What did you do in your garden today?

[Colin]

Hi,

@Colin - I'm happy your new tiller arrived. I am afraid that once the weather clears we won't hear from you because you will be enjoying the tiller too much.

Thanks Silentrunning; yes you are bang on; once the outside temperature reaches double figures I'll spring into life whizzing around like an idiot trying to make the most of it whilst it lasts. Not just the new tiller to play with though I've got lots of lovely toys and can't wait for warmer weather to arrive. In the picture can be seen a few of my other toys; Shopsmith multi function woodworker; metal cutting bandsaw; Union Graduate woodturning lathe and the new 4 hp saw bench I designed and made; if I had a huge warehouse I'm sure I could fill it with kit?

It's just taken about four times longer than it should have to assemble the new tiller out of the box; the assembly is very straightforward but difficult with cold fingers; what ungainly machines these tiller are; this one with its single wheel just wanted to fall over so I propped it up with bits of timber during assembly; it's going to be a shame to use it whilst it's looking so clean but I bet I'm in for a lot of fun next year.

For the £208 paid this tiller looks a really nice bit of kit and with its 4 hp engine should do well in our garden; Bron's Christmas present to me; I'm a lucky guy and know it.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[DirtMechanic]

Leaves, Leaves, Did I mention the leaves? Some for the compost pile, some chopped into the lawn bare areas, some for the garden. I am glad fall is almost over. The snowfall should see to that detail.

 

[alp]

Went out to inspect my potential loss. Not too bad. A lot of water inside trays for my pots. I emptied most of them and it's still drizzling. Saw more hellebores with flowers, but very slow. The iris still has 3 buds standing after the snow. And some wisterias raised from seeds have new buds. I can't wait for the weather to warm up.

 

[Verdun]

Hey!! Alien spacecraft entering our system! Aliens are checking us out
"Cigar" shaped and "probably made of stone"...???? Hmmm! As a mere layman I think it is simply a lump of rock but then who am I to question it?

Couldn't be Father Christmas on his way .....could it?

 

[alp]

I've found that laughable as well. But they say it's the material this piece of junk is made of which makes it different. The speed it is hurtling is frightening though. It could be a piece of junk from Chinese or Russian satellites crumbling over our heads...

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Went out to inspect my potential loss. Not too bad. A lot of water inside trays for my pots. I emptied most of them and it's still drizzling. Saw more hellebores with flowers, but very slow. The iris still has 3 buds standing after the snow. And some wisterias raised from seeds have new buds. I can't wait for the weather to warm up.

I'm sorry to learn you're receiving a few splashes from my pet Blackie alp; Blackie and his sister Gale are here in force today after a couple of days off whilst they give way to let their other relations like snow; frost and ice keep us company. As I type the rain is bouncing off our front door being blasted against the door by Gale.

Yorkshire and Humber
Forecast Summary

• Today
  Blustery showers are likely for most through the morning, these occasionally merging to give some longer spells of rain. Showers will turn more wintry through the afternoon, particularly over higher ground, though turning more isolated, many areas dry by dusk.
  
  
• Tonight
  Some further isolated and blustery wintry showers overnight for inland areas, mainly towards the Pennines. Many areas in the east staying dry however with variable cloud cover.
  

Why the forecasters keep mentioning "The Pennines" is beyond me because this bad weather is just a way of life which we grudgingly accept.


Yorkshire and Humber
Forecast Summary

• Thursday
  Showers mainly confined to Pennine areas on Thursday, becoming more isolated and turning back to rain over all but the highest ground. Winds also easing later in the day.
  

Environmental Summary
UV: 1
UK Range: 1-8
Pollution: Low
UK Range: Low to Very High

Met Office Warnings Issued For:West Yorkshire

1. Yellow warning of ice

Why don't the forecasters forecasters wait for our two day long summers then give us a bit of good news for a change?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_of_1946–47_in_the_United_Kingdom

I was born in 1947 a good year to welcome me to the world and the bad weather still torments me.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Silentrunning]

@Colin - have you folks ever considered firing your weather man? I now understand the old saying that the weather isn't fit for man nor beast.

 

[alp]

The UK has some very diehard traditions - some obsolete and ridiculous .. such as the monarchy .. The met office still gets £1m bonus every year for lousy weather reports.. We are talking about BONUS, not even wages. £349m to rewire Buckingham Palace.. Is it worth it?

 

[MaryMary]

Why the forecasters keep mentioning "The Pennines" is beyond me

It's because they don't live there, and they're gloating.

 

[marlingardener]

I watered the broccoli, picked spinach, and took out the remaining pepper plants and the green beans. It's time to start sifting and adding compost to the garden beds. Sifting sure keeps a person warm on these cold winter days!

 

[alp]

I have had two peppers this year. The pointy ones. There wasn't enough heat for them to grow. In the end, they stopped at 1/3 of the normal size and just rotted away. Need to start early next year.

 

[MaryMary]

Sifting sure keeps a person warm on these cold winter days!

Tell me another!!

I'm changing the cats' water three times a day to keep it from being frozen!!

 

[marlingardener]

Alp, if you can get your hands on Cubanelle peppers, they do better in cooler climates. We grew them in upstate New York, zone 6 a or b, and we had lots of peppers from six plants. They are not blocky like the grocery bell peppers, but taste great and are fairly resistant to disease.
MaryMary, I think our definition of "cold winter days" is a bit different from yours. Bless you for changing the cats' water three times a day. We have a heating strip around the hens' watering station. It plugs in and generates enough heat to keep the water open. If you like, I'll ask my husband where he got it. I hate to think of you braving sub-arctic temperatures to keep your cats hydrated!

 

[MoonShadows]

What did I do in the garden today....or, for the past week? Nothing!
Sorry I haven't been active the past few days, but we are getting a lot of Christmas orders for our home biz. It should quiet down after Christmas.

 

[alp]

Alp, if you can get your hands on Cubanelle peppers, they do better in cooler climates. We grew them in upstate New York, zone 6 a or b, and we had lots of peppers from six plants. They are not blocky like the grocery bell peppers, but taste great and are fairly resistant to disease.
MaryMary, I think our definition of "cold winter days" is a bit different from yours. Bless you for changing the cats' water three times a day. We have a heating strip around the hens' watering station. It plugs in and generates enough heat to keep the water open. If you like, I'll ask my husband where he got it. I hate to think of you braving sub-arctic temperatures to keep your cats hydrated!

@marlingardener I will get if I can get fresh horse and chicken manure. It's said to quicken germination and do well in cold weather. I'm hoping to raise some melons, hopefully in a box at the end of the garden.. and salad and peppers as well. Will try to see that name today in gc if we can squeeze in one more stop. Thank you.