Awful weather - typical Brits talk

ArbitraryRandom

YoungBlueEyes said:

What seeds have you bought Arb? I'll admit I don't look at those links now (sorry Farway) cos I just want lots of everything *sigh* Agree about the early mornings, best time of the day. If it wasn't so humid it'd be perfect.

Nothing hugely exciting. Mostly I'm still wanting the 'lawn' to be more 'meadow' so I've got an excuse not to mow it regularly, and with all the building work anything other than bind weed has been stomped out.  (I rescued one small plant from the seeds I scattered last year but couldn't see any others having made it)

So my selection includes Cornflower, Tufted Vetch, Snakes Head (seeds), Wild Marjoram, a few Aquilegia mixes, and a few Nasturtium. Plus a couple of packets of random herbs and two packs of squash that will more than likely live in my seed tub until next year (assuming the ones I planted a few weeks ago ever germinate!) 

On that note, I'm seeing maybe a hint of two cabbages and a beetroot as of this morning. I'm also seeing quite a lot of white fluffy what might be mold as the cardboard seed trays have been constantly damp for nearly 4 weeks now - so anything that's not showing signs of life by Monday is officially on notice... 

Builders turned up again today (excellent!) and apparently it's another day of just digging out where the patio and footings need to go so I've left them to it  


PP - Rhubarb is quite tart, the same as the Japanese quince fruit is supposed to be, so you'd need to balance that with enough sugar/honey, but a quick google shows a fair number of rhubarb and lemon recipes so I'd think it was worth trying at least a small batch to see if you like the taste? Based on what I've read, peeling and freezing for a couple of weeks before cooking (can cook from frozen) can also mellow the taste if too astringent (similar to bletting I think, it helps any sugars develop). I doubt I'll have any fruit to experiment with this year, but it's certainly something I'm interested in if you try it  

Dustyevsky

I'm going to go against the tide and say I think 'Gardening' is a less confusing title than 'Green fingered,' which green people sometimes related to eco-matters. I don't think it's 'woke,' nor does it confuse itself with things like hard landscaping, which belong in the DIY section, 'In My Home.' Gardening is growing plants, in a garden or allotment, on a windowsill, or wherever. Simples!

No snow here now! It pelted with rain for an hour or two, and currently it's blue sky + sunshine. We have high winds and hail predicted for the middle of the day, though.

So, while I still can, I'll post  more snowy views, including ones taken during the night.

YoungBlueEyes

pink_poppy said:

twopenny, I was drinking hot chocolate at 5.30 this morning   

How very Italian of you pp! 

2p what was the name of that podcast you recommended all those months ago? Disordered or Disorderly or summat? I've relistened to all the Gerry Andersons again but I fancy something different now. Is it on bbc sounds...? 

And woohoo for builders Arb!

Farway

I did hear the forecast of snow for Devon and thought of you Dusty, all this global boiling will be the end of us. All hell is forecast here later, gales & hail, so far it's just black & ominous.

ArbitraryRandom said:

Oh, and Farway... you cost me another £10 in various seeds with your offer! T&M should put you on commission  

I cost me £5.34  

Bought some more coleus having knocked the previous lot on the floor :'( , and after all the Aquilegia chat on here, two different packs of those, and try some lavender from seed. 

Plus back to my childhood memories of popping into Woollies on the way home from Saturday morning pictures, and buying a 6d packet of Bees mixed annuals, a pack of mixed annuals which I'll use in the volunteer border somewhere

Finally, some Haloragis erecta 'Melton Bronze to try out, if they grow I'll try them out at volunteer place in sheltered pots near the door

Potted on my damp tissue germinated climbing beans, now in the loo rolls in unheated conservatory

You can see the varieties on the labels

Dustyevsky

Farway said:

I did hear the forecast of snow for Devon and thought of you Dusty, all this global boiling will be the end of us. All hell is forecast here later, gales & hail, so far it's just black & ominous.

Finally, some Haloragis erecta 'Melton Bronze to try out, if they grow I'll try them out at volunteer place in sheltered pots near the door

I have a global boiling video I might post soon. It gives another perspective on an issue, like some others, that tends to have somewhat one-sided coverage in the regular media. 

