Awful weather - typical Brits talk

-taff

Farway, yup, I had a 23 year old transit van all the garages loved because it was all nuts and bolts and no stupid electrical plug in disgnostics..One of them asked to have a drive in it he was so excited Now I have a rubbish adblue diesel I can't wait to get rid of. Glad you got your filbert. Sorry about your dishwasher..I love mine and would need to replace it immediately if it went p.o.o.f. My sister uses her broken one as a recycling point for plastics now...I did have a giggle at the dahlia seeds though

wm, thank you. I also had a giggle at sticks. I watch Emmas Allotment diaries on youtube and she's always on about sticks...I enjoy it because she's very scatty and in the earlier ones swore constantly...She's cleaned up a bit now but so enthusiastic...my bulbs are coming up at the allotment but not where I put them out the front..I'm miffed so far...

I struggle with salads too, this might be the year I give it the best go...

2p, this is where physical deterioration is so annoying. Th fence and postcrete cost about forty quid [ inflating it a bit probably] the rest is labour...

YBE, I missed your car! well done!!

What is that blooming in your second pic Dusty? And those persicaria are very impressive...

PP, beautiful auroras..Didn't see no huge planets, I don't think the weather has been that clear here...

Been briefly to the allotment nd used up all the long lengths of willow weaving, now I'm onto the short bits, but it's raining today. i may extend the nearest hay bed around the keyhole bed if I can work out a plan for what's going where. Now I have all this space it's beginning to look too small to my brain for everything I want to grow. I know at some point there'll be a shove that there it doesn't fit but what the hell type of planting going on...

-taff

Farway said:

twopenny said:

Looking at my strawberries I wish I'd gone for the T&M offer but I'll find something because I'm pretty sure mine have had it.

And I've been watching the Hairy Bikers cooking Strawberry & pepper scones .

Your wish is my command, they are back on offer

offer ends midnight, 27th February 2025 or while stocks last. Limited to 1 per order. Normal delivery charges apply. Use order code TM_TN5705W.

18 bare roots, 3 varieties, 6 of each, £4.94, delivery charge of £6.99

https://www.thompson-morgan.com/p/strawberry-full-season-collection/CWW3188TM?source=newsletter-season-260225&acq_source=

La sir, you are some kind of magicker.....

wort

Yesterdays sun was lovely, though still needed to wrap up warm, after my appointment in town and a quick sandwich walked round posting invites, then as it’s green bin day this week, I went to edge some of the back lawn. 

I found my Barnsley baby looking a bit drunk not sure what had happened, my dsis had planted it as it was when I was recovering from my op. So I dug it up ,some of the roots were really big ,I was surprised. As I dug I soon hit clay so I’m thinking the roots were staying quite shallow and the winds had knocked it over. I’m hoping my quick fix has sorted it.
Today was forcast showers ,but after the rain overnight, it’s bright and sunny again, so I’ve chanced some washing out. I’ve had a walk with more invites and I’m going to see my aunt after lunch. Might bring the washing in first 🤔

2p glad the old trick with turning on and off worked for your washer. Farway good luck trapping small children to mend your pipe.
I always forget to look for planets etc. so doubt I’ll be posting pics of them anytime soon.

twopenny

Aw Farway, thank you

I was going to do a search but I'm so tired I probably would have been too late. I'll treat myself as the pots are a no go now.

Taff, do you soak the willow first? Or is it fresh enough to be bendy? Dry willow needs to be steeped to make it flexible. I think it's a lovely idea.

It did briefly warm a tad and while I was taking the washing line down for the workmen I did get the weeds out of the strawberry bed and pull off the rotten leaves. Not sure it helped as there wasn't much left but it was 'gardening'

Also moving my deceased cuttings from the shelves was impetus to get some seed pots out there when I put things back

Yes they came and did the post this afternoon and lightly dug the bed they'd trampled. I had to take up all my cuttings which were just there but they did offer to replant anything that had to be dug up.

. I'm surprised how relieved I am to get it done. Sometimes I think you have to stop fighting stuff and give in. I can relax again and hope that's my 3 main things. Car, heating, fence.............I don't count the milk bottle that leaked into the fabric seat of the car today

Weather not great here. Cloudy, really cold showers that stopped occasionally. Can't tell the temperature as they knocked the thermometer (took everything else out of the way. But it's £1 for a huge one.

It's now very cold and damp and I took a photo of my plum blossom tree outside the bedroom window. Then put the camera back in the car

Tomorrow I'm hoping for a relaxing morning so I'll try and do it then.

Honestly I think I'm loosing my marbles!

-taff

2p, it was mostly green anway, someone had hacked their tree down and offered the bits.. Please don't expect all kinds of wonderful weaving, it's bog standard in and out, slghtly wonky, a bit gappy, very much done by someon who's never done it before

well done on at least taking a photo though

twopenny

Taff taking photos is my relaxation. Not remembering to charge the camera or even bring it into the house probably means I need to relax!

Well sun is out which cheers up the day but it's only 5c outside so still nippy. Grateful for small mercies though.

Gardening not on the cards, domestic nonsense perhaps followed by dancing. Soonest will be tomorrow afternoon if as promised, the sun is going to be out again.

One true sucess is my plum blossom (I've said this before but here's proof) which is outside my bedroom window. It makes me want to plant a tree outside each window because there's something nice about seeing trees as opposed to fence panels and tarmac that raises the soul.

