Awful weather - typical Brits talk

Farway

Sunny, blue sky & warm already. Forecast is same all week, Yay, go sun.

With that forecast I started the watering regime this morning, umpteen trips watering the pots at the front, added some feed in at the same time.

twopenny said:

Fountain has worked all winter but not today, not when cleaned, no idea. I hope it's not only usable for a year.

Plum has some blossom - but all on the two new branches on my neighbours side   I have about 3 blossoms my side!

Thanks Farway. I have a glass porch with a sliding door that's another Heath Robinson affair but there's no replacement door and the runners are gummed up with grit, leaves and dirt and sometimes won't run.

I've been using WD40 but can only squirt so far. I thought I may try Silicone as I bought a whole spray only to use a tiny bit.

Your fig plants are selling at £99 in the garden centre...................

Sounds like something, like hose, is detached in pump, has it got a filter to clog up?

I'm waiting on my plum, any day now. My FBook memories has a photo of my plum in blossom, so it's later this year..

Your sliding door, mine was like that, silicone worked its way in and now it whizzes along over the folowing few days.. I think I need another squirt just to keep it up. 

Lack of care & attention on my part, I should really clean out the runner slots, but CBA with my poor old back, I'd never get up again.

I was told by Up & Over door expert that WD40 is no no, it's a grit & dust magnet

I love the thought of £99 fig plants, like the £2 punnets of blackberries & a quid for four apples

Another batch of peas shoots seeds drained & on damp tissue to sprout

Later, if I can find them, I'll sow a final batch of toms for outside, the Polish ones, or are they Russian? Anyway, supposed to be good for cooler climes, which guarantees a scorching summer.

My conservatory ones are romping away & will need potting on this week

As a sign of summer to come, here's embryo Gooseberry Fools, growing on what I thought was a dead gooseberry, but it's obviously a tough old thing.

Nice fruit when ripe, it's OK to eat off the bush

pink_poppy

Not a happy bunny this morning when I got up at my usual time to pitch black because of the clock change   I didn't notice it yesterday (in bed with a hangover) but it was horrible after really loving the 6.30am light mornings we've been having.

Nice goosegogs, Farway.

Lovely pic of tall tree and church path, YBE, looks very peaceful. There's a huge tree in Fort William that DD and I love and we send each other pics of it when we're there

That's sod's law about your plum blossom being on your neighbour's side, twopenny.

You were up late (or early), Dusty.

My Amaryllis is looking lovely - both flowers opened fully for Mother's Day - I'm still feeling amazed/chuffed that I got it to flower again    

A drizzly start to the day, but it's supposed to brighten up this afternoon. Lots of sun forecast for this week

twopenny

Sunny and spring like outside but still chilly out of the sun.

My gooseberries have also survived me neglecting them horribily. One in leaf like your photo and one about to. The About To not only had a hard life thanks to me but then got hammered when the fence support went it so it's a bit reluctant.

I noticed my red currants, now planted in the Badger Run, have tiny fruits or flowers growing. Only be a few as I had to cut them down to move but couldn't throw them and not enough space in the garden.

The Cox apple may or may not bloom. It's sat in indecision perhaps anticipating is it worth it if the fruits are to be stolen.

I've let the Broccoli and useless sprouts go to flower for the bees and insects.

No gardening anticipated today. Don't know what I did to my back yesterday but it's still complaining and I have dance and table tennis this afternoon. If rest didn't work I may as well go for it and see if exercise does.

Hmmmm to the WD40 being a dust magnet. I was told by our Window Doctor to on no account use it. But any port in a storm and she didn't give me an alternative. The wheels and brushes get horribly wet so it seemed logical. No harm in trying the silicone.

I'm ok with the attempted maintenance, I can kneel just fine. It's after that the problems start. Think it's time to use weed killer on the block paving instead of a wire brush. That always was a killer.

Thought I'd better post first. I have the Gas meter read today. Site won't recognise my account number, ringing takes about an hour to someone in another continent by which time I'm teeth grinding.

Farway

twopenny said:

My gooseberries have also survived me neglecting them horribily. One in leaf like your photo and one about to. The About To not only had a hard life thanks to me but then got hammered when the fence support went it so it's a bit reluctant.

I noticed my red currants, now planted in the Badger Run, have tiny fruits or flowers growing. Only be a few as I had to cut them down to move but couldn't throw them and not enough space in the garden.

The Cox apple may or may not bloom. It's sat in indecision perhaps anticipating is it worth it if the fruits are to be stolen.

I've let the Broccoli and useless sprouts go to flower for the bees and insects.

No gardening anticipated today. Don't know what I did to my back yesterday but it's still complaining and I have dance and table tennis this afternoon. If rest didn't work I may as well go for it and see if exercise does.

