Awful weather - typical Brits talk

twopenny

I looked up chicory in the big herb book. The drawing was much more like Farway s photo and it was more specific about what it could be used for.

I remember chicory being used to fluff out cheap coffee. It wasn't great. Also as children trying to make dandelion coffee. That was revolting.

And I've still got my marmalade badge from when we just saw it as a toy and not a n insult against humanity.

Pruned a few more roses yesterday but I'm all weak and wobbly today so little going on.

WM, where did you get that baffle please? I'd like to try. Lack of seed is making the birds head for my raspberries so something needs to be done.

No rain, just cloudy and a bit of damp now and then. Warm though.

greenbee

The red chicory I let go to seed has just started to flower. It and the borage are a nice contrast to the calendula, poppies, and opium poppies…

I believe there are some food crops in there somewhere…

wort

Any idea what this is? Bee/wasp / butterfly???

Dustyevsky

Bluey: I’m going in to the council tonight cos they’re open late. There was birds nest and all sorts in it and I Am Properly Cross 😡

I've had enough recent dealings with the council to say be careful if you're likely to want anything from them yourself. As little as ten years ago, things were different. Now, the public are mostly a b. nuisance, unless they offer-up many shekels.

After our little contretemps with some neighbours, where the council were all hindrance and no help, we've used a planning advisor. Accordingly, we're soon to submit a request for a Certificate of Lawful Development, as the council still insists our garden is a field! 😩 Most people's deeds show their house and garden, but somehow, ours just shows the land, without buildings. Our solicitor was very experienced so I don't think that's problematic, nor will it be hard to prove how the land has been used for well over 50 years. However, I thought the last planning debacle was straightforward when we started out! 😆

And yes, the neighbours will probably freak-out again, and think we're 'up to something!' Let them! 😜

Farway: No gardening today, I'm Hospital transport later, a friend is having eye drops so no driving allowed

Coincidentally, a call came through this morning to book a surgery trip for 2 of our objectionable previously objecting neighbours, who've upset their usual driver. She refuses to transport them again. They're going to have 40 fits when they learn it's Mrs Dusty who'll be taking them! 🤣 It won't make any difference to us, though.The only ones we won't carry are those who leave pungent odours behind….🤢 I'll say no more in case someone's having a late lunch!

I shopped early today, before the sun broke through. 🙂Again, by a weird coincidence Lidl had reduced resistance weights and bands, so I bought the weights, a hosepipe, hosepipe joiner, and more plain sardines, having heard they're short on supplies. (Plenty in weird sauces still available 😉) I also noticed they had BFB at a much better price than Morries.

Then it was over the road to the Farmers' Stores, where they relieved me of £10 for a bag of Sylvagrow. 😮Having had some poor results lately , I want to see what happens when I use 'the best' compost.

And here's one of my failures. It's a little hard to see, but the growing point isn't growing and there are no toms above the first truss.

Right, off to cut grass….again, though I've some patches of 'no mow June' now no one's camping, speaking of which….. I only remember 'Camp' coffee that was made with chicory. The original label was about as PC as the results of sending-in 10 Robertson's jam labels!🤣

twopenny

Wort I would say moth, newly emerging from chrysalis. It's warming up and slowly pumping blood into the veins on it's wings. What a special thing to see.

Too hot to scroll back, gone from brrrr this morning to phew this afternoon.

Have managed to water/feed pots. And My First baby Tomatoes 😃

I'd post a photo but they are so tiny I'd need macro 😂

wort

2p that’s interesting, it certainly looked a bit strange. Well done on getting a tomato,I’ve no flowers yet .

It’s been warm the past 3 days, though it went a bit black around 4pm today it’s sunny again now. I’ve done some pottering, deadheading and weeding. I went to Lidl and picked up an alstroemeria ,mine had been in a pot for years then when I put it in the bed it disappeared. This white one looked healthy enough though it was more than I expected when at the till, obviously didn’t have a price on them outside! When I got home and planted it up the middle looks a bit funky 🙃

Dusty I like the colours in the borage. Hope the exercises work, and you get some ease.

Farway you seem to be having a good spurt of energy ,getting plenty done. I’m looking forward to seeing the dog poo border in full bloom.

