What did you do in your garden today?

[Colin]

Hi,

Over the last few days I've been working flat out whilst trying to hide from my cloud Blackie; we have a 60' long hedge to the top of our garden it mostly laurel and it takes a lot of time and effort keeping it under control; we don't have laurel bushes we have laurel trees these at one time were 30' tall until I attacked them with my petrol chainsaw; once again I've been cutting them back and it's hard graft; because of Blackie putting so much rain down every day I struggle to work when it isn't raining meaning I go mad to do as much as possible which quickly tires me out; I've put in a full morning this morning and at last have completed the job but I've still got lots of bags to take to the tip and another big pile to shred; I've been to the tip a number of times and also shredded at lot. Of course its raining again. GRRRRR.

Kind regards, Colin.

Cutting back is hard enough but getting rid of the brash even harder.

What a tiring job; please note the meadow flowers coming into bloom.

Dragging more debris down the mountain to the shredder on an old bed sheet.

Once these start growing again they go ballistic at least they aren't the 30' tall they used to be. I dream of getting into the workshop but other more pressing jobs keep getting in the way

 

[BradinMichigan]

Stop the rain in Michigan! We've gotten so much! Perennials are huge but starting to yellow! Some seeds have germinated great but I think some bit the dust before having a chance! Lake levels are hitting historic levels. Will be interesting to see how summer progresses.

I wanted to fertilize the plants but not sure if it would cause more harm to the struggling ones from so much rain. Thoughts?

 

[DirtMechanic]

Stop the rain in Michigan! We've gotten so much! Perennials are huge but starting to yellow! Some seeds have germinated great but I think some bit the dust before having a chance! Lake levels are hitting historic levels. Will be interesting to see how summer progresses.

I wanted to fertilize the plants but not sure if it would cause more harm to the struggling ones from so much rain. Thoughts?
View attachment 54852

My thought is TEMPERATURE. Given any volume of organic fertilizer you wish, the temperature energy becomes a component of the distribution channel in the sense that organisms that are either helpful or foul all work less on survival in a high energy environment, and thus if you give too much, you will get aggressive attention from pathogens during the heat of summer. Where that attention is directed is most assuredly where you spread their food.

 

[Sheal]

Does this look familiar @Colin and @BradinMichigan ....

I've had one day in the garden in the last three weeks. Yesterday it rained stair rods for a while and although today is dry it's too damp to mow or strim.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Thanks Sheal; yes it sure does and a usual normal summers day. I managed to tidy the top of the mountain this morning and run another full load of debris to the tip; of course everything was still soaking wet after Blackie enjoyed drenching me at 6:30 last night when I was stupid enough to do a bit of shredding; it's been fine this morning but not any longer;

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/set-rain-huddersfield-next-70-16406776

Let's have a drop of rain for a change? I'd better stop crying because I'm only adding to it.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Sheal]

It's not looking good is it Colin? Flooding is expected in London and the south too.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Mostly finished with my project. There are some smaller weeds right on the edge of the driveway that I haven't removed yet, but I got most of the bigger weeds out, and left the natives. I also planted about 10 native seedlings and a couple ferns. Hopefully it'll look nice in a couple years.

 

[DirtMechanic]

I weeded the tomatos and squash. Trimmed up really, the celebrity is more of a bush and this year I am trying the florida weave support. I have been adding stakes as needed outside the row line.

 

[Sheal]

I need some of your heat Dirtmechanic, my tomato plants are still only a foot tall.

 

[DirtMechanic]

I need some of your heat Dirtmechanic, my tomato plants are still only a foot tall.

Careful what you ask for...

 

[BradinMichigan]

Yes it does! We've had a 4-day stretch of nice weather! In the 70s low humidity but tomorrow a half inch of rain.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Sorry for the late reply Sheal; yes our weather isn't looking good at all and I wouldn't be at all surprised to hear of flash floods? Here in the UK we should be used to this dire weather by now; when I got out of bed this morning I felt like turning our clocks back an hour after all we enjoy nine months of winter and three months of bad weather every year; last year we actually had a decent summer and I think this year too we had a decent summer in February but these are rare?

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Sheal]

and I think this year too we had a decent summer in February but these are rare?

Our winter here was wet. April was good with the exception of 'lamb snow' but it's been cold and wet since. You wouldn't think we were halfway through June and the heating is still on!

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Our heating is on most of the year Sheal; yes halfway through June and the Christmas items will soon be on the store shelves?

Rain; black hole and wind outweigh any sun here.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Sean Regan]

Just stood and looked at it, too wet to do anything. Still I quite like how our garden looks when it's raining.

I'm very happy the way this new paved area drains even when it's raining . It's only loose laid flags on twenty tons of "whacked down" hardcore on top of the old pool's sand and cement screed base, five feet down, through which I drilled several 1" holes. So I guess it ought to!

Here's my favourite, "wet garden song."