Hmmmm to the WD40 being a dust magnet. I was told by our Window Doctor to on no account use it. But any port in a storm and she didn't give me an alternative. The wheels and brushes get horribly wet so it seemed logical. No harm in trying the silicone.

I'm ok with the attempted maintenance, I can kneel just fine. It's after that the problems start. Think it's time to use weed killer on the block paving instead of a wire brush. That always was a killer.

Thought I'd better post first. I have the Gas meter read today. Site won't recognise my account number, ringing takes about an hour to someone in another continent by which time I'm teeth grinding.

Good fruity news 2P, that's what I like about goosegogs & currants, seem to be tough old “doers”, always get something, birds, rats etc allowing

Hope the Cox cheers up, hate to say, but my Champion has loads of buds, it'll be a cracker this year . The rats also love them, nicked even in the net bags. I'll pick early this year.

Fingers crossed the door gets whizzing, I know mine used to “put me back out” it was so stiff.

With the block paving, could you sow eri whatsit or similar small spreading plants, hearts ease for instance, in the cracks? One less job and super eco green

https://balconygardenweb.com/plants-for-cracks-and-crevices/

https://www.sarahraven.com/articles/what-and-how-to-plant-in-paving-cracks

Don't mention meters, I've changed Leccy supplier and it won't allow me to enter reading, reported and in hand, snooze.

Sowed a dozen tom seeds, for outdoors, all bush ones this year, to make it easy for the slugs

Just poked T & M about one of my new rhubarb roots, it's a bit squishy & I think it's duff . Usually they are good on this sort of thing, so just have to wait & see.

twopenny

Lovely plants for cracks - but they're the ones I'm trying to get rid of

Loved the Snow in Summer and no way the Mind your own Business. I did use it for a lawn under the trees in my last place. Much easier than grass. 

Then of course the grass decided to grow through it!

Doesn't mention you'll get soggy shoes and trousers as you walk through them, not to mention tripping over them.

Heard today that apparantly shops are selling out of rhubarb because some influencer said it was wonderful.

Dustyevsky

Help! Where did all the quotes I had here go?

I had a 'busy' weekend, resulting in being here at silly o'clock, and then confusion over hen getting-up-time.

We had a big celebration on Sunday. Our DD2 is due to give birth in about 2 months time, and for the Indian side of the family this will be the first grandchild. The Indian Hindu equivalent of a baby shower is a ceremony called Godh Bharai, and that's what we held in a local hall here.

Those coming from London and Leicester decided to have some time in Devon, so a couple of large houses were rented nearby. Meanwhile, we hosted some friends in less salubrious surroundings, on air beds and in our old caravan. Most people went home on Sunday evening, but a few are still here, having enjoyed Rosemoor and other local attractions.

So....it's official now, all being well, we'll be grandparents in early June. That's also when the happy couple are due to move into their new home, so life this spring/early summer may be 'interesting!'

After doing my share of the clearing-up, I managed to slip away for a few hours yesterday afternoon to pirck-out some toms, cues, lettuce, and Echium. The latter has suddenly decided to grow very easily for me again, after a mystery year off, when the same seed was uncooperative. I've also had two of the insanely tall Echium pininana germinate, and possibly more of those to come.

I can't match Bluey's 'big-bottomed tree' (Shades of Spinal Tap/Queen there?) but here's one with quite a large protuberance, and it's just outside a churchyard....I'm referring to the bent one behind the seat, which looks  like it's photobombing the stiff, upright and more noble one behind it!

wort

Dusty very regal puss, what a beauty. 

Farway I was picturing the rats with little highway man masks on standing on their back paws untying the net bags 😂 you and YBE certainly have a way with words, makes me giggle.
well done on the goosegogs, and Pp on the amaryllis ,I prefer the colour on that type.

The weekend was madness, I reckon every home in the country had a bunch of flowers in it judging off the amount we had in work😳 I couldn’t move for boxes when I got in each day but by 11am not a single bunch left . Add to that the football/ rugby games played at home this weekend which is right by us. Traffic was gridlocked.
I didn’t like the clocks changing meaning it was back to dark getting up. 

Last night was a meal for a friend retirement, a little too much Prosecco drunk , which on top of a busy day / weekend means an easy start today.

Back to normal now and a couple of days off, bedding just been put out and I’ve opened the windows, blue sky and sun ☀️ bit chilly but hoping temp improves.

I picked up some seeds in lidl, I know I said I wasn’t going to buy seeds again as I don’t do well with them, but at 25p a pack my plan is to just throw them in the garden see if any take. Any idea when best to do it?  The pack says temps of 15 to 20 c from April. Not sure I’ll get those temps. 

