and things in between.

• Weed around trees on windbreak hill.
• Plant more trees on windbreak hill.
• Finish dolphins.
• Greenhouse maintenance.
• Office building maintenance and tidying up inside.
• Landscape around the swing seat.
• Clothesline project.
• Find plants to plant at back door that won’t die.
• A lot of painting.

KITCHEN GARDENING

• Make strawberry jam from frozen berries.
• Do something with frozen elderberries.
• Do something with glass gem corn (several season’s worth).
• Keep coming up with ideas for the cucumbers that just won’t stop growing.
• Be intentional with meals using produce from the garden.
• Sort through old jars of unknown content that have lingered too long – maybe throw some out.
• Clean fridge.
• Okra, cucumber, beetroot, kohlrabi and shallots *see above.

COMPUTER GARDENING

This is a rough summary of the things that keep me out of the garden and generally pays the way, so it gets the priority it needs.

• Regular Social Media updates and keep on top of replies to comments.
• Weekly Financial bits and bobs.
• Write regular blogs.
• Remember to Podcast.
• Write scheduled articles for external commitments.
• Make a record of what was done in the garden daily.
• Weekly prep for radio show.
• Reply to emails in a timely fashion.

These are things that I don’t do often but need to be done right now:

• Adjust the blog to make it feel like home since it was updated last year.
• Update the main page on the thingy.
• Refresh my bio.
• Fire the You Tube videos back up – but get a haircut first.
• Arrange meeting and appointments and have said meetings and appointments.
• Prepare for business trip.

Gosh this is a lot.  It isn’t unachievable because I’ve been doing all these things all along, but to see it all written down it a bit of a shock.  But the best way forward is to put one foot in front of the other, and I will take that first step onto the path of good intentions after I watch a bloke make a teapot out of clay.

Just kidding.

Come again soon – there is nothing like a fresh ‘to do’ list to invigorate the soul.

Sarah the Gardener  : o)