Awful weather - typical Brits talk

Farway

Dull grey, but mild. Liike Dusty said The wind is due to increase later, then it's back to squelchio, with some heavier rain through the night. Spring was nice while it lasted. 😥

It was gawjus 😁while it lasted, although I didn't do much gardening when I should've got on with it, hay & sunshine etc.

What I did do was look at YT on fig pruning stuff, seems they fruit on fresh growth, and pruning keeps in bounds, plus need for feeding. I'm all clued up now and if rain holds off I'm out there this afternoon with my secateurs & bucket of Q4

I've spied a suitable large pot to stick the fig pruning / cuttings in, to let them rooted. I don't need any more figs, but can't resit free, and I bet I can give them away

I also found out why one lot of last year's figs fell off after starting to ripen, seems they were Breba ones. Now I have a mini problem, what to do if I get same this year? But dropping before ripening seems to be linked to lack of nutrients, so feeding is critical, this year will see me feeding & feeding the blighters Breba figs

Managed to get BF & B from Home B while out yesterday, all set to feed the Tete a Tete daffs once the flowering is over, and generally add around the raspberry & rhubarb in tubs

YBE, the fable never happened tale, I assume not eligible to play R card as well? The more one hears the more the saying about common sense is not that common appears to be reality

Hope the Canute tree planting plan goes well Dusty, looking forward to the updates.

On trees, my little maple, from Morries last year, is starting to come back to life. I'll pot on this year, still only a small stick and still trying hard to die.

Also from Morries, the Echi thingys [cone flower] bought as weedy looking roots in Jan are just showing some leaf life, one is ruby coloured, maybe it's just the young growth, be nice if it was red leaves.

Today is a fuschia, from a pruned stick poked in last year. It's in a tub at the front, where my LIAM should be 😣

Dustyevsky

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81900131#Comment_81900131

If our hedge goes above the screen it's likely to be cut and thrown over nowadays. 'Twas not always so, but it's a new policy, along with the unhelpful dam.🙄 Mr C believes the second agricultural entrance to our land was built illegally, despite council approval, so he dislikes us. The entrance is over 150m from his house and he can't see it. Go figure! The hedge only backs onto a rough utility area with some old sheds, compost bins etc. Even if we look over the top, we can't see his proper garden.

Sadly Mr C and Mr K do indeed have us between them, but Mr New is also involved, and Mr C has fallen-out with him already. 😄On the plus side, Mr New has cut down the dead Wych Elm which Mr C complained about, but now he's planted 30 trees in the sunny field corner behind Mr C's utility area! 🤣

So, it's all going on. Mr New seems a pleasant chap, but I wouldn't mess with him. 😉 He has plans for the neglected woodland which runs parallel with Mr C's half acre of garden. That may distract from what we're doing, though nothing we create will negatively affect Mr C. He just won't have a view into our wildlife area.

Useful DGS is 150miles away in the Midlands, and he has concentration difficulties, so would need close supervision, even if he were here. I could pull by hand, but a selective weedkiller is faster. It's not like Cleavers is a rare species, and I'm happy to let it do its thing everywhere else. We have a hot bank garden along the other side.

Rain has stopped here, so I'm off to finish retrieving the alder firewood. In 2028 I'll be glad I did!😁

twopenny

Funny old day 🤔

Bright and dry if grey and warm. Had stuff to do this morning. I now have crutches given by a kind lady and can go for a walk and fresh air. Also I'm not getting inflammation or back pain now I use them 😊

So what do I do with this? Well mowed the front lawn, thinned out the rose, tried to regenerate the lavender, fed and swept 😄 then the rain got beyond a light mist and was time to go in.

Of course the back garden looks like a dogs dinner and it's set to rain forever.

Taff yes, that spot with the bench is very tranquil with all sorts of huge ponds. Surprising how few people know about it. It's full of wildlife and robins will feed from your hand. It's my place to decompress with my camera and watch for kingfishers 😊

Farway I'd love a fig cutting 🙏 I was going to try and get a photo of the one near me. It's covered with figs this year and very tempting.

Dusty there must be something quicker you can errect than trees. I'm going to work on that thought and see what I can think of that Mr Canute would enjoy 😉

Less those crocus (crocii) are lovely, so cheerful and chubby they always make you smile. I used to work where I could see a great bank of them.

