Awful weather - typical Brits talk

Farway

Dustyevsky said:

Maybe Farway doesn't remember, but Judas Trees are my bette noir (can I still say that?  ) because we had a lovely one, grown from seed, that perished in our first winter here.

I had forgotten, but demonstrates how gardening can be both rewarding & frustrating. [whisper Cannas]

If you ever want Judas seeds, just ask, they do grow on trees around here

Dustyevsky

twopenny said:

Surveyed the badger run yesterday for space for a fig tree, not that morries have a sign of one this year.
Maybe some prunings of the overhanging one on my walk will be falling in my backpack as I go past

Lidl had them yesterday at £4.99, but it seemed people were not buying. Maybe the fact they were all limp and squidgy in the bottom of their packs had something to do with it.

Your lovely, large Arum lily, taff, reminds me we ought to do more with ours. They didn't survive before in the shade by the stream, but maybe now trees have been pruned and felled?

I might well like some fresh Judas tree seeds, Farway. I could exchange them for fancy aquilegia seed to be thrown about with gay abandon dispersed widely over the Farway Estate, which seems much the best way to get some with minimal effort.

Ah, yes, strawberries; they're a possibility here in a week or so, though we were disappointed with the taste last year. I made the classic mistake of planting in compost, not the soil.

sammy_kaye18

Afternoon all
I am sulking here. 
After a few warm days and much frolicking in the garden I have somehow stuffed my knee up. No idea if it was fighting idiot dogs out the door for a walk or overuse or what but it hurts. It feels like I have a tennis ball stuck behind it or that something needs to pop. So for the minute gardening is slow and steady.
I did manage to get a fair bit done though in the garden and make myself a seating area and a bench from old pallet wood so I can sit out when the weather is nice. 
Ive poked my head in the greenhouse today. 
Potted on some tomatoes and chillli's. 
Then planted some more peas, beans, sweetcorn, swede, cauliflower, Tabasco chilli's, phlox, marigolds and lavender scabious. 
My little aubergine looks like its produced a flower, I have some courgettes or cucumbers that have pushed through and will need re-potting soon and more tomatoes. Lettuce is sprouting, strawberries are flowering nicely and spuds have all reached the top of the bags. 

I also have more seeds that are waiting to be planted because I was convinced I had a dodgy batch of seeds. 
So I have more sweet peas, more sweetcorn, more courgettes, more leafy greens etc.....as well as some chives. 
I did also buy some mint from the supermarket which was then substituted for coriander so it looks a bit sad and unhappy in its pot so I gave it a good water and will pot it on so it can keep the parsley company that I had last year. 

I have run out of compost at the minute though so I'm trying to figure out how to fill some planters without spending a small fortune on compost so I think when I cut the grass I will use some of that to part fill them as long as its not a root veggie. 

I also seem to have a few rogue pansies appeared.

YoungBlueEyes

You sound very busy sammy, no wonder you’ve a sore knee Hopefully some rest will sort it. 

Strawbs here too, jeez they’re relentless little blighters. I’ve dug some up to keep and the rest can Shawshank cos a lot of them are where the swish wall will be going. I’ve still not seen any babby blackies so that’s on hold for a bit longer. They should be about by now I think  

You’re right Dusty, I doubt that’s what’ll be built on the site - it’s a glorified bungalow! And I hope the piggies were kept on straw or you’d never get rid of the smell 😳

BBC news tells me SW Water are (eventually) a bit busy so maybe hold off giving the leak strips back  

I hope your pond is only evaporating and running away from you 2P…

Sun’s kinda out (as predicted by the Devonians) and my alliums are loving it - 

Dustyevsky

sammy_kaye18 said:

Afternoon all
I am sulking here. 
After a few warm days and much frolicking in the garden I have somehow stuffed my knee up. No idea if it was fighting idiot dogs out the door for a walk or overuse or what but it hurts. It feels like I have a tennis ball stuck behind it or that something needs to pop.

Sounds like water on the knee, which I had a few times before I was old enough to get osteoarthritis instead. The old-fashioned name was 'housemaid's knee,' implying it affects those who kneel to scrub floors etc. Of course, there can be a lot of kneeling in gardening too.  Over the counter anti-inflammatories might help, but I avoid the pills and gels, and find a Kool Pak cold compress bag from the freezer, or just a bag of frozen peas, will do a good job on inflammation. Long term, exercise helps fix people like me with weakening muscles, but when I was younger the pain and inflammation would just go away in a day or so when I stopped aggravating the knee.

Lovely alliums, Bluey. The insects like them too. I'm still undecided about our wild garlic, though. It gets everywhere, trying to take over. When SiL made pesto with it, I wasn't enamoured, so.....

I only put the barn link in because it's a good example of our daft planning system. The point is, it could be built like that, yet something more pleasant to behold might fail. Interestingly, the regulations about barn conversions were altered last month, making the planning options more flexible. We may yet benefit from the delay our neighbours caused!

twopenny

Morning folks 
Wonderful Alliums, aren't they pretty. I've never had much sucess with them but when perusing the overstuffed garage last week I found a whole basket of bulbs. Ithink there's some in there.

