Awful weather - typical Brits talk

ArbitraryRandom

greenbee said:

I've planted my courgettes - not as far apart as the rules say, so they'll have to get friendly. Broad beans that has been doing really well are suddenly looking a bit sad - must have been the heat and dry over the last few days and I've neglected them. I hope the watering I gave them this evening together with the rain due tomorrow will revive them and it isn't too late. 

Yes, early days for me, but broad beans are the plants I've noticed that seem most sensitive to the heat at this stage - the leaves going from quite large and thick/firm to limp and floppy ( ) very quickly. First time I thought it was a repeat of me cooking the tomato plant, but they do seem to bounce back as soon as they get a decent drink. 

I had an absolutely horrible night - I hate travel. Something I really should be used to by now, but I swear the last few years has made me positively agoraphobic whenever there's a fixed 'time' involved. My train isn't for another 2 hours but I'm tempted to just go to the station now and read a book so I can hopefully feel less anxious. Have to just suck it up and deal with it like a big girl... 

Had a walk around the garden. Everything looking reasonably okay. A few yellow leaves from I think sun burn and none of my winter squash that I had planted out survived (not slugs, just shrivelled and died, so didn't like being transplanted or something about the new spot didn't agree with them). I've got four in pots that (I think) are a couple of different kinds of winter squash, so as soon as they're a little bigger I'll try again. The three summer squash are doing okay, as are the two courgettes. 

Raining this morning but gently and due to stop soon if the app is to be believed. Walking in the rain (as long as it's warm) isn't awful though. Means the street will be quiet and I can listen to my music and look for some interesting plants in people's gardens

Hope everyone has a lovely day. Might be lurking around the next few days but please don't think it strange if you don't hear from me until Friday  

greenbee

I have travel tomorrow too Arb, and am not looking forward to it. Just a day by train - and I used to do 80% international, but now would prefer to stay home with the garden and cats. Good luck!

YoungBlueEyes

Ditto wot Arb said. If I had to pick one section of this forum it'd be this one, and this thread especially. You're a reet good collection of patient, knowledgeable, kind, funny buggers stars  

Your neighbour set-up doesn't sound very appealing either 2p, hopefully she'll run out of patience and it'll be a short visit. I appreciate it'll have taken some work but you've a really lovely garden.  Woolly socks And look at all your daisies  

Fingers crossed you get enough rain for your stream Dusty. Agree about the Scottish accents, I think some of the northern islanders accents you could listen to all day. Which is the one that rises at the end of the sentence (like Australians)? I like that one - it's so beautifully soft and lyrical.

You could well be alright with your courgettes gb. I planted some more toms last week and they're starting to show up already. If they want to they will

I've only done the no-man's-land in real life once taff but it did work. It started when I was at college - I'd be sat reading on the (half empty) train and occasionally there'd be someone considering sitting next to me. I'd think 'what are you looking at sitting there for with the carriage half empty!' so I'd smile at people - think The Joker - and they'd walk on. Once in a while you'd get a brave soul who wouldn't be put off and that's when I started gently scratching at myself too. That's a winner. When the place was full that was a different story but not when I'm busy and there's seats galore. I'm not an anti-social one, but I get where Mark Twain and Sartre were coming from  

OT not raining yet even though they say it is. Quite sunny and mild and a nice breeze coming through the house atm but I'd be happier if the humidity would drop a good bit. They've taken the desperation level of the warning down a few notches, it's not a weather warning now it's just some weather. Not even a full band of weather looking at the radar, in a couple of hours it'll have passed over and just be splotchy showers. They say. 

I've finally learned to refresh the page before posting so - I know what you mean and if I were you I'd set off now now Arb. Busy minds have no space for being anxious  

twopenny

Thanks Bluey. Yes, pain and hard work. Nothing like I imagined when I moved pre pandemic but it's lush and full of scent and colour, cosy. That's more me.
I've always wanted a swing seat. They've got them for £50 but I can't find a space 
Neighbours son, 40, part time work, can't afford a flat and has created 2 children. Sits on computer in spare time 
Not a hope of him moving.

Wet and wet out there so no gardening today (where have I heard that before) but so far my vegies in pots are looking big and healthy. They need planting out for the slugs 

Might come home with some slabs that are going cheap at the builders yard. Bought 2 for short cut over the veg beds and they look good.
I succumbed to 4 more geraniums going cheap at lidls and my neighbour gave me some osteospernums? For taking her out.

Hope the journey is better than you think Abs. It's modern day makes it stressful. Used to be a joy when it was run by people not machines. Coffee and a book on the platform sounds good.

Greenbee, I've got like that now. Trying to get my inner wanderer back but it's not coming.

Imp, I've still got the original photo for the bean pole thing. A proper one to be admired. I'll post it later.

Farway

Started as a damp, not quite made its mind up, raining, not worth the Yellow warning Sky collapsing [Copy write Dusty] sent out.

I've not grown broad beans for years, used to but went over to the Dark Side with French & runners. I wonder if I have a rummage, could there be a packet of ancient Bunyard's or Sutton somewhere?

Just had a rummage, and I've found a packet of Stereo, from 2010.  https://moreveg.co.uk/Broad-Bean-Stereo

Now even I think it's pushing it, but I'm going to have bash because my runners have been slug scoffed anyway so nothing to lose

I'll sow on damp tissues first, even if only a couple germinate it's a plus.

Dusty, How thoughtful of you to post a picture of your Coastal friend's cannas , life is not fair, now checking on flight & opening times for Dignitas clinic, but not until I've sorted the ancient broad beans out.

There was a post on local Faceache yesterday, by a young lad looking for gardening work. Decided to give him a go now I just can't bend or lift things like wot I used to.

