My gardening diary, ( amongst other things)

ani_26

That's not to say i'm gardening? Am i gardening? Am i heck. I'm looking at the garden (does that count?) and looking at the sunshine. I can no longer muster the energy and in any case, there's supposed to be (yet) another frost tonight. It's waaaay too early? But at least i can now look at the garden. The wc came today and we struck quite some bargain? I get my windows cleaned inside in return for cups of tea? Seems fair nuff to me. How much do fresh cups of tea cost, nowadays? It's just as well i bought some milk for the first time in weeks, this morning. Cheap at half the price, i'll have the rest of the windows sparkling, the next time they come, ( in return for cups of tea.)


Another ' good ' happening today? I'm now the ( not so?) proud owner of a humungous cactus. The trouble is, it's so humungous, i've nowhere to put it, other than the living room floor. For now, at any rate. The idea is, it will go outside. Weather permitting? When i say humungous, it is rather "mature." I've measured the offender, just as a matter of interest. Measures 3ft+ across, trailing, upside down, whichever way you want to measure it. There's no getting away from it. For now. I was given it by the shop owner of the shop which isn't a shop. Throwing it out, but they knew i'd admired it in the past. Top tip here. Never admire anything that measures 3ft x 3ft x 3ft? Be careful what you wish for? :rotfl:



Anyway, my aherm, intruder, sorry, new friend, is an easter cactus, already in bud. Perhaps i should imagine what it's going to look like?

Could be something like this? I think the flowers are going to be some shade of pink?






Just imagine what it could look like, go on, go on








It's bigger than this






And this









I can't find an image which is remotely a fraction of the size of my new friend. Oh heck :eek: What have i done?



Could be a prize winning exhibit?


Keep telling yourself it wasn't a stoopid thing to do. I wonder how old it is?

ani_26

Ok, it's such a beautiful day, and these are so few and far between. I've done a small amount of tidying in the garden. This should have been done last year, but it never stopped persisting down. To be honest, i don't know what i should cut back, and how far. Ne'er mind. It's probably too soon, in any case.


New plants and hanging baskets watered, ( i've been neglecting them.) I didn't realise how much i'd missed the gardening. It's one of the few motivations i have for stepping outside the door, surprisingly, as i still hate the notion of gardening. Maybe i instinctively gravitated toward it, as i've since discovered it's a well used technique for "well being."

I'm still never going to be a "great" gardener, and don't aspire to be. So my garden is never going to be planned in any way. Just as the fancy takes me. I was going to pot my sweet pea seeds today. I mustn't beat myself up about it? I'm determined to see some flowers, this summer? The seeds will be planted early early, and grown inside. On the living room floor? :eek: Ok. I definitely need a greenhouse? potting shed?


New plants waiting to take their pride of place in the garden, lots of unusual double primroses, primrose, and primula. Lily of the valley. Yes, i finaly found some lotv bulbs, 9 of them. I believe they spread like wildfire, but no matter











A pink bleeding heart plant







More delphiniums, rose bushes, my sweet williams, which i've kept indoors over winter.

The pepper plants are thriving, which i've also kept on the window sill, over winter. I have four decent sized peppers already.


Oh, i also bought a giant snowdrop plant, this weekend.







What to do with Mr giant cactus? I'm also not talking about chocolate cosmos. I daren't check them out. They are still in hibernation.

ani_26

Another beautiful day yesterday, but it's lulling me into a false sense of security. It's still too early to contemplate serious gardening?



However, someone at "the group" is coming to have a look, re helping me tidy the garden, and my little helper also said they would assist with some gardening. I don't want to see it go to rack and ruin. Firstly, i have to finish unpacking. :rotfl: Ok, i haven't finished unpacking.


I've bought a whole lot of plantpots and seed trays, all for a contribution to charity. I will never need any again? Hmmm. I also "bought" some beautiful gardening bools, in pristine condition. I need to read up on "cutting" back? I also should have dried out some of my bulbs. Ah well, it's too late now? We shall see. I went to buy some potting compost yesterday, ( which i forgot to buy. ) But i've learnt from my mistakes of last year, and will buy a larger quantity, which will work out cheaper, and hopefully last the season? Now, i wasn't thinking of buying new stock, this season. Ah well. I've learnt from last year?

Instead, i was sidetracked by two chocklit plants. Just the two left. Ok, do i need or want chocklit plants in my garden. Both. :rotfl: I can't have a garden without chocklit plants, and this year i will plant them. ( in pots,) so i can take them out again? I still haven't checked on those in hibernation.


I also bought some more double fresia, as i didn't "dry out" the bulbs, and they did very well last summer.







