Awful weather - typical Brits talk

Farway

Sun & blue sky, I was up early, having woken for a plumbing inspection I foolishly thought I'd catch the footy score on the wireless before I dozed off again. By then it was 3-2 with added time so had to stick around to the end.

Watering all done, just important bits, not everything. There is a hosepipe ban for lot of Hampshire, but not me, I'm drinking Pompey water, comes from springs under the chalk, even in '76 we were fine, but a late ban was imposed just for solidarity with rest of country

Spot the weed Comp, I spy something beginning with N, middle foreground

OT, fridge freezer arrived from up River, carried by two Native Albian porters. They were extremely good, unpacked & in the kitchen in a jiffy. Old one lifted & gone. The unpack & removal were "free", and included in the package, but worth paying for, I'd never have managed on my own. They turned down my offer of a cold can of Coke, at least I offered in this weather. All that's left to do is register purchase, for Warranty, with Bosch.

2P I like the laverwhatsit that's upright like a cross between hollyhock and delphinium neither of which I can grow. Might be the answer Did you see GW this week with enviable delphiniums? I can't grow them either, slug fodder

While watering I spotted another tom forming, this time outdoors on Bajaja, which is one of the Micro ones, so I'll be watching that closely. Although classed Micro it seems to grow according to root run, in open it gets large, in a window pot it stays in bounds. Says hanging but mine are upright bushes. Depending on taste it may become one of my regulars

Not everything is wonderful. Here are my Right Wing baskets. As you can see one is rooting for the Norwegian footy team and heading Northwards, The other is thinking about it and browsing the Fiords catalogue

Both are in same, carp, compost, and had same watering etc. They are in hot sun but so are other plants, seedlings. plants are Alyssum, lobelia & beetroot [the red healthy ones]

Left large to see full horrors

twopenny

Another hot one. Soil gone from dust heading to concrete with the very stony ground I just about managed to get the last of the weedy tomato plants in.

I tried some purple sprouting broccoli in my cut off pots which have proved brilliant for tomatoes. Not sure it will work for potentially huge plants that will have to withstand winter storms so may think again about how they the water to them,

The plants are still tiny but nothing at the garden centre and besides, £4 a small tray 😬. I also looked at weedol ( ifor the block paving I'm not allowed to bend to weed) as I've run out but that's £16 for 6 treatments 😲. I did pick up a couple of old plastic pots for the toms though.

On the way back I picked some delicious blackberries in the lane. Early but they can go in the freezer until apple time.

Watered the garden....... just keeping stuff alive.

That's a very tiny tom I can see there Farway. I know micro tomatoes but that's taking the proverbial! I await developments 🙂

Dusty, I liked your TV holding card. That made me smile 😃. Yes, I need that on the wall to remind me it's just temporary interference.

Currently listening to the fridge or freezer making rattling noises as it switches off. It's getting louder. How to get down and see if I can unblock it, or more how to get up again 😲

What do you make of this? One caterpillar I allowed to live eyeing up new eggs

LessImpecunious

Don't think those are eggs 2P; parasitic wasp larvae which have eaten the caterpillar alive…

https://butterfly-conservation.org/sites/default/files/2020-04/Small%20and%20Large%20White%20Life%20Cycles_1.pdf

Which somewhat yuck subject reminds me - thanks for the info on ticks Dusty 😨 Unfortunately I have had experience of a couple, one of which produced the bullseye mark, possible precursor of Lyme disease, but wasn't fully engorged when removed (apologies if anyone eating breakfast whilst reading…🤢), but I hadn't really given much thought to the range of species which might have been responsible… Not sure tucking long socks into boots is always the best protective tho' - the most recent one was plucked from my midriff!

Still not photo'd my mallow, must do better tomorrow! Must be the heat (at least this afternoon, after the second un-forecast dull cool morning in a row…)

Dustyevsky

Too much going on here currently to tarry, but I'll pop up a photo. It looks as if we're in for another bout of scorchio, beginning tomorrow and lasting maybe a week.😬 That's in the south. You folks oop norf may not be so 'lucky,' according to the drunkards, but there again, things might change. (They always cover their rear end! 😉)

Either way, these guys have had a great season so far! ☺️

Farway

Sunny & hot, like Dusty it's on the way to "Gor blimey it's 'ot" Ten days of it due so they say, some Azores bubble. Looks like watering will continue on daily basis, trying to keep them going as 2P says.

