Awful weather - typical Brits talk

Davesnave

The weather was still decidedly decent when I reached my coastal shopping destination and it stayed dry until the circular route home brought me into Lidl's parking lot and a first downpour at around 13.30.....so that was half a day's potential outdoor work wasted. At least we'll be able to eat well over the next 10 days or so and my stash has grown just a little more.

I'm not a great Lidl fan; we buy about 10 products from them on a regular basis and ignore the rest. I've been known to dump my basket in protest  due to their very random stock control, especially if the premium ice cream is missing or the really nutty muesli has all been taken, leaving just the berries one, which no one seems to want!

That branch of Lidl really didn't want anyone to find their seeds either, as they'd wedged them behind some other stuff on a 2 sided display instead of the usual carousel. Everything had to be viewed sideways, wobbling the whole unit to and fro to see the bits at the bottom. I picked a couple of packets and gave up, as I was partially blocking the entrance. Just the usual Lucullus chard for the hens and a courgette called 'Green Machine' which looks suspiciously like the 'Midnight' I've already germinated. At 4.9p a seed it was worth a punt.

Farway

Dull & a bit damp start this morning, but I have spotted a bit of sun

Thanks for tips about Tesco, but there's not one around here in what I'd call easy distance, plus I'm, isolating hence my skim outside at Morries

I'll spot something sooner or later I'm sure.

The only reason I want an upright blossom is we had one but it turned out to be a weeping one, bargain bucket bought by another volunteer, lovely little tree but it was decided, not be me , that it had to go because it was in wrong place, tried to transplant but failed

That's one of the frustrations of  gardening by committee.

Today I hope to sow the cosmos seeds into modules, waiting for it to dry out a bit because I use the patio area as my potting shed, then any spills go into existing tubs and not on floor

Davesnave

Germination proceeds apace, which is good and bad news, as temperatures have plummeted again.

And what, exactly, am I going to do with a dozen Rheums?

twopenny

Tesco have the pretty little prunus at 7pounds and standard lavender at 15. Way too expensive but planted in fancy buckets for mothers day. There may be some bargains to be had after that or maybe someone gets one as an unwanted present.
Spent the afternoon running around measuring the stems for a replacement one but they're shorter the mine.

greenbee

Davesnave said:

Germination proceeds apace, which is good and bad news, as temperatures have plummeted again.

And what, exactly, am I going to do with a dozen Rheums?

It depends on the variety, obviously, but can you not plant them along your stream?

I’m hoping my seedlings in the greenhouse don’t get too much of a shