Awful weather - typical Brits talk

Davesnave

Those polyanthus look very healthy, Farway. I wish I'd not been so tight and bought more of the candelabra primulas at Marwood. I didn't realise what a bargain they were till I saw some online.

I'm still on tidying the hedges and lawns. Grass is still growing like mad here and the arrival of sheep is imminent as we come full circle on this thread.

A neighbour's property, up for sale less than a week, has just had it's status changed to 'Sold,' so it will be interesting to see if it stays that way once the prospective buyers delve into paperwork and surveys. Their drainage has it's not-so-final resting place on our land and it no longer complies with regulations. I'd imagine £10k might fix it and free us from an occasionally irksome prescriptive right in their favour. We didn't even know it existed until we'd been here a while, but I found a pipe..... Being me, I don't rest until the explanation for such phenomena is forthcoming! 

greenbee

I tried growing candelabra primulas from seed Dave, but they didn't germinate. I have a few, but like you, find them expensive... I had visions of masses of them all along the edge of the stream!

Grass is still growing here, and even though my hedges and lawns are less extensive than yours, currently take up more time and energy than is available outside work, so it may be ongoing for a while. I keep reminding myself that if I do a small job whenever I can, it'll gradually get done. 

RAS

I managed to damage my hip, so "lost" 6 weeks when the grass was growing like fury. Gradually getting it under control. but very gradually given all else there is to do at this time of year.

Farway

Back to dull & windy, but not to worry because I managed to pot on the polyanthus yesterday, good job I did because although they are rooted some are a bit sparser than others. Now all safely into whatever pots I could find, including yoghurt pots.

I've left them in the conservatory, mainly for the light levels and anti snail and maybe move outside & give them a good watering in a day or so

I grew candelabra primula from seed decades ago, but they never really came to much, looking back I think I planted them in a too dry and shaded area near a wall. I have ferns in there now & they love it

Davesnave

Little to report here because I'm mostly hedging at present, though I did have an exciting tussle with the suicidal ride-on when the inadequacy of its handbrake was discovered too late. Hell bent on descending towards the stream and throwing itself  over the edge at the highest point, I had great difficulty in persuading it to turn and at least reconsider things from a sideways position. Eventually, I managed to walk away far enough to get a rope and tie it to a tree, so then it was just a matter of hauling it to a reasonable starting place and driving back. That still took over 1/2 an hour. It goes OK forwards, but reverse in such situations is hopeless.

Of course, I was told off for "going down there again," but the truth is, it went on its own, I saved it and I still have the strained muscles to prove it! 

It's getting rather cold now in the evenings and the mornings are dew-bejewelled and misty....

...still no sign of sheep.

Farway

Glad you survived the daring ride Dave, sort of thing one sees on You Tube by the sound of it

Very Autumn misty pic as well, I have nothing to report having done zilch, I do need to start clearing the done for tom pants in the conservatory soon, starting to look forlorn now and I need the space for the newly potted polyanthus

Davesnave

Farway said:

Glad you survived the daring ride Dave, sort of thing one sees on You Tube by the sound of it

After nearly going into the stream in spring, I didn't intend going down there now the slopes are slippery, but I shouldn't have parked so close to the top. After I'd climbed off, it quietly began to move. I was behind it, so I couldn't get much leverage, but I released the deck, which slowed it down somewhat and I ran ahead. However, by then we were on the steepest part, so I could push back and even stop it, but I was stuck there and it was stalemate!

I suspected  it would win eventually if I didn't turn it, so I began picking up the front end to try and skew it around. Each time it slid sideways a bit and I had to rest. Luckily, I'd turned it 90 degrees before we ran out of space. I stuck a couple of rocks from the stream in front of the tyres and fetched a lorry rope. Once tied to a tree it was safe, even if I had to ask Pete the farmer to pull it back up. Indignity is one thing, but losing an expensive bit of kit like that would be far worse.

Anyway, with DB's help, it was pulled backwards to a flat part and I drove it out forwards without any drama. It stops on a sixpence in the garden and doesn't normally run away, but there are no big slopes there.

I had a quiet day today, shopping!

Edit: No primroses here yet phoebe and another untidy polytunnel to sort as well. The tomatoes are still bearing, but I need a ladder now!

Farway

Dull and a bit chilly to start the day

The cooled weather, or maybe lower light? seems to have triggered the coleus in my conservatory into more vivid colours, so i took another cutting of a very vivid one to overwinter

Apart form the nothing else done, and the pots still not watered

Davesnave

Darn close to freezing at 07.00 today, but rather nice now. I'd like to be walking, but we continue to battle with taming the hedges, as this calm, dry spell can't last past the weekend. If we do the nasty jobs in fine conditions it makes them easier and we'll benefit later.....maybe!

RAS

Was out first thing to sort out the bees; easier when they are tightly clustered rather than free flying. Very nippy but the sun has broken through. Not scheduled for frost though, and warmer and wetter next week.