From Jungle to Garden - A (very slow) work in progress!!

jo1972

Hi all, it's been a while since I last posted and managed to get out in my garden.

I had broncitis for 3 weeks and an inner ear problem causing dizziness so finally managed to get out today to do a little bit in the garden, I bagged up the rest of what I cut last time and chopped down another patch....here's what I did today. Hopefully the rain and thunder storms will hold off tomorrow until I get a chance to get out there again. Doesn't look like I did much, but it took me an hour and as I'm not back to full fitness I gotta take it easy!

harib0uk

Excellent work jo.. especially as you have been unwell...

Is there any chance now you have those two ready made raised beds accessible that you could dig them over add a bit of compost/manure and get some garden centre brought herbs planted up... if you have an area up and running, you'll find it easier to keep it up together and I suspect that you'll also find motivation from looking at it to crack on with the rest... you can also get the children involved by allocating them one bed each and getting them to keep an eye on it!

jo1972

Thanks Harib0, I might get out there today if the rain holds off and see what it's like digging it over. I've got to be careful because of the ear problem, don't want to aggrivate it but should be okay if I work slowly. I think the neighbours got a fork and spade I could borrow :beer:

Then I'll have to take OH down to B&Q and get some compost!

Thanks, great idea

Lotus-eater

Perfect timing for courgettes if you like them

Stick a few seeds in the yet to be dug (it looks like) beds, buy a courgette where you have lots of seeds in the pack, not an expensive F1 (high tech expensive seed), also buy some organic slug pellets, you will need it after that jungle that has been there before.
Or if you don't like courgettes, go for some other quick, easy vegetables.
Get something going and give yourself a boost, by seeing something growing and soon, eating something,
Hope you are feeling better.

jo1972

Thanks LE, tell me, do gardeners go outdoors when.......it's raining :eek: :eek:

I reckon the ground would be perfect to dig over whilst it's damp.

Bought (sorry OS'ers ) a couple of terracotta pots that were reduced in Sainsburys yesterday as DS is desperate to plant something, bought some potting compost and he chose a pack of flower (mixed) seeds and some coriander for the other one as he wants to grow something I can cook, although he doesn't eat it!

We shall pot them up this afternoon.

Lotus-eater

jo1972 wrote: »

Thanks LE, tell me, do gardeners go outdoors when.......it's raining :eek: :eek:

I reckon the ground would be perfect to dig over whilst it's damp.

Bought (sorry OS'ers ) a couple of terracotta pots that were reduced in Sainsburys yesterday as DS is desperate to plant something, bought some potting compost and he chose a pack of flower (mixed) seeds and some coriander for the other one as he wants to grow something I can cook, although he doesn't eat it!

We shall pot them up this afternoon.

All terracotta pots have to bought at some point

Yes gardeners go outside when it is raining, into the greenhouse is a favourite place! :rotfl:

It depends what soil you have, whether it is good to be digging it when it is damp. if you have clay soil and it sticks to your boot, then you should leave it alone, as you will make the soil structure worse not better, saying that, it's hard to pick the exact right time to do it, so if you have time and the soil seems right, do it.

Aylana

Just wanted to say well done on getting stuck in to the garden! Mine is also horribly overgrown and neglected. I want to get it sorted but it always seems overwhelming. Having read your thread I am going to give it a go though! If you can get through those brambles then I have no excuse not to have a go at my soft weeds!!

So thanks and good luck with it.

jo1972

Good luck Aylana!! Let me know how you get on, take progress photos I find that a huge motivator, plus I shamed myself into showing my colleagues at work the original before pics so now have no choice :rotfl:

I just wanted to add that my new gardening gloves bought from B&Q are perfect for brambles, didn't get pricked once a bargain for 4 quid or whatever they were :beer:

jo1972

Spent another hour or two out there yesterday, got probably a 5th of it down now and am actually quite enjoying myself. The only thing that's keeping me from being out there now is that I can barely move my muscles hurt so much from being out there last night, it's very frustrating!!

Didn't manage to get my hands on any tools yesterday as the neighbour was out so am continuing chopping and bagging till I can borrow them.

I pulled the tarpauline off the bit to the left of the concrete thing yesterday and started cutting that down and although there is green stuff thriving under there, they are not big established brambles like the open bits of the garden, mostly smaller brambles and climber type things that stretch half way across the garden, I pull one and feel like a magician pulling scarves out of a hat!!

This was yesterday morning:



And this is today, slowly but surely:

choille

Well done - you are making strides, it's hard work & you will ache.

Another thing I've found really useful as well as the welder's gauntlets is knee pads.
I got some really cheap ones from LIDLS and they are invaluable if you are knelt down a lot.