What did you do in your garden today?

[johnny canoe]

Thanks Upsy Daisy, I'm as good as new now. This morning is the first with no pain at all, just scabs on my knees. I must have had some deep bruising in my hand because it was the slowest to recover.

 

[Upsy Daisy]

Good to hear that @johnny canoe ...take care now

 

[Sean Regan]

We've had half a dozen solar lamps for a few years, which I always put out again in the spring. We have them on the rockery set on the "white," option. I couple of weeks ago I bought two more from a garden centre for the narrow bed in front of the koi pool, these I've set on the "multi-colour," option.
£4.50 each seemed a ridiculously cheap price, so today I went back and bought two more.

Too wet for any gardening, (not that any is needed), or golf as usual, so it's playing my new leccy piano or my tenor sax in between watching the snooker on telly. (I have a very understanding wife)

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Too wet for gardening Sean? I took Bron to the hairdressers this morning in pouring rain; in more pouring rain we've just visited Hampson's Garden Centre in Wakefield; the roads and fields as usual are flooded. Looking at the forecast earlier they forecast light rain but someone must have told them to look out of the window because here's the forecast now?

Why not just forecast heavy rain unless it's going to be snow; blizzard; sleet or hail?

Back home soaking wet with four big potted Aubretia (£11) I got out of my wet clothes and put on my heavy workshop clothes then before even having a brew I challenged Blackie and Gale to do their worst because whatever now followed these Aubrecia were going into our garden and they have; I'm now out of my wet heavy clothes and dry once again enjoying a brew. I'm absolutely sick of this never ending dire climate; I do so love the planting instructions stating "water well"?

Sunday is jokingly referred to as light cloud and breezy; I enjoy a good joke.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[DirtMechanic]

I spread 250 lbs of sulphur on the lawn and sprayed the first round of preventative antifungal and insect spray. 80 degree weather starts next week.

 

[Upsy Daisy]

80!!!!!!........we can only live in hope........and envy

Enjoy @DirtMechanic , maybe if the going gets too tough you could perhaps waft some heat over our way

 

[Colin]

Hi,

As usual everything outside is soaking wet but I've just managed an hour weeding using the long handled hoe; I'm particularly declaring war on "Cleavers" we have this weed all over our rear garden this year so I'm getting on top of it before it grows enough to seed.

https://www.wyevalegardencentres.co...ps-for-success/pests-diseases-weeds/cleavers/

I'm ripping it out by hand and hoeing; as soon as one pops up its chopped off; flattening other weeds is a bonus. I wrapped up well because it feels cold and it's another black hole; I think today is going to be a copy of yesterday no rain from my Blackie in the morning but then non stop rain right through into the night; oh for some decent dry warm weather but I can dream on.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Logan]

Poor @Colin I do sympathies with you. It's bad enough here, it's still raining, tomorrow going to be 5c.

 

[DirtMechanic]

80!!!!!!........we can only live in hope........and envy

Enjoy @DirtMechanic , maybe if the going gets too tough you could perhaps waft some heat over our way

@Upsy Daisy I would love to send some 80s but then that leaves the 90s and 100s. Are you sure you wouldn't care for them instead?

 

[Sean Regan]

Spent an hour out there this morning.
Painted the new caps on the tops of the two posts that support the pergola on the back of the house. Tied up the new growth on several clematis.

Mowed the lawn.

Sprayed "everything," some greenfly on one of the roses. Found one lily beetle, so sprayed all our tree lilies.


Checked the Sumbucus for blackfly, found none, but sprayed it anyway.

Checked these two tree azaleas. I was concerned a couple of weeks ago as I couldn't see any buds. Gave the small acer a trim.

Needn't have worried.

The two acer palmatums are looking less straggly now the leaves are out.

But this bigger one might need some shaping later in the year.

This was the clematis that I bought from Wyevale that looked dead, so I took a photo back to them and they refunded my £22. It got relegated to here and has since perked up. You can still see the dead foliage that led to my concern, "but no subsequent feelings of guilt."

 

[Logan]

@DirtMechanic Can I have some of your 80s please, only got 7c at the moment, Monday it's 5c. Thank you.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Poor @Colin I do sympathies with you. It's bad enough here, it's still raining, tomorrow going to be 5c.

Thanks Logan.

After doing some weeding this morning Blackie appeared menacingly overhead making it dark so I quit and came indoors; once indoors though Blackie held off; I had dinner and waited; I waited some more; then I waited some more still; Blackie held off so at 2:30 I set about emptying two big plastic compost bins; I wrapped the contents into a tarpaulin and sheet securing these with a rope each; it just about flattened me half carrying half dragging these down to the Yeti but I finally managed to get them loaded and I set off for the tip; Blackie now joined in.

I bought four of these big new compost bins late last year and filled them to the top with leaves; roots; twigs and weeds etc. the contents remained just as I had added them; I'll never be a composter because I quickly realized after filling them I hadn't a chance of getting up the mountain to look after them due to our dire climate hence I've given up on them. It seldom quits raining here; the pictures show how wet it was when the bins arrived and it's still wet; I struggled to level a bit of ground for each to sit on because we live on a steep valley side; had I known I wouldn't have bought the bins; Blackie ensures there is little joy outdoors here.

Once the bins are sold I'll rake over and plant ground cover plants; one less job Blackie can torment me about.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Logan]

As long as you chop it up into small pieces they should be alright and mix it with other things.I've got 3 compost bins, almost the same as yours. I don't put a lot of twigs or dried leaves. Some weeds as long as they're not in flower. I put a lot of uncooked kitchen waste, paper and cardboard. You have to have wet and dry. My compost is a bit wet but it's still alright for mulching, that's what i want it for.

 

[Upsy Daisy]

Add more kitchen waste @Colin and less twigs, a good mixed ratio of things is the answer. I store my leaves separately to make leaf mould.
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=478

 

[Sean Regan]

Hi,



Thanks Logan.

After doing some weeding this morning Blackie appeared menacingly overhead making it dark so I quit and came indoors; once indoors though Blackie held off; I had dinner and waited; I waited some more; then I waited some more still; Blackie held off so at 2:30 I set about emptying two big plastic compost bins; I wrapped the contents into a tarpaulin and sheet securing these with a rope each; it just about flattened me half carrying half dragging these down to the Yeti but I finally managed to get them loaded and I set off for the tip; Blackie now joined in.

I bought four of these big new compost bins late last year and filled them to the top with leaves; roots; twigs and weeds etc. the contents remained just as I had added them; I'll never be a composter because I quickly realized after filling them I hadn't a chance of getting up the mountain to look after them due to our dire climate hence I've given up on them. It seldom quits raining here; the pictures show how wet it was when the bins arrived and it's still wet; I struggled to level a bit of ground for each to sit on because we live on a steep valley side; had I known I wouldn't have bought the bins; Blackie ensures there is little joy outdoors here.

Once the bins are sold I'll rake over and plant ground cover plants; one less job Blackie can torment me about.

Kind regards, Colin.

View attachment 35997 View attachment 35998 View attachment 35999

Exterminate! Exterminate!

I always wondered what the back of a Dalek looked like.