Awful weather - typical Brits talk

Dustyevsky

twopenny said:

Wow Dusty! That's some project! Where are you going to get all these plants?

Which plants? Where? The bit of garden in the last picture is awaiting full development, but most of it is vegetable plot, deep beds and a standing out area for pots etc. It's only the 'hump' that's not being used. I'm thinking how to 'farm' that this year too, but the grandchildren like playing on it! 

Or did you mean the part in the foreground? It's the new entrance, and now part-covered in stone base material. (I have a picture of the geotextile we're using for poppy, but it's still in the camera.) 

Sadly, at 13.00 it began to rain quite heavily, so rather than trek mud out onto the private road with the dumper, giving  people cause to complain, our builders left for a slightly longer weekend. As Farway said, we've been very lucky having dry weather, even if it's been cold with it. All the stone infill is 100m away on our front driveway. It came in a very large lorry and there was nowhere else to put it!

Here's a different view taken yesterday. You can see some kerbs have been laid, and the main gateposts are concreted-in with the truck sitting between them. The earth bank will be replaced following the curve and planted up with a new hedge. Another bank will be formed just beyond the small digger. It will be the first phase in separating the barn behind from the rest of our property. Its own entrance is out of view just before the tree leafing-up in the background.

Hopefully, the job is making more sense now?

sammy_kaye18

@Farway Just skim reading the posts Ive missed with a break between phonecalls and I saw you mention a baby bath - good idea btw and one I may pinch - but what I was also going to say is try your local charity shops. Ours always have them on the window as they get donated when little ones outgrow them

-taff

Yes, much more sense Dusty. I confes I was stymied with what went where on the last picture but it did look impressively industrial!

Sammy, you're welomc eot come round and do mine too that's a lot of work...

arb, don't let anyone else know you're asking for rain, you might get hounded out the village..

greenbee, well, you put it in a safe place didn't you and we all know what happens then

Farway, happy plant day! And good on your GD, ordering people around is a skill wrth having if it means all your joints stay intact for longer..

Courgettes, tromboncino, runners and frenches sown..Eryngium potted on to see if that makes them stronger against slug/snail attack, flowers that are available stuck in the flower bed. Now for a re sow of the herbs n stuff.

Dustyevsky

sammy_kaye18 said:

Well I decided to brave the 7 degrees in Wales today.

Snap! I think we crawled up to about 7c as well, but the 'feels like' was 4c.

Farway will say if I'm right or delirious, but I'm sure we used to soak peas in paraffin before sowing when I was a nipper; kept the mice at bay! 

Lucky you, wort. Give a wave to my SiL, who's on a stag do in Tenerife. All right, for some! A few weeks ago, he and DD2 were sweltering at the Taj Mahal.

Lucky DGD too, Farway! I can recommend the lecture halls at Bath Uni. Mrs Dusty will tell you they're so comfortable, I've managed to sleep through many a presentation! Or is it the other uni; the one that wasn't quite as prestigious, back in the day? I did a little biology there.....very hands-on in those days, setting Longworth traps in the woodland and doing transects down in Studland. They didn't tell us about the nudists and one cannot deviate once embarked on a longitudinal transect.... err, I'll leave the rest to your imagination!    (Rambling somewhat here!)

-taff said:

Eryngium potted on to see if that makes them stronger against slug/snail attack....

Haven't had that, but I've two large ones grown from plugs by a friend. Put them outside to harden-up today, and now I'm worried! They're Mrs Dusty's.

2p was asking earlier how I'd make lots of plants. Well, as you know, some things come up in dozens and others you're lucky to get two, but today I pricked-out at least 25 'perennial foxgloves.' No idea what ones, or where they came from, but they'll be a good space filler. Also, there's division, which gives me an excuse to post a photo of good old Geranium phaeum, in a form that's very vigorous and obliging. Made 12 of these today in 10 minutes!

twopenny

How pretty flowers are when you can see them in detail like that! And every type different thousands of times over. 
Much like beautiful birdsong that you don't hear for car engines.
See how much the world has for us to marvel at that we just walk past in favour of staring stareing at a light box for hours.