Hmmm just went to order from T&M and it seems I must have signed in before but it must have been decades ago and not a clue what email or password it was. Don't remember ordering either.

Found it a bit of a minefield for not wanting to join other bits/be sent stuff/not sent stuff so one day I'll have to try and sort it all out.

Dustyevsky

twopenny said:

Dusty, I don't need reminding of that.

Everyone needs reminding that we're still in February, and super low temperatures are still possible for another month or so. OK if you have safe places for loads of seedlings, or you only deal in tough ones, but the GCs don't mind if gardeners lose small, tender plants they enthusiastically promote from the end of this month onwards. Besides, seedlings will soon catch up if thy are sown when light levels are stronger.

The exceptions are plants like peppers, with a long UK season to reach maturity, or seeds people don't mind taking a punt on. Most of us have a few of those....though probably not the F1 tomatoes at 35p a pop! If they've followed Farway's promos, they won't have cost that much, though.

However, I think a pattern is set by now in most winters

wort said:
I always forget to look for planets etc. so doubt I’ll be posting pics of them anytime soon.

Don't worry. I looked last night, and it still seemed like the usual mish-mash. I'd rather have pp's auroras any day!

Oh....seem to have lost the rest of my post. It was mainly stuff about Transit vans, taff, but I hadn't got to answering your question about the plant in my second 'eerie dawn' picture. It's Viburnum tinus, which always looks good at this time of year, flower-wise. Its leaves are like all the other evergreens and wind-blasted, but by May that will have sorted itself out.

It's good your post is fixed 2p. Stitch in time etc. Now, if the guy who's supposed to be re-setting some verge tiles for us would show-up before the nesting sparrows....

I seem to remember Farway talking about his inexpensive pelargoniums from Morries last year. Well, these are ours from somewhere equally cheap. They're looking ripe for taking a few cuttings in a month or so.

Yesterday it was so blustery, cold,. and sometimes wet with it, so I went shopping. Didn't notice anything very interesting, till I left Asda, where they still do washing powder stuff Mrs D likes. They had Clematis montana varieties at £2.50, and they were still alive!   If you have plenty of room....they were doing a deal on three!

pink_poppy

Pretty plum blossom, twopenny, makes me want one.

I would have given your pelargoniums a different name, Dusty - geranium - are they the same/related??

taff, well done for having a go at weaving, you'll be making baskets next    

wort, you've reminded me I want a 'Barnsley' - I had one in my very first garden and loved it. Lavatera, I think?? I'm pretty sure I've seen one growing in a local garden, so maybe I should sneak a cutting.

Frosty this morning, but it melted quite quickly. I've been out for a walk and it was chilly, but sunny. I heard a woodpecker and saw two thrushes while I was out

I had another look at my snake's head plants yesterday and there's a flower forming on one of them... (not sure why the pic is blurry)

Farway

Sun & frosty start, supposed to be sunny for the next few days, fingers crossed.

Hope you managed to sort out strawberries 2P, and the plum looks lovely. I saw one on the way back home today and it stood out.

My eating plum is still fast asleep. Keeping its head down and away from beady Bullfinch eyes, probably.

Dustyevsky said:

The exceptions are plants like peppers, with a long UK season to reach maturity, or seeds people don't mind taking a punt on. Most of us have a few of those....though probably not the F1 tomatoes at 35p a pop! If they've followed Farway's promos, they won't have cost that much, though.

I seem to remember Farway talking about his inexpensive pelargoniums from Morries last year. Well, these are ours from somewhere equally cheap. They're looking ripe for taking a few cuttings in a month or so.

Yesterday it was so blustery, cold,. and sometimes wet with it, so I went shopping. Didn't notice anything very interesting, till I left Asda, where they still do washing powder stuff Mrs D likes. They had Clematis montana varieties at £2.50, and they were still alive!   If you have plenty of room....they were doing a deal on three!

My new order of promo cheapo seeds, from Brown, arrived today, including peppers & chillis. I'll sow pepper & chilli in the propagator this weekend.

My cheapo Morries pelargoniums, that I thought may make it sheltered outside, didn't. Just mush now.

If weather keeps fine, I can clear those pots and maybe sow cheapo pot marigolds that have just arrived

I could go daft, & try Love in a Mist, again!

PP, Pelargonium is the "real" Latin name, geranium is common name, but the real geranium is different, which is why those in the know use the Latin name, to save confusion, one is hardy, other is not.

You may know common geraniums as crane's bill, very pretty as well as easy & colourful

They are not related

On my fleeting visit to Morries on Saturday, they had climbers out, similar price. I was tempted with a clematis to scramble over the dying buddleia at the front, but whenever I've tried anything much there, every slug comes from miles around.

My Jetfire daffs have re-appeared, noticed some Tetes have been nibbled, so I'll get some slug sweets down PDQ.

My Barnsley gave up and headed to the fjords, no idea why, but it just died. I'm trying cuttings from Buzz buddleias as replacement.

twopenny

Go for the Love in the Mist Farway.

I've tried for years and now it's self seeding. Could be the seed that fell into my shoes as I was walking around the area but I think it eventually gave into my determination from packets.

Poppy, it's a small version of Prunus Nigra, blooms very early and then has dark red leaves all summer which is colour in itself.

Columunar so top and roots don't spread much. Can be pruned.

Farway, no sign of confirmation email from T&M yet. It's been 3hrs.

Oh found it in Junk