What did you do in your garden today?

[WarrenFarmRabbit]

I took the plunge and started sowing last weekend. Broccoli, leeks, spring onions, peas, sweet peas, petunias and tomatoes are now all done in the greenhouse on shelves or in propagaters. Also got some basil started. Only a few days in and the broccoli looks like it’s about to germinate!

Have a long list of other things to start over the next few weeks, but this week’s job will be to weed out the vegetable beds and throw on some new compost.

I also have two bags of erciceous compost on the patio, waiting for the delivery of a blueberry bush. Should arrive some time today

 

[MiniOrchardDude]

Composted, fertilized and chipped the grapes, blackberries and raspberries. Picked up 8 more bags of compost.

MOD

 

[Esther Knapicius]

That sort of packing does give you confidence, hope they live up to the promise, I expect so.

Beautiful day today, but the missus went out and left me in charge of the kittens, and they are just about to reach the windowsill with all the plants on. They went mad for a bit, ate loads and then crashed out. I was doing well with some woodwork just outside the back door, but broke my drill bit which stymied me. Came in for a cuppa and a read of the forum, that's okay, everything must be drying out nicely. Not confident enough to leave them and go up the end of the garden though, everything can change in moments.

A nice water gun helps kittens stay clear of things.

 

[Steve @ Celtic Farm]

Been planting my indoor seed starts (snap dragons and foxgloves) in our raised beds

 

[NewLeafTX]

We've had a cool and rainy snap here, as the cold air from up N. makes its way South. A cool & wet March is "ideal" for agriculture and for gardens, in these parts. We have been hurting for rain here in TX, so it's lovely and a relief now that we are finally receiving a good drenching!

Soil very muddy today & not good for sowing nor for working in the Cottage garden... doing so would compact the garden soil, not recommended. I'll have to gingerly tiptoe may way around that area later tomorrow morning to do a slug & snail round up, but it should be a bit less soaked by then. If I don't round up the slimies, they will eat up the majority of my baby plants-- especially the Brassicas & salad mix seedlings!

These cool temps are a blessing too, because many of my seeds will not germinate above 70F. Today, I sowed Oregano seeds in the 8" terracotta rear patio pot, which held just a few tiny weed seedlings (such as the ubiquitous, & invasive, Ruellia) when I found it.

Most of what I have sown so far has sprouted. The most recent arrivals are Nasturtium which had been awaiting this cool spell; it likes germination temps below 65F. Something is peeking up in the Shiso pot. Too early yet, to ID the sprouts.

Only a few seed types had low germination rates. Fortuitous, considering I used all seeds packed for 2023 (last year's leftovers).

More good fortune: Two volunteer Capsicum plants are doing well. Probably came from seeds in my compost.

Found an under- utilised sunny spot on the rear patio. Carefully removed the eight 1/2" tall Boehmeria cylindrica – False Nettle seedlings growing there. Transplanted them all out into their own shady/moist spots in the yard because they are a butterfly host species. Nettles, including this stingless one, also have uses in herbalism and in cover cropping/composting.

False nettle is also known as "Bog Hemp" & is a Host Plant for the following winged beauties–
Red Admiral, Eastern Comma, Question Mark

Preferring wettish and semi-shady sites, Boehmeria cylindrica lacks the stinging hairs of its nettle cousins. Stringy heads of tiny yellow-green flowers form between leaf stems in summer.

Pic 1: Nasturtium seedlings
Pic 2: Oregano pot, newly sown today
Pic 3: Capsicums, variety unknown, volunteers. Self-sown sometime in January. Appeared as 1/2" tall seedlings by early Feb.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Soil very muddy today & not good for sowing nor for working in the Cottage garden... doing so would compact the garden soil, not recommended

A plank or two helps spread the weight no end.

