Awful weather - typical Brits talk

Farway

No rain here, thanks for taking the hit Dave , I've just looked at the radar, the centre of the low is between  Bournemouth & Isle of Wight, won't be long before I get I guess

With that in mind I'll leave the last few runners in the conservatory for today, I'm just about up to date with plants now anyway, finally pricked out all the coleus yesterday, they seem tough young seedlings for pricking out, roots quite happy with being stuffed into a hole and watered in, unlike tomatoes that go all sulky

Sod's law I guess when a few losses will be of no concern they all live, actually if the cunning pan I have for using them as bedding works I think they'll make a nice, if Municipal Park like display, not a Floral Clock though

Apodemus

Our rain eventually stopped yesterday and I managed out for a walk in the pinewoods - an 8-mile, 3-hour walk and didn't see another soul all afternoon.  Nice pic Dave, no bluebells in the pine forest here, and I've not walked in our local oak forest for a few weeks, so I'm not sure if they are blooming yet.  Up here, of course, the concept of the woods being "open" or not is completely alien and except during active logging operations, we can walk as we please, with the law firmly on our side.

twopenny

Been pouring down for nearly 3 days and still grizzling. Everything is sodden so that's me not gardening again. Walks are off the cards too.

But at least I know the pots are watered and it's stopped me buying more plants

phoebe1989seb

Yesterday we had sunshine in the morning/majority of the afternoon so I was able to get a few perennials planted as well as doing some weeding in the rose beds. Quite a few roses have buds now and the largest peonies (planted in 2018) do too. I've still got loads of stuff to plant but as it hasn't stopped raining since late last evening I'm not doing that today 😎

I noticed the first open flower on one of my recently planted Libertia Grandiflora this morning 😃

Lovely bluebell pic, Dave! The lower level of my rockery is full of them right now and we have a few in our little wooded area, although the wild garlic is gradually taking over 🙄

twopenny

Ah you can cook with wild garlic - or deworm cats and dogs.

I saw a lady out on a pavement in the cold and pouring rain turning out a large trough very throughly. I did go up and congratulate her.

I have one clematis flower blooming. I think it's trying to hide against the fence for cover from the rain.

My onions didn't swell this year. I bought a mix of types in 'sets' for the first time to plant out. They do still work as Spring onions though which I harvest as needed. Next year back to the bog standard ones.

Dave, how did you get the bluebell colour in your lovely photograph? Mine always turn pale blue - 3 cameras.

Davesnave

twopenny said:

Dave, how did you get the bluebell colour in your lovely photograph? Mine always turn pale blue - 3 cameras.

I'll tell you if you can tell me how to get a cat to eat wild garlic!   In my world, to get a worm pill into the cats, they must be wrapped closely in a towel and then a thing like syringe goes down the feline throat and a plunger sends the pill beyond the gulp-back zone. Works every time and the best couple of quid I ever spent!

With bluebell photos I reduce the lighting using 'Levels' in my photo program and I might push up the intensity of blue in 'Colours,' though I didn't with that one. Days of bright sunshine in a woodland may be problematic because of the huge range in light levels, espeially if the canopy is sparse.

twopenny

Thanks Dave I don't have those fancy bits but I did wonder about the light looking at the weather and shadows in your photo.

To get a cat to eat wild garlic you have to grow it in the garden -  planting something you'll never get rid of is too high a price to pay.

I'll remember your technique should I get another cat. Dogs I found are easier. wrap a half tablet in soft sliced bread and make a ball. Do the same with just bread, no tablet. You hold both in front of said dog, tablet one first and they are so determined to get both that they've swallowed the pill. They know they have but too late. Repeat with another half.

That is a money saving tip. They used to sell soft biscuits with a hole for this job but pricey.

 Was supposed to have our first real outing today with a friend to hit on 3 garden centers with accompaning lunch and tea out.Still raining. Tomorrows not looking good either.

goldfinches

Hello all, raining cats and dogs here so I've spent the day indoors on the sofa although I did go for walk with friends yesterday afternoon to see the lilacs along the river which are looking and smelling lovely.
While browsing various baking sites I ran across this page which suggests that one can use dried yeast to both kill slugs and speed up ones compost and wondered whether anyone had any comments.
5 Surprising Uses for Yeast | Baking Mad | Baking Mad

Davesnave

twopenny said:

Thanks Dave I don't have those fancy bits but I did wonder about the light looking at the weather and shadows in your photo.

 Was supposed to have our first real outing today with a friend to hit on 3 garden centers with accompaning lunch and tea out.Still raining. Tomorrows not looking good either.

There are loads of free photo editing suites such as Photoshop Express, a cut down version of Photoshop that doesn't have the steep learning curve. I use an old version of Zoner, but it's no longer free.

I'm supposed to be on a long walk with my friend who does the more challenging ones tomorrow, but it's not looking great, with potential heavy downpours. We might get a few miles in. The problem is the state of things underfoot, as neither of us do heavy footwear these days.

Davesnave

goldfinches said:

 I ran across this page which suggests that one can use dried yeast to both kill slugs and speed up ones compost and wondered whether anyone had any comments.
5 Surprising Uses for Yeast | Baking Mad | Baking Mad

I haven't heard of that, but I believe oatmeal will attract slugs. I'm told when they eat it they swell up and die. Hmmm...should have kept the out of date oat cakes I put in recycling!