Awful weather - typical Brits talk

Dustyevsky

Less: Looks like a pyrocumulus (i.e., cloud forming due to fire) to me….

I thought it was the last NHS dentist in West Somerset suffering burnout. 😏

Those sure are some classy orchids 2p. Look at the size of those blooms! 😮

I couldn't post later yesterday, as I'd quoted a whole page somehow, including all the avatars and photos.😖 It's taken me some time to delete them this morning, but here I am, on the other side of some useful rain. I was up just in time to see it heading east towards Farway. We have unbroken blue skies currently, but there are some nasty red-centred blobs off to the west, though whether they've drifted down from Liverpool I can't say.🤐

There's a lot one can't say these days, but pusillanimous is still in the dictionary. I'll leave others to decide whose behaviour it could be applied to.😉

Mrs Dusty and I took most yesterday off, more thanks to the high winds than rain. We were in need of a rest, so Mrs D knitted productively, while I dozed my way through various online catalogues in the hope of deciding what to grow next year. In one case, it's too early to say. I have a large polytunnel investment in Apricot chillies. I'm told these are tasty in a mild, fruity way, but none has ripened yet. 😔

Another square metre has been devoted to ground cherries. These started well, ripening from June, but since then production has fizzled out. They're making the berries, which fall off before ripening. 🤒 Everyone found them super-tasty….when they turned orange.😐️ Next year, I'll try Physalis, outdoors. If I recall correctly, they get large.

And, just for fun, I'll grow and name this pear-shaped tomato which grew itself on the compost heap:

Meanwhile, here's the half-made compost bin Mrs D and I have now moved closer to the veggie garden, for finishing-off.

I knew all those galvanised brackets would come in handy for something! 🤣

twopenny

Less it's definitely cloud 😄 there's half a one on the left and I've seen them in the channel too. Rare though.

Dusty those galvanised brackets are a godsend. I built a fruit cage with them in double quick time. Plus a staple gun for the net. I always keep some. I've been told it's not the right way to do it by people who have more time than me 🙂

Yes, healthy orchids several times blooming. Came from the co-op that's closed. A tad more expensive but was worth it.

Unpredicted heavy rain and strong winds overnight. Washing soaking and other things we've had no need to think about before.

My phone has finally gone to pot. So looking is on the agenda.

Still haven't had that quiet time I planned 😭 though a naughty bit of me thinks no phone, peace.

Farway

Ex Dusty rain arrived as predicted, not a lot, I think it was exhausted by the time it got here, but welcome non the less. Sun is on the way out now, to dry incey wincey spiders out 😁

2P My phone has finally gone to pot. So looking is on the agenda. Oh that's a shame, mind it's been hanging on a while hasn't it? FWIW the one I recently got for friend was a Samsung A16 4G. Uk version, 3 year warranty & updates until 2030, from up River £118 at the time, but price goes up & down. Brainbox computer software boffin DGS recommended it. I used the river because there are some non UK imports around, which may be fine until they go wrong

Lovely orchids as well, One plant I've never tried to grow, no reason not to, just never got round to it

Patting myself on the back because I took advantage of yesterdays sunshine and cleared the lessbeans and their wigwam, plus removed all bar Tumbling tom from conservatory. It still has a few ripening on there

Dusty Next year, I'll try Physalis, outdoors. If I recall correctly, they get large. Mine didn't, but you may do much better. I fell for the catalogue blurb in my younger days, years of disappointment experience has made me somewhat cynical of most claims.

Naming "wild" tomato, have you tasted it yet? Could name it reflecting the taste and it's heritage. Or just Compostmentis as pun

while I dozed my way through various online catalogues in the hope of deciding what to grow next year. In one case, it's too early to say. Oddly enough I was down, or up, the same path and I think I have stumbled upon a possible candidate.

Amaranthus, Love lies Bleeding. As readers may recall, one has popped up near my garage, and then one popped up on YT yesterday. It may be ideal for me, withstands drought and self seeds in cracks etc. Plus seeds remain viable, like poppies, for a century or more in soil until disturbed. I wonder it that is how the one near my garage arrived?

I'll get looking and see what's around, if I can't have LIAMs or egrowhatists I may as well have LLB dangling, and birds like the seeds apparently

No gardening, still have GW to catch up, and now LLB browsing

twopenny

Thanks for that Farway. I was going to look back and try and find it.

I had a look and it's cheap enough at Argos ATM. But it's android 14 and has square edges. I have a cheapie that size and shape with android 15 and it's too awkward for me to hold. Also it doesn't play wma files which some of my music is.

So I'm looking at second hand again. The older Samsung is smaller with rounded edges and play wma.

Just making life hard for myself 🤔

Still to wet to garden. No peace. The road sweeper, recycling, neighbours visitors and the guy using power tools are out to get me 😉

Dustyevsky

Farway: Amaranthus, Love lies Bleeding. As readers may recall, one has popped up near my garage, and then one popped up on YT yesterday. It may be ideal for me, withstands drought and self seeds in cracks etc. Plus seeds remain viable, like poppies, for a century or more in soil until disturbed. I wonder it that is how the one near my garage arrived?

I'll get looking and see what's around, if I can't have LIAMs or egrowhatists I may as well have LLB dangling, and birds like the seeds apparently

Coincidentally, I've been considering growing a variety of Amaranth too. I correspond with my coastal friend's sister in British Columbia, and she sent a picture of an Amaranthus in her last email, saying how much she liked it. They also feature in the Potager at Rosemoor most years, as this picture I took a couple of weeks ago shows.

Sorry, don't know the varietal name. Love the foliage. 😊 More edible than Ricinus! 😄

Farway

Oooh, I like that Dusty.

Just asked AI if it can identify it, it said Amaranthus cruentus — sometimes sold as Prince's Feather, Purple Amaranth or Red Amaranth.

Seems also one called Fat Spike which could be the Rosemoor one.

Not asked but AI said it will give seed suppliers if asked

Dustyevsky

Farway: Seems also one called Fat Spike which could be the Rosemoor one.

'Fat Spike' appears to have greenish foliage. It's a minefield, but it might be this one:

https://www.chilternseeds.co.uk/item_85R_amaranthus_cruentus_oeschberg?srsltid=AU7gw4VVhmT98oAJ7B4h2S-X9AkLc7QTVXuYmiv6QYbx-u0dBnAO2SW4oJw

There again, it was taller than me, not 3 foot….but everything at Rosemoor is super-duper. 🙄 Maybe the surest approach would be to take along a wee envelope in a month or so…😉

In other news, our polytunnel has been invaded by ivy bees, and I've just spent an hour trying to free as many as I can. 😯