My strawberries arrived from Marshalls garden. today, The lack of a possessive apostrophe distresses me, but that's what they call themselves Half a dozen nice little plug plants, three Malling Champion, three Finesse. Planted them in HK buckets, left two of each outside and one of each in the cold greenhouse. Split a large log full of knots and with a Y at the end, it would be hard work to reduce to burning size, but now it will fit in my next bit of HK. I am actually writing this next morning, I can feel where I have been swinging a sled hammer on the wedges yesterday, must be getting old.
Mostly it is planting seeds and potting on young plants at the moment, running out of windowsill and space in the greenhouse, partly because I have a bunch of dahlias in there, hopefully ready for daughter's wedding in August.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

A nice water gun helps kittens stay clear of things.

I simply pick them up and say 'Not for cats', they would really hate water and working as a houseparent with unruly kids in my youth taught me plenty of patience. It will only be another couple of months, they are more cats every day.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

I simply pick them up and say 'Not for cats', they would really hate water and working as a houseparent with unruly kids in my youth taught me plenty of patience. It will only be another couple of months, they are more cats every day.

Ok, let me know how that method works.

 

[Sean Regan]

I did a bit today. I ordered two more clematis from Sarah Raven, which arrived today.

I bought two of these. Diamantina.

I've planted them at each end of this narrow bed beside the garage.

The "theory" is that we'll have the blue wisteria separated by the white on the pergola and the clematis at each end. A sort of symmetry.

One of the other three I planted in the middle.
There were three what I considered dead clematis and two that look as they might do something.

The other two I planted here.

These replaced two more that looked dead. I used more than a whole bag of potting compost between them all and some fertilizer granules.

The "dead" ones I've pot in some pots and left them on the shed windowsill, to see if they recover.

Checked on the wisterias. The ones that cascade over the pergola on the garage have dozens of buds on them.
These "fat ones," will turn into blossoms.

More on the side fence.

The ones that are just more side shoots, are much thinner
No hedgehog or cat activity during the night.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Planted some basil, nothing from the last lot, got some new seeds. Prepped a couple of HK buckets. Slung a bit of earth in the hole. Spread some compost on the flower bed to bring the level up, plenty more needed.
A little while ago I planted out 13 Devil's finger chilli. I remember it well, used a strip of five cells in pairs and three pots, can't find them anywhere, checked both bedroom windowsills, the sun room windowsill and both greenhouses, then walked around the garden about six times in case I put them down somewhere, can't find them. It's fiendish.

 

[Sean Regan]

Planted some basil, nothing from the last lot, got some new seeds. Prepped a couple of HK buckets. Slung a bit of earth in the hole. Spread some compost on the flower bed to bring the level up, plenty more needed.
A little while ago I planted out 13 Devil's finger chilli. I remember it well, used a strip of five cells in pairs and three pots, can't find them anywhere, checked both bedroom windowsills, the sun room windowsill and both greenhouses, then walked around the garden about six times in case I put them down somewhere, can't find them. It's fiendish.

I lose trowels and secateurs, then when I've replaced them I find them again. I've three trowels and four secateurs.

 

[MiniOrchardDude]

I lose trowels and secateurs, then when I've replaced them I find them again. I've three trowels and four secateurs.

Only a true gardener has 3 or more trowels and 4 or more secateurs. Somethimes they disappear forever. Found a fiskars trowel and a fiskar weed puller in the garbage can just this week.

MOD

 

[YumYum]

Only a true gardener has 3 or more trowels and 4 or more secateurs. Somethimes they disappear forever. Found a fiskars trowel and a fiskar weed puller in the garbage can just this week.

MOD

I keep my finger weed pullers with me at all times.

 

[big rockpile]

Watered some cleaned some Geraniums up.

Mixed up some soil. Finished turning a Compost Bin.

big rockpile

 

[big rockpile]

Only a true gardener has 3 or more trowels and 4 or more secateurs. Somethimes they disappear forever. Found a fiskars trowel and a fiskar weed puller in the garbage can just this week.

MOD

Bought a New Spade it come up missing I thought my Son took it. Showed one to my wife. Oh I gave it to a renter because I didn't know who it belong to.

Son said she told him to get rid of some Bird Netting I put over my Berries.

She does try but how she does it I'll never know.

big rockpile