Bluey, some weird people in the world who think not following the rules is fine and someone will sort it out. Seems like you're in the right place 😉

Lots on tomorrow that's not gardening including going out in the evening. Seems odd these days. Not much on in the evenings since the pandemic. Quiz night Dusty. If there are any interesting questions I'll let you know. BTW what was that town?

LessImpecunious

Dusty said:

Sadly Mr C and Mr K do indeed have us between them, but Mr New is also involved, and Mr C has fallen-out with him already. 😄On the plus side, Mr New has cut down the dead Wych Elm which Mr C complained about, but now he's planted 30 trees in the sunny field corner behind Mr C's utility area! 🤣

Now I'm really confused - there's a Mr New as well? We (well I) really need a map, but that might be a giveaway for your location😎 Could never understand what Mr C was trying to achieve with his dam for starters, despite descriptions and photos…🤔 Anyhow, glad at least that your leg is (presumably) well enough for firewood harvesting!

And 2P amazing powers of recovery, from semi-immobile to lawnmowing (not sure how you managed that with the crutches🤣)…

OT, supposedly mildish again today, but with semi-apocalyptic rain for much of the afternoon it was distinctly chilly once soaked (even WC and hat)…😄

Dustyevsky

The land situation isn't complex. There's a stream flowing east to west. South of the stream are two field and/or woodland properties: Mr New's and Mr King's. North of the stream, are two properties: Mr Canute's garden and our wildlife area/mini wood, beyond which is our lower field. The stream is a natural boundary, but there are hedges/fences, to keep animals /people in their proper places.

2p said: Dusty there must be something quicker you can errect than trees. I'm going to work on that thought and see what I can think of that Mr Canute would enjoy 😉

Yes, but anything unnatural is out, and we're not seeking to antagonise. I'm fed-up looking at that privacy fence in winter, although there are worse greens available in nylon mesh! 😲 It will take 3 or 4 years to get the natural hedge, but so long as it's growing, and we're doing something positive, I'll feel OK with the situation. There are more important concerns.😉

Back to the tree felling, which didn't need much sustained energy, other than climbing a ladder to secure ropes. I made a first cut at the base of the tree, a second a few feet up and then a third, but the latter two cuts didn't go right through. It's hard to explain, but often one can do this in calm weather with the tree in situ, then give a pull on a rope and the top bit falls where you want it. I went off to find Mrs Dusty, who was supposed to be rope pulling, but she'd gone to sleep.😖 So I returned, only to find the tree had come down! The top part had twisted and fallen in the wrong direction. Well, at least it didn't hit the caravan. 😇

It was actually a good result, falling neatly on the hedge between us and a commercial yard, where there was no one to see it. 😁 I was knackered, so tidied up the heavier bits with the saw, and left the rest till yesterday. Now it's all in the yard, ready to split, or on the hedgehog pile.

Like 2p, I've been suffering, not with the cellulitis, but joint pain, worsened by several months of relative inactivity with all the rain. Rest is no good if poor muscle condition is at fault. That's why the physios specify exercises for osteoarthritis. I hate doing exercises, but resorted to some yesterday. I'd guess 2p can manage lawn mowing with something to hang onto for stability.

2p said: Quiz night Dusty. If there are any interesting questions I'll let you know. BTW what was that town?

Sorry, my bad.😧 The answer is Buckfastleigh. 13 letters and no repeats. It was tough for folk here, being in that posh area, south of the annoying lump called Dartmoor. I believe you went to the Abbey nearby a year or two ago.

twopenny

Indeed I did and it was a lovely day. Would like to go back on my own with my camera and relax. A friend 'volunteered' to come with me and that makes it impossible to wander. But our coach company no longer exists. I find summer traffic driving over distance just annoying.

Yes I learned to mow a lawn from stationary decades ago when I had a foot op. You brace yourself with one foot in front of the other and push and pull. Getting the machine out and back is the tricky part 😐

That tree looks a close call Dusty. Good thing it didn't come down on the green fence thingy.