Sammy,sorry to hear about your knee. I had something back when I was fit. It had a name and it was called a sports injury. Sounds good. I'd stick with that   

So much to follow I can't remember. Read it all last night but still half asleep. I managed quite a walk yesterday with my poles including a rocky beach so waiting this morning to see if I'm going to pay for it or if I'm getting better.
Sunny this morning and although 11c it feels warmer than the same in March.
Apart from the bare feet. The paths are chilly.

The household nonsense is taking over today - then it's gardens open starting this weekend so busy busy times.

Dusty, drink only beer. The waters not safe   

Farway

Dull morning, could even rain and there is threat of a Thundery Plume, that should wake the Polar bears up

Dustyevsky said:

I might well like some fresh Judas tree seeds, Farway. I could exchange them for fancy aquilegia seed to be thrown about with gay abandon dispersed widely over the Farway Estate, which seems much the best way to get some with minimal effort.

Ah, yes, strawberries; they're a possibility here in a week or so, though we were disappointed with the taste last year. I made the classic mistake of planting in compost, not the soil.

Ok, I'll earmark some for you once they ripen. Not sure if last year's pods are still viable, maybe pre chilled from this winter? I may just have a play later this week.

Strawberries I've found tend to disappoint, even own grown ones. The best ones were when kids were younger & we used to go PYO over the local strawberry farms. All now houses on roads such as Farm Way.

SK, I'm knackered just reading what you've been doing, I do hope the knee improves ASAP

Nice alliums YBE, I planted my sprouted cooking onion yesterday, so although it will not compete I can enjoy it while it lasts

While planting the onion, I discovered what happened to my Persian Jewels Love IM, the blighters absconded next door and are popping up in their front border My guess is the blooming squirrels scuffed the soil over thee, blighters.

Devil Alert Another offer, not bad at all, free postage & reduced seeds from T & M. Depends on what you want, but there are some worth a go for the price ones. Watch out, offer seed only & not all are 69p

I've got runners, broad beans, beetroot, marrow, orange cherry tom & posh Love IM

"offer ends midnight, 16th May 2024 or while stocks last. Offer valid on specified packets of seed only. Please note, free delivery applicable on seed orders only. For all other items standard delivery charges apply. Use order code TM_TN4950W"

https://www.thompson-morgan.com/newsletter-special-offers-wednesday2?source=newsletter-otono-150524&acq_source=

Today's photo, my Merton Thornless blackberry is now a picture and ornamental as well as tasty

twopenny

That's beautiful Farway. I can see why you grow it.

I have to get out to the badger run soon and hack back prune my very thorny one. It was there for protection but I think I've enough rose for that.
There was no flavour to them and they're thugs.

sammy_kaye18

Dustyevsky said:

sammy_kaye18 said:

Afternoon all
I am sulking here. 
After a few warm days and much frolicking in the garden I have somehow stuffed my knee up. No idea if it was fighting idiot dogs out the door for a walk or overuse or what but it hurts. It feels like I have a tennis ball stuck behind it or that something needs to pop.

Sounds like water on the knee, which I had a few times before I was old enough to get osteoarthritis instead. The old-fashioned name was 'housemaid's knee,' implying it affects those who kneel to scrub floors etc. Of course, there can be a lot of kneeling in gardening too.  Over the counter anti-inflammatories might help, but I avoid the pills and gels, and find a Kool Pak cold compress bag from the freezer, or just a bag of frozen peas, will do a good job on inflammation. Long term, exercise helps fix people like me with weakening muscles, but when I was younger the pain and inflammation would just go away in a day or so when I stopped aggravating the knee.

Thanks Dusty. 
It seems fine when I rest at night with some deep heat smothered on it but the second I try to use it or kneel on it - ouch. So I think a few days of taking it easy will help. I have brought a knee brace to wear on it as well so I will definitely try the ice pack as well. 

Young - love the Alliums. I have seen these quite a few times on peoples posts and have added them to my list of things to plant for next year. They are so pretty. 

Farway - T&M have a lot to answer for in this house and I am trying so hard to avoid their emails at the minute but part of me keeps thinking I can add them to my seed boxes for next year and get ahead of myself. Doh! 

I have actually ordered some more little 10cm pots to plant some things on so they should be here at some point today and I can give some bits and pieces some more space.
Peas and Runner beans are going in the bed with the strawberries so they will all grow happily together in there hopefully and its a good size with netting and good support so they will go straight in the ground when they are ready. 

Dustyevsky

MIA this morning due to much drain rodding. Somehow, I've ended-up as temporary labourer for a local builder, but its too complicated to explain. Now, heavy rain has intervened. I may have said "Hurrah!"

Mrs Dusty has me on secretarial duty instead, printing minutes and posters. I have to get them done for 14.00 so here's a picture of another poppy we grow, Papaver ruprifragum. Again it's one of those that just seeds around and the flowers barely last a whole day.