Awful weather - typical Brits talk

Farway

2P said Farway what about grafting something else on to some branches of your red pear? And indeed yes, I mentioned the micro tomato on here in the hope someone had names. I'm guessing either Monty didn't care having a huge garden and he'd been told to talk about them. He didn't look very enthusiastic about the idea. Or, best guess is that the editor isn't a gardener and cropped it out

I have tried grafting, I think I should've started about 40 years ago, then I may have got the knack of it by now. Failed of course 🤕, I suspect it's like bricklaying or tiling, dead easy after hundreds of attempts. I even joined a FB scion swap group but I never got one graft to "take". If I think of it I may ask Horticultural DGD if she is any good at it, it all looks so easy

Ref micro toms & GW, I have been bothering AI for details of grower etc, all useless dead ends. But I have just joined a couple of private FB groups, all about toms and tom seed swaps so I'll let you know. If you want to have look for yourself search on "Tomato growers UK" and go from there, you get worldwide options in the FB search

twopenny

Oh I thought it went well ☹️ I tried once or twice but not very carefully granted. It does look obvious. Like so many things 😄

I feel life's too short this year to wait for delivery and get planting more seeds. Probably my disappointment in my toms being so pathetic. But I'd need to start them early to try and extend the harvest season.

I thought I'd go on the gardener's world forums but they've gone like the dead parrot 😲

Surprised about AI. The fount of all screen scrapers. Perhaps micro tomatoes don't really exist and that's why Monty didn't name them 😄

Sunny tomorrow but of course I'm out all day. The compost heap will have to wait. Don't think it's going anywhere.

I found this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Red-Robin-Tomato-Seeds-Heirloom/dp/B0GRRVL8XL/ref%3Dasc_df_B0GRRVL8XL?tag=bingshoppinga-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=79920962815687&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=m&hvlocint=188&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4583520447456775&psc=1&msclkid=8bc39cc7ff181e363e80f50e59ff00c7

Some places you get more seeds.

And a few others but ripening seems to be in the same time frame as others. I feel the quantity of fruit to such tiny plants a bit disturbing if there is no extra advantage. Need to know more

Dustyevsky

2p said : Dusty I love your stream. It's perfect just small like that. Yes mucking about in the garden counts. It's what 90% of gardening is 😄

The other end isn't so nice, where the sand and mud has accumulated behind Mr Canute's barrier. However, that can be exhumed in an hour or two and used with the stones and concrete blocks from the hedge trench to raise the bank. That will make it more accessible. When life gives you lemons….etc.😉

On small tomatoes, I don't think it needs to be complicated. We grew 'Cherry Falls' last year and two plants in a 35cm pot produced more than we could eat fresh in just a few square feet, if I can mix my measures!

https://www.simplyseed.co.uk/tomato-seeds/tomato-cherry-falls.html?srsltid=AfmBOooju9xenop_lADQa-m56s0oLZWN--sD1pIW71siaYjIBfuyYy5t

They weren't the best toms I've tasted, but they were easy, and very acceptable. ☺️

On to hedgehogs, and I've still not taken pictures of their houses. At some point, ours babies will return as adults from the rescue, but obviously there are natural homes here, as we have a number of hogs back at the feeding station overnight. We're not sure, but it's either 3 or 4. These are two of them, one inside eating and one heading inwards:

The contortionist cat who went inside last year has been IDed. She hasn't been well recently, thanks to a fight with another feline, so she may stick closer to home now. It wasn't one of ours. They don't fight! 😇

Yesterday deteriorated into wet hoolie by lunchtime, so I stayed in and spent money (wisely! 😜) on stuff that may be harder to find or more expensive soon. e.g.cat food. 😕 In the morning, I readied the sheds for the double log delivery tomorrow, and other dull, but necessary, jobs.

Today, more wind say the drunks, but sunshine will be with us too. No more rain until Friday, allegedly, and no sunshine either, so a very dull run-up to Easter. I can live with that if the wind abates…🤔

YoungBlueEyes

Morning all, on …Ummm … back to work Day (I’m only on my phone)

Good thing I’m lazy/forgetful then re the compost for my seeds - it was himself’s youngest ‘Orrible sister’s birthday and we all went out for a meal so I didn’t get it done. I’ll sling some seed about and hope some of them survive the endless rounds of bladdy weeding 🤞🏻

Thanks for magnolia identification folks. It’s named just right, it does look like starbursts 🙂

Cold here this morning, but the sunrise was a lovely sort of red colour 😊 5’c currently but -3’ if you’re coatless 🥶Tusky says it’ll be 12’c this aft possibly.