YBE what a shocker, be interesting to see what they say.

Dustyevsky

2p: Wort I would say moth

So would I. In fact, I did, but that edit didn't post for some reason. 😕

The exercises are still somewhat random, wort, but they may already be helping. I've managed more hours of gardening work recently. Mrs D and I need to up our game, or nature will get the better of us. We're looking for solutions to the problem of too much garden as the years advance, though Mrs D is more than a decade younger than me. 😉

Speaking of Mrs D, she and a friend had a trip to a GC yesterday, and neither bought any plants. 😲 Meanwhile, I was giggling at our dozy Morries, whose fresh Danish trolley of plants had been 'carefully' displayed the wrong way around, with no labels visible. The cashier was barely conscious and kept yawning, rubbing his eyes etc. I think their demise isn't far off. Or was it the result of beer being half price, thanks to some football games in another universe? 🤠

Yesterday evening was sunny here, but a bank of cloud was advancing from the south and west….

Eventually, it reached us too.

Today, it's due to stay cloudy, but warmish.🙂 My walking friend and I will probably visit a garden we've not yet seen in summer…..😊

Farway

Hot already, hot sun & blue sky & a scorcher due for today. I've been out watering the front in best Boy Scout mode, Be Prepared

Yesterday Hospital drive was fine, but somewhat surreal because once we got near we hit sea mist, so from sunshine to misty ghosts. There was pic on local group with a cracking image of a ghost ferry coming into harbour.

Congrats 2P on baby toms, I've got flowers but that's it so far

Odd about your wonky toms Dusty, some of mine have curly leaves but that passes as my Normal, like six toed Norfolk native 😁 I have had a couple of "blind" ones, with no growing tip, but otherwise I have to say most of mine are looking remarkably green & fit this year since I adopted the early weak feeding regime.

Only my Tumbling Toms are spindly, which I put down to the compost from a grow bag

I only remember 'Camp' coffee that was made with chicory. The original label was about as PC as the results of sending-in 10 Robertson's jam labels!🤣As part of my chicory childhood my Nan always used Camp coffee, made with milk, but as none of us had ever tasted real coffee it made no difference. Those labels were fine then of course, in fact I suppose it could be argued fine now if seated is officer & server is Other Ranks

How long before Colin the Caterpillar is found to be "wrong" an offensive?

My cucumbers have been devoured by slugs, just the stumps left 😭. Looks like another year without own grown cucs. They may have time to regrow but I'll not stop my Asda ordering just yet.

Then it was over the road to the Farmers' Stores, where they relieved me of £10 for a bag of Sylvagrow. 😮Having had some poor results lately , I want to see what happens when I use 'the best' compost. I've often wondered, be good to know if the extra cost is worthwhile.

Dusty, hope the Certificate goes easily, funny how what is a good reason to limit "wrong use" ends up with some folks driving a caravan, or twenty, through the rules while the likes of yourself get thwarted

Only gardening is likely to be picking Manky toots and maybe some rhubarb, the recent rain has boosted the rhubarb no end. And I have first runner bean flower, of course they hate heat so no doubt will drop off 😟

twopenny

It's over 30c out back with a strong wind. I've had to stop the fountain because the pot I've just cleaned and filled the wind has blown all the water out 😞

So no gardening other than picking some strawberries and raspberries to eat. The ones that have come on are some I had from T&M as a selection. Pegasus grow huge if you want to impress but fail to ripen at the calex end. Flavour ok ish. I wouldn't choose them.

And the upcoming tomatoes, have you got your specs on

Forgot to say - they are Supersweet 100. From my local DIY shop where I got the brilliant yellow ones last year. Small west country supplier.

These are planted in a bottomless pot sunk in the ground so water and food go directly to the roots and down.

Also I've let the 'wildflowers' grow over to shade the roots area because of the extreme heat. These can be pruned so as not to strangle the plant.

middlewife

Hi 2p squirrel baffle purchased from the famous online retailer Amaz0n was £17.99 2 years ago, I'm sure you can purchase elsewhere if you dislike said retailer.

Sorry I can't easily bold names and reply to individuals. Will post pics of my toms and courgette later, once temperature goes down, earliest I've ever had fruit