Not that I'll be going out to observe, 6c here, wet with a brisk easterly wind.
Perhaps it's a day to look at amazing things on a screen   

Dustyevsky

twopenny said:

See how much the world has for us to marvel at that we just walk past in favour of staring at a light box for hours.
Not that I'll be going out to observe, 6c here, wet with a brisk easterly wind.
Perhaps it's a day to look at amazing things on a screen   

I do feel for those in cities, but elsewhere too, who cannot see the wonders in the world. As an 8-year-old kid who came out of London, (where I had a lot of freedom, but little wildlife) I couldn't fathom why many of my peers took nature for granted. Cast out, alone in deepest Dorset for the first year, I missed my mates terribly, but was I bored? Not a chance!
One thing I value, among many on a screen, is the ability to go almost anywhere in the world and see people going about their daily lives. Endlessly fascinating, for those who read pictures. Also great for finding the start of footpaths and parking places to go with them.

Dustyevsky

Here you are pp, the geotextile in use, and the roll it came from in the background. There are brands, like 'Terram,' but no need to pay for brands.

ArbitraryRandom

Another sunny and dry day today, but I can see some clouds not far away and Ventusky gives a 30% chance of 0.1(!)mm rain at 6pm (to be clear, my preference would be for rain, and a good amount of it, OVERNIGHT. Hopefully no-one would object too strongly to that ) 

Plan is to get the rest of the soil shifted this morning, then rake it a bit level and do an actual audit of what I've got to go in.... 

Last night I was feeling sad that my (T&M) potatoes haven't chitted at all. They just look a little wrinkly and old - I'll probably stick them in a tub tomorrow when I'm planting everything else, but I also bought a few more seed pots from a different seller (I went for a random Amazon listing that had decent reviews). Should be getting a mixed selection of Red Duke of York (determinate I think), Charlotte (determinate), Maris Piper (indeterminate) and King Edwards (indeterminate) on Monday. Hopefully they're in a decent state and can go immediately into tubs that I prepare tomorrow... 

Question - I've got 2 bags of ericaceous (acidic) soil (120L) that I bought when I was considering getting blueberries - which veg would prefer getting it and should I mix it with the rest of the compost or completely fill a couple of tubs? I've read potatoes like a bit of acidity, and maybe tomatoes? but I'm not sure if they tolerate it vs it actually makes a difference to how anything grows. 

Farway

Blink and these forums move on a pace, think I've caught up now, but apologies if I miss something.

Looks like it rained overnight, perhaps it was it your old stuff Dusty? Sun's out now, but my it's blummin cold out at the moment.

Dustyevsky said:

Farway will say if I'm right or delirious, but I'm sure we used to soak peas in paraffin before sowing when I was a nipper; kept the mice at bay! 

Lucky DGD too, Farway! I can recommend the lecture halls at Bath Uni. Mrs Dusty will tell you they're so comfortable, I've managed to sleep through many a presentation! Or is it the other uni; the one that wasn't quite as prestigious, back in the day? I did a little biology there.....very hands-on in those days, setting Longworth traps in the woodland and doing transects down in Studland. They didn't tell us about the nudists and one cannot deviate once embarked on a longitudinal transect.... err, I'll leave the rest to your imagination!    (Rambling somewhat here!) 

Yes, it was peas soaked in paraffin, with added red lead powder for extra piquancy. 

Not to be tried at home, but red lead powder has sometimes been used to bulk up turmeric by less scrupulous suppliers, not restricted to painting peas & ships' hulls

Ref Bath Uni & DGD, I don't know which one or bit she is going to, or which course she is on, but I expect I'll find out before long, I only know it is about plants. 

She had hoped to go to Southampton for similar and nearer home, but entrance requirements differ, so Bath it is.

Lovely photo Dusty, as 2P says, so pretty when you get close up, don't need to travel to far away places to see the beauty.

I've unpacked the new plant arrivals, and they are now outside getting used to the new home. The weather is supposed to get warmer from mid-week, if it does, then I can see about getting them planted out.

The warmth for my benefit, the plants are hardy enough.

Devil calling, e-mail offers this weekend

T & M free P & P on everything. Offer ends midnight, 28th April 2024 or while stocks last. Use order code TM_TN4883W.

Mr F, 24% off seeds. Offer ends 7AM Sunday 28th April and is only valid online. Code SEED24

I'll be MIA tomorrow, over to DS AM, youngest DGD is fourteen next week , May Day quite appropriately. I'll be doing a spot of planting, in DS grotty neglected front garden. 

I'm going to put in a Siberian Sage and an Achillea, both AFAIK are drought & bombproof

Farway

Remember, you read it on here first folks, nothing new under the sun is there?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-13346889/Scientists-grow-vegetables-human-urine.html