I saw some tiny sweet pea plants on sale for £1.35. :eek:

Okay, i have lots of sweet pea seeds and the planters, and i was going to start growing them a month ago, but thought it might be just TOO early. Maybe not. I should have followed my instincts. These will be potted this week, if i've any chance of seeing flowers, this summer.

ani_26

I am now the proud owner of plant markers.



It seems to me that those in the know, namely professional gardeners, ignore standard gardening advice, and i fear i am already too late with my potting? The sweet peas and petunia seeds will be potted this week. Yes they will, oh yes, they will < sigh > I must remember to buy some compost today, but that's the end of spending on "luxuries" or unplanned items, for the month. No more spending on gardening? No, definitely not.......:rotfl:

Piquant_2

Morning!!

Don't plant the choclit plants outside until the first week of June, they are very tender. Pot them up and keep them inside for now, they may well still be dormant, slow starters I think!

I'm growing sweetpeas too, love them lots. I've got a tree stump I'm planning on growing them up and over, I'll take a photo and show you.

In the Autumn I had an email special offer on a tree peony from £21 to £4.99. I succumbed Then, as the truly guilty do, forgot about it. Well Tuesday it arrived as a bare root plant, it's already planted in the garden. I can't copy a picture of it for some reason, so here is the link to one http://www.thompson-morgan.com/flowers/all-other-seeds-and-plants/shrubs-and-roses/tree-peony-rockii/p83852TM

I also picked up a gardening magazine because it had some seeds on the front for verbena bonariensis a favourite plant of mine, it looks lovely weaving in and out of other plants

ani_26

Piquant wrote: »

Morning!!

Don't plant the choclit plants outside until the first week of June, they are very tender. Pot them up and keep them inside for now, they may well still be dormant, slow starters I think!

I'm growing sweetpeas too, love them lots. I've got a tree stump I'm planning on growing them up and over, I'll take a photo and show you.

In the Autumn I had an email special offer on a tree peony from £21 to £4.99. I succumbed Then, as the truly guilty do, forgot about it. Well Tuesday it arrived as a bare root plant, it's already planted in the garden. I can't copy a picture of it for some reason, so here is the link to one http://www.thompson-morgan.com/flowers/all-other-seeds-and-plants/shrubs-and-roses/tree-peony-rockii/p83852TM

I also picked up a gardening magazine because it had some seeds on the front for verbena bonariensis a favourite plant of mine, it looks lovely weaving in and out of other plants

Woohooo :hello:

I'm excited :j That's a rare emotion.



Thanks for the advice re the chocklit plants. That's still another 3 months, however they were still going stong late on. Best pot my new chocklit plants, too.


Tree peony, ( can't enlarge it.)









Hmmmmmm



Will have a look for gardening magazines with free seeds, but i suspect it may work out more expensive than buying seeds, ( for me at any rate.)

ani_26

Hmmmm, my garden definitely wouldn't accommodate this :eek:

ani_26

Piquant wrote: »

In the Autumn I had an email special offer on a tree peony from £21 to £4.99. I succumbed Then, as the truly guilty do, forgot about it. Well Tuesday it arrived as a bare root plant, it's already planted in the garden. I can't copy a picture of it for some reason, so here is the link to one http://www.thompson-morgan.com/flowers/all-other-seeds-and-plants/shrubs-and-roses/tree-peony-rockii/p83852TM

I found an offer for the same tree peony, yesterday from RT. If anyone would like the code, you just have to ask. The tree peony is "free", £5.65 p & p. :rotfl: It's more than i would pay for my plants and seeds, unfortunately. I rarely pay more than 30p. I don't know if this is a good offer or not. Tree peony worth £20.99. Maybe it is?



Compost bought in abundance yesterday. I now have to spend the weekend, potting. Which now means the "living room" is turning into more of a greenhouse, by the day. I definitely should have everything sown by now. However, snow is on it's way again this sunday. The good news is, i should have another cold weather payment in my account, today. I thought it was blimmin cold, but thought it was just me. I think that's the fourth cold weather payment, now. Thank gawd. I'm living in fear of the gas bill. To freeze or not to freeze? Oh well, just do it for the plants and seeds? :rotfl:

NorthernLas

Ani - I still have slug stuff which you are very welcome to

I have a puppy, so I can't use any of the very effective blue pellets (I bought them last year when THEY got too much for me)

Puppy is lovely and is remodelling my garden

I have found plants that survive well are sweet peas, nasturtiums (tho' get attacked by blackfly) and pansies. Sunflowers are OK if you keep them inside until the stalks get hairy.

NL x

NorthernLas

Easter cactii are relatively easy to propagate. I think you just gently pull off a leave or two and pop the end into gritty compost.

Your monster should be magnificent very soon. It will be OK in the garden as long as there is no frost (so not this weekend then!)