Farway

Blue sky & sunshine, ideal weather for the Garden areas of orange DIY sheds to flog those tender plants, frost on the cars this morning

The warm weekend will have fooled many new gardeners to believe because plants are on sale it's OK to plant them, shame really.

Congrats of Grandad duties soon, Dusty, always something "new" to teach the younger ones.

I was surprised to find out my GC, youngest, 14, did not know that rubbing a balloon on a jumper will make it "stick" to your hair. 

Balloons were for 18 YO GC birthday, and he never knew either, just what are they not teaching? Don't they electrocute kids with a Van de Graff generator any more in Science?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_de_Graaff_generator

The fresh sowing of rocket is up, the first lot has drooped, carp compost IMO. Have to decide on next move, plant it out or wait and see?

I forgot to harvest some pea shoots last night, only a few, but they are ready for scoffing.

If I remember, I think I'll bung them in a sandwich at lunchtime

wort said:

Farway I was picturing the rats with little highway man masks on standing on their back paws untying the net bags 😂 you and YBE certainly have a way with words, makes me giggle.
well done on the goosegogs, and Pp on the amaryllis ,I prefer the colour on that type.

I picked up some seeds in lidl, I know I said I wasn’t going to buy seeds again as I don’t do well with them, but at 25p a pack my plan is to just throw them in the garden see if any take. Any idea when best to do it?  The pack says temps of 15 to 20 c from April. Not sure I’ll get those temps. 

Yep, I can picture that, little s0ds with masks & bags of Swag [my apples] over their shoulders

Your Lidl seeds, depends on what they are, but generally if you can see weed seeds germinating then it's the time

I just did the same for some old cosmos last weekend, if they grow, great, if not, nothing much lost

I asked AI to show me a pic of ratty robber, here he is, with a bag of nicked apples

twopenny

That's scarey Farway!

Dusty, I'd say congratulations but really that's for the (at the moment) happy couple  

Wort that sounds busy. Surprised you found the time to even put out plants.

I always chuck seeds on the ground and cover them in the hope the birds don't find them. They are busy out there feeding and building nests.

Some things grow and some don't. I found Cosmos want's some tender loving and sown in a pot or else.

Bitter east wind out there despite the lovely sun it's cold so we'll see how it goes. Was 4c this morning and managed 7c now but it looks much cheerier fron inside.

Managed to get the pots out front watered last evening. I'm all out of plant food, I use Phostrogen powder and thought I'd bought a box. Now it seems they have it in pelets or something which I don't want. The powder acts as foliage feed and was recommended by a gardener years ago who had magnificent flowers.

I've just put an order in for Wet and Forget with Wickes and delivery. It works out cheaper than Amazon and a darn sight easier.

Looked up Phostrogen powder and seems Toolstation keeps it. Who'd have thought. That's cheaper than the garden center and there's a TS near the supermarket in big town so easy.

Seems these days it's best to do a search and not rely on the expected like Amazon et al.

Was going to get some more poppy seeds, I have a mix of saved purple, red and a pack of californian so to be scattered in the badger run.

Seems I might try a trip to Lidl though ours doesn't seem to be as productive as some of yous.

Dustyevsky

Farway said:

Congrats of Grandad duties soon, Dusty, always something "new" to teach the younger ones.

I was surprised to find out my GC, youngest, 14, did not know that rubbing a balloon on a jumper will make it "stick" to your hair.

Or that combing your hair will make little bits of tissue become jump to the comb, as if magnetised. But there again, would they care, in this age of PlayStations?   Unfortunately, much of what I found out as a nipper, is probably best remaining unknown to modern youngsters, who don't always have great self-preservation skills. There again, when I was in hospital, aged 7, having my squint corrected, the lad in the next bed had just lost an eye, looking to see where the arrow he'd fired skywards had gone! 

twopenny said:

Dusty, I'd say congratulations but really that's for the (at the moment) happy couple  

Was going to get some more poppy seeds, I have a mix of saved purple, red and a pack of californian so to be scattered in the badger run.

Indeed. If it had been down to me, I'd have waited till securely ensconced in my new home. However, with the age of home ownership increasing all the time.......   It isn't just the music that seems to have been better in 'the bad old days.'

I'm growing that purple poppy 'Lauren's Grape' this year. Bought it on offer and hope it will self-seed from now onwards.

Another cold, but not frosty morn, with that cutting, easterly wind, still preventing me from bonfiring the stuff left over from winter maintenance. 

Yesterday, after all the festivities at the weekend, I took half a day in the polytunnel pirking-out, potting on etc.As mentioned earlier, I'm riddling all of this compost through a 1/4" sieve to make (with other ingredients) a good sowing mix:

https://www.gardenhealth.com/erin-traditional-multipurpose-compost

And this is what's left. 

The carp is going in the bottom of pots for established plants, so none will be wasted. I think it will drain well.