First job will be cutting my no mow grass, then removing the ivy, so I can then crack on with the pond refurb.

I may get him to dig out my goosegog bush as well, nice & easy enough to grow them, but since some of it went chasing the Aurora I CBA to nurture it back to life.

Of course, he may never reply or turn up, we shall see.

I'll post a photo of the Ancient BB sowing trials later

Dustyevsky

ArbitraryRandom said:

I had an absolutely horrible night - I hate travel. Something I really should be used to by now, but I swear the last few years has made me positively agoraphobic whenever there's a fixed 'time' involved. My train isn't for another 2 hours but I'm tempted to just go to the station now and read a book so I can hopefully feel less anxious. Have to just suck it up and deal with it like a big girl...

I know someone who almost never travels alone. She feels it goes back to a holiday as a child, when she'd to flee a country due to invasion. Scary, but she'd no idea why; just picked up the fear from adults around her.

Similarly, the lockdowns worked on people's subconscious minds in negative ways. If you input, "Stay home, stay safe," and consider the number of posters, images etc, they were bound to have an effect. People were deliberately made anxious and fed these messages in the hope of alleviating a 'desperate' situation. Living in the sticks, I didn't feel those pressures so much, and soon lost belief in the danger, but I still found it unsettling, going shopping. My subconscious was saying, "Stay local" and my 'thinking' brain was rebelling and saying,"It doesn't matter where you go, you're alone in a vehicle, and you're not ill."

There's more I could say, but the Swedes' results do that better. No lockdowns no mask mandates...

YoungBlueEyes said:

Ditto wot Arb said. If I had to pick one section of this forum it'd be this one, and this thread especially. You're a reet good collection of patient, knowledgeable, kind, funny buggers stars   

People who garden, stay grounded. They know it's not all success. Nature has all sorts of tricks up her sleeve to keep us focused, so the learning goes on. Then there's the stuff imposed: slug pellets that feed rodents nicely, or compost which kills-off the seedlings that took a year to come up. Figuring out how to cope, and hearing of others' problems, makes this place like the old village pub we can no longer afford to frequent very often!

And yes, I noticed 2p's lovely garden, besides having loads of interest in there, is also losing more of its lawn!

Farway said:

Dusty, How thoughtful of you to post a picture of your Coastal friend's cannas , life is not fair, now checking on flight & opening times for Dignitas clinic, but not until I've sorted the ancient broad beans out.

Look on the bright side, she's paid a fortune to live by the coast and can't see the sea, despite her road's name suggesting a tranquil view of a harbour. Maybe it accounts for the lack of slugs, though. I believe a garden centre will furnish you a couple of good size cannas for a fraction of the price of a Ryanair to Switzerland, so stay home and safe. We can't afford to lose your veg and fruit knowledge.

Meanwhile, here's a piccie of my potential Sungolds.

YoungBlueEyes

Afternoon old geyser As Dusty’s tortured you with the cannas I’ll not show you what my alliums look like! How’s Day 3? Fingers crossed for your faceache gardener 🤞🏻

Sorry 2p, I misunderstood your post. I read it like your neighbour’s family were visiting rather than living there  Seems to be turning into a bit of a theme here… Right which one of us has plenty of money? We need detached houses buying, and a parkland I think. We can all share the park (greed is a Bad Thing, no good for your karma) but a house each is looking necessary  

You and your toms Dusty, mine are a while off that stage Black tray was sown weeks ago, green tray is 6 (?) days old - 

Just to balance that out, here’s not hateful etc neighbours’ wisteria coming over the fence - 

I’m fancying some sweet peas growing up a cane wigwam thing now 😃 

OT we got a light drizzle for ooh about an hour and that was it. “Mildly moist” as JC would put it. 

Dustyevsky

Addendum: Waited to see what the weather would do, and after a rough, drizzly start, it's settled down to a bright, breezy day with light showers. It's not quite nice enough for Mrs Dusty to risk the new whirly line.

Sitting here puzzled by something to come our way via South West Water, namely, 'leaky loo strips.' These are stuck at the back of the wash down area of the pan and left for 3 hours. Then, if still dry after that, there's no leak. If it's gone all soggy there's a leak.....or....well, I can see another possibility, especially with young kids in the house!

If there IS a leak, though, don't worry, because SWW will contribute up to £150 of our money for a plumber to come and fix it.

Hmmm...we know our plumber very well. Perhaps for £150 he could service the boiler too? >:)His last bill for that was £90.

Ah, "Offer expires 8th April." Just as well, I think!

LessImpecunious

Was the offer sent on the 1st?

pink_poppy

That Wisteria is gorgeous, YBE. I quite fancy myself as a Desperate Housewife on Wisteria Lane.

Hope you arrived safely at your work, AR.

Your toms are looking good, Dusty. I'm sure you'll get good use out of your whirly. Can I be cheeky and ask if your granite chips are on the expensive side?? I'm still wondering what to use here.

Your garden looks lovely, twopenny. I think I might pinch your idea to have 'stepping stones'. I did smile at the disappearing lawn   

Farway, I've got some ancient peas and sweetcorn packets somewhere, that my youngest DD bought me years ago for Mother's Day. I wasn't attempting to grow anything at the time, but she knew I loved peas and sweetcorn as a side dish - it was so sweet and thoughtful of her, so I kept them as a keepsake   Fingers crossed your broad beans germinate.

Dare I say it, I thought I saw the beginnings of a sprouting in the Saxon bag this morning. I'll have to buy more compost (unless I use the old compost bin stuff??) - the last lot I bought from Aldi last year was pretty decent I thought.

It's a bit grey here today and we've had a sprinkling of light rain. It still feels warmish though.