Out first thing watering the runners & potted useless plum which is wilting. Actually the plum, now relegated to clematis climbing frame, is quite colourful now the Morries purple clematis has scrambled into it. I'll see if I can get a decent photo.

2P, I assume it's the drain hole in fridge that may be blocked, hope you do manage it. That was one reason I opted for Frost Free with mine.

On the way back I picked some delicious blackberries in the lane. Early but they can go in the freezer until apple time Ooh, nice and early. By coincidence my F/F troubles forced me to sort the other freezer out, and I have two tubs of 2024 summer vintage stewed blackberry & apple defrosting right now. Crumble time

Broccoli plants, not possible to get them directly into the soil? As you know they are large heavy plants when "all growed up" Would sinking bottomless pop bottle in help with current watering? But I'm aware of bending difficulties so maybe not.

No gardening planned, except potter, too darn hot. The outside toms are lapping this heat up, and the runners are galloping away, still Lezbeans at the moment despite lots of flowers & daily watering

Toms. lots of babies are appearing, and Paul Robeson has set, yay, tried for photo but can't get a good shot. Did get one of Divinity, here it is

Dustyevsky

Divinity,,,,,,Hmm, that rings a bell! Have I treated those as determinate, thinking they were Jimmy Improved? Oops! 🙄

Hot today. Hotter tomorrow. 🤪

twopenny

That's a lovely special picture Dusty 😃

I like your hairy tomatoes too Farway 😉 watering bottles work well in pots but in a beds it takes the heat down I've found. Even tried covering them and it doesn't work well.

Hot today but a cooling breeze every now and again and some shade now midsummer has passed. Quite chilly in the evenings now. You can thank me for buying a light outfit to deal with the heat. Now I have to go and change into something warmer.

No gardening today, much too hot. And now I'm walking 😊 so out and about doing stuff.

wort

it was still cloudy and a cool breeze yesterday, I did some dom non until I met friends who I meet with a couple of times a year for lunch.

Today is looking hotter sun up and at um already, so the bedding is on. I have my pension meeting today, so hoping I get clarity on which way to go .

Dusty that is such a great photo, and I have tin bath envy 🥰 well done Farway soon be having some home grown salad. Have all your mangy toots finished now?
2p hope you are on the road to recovery now and the heat isn’t too much for you.

Dustyevsky

Having full fibre installed today, so I'll not be around till evening.😥

Off to water, as the mist has already lifted…..😦

Here's a follow-on to yesterday's photo….

Farway

A quick pop in, lots of Dom Non this morning. Roasting hot already.

Have all your mangy toots finished now? Yes, there are a few I deliberately left for seeds. I did not grow many because it was an experiment really. I do not have a lot of space & just wanted a taste, had three meals [for one] from them, so happy with that. If I repeat next year I'll try and get better, taller, pea twigs for them .

Those birds are loving the bath, worthy of front page I would think, must top mine up soon.

And now I'm walking 😊 so out and about doing stuff Don't go daft, especially in this heat

Brave man Dusty on going fibre, not that it shouldn't work but the world being what it is I'm wary of fixing what, for me, is not broken. Anyway once Dear Northern Leader gets going you will be able to watch all the Approved Truth channels much faster now.

No gardening, Dom Non & heat

However, it seems I now have a grapefruit crop.😀 The flowers stayed on & babies formed. I was waiting to see if they would June drop, but no, stuck on. I've even tapped them to see if waiting to fall off, but sticking like glue so far.

You tube investigation in UK crop, they can crop outside in right spot, unlikely here, but I have no choice, it is too large & heavy to get into my conservatory, so the fruit will just have to suck it up. Takes about 15 - 18 months to swell & ripen, check back this time next year