YoungBlueEyes

Morning all, on the day Cilla Black had her first chart topper 😀

Another quick ish go this morning. I'm at the toothsmith shortly, then I'm off up to Old Town to see Poor Friend. I'm not sure I've mentioned her - she used to be my boss years ago. We got on so well because her boss was an absolute ersehole and that's what we originally bonded over. Gawd we do nothing but laugh. S0d the DomNon 🤭

Thanks for naming that town Dusty, it saves me asking. I didn't get it (naturally) I'll have to make a note of it cos I was asking people at work but none of us got it. Bit of a umm …lucky break… with your tree there ha haa! Being a rose between 2 thorns is a bit of a bu99er, has it brought forward thoughts of moving? Good to hear your leg isn't so bad now 😊

Fingers crossed for your fig bits Farway, but bad news they fruit on new growth. My one still has the same number of arms it had last year (4 I think, I can't see it from here) so no figs for me? 😥 The fable of the thing wot didn't happen - no not eligible to play the R Card. They were FTBs though, and we go extra far to help them, having not been through it before, but that took the biscuit. Neurodivergent is the new anxiety 😈

Parp prp prp prp parp parp par paaaarp for crutches 2p 😃🎉 There'll be no stopping you now! I do wish I lived nearer you when you put up sitooterie etc pics. They're perfect spots for sitting the whole day through and just quietly watching and listening ☺️

I forgot to mention your crocuseses Less - I'm very fond of a crocus #commonthingswotmakemyheartsmile Facking pigeons trample all over mine. I'd be alright if someone wanted to start interfering with them so we had a greater range of colours/textures actually 😀

Right that's enough, I'm at the dentist in less than an hour. Damp and very very slightly mizzling out there, and it's to rain on and off all day. Possibly. Mild enough though, even if the sobers tell me it's 3' WoC.

twopenny

Oh I have lots of places like that Bluey from when I used to work. Me the dog and a book, but most I can't get to at the moment. I think that was pre photographing everything but I must have a look.

Good luck at the dentist. Seems to be the time for bits to be sorted.

Got some lemon pips to plant and that's all there's time for. I decided it was worth a try (any tips welcome) because they are pretty plants and who knows, with global boiling might get a fruit in 10yrs 😉

I'm nattering in bits because I have an unusual day of activity right through. It's very mild at 12c , no wind though grey it's much brighter. Rained overnight and due again later so not missing anything on the gardening front.

Dustyevsky

Bluey said: Thanks for naming that town Dusty, it saves me asking. I didn't get it (naturally) I'll have to make a note of it cos I was asking people at work but none of us got it. Bit of a umm …lucky break… with your tree there ha haa! Being a rose between 2 thorns is a bit of a bu99er, has it brought forward thoughts of moving?

I make up some questions, but that one was stolen. Now I'm a Quiz setter, I look out for promising questions and jot them down.😉

Moving isn't something we want to do, but it could be forced on us by poor health, or influences stronger than petty nonsense purveyed by a few dopey neighbours. Having gone through many changes over the past 7 decades and more, I've learned they happen when the time is right. You wake up one day, and suddenly, the way ahead is there.😊

I woke up this morning, and after seeing Farway's post yesterday, pulled the fleece off my overwintering fuchsias to find they're also shooting. 😁 A couple of dicentras with them are well away too. Whoops! Time to get those in somewhere. 😬 The fuchsias will need a bit of TLC first.

But it's shopping today, hopefully before the rain…. Tomorrow looks the better bet for sunshine. 😎

Farway

Misty & damp, but seems I have a dry bit until tea time, so maybe get those darn figs pruned.

YBE, good fig news, although they only fruit on new growth [UK], you get new growth every year, so in our climate they have to get a shift on, hence need loads of grub if in pots,. And pruning is just to get them low enough to pick , and open to air & sunshine, so you are not up a ladder etc

There are some good YT clips, but they do tend to contradict at times. I'm going to hedge my bets, my main fig has about four "arms" and I'm cutting back half of them and see how it goes

Good news is figs will grow back next year even if you begger it all up

2P, if you get chance with the one you see, bit breaks of as you walk by, fig cuttings are really easy to grow, even in water. I'll get some going, but keep your eyes open, I've seen them in the likes of Lidl, only small but figs grow like mad. Mine were Wilko and Lidl, around £3 from memory

Hope the neighbourhood, or clear way ahead gets resolved Dusty, speaking as someone a decade further on you are right, the way ahead becomes more clear, unfortunately not always in the way hoped for, for instance if the tree had tumbled a bit earlier 😲 Or in case of friends friend, failed routine eye test & driving licence instantly revoked.

Going to wrap it up here, have to get on with other things, catch you later