As for Haloragis erecta, you'll find it.....errr....makes itself at home! Like the old PM of its native habitat, it's an acquired taste, but less troublesome.

I also had a look at the T&M offers, and they were good, but I resisted. Too much going on here this year, and lots of seeds already going into yellow sticker territory!

I wondered what 2p's bird was too but drew a blank. I'm sure she'd recognise a Coal Tit.

Farway

Dustyevsky said:

Farway said:

I did hear the forecast of snow for Devon and thought of you Dusty, all this global boiling will be the end of us. All hell is forecast here later, gales & hail, so far it's just black & ominous.

Finally, some Haloragis erecta 'Melton Bronze to try out, if they grow I'll try them out at volunteer place in sheltered pots near the door

I have a global boiling video I might post soon. It gives another perspective on an issue, like some others, that tends to have somewhat one-sided coverage in the regular media. 

As for Haloragis erecta, you'll find it.....errr....makes itself at home! Like the old PM of its native habitat, it's an acquired taste, but less troublesome.

I also had a look at the T&M offers, and they were good, but I resisted. Too much going on here this year, and lots of seeds already going into yellow sticker territory!

I wondered what 2p's bird was too but drew a blank. I'm sure she'd recognise a Coal Tit.

Oh, now you have me pondering on Halag etc. Dusty Still, it could be “interesting Times” ahead with that.

I think I may know that GB vid, watched it on YT the other day and was expecting the Climate Police to hammer my door down and send me off to a re-education centre

Dustyevsky

Haloragis isn't especially tender, and it seeds around. However, it doesn't usually travel far, and the seedlings are distinctive enough to spot and remove, if in the 'wrong' place. Note that seeds may need winter chilling to germinate.

https://www.plant-world-seeds.com/store/view_seed_item/699/haloragis-erecta-wellington-bronze-seeds

twopenny

Disordered - radio 4, on sounds Blue.
I'm not sure if the humour which is quite subtle and dark, just suited my mood at the time though.
There's always hitchikers guide on YouTube.....that always puts life into perspective

Still hammering down and blowing. It brightens up every now and again just to fool you.

I like the idea of hot chocolate in the morning Poppy.
When you think the Mediterranean diet is cappuccino and sweet cakes well I could do that.
And the British eat cold muesli or oats no wonder we're so miserable 

pink_poppy

I had the sweet cake for elevenses

Thanks for the quince fruit info, AR. I like my fruit quite tart (no sugar on stewed Bramley apple for instance), but a spoonful of honey in a quince/rhubarb crumble sounds nice.

I've been told that chitted potatoes can be halved and planted separately- two for the price of one. Has anyone ever tried it?? Do they go cut side down or up?? I've got a couple of Roosters from the greengrocers added to my other chitting potatoes - that I'm not watching, nope, I'm not checking them every 5 minutes, honest m'lud...

Farway

pink_poppy said:

I've been told that chitted potatoes can be halved and planted separately- two for the price of one. Has anyone ever tried it?? Do they go cut side down or up?? I've got a couple of Roosters from the greengrocers added to my other chitting potatoes - that I'm not watching, nope, I'm not checking them every 5 minutes, honest m'lud...

Yes I've done it, old trick, in fact there used to be competitions to see who could grow the heaviest crop from one spud. It started in WW2, Dig for victory etc.

Every eye gives one shoot, as long as each bit has a shoot it will crop. Could be eight or more from one spud, just depends.

Eyes up, but it's not that important, they'll sort themselves out, like seeds do

https://www.allotment-garden.org/garden-diary/5976/largest-yield-one-seed-potato-competition/

twopenny said:

Still hammering down and blowing. It brightens up every now and again just to fool you.

I like the idea of hot chocolate in the morning Poppy.

Wind is getting up, I can hear it starting to howl. Just in time for the newly opening plum blossom, great! :'(

And now I'm going to have a mug of hot choc & slice of HM banana bread this afternoon, an ideal grotty day for it

PS, reading the link I see they went even further, and then took cuttings from the sprouted spuds.

Looking for your results now P P, at least a barrow load from one Rooster