LessImpecunious

2P - I found a website called Tomato Revolution that has lots of dwarf and micro tomatoes - very pricey, but you can then search for the varieties named from cheaper sources. If you use Facebook the no-dig gardening group (called UnDug) has lots of tomato enthusiasts who could probably recommend good varieties (I got helpful advice on vars that might survive in my cold climes), they are also advocates of not rushing to sow early as later sowings often catch up with early ones sold in cooler conditions once it warms up… (so all that's needed now is for it to warm up😖)… I sowed my toms on the 29th March last year and had my best ever crop…

Farway

Sunny start but going downhill later, not put my beans or mange Ts out yet, I think this clock mucking around has mucked me around as well, or maybe it's latent lurgy?

I did join a couple of FB Tomato groups, not looked too closely, still finding my way around. They do seed swaps but I need to find out how, it's verboten to beg for seeds, but they do have regular list what you want every week. This week, must be magic, it's Micro seed swap 😂

Each Monday here in Tomato Lover's Collective & Swap!, we host a special swap exclusively for micro/mini dwarf tomato varieties!

Micro Toms are a whole new world, loads of them, under a foot tall, although some allow 2 feet. My Bajaja is in the Micro category, 9 to 15 inches. As is my Balcony Yellow, Yay to me 🤩, ahead of the curve without realising there was one.

Dusty said On small tomatoes, I don't think it needs to be complicated. We grew 'Cherry Falls' last year and two plants in a 35cm pot produced more than we could eat fresh in just a few square feet, if I can mix my measures! https://www.simplyseed.co.uk/tomato-seeds/tomato-cherry-falls.html?srsltid=AfmBOooju9xenop_lADQa-m56s0oLZWN--sD1pIW71siaYjIBfuyYy5t

I've grown C Falls, easy enough, I had it in baskets and it was OK, plant & let it get on with it, like all the micro types

Another thing I found in common with the FB tom group, Paul Robeson is a firm favourite! But mine, as you know, are a bit scrawny so far

The FB tom group also practice knocking the seeds / trays etc onto the ground and mixing them all up, I'm not alone.

Good luck with seed slinging YBE, works a lot of times and nothing to lose. I've slung some old cornflower seeds on Dog Poo border

Thanks for Tom web site Less, I'll look with envy. Just looked, the owner is the same bloke, Lance, that was on GW. Small world Sherlock!

Gardening today, not much, put my beans & M Toots out, and now the bloods up, sow one of the tom seeds I saved from an Asda one, heart shaped, sweet cherry.

twopenny

Wow that's a lot to sort out Less.

Add Farway advice and it will take me till the autumn to sort 😄 I'm up to lots I can't avoid today and tomorrow but Easter weekend is staying in and decorate etc, going out to be avoided at all costs!

I'll make a list of names.

But I'm barking up the wrong tree I think because I was looking to extend the season. Once duff leg is fixed and IF they are right and everything else will miraculously cure itself I can move the chair out of the porch and will have a mini greenhouse 😊. The new carpet there already smells of manure so it can only be an improvement 😄

Farway you made me laugh ol. With the mixed seeds/plants. All the fancy seed saving in jars and shelves, I didn't label them 🙄

wort

Farway thank you 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 I got love in the mist and cosmos, for 2 pound. Just need to get them to grow now!! Can you advise me on my Tom seed smear. Do I need to was the goo off or wipe? Can the get planted in soil or on wet paper towel in a bag first ? Sorry I need step by step 😂

Stellata magnolia I had one, unfortunately it didn’t like it here and moved to Norway.
I called at dd2 yesterday after work, and cleared some garden rubbish ,it’s been taken to tip now. I also snipped a few bits off what I reckon is a Mahonia, it’s very leggy and the leaves were almost nonexistent. The flowers were still on it so I only cut off those in the way of the path. If I leave till it’s flowered can I radically prune it??

Minding baby for Niece whilst she’s at the dentist this morning . Washing is out but it grey and overcast, but looks slightly better forcast today than tomorrow.

Dustyevsky

Busy this morning with our log delivery imminent, so just a quick pic of our front bird feeder, featuring pairs of siskins and goldfinches, plus assorted spuggies.

Weather dull, calm, fairly mild, and threatening to rain on the logs as soon as delivered. 🙁 As you can see in the background, the birds aren't keen on our Cotoneaster simonsii berries. Most of them are still there! 🤔

twopenny

Interesting to see the meal worm feeder? I've not seen that before Dusty.

Wort just smear on a paper towel and allow to dry right out. I then tear off a bit of the towel to bury in a pot.

I did all the washing off thing when I started and the results weren't great, the paper towel I get most germinate. Farway may do it differently 🙂

Sunny and no wind yet seems cold but I need to do town stuff while I'm still upright then there's loads to do in the garden with what's left. I think the Easter weekend is going to be busier than usual so that's stay in time. Used to be safe off the main roads to get out but now everyone has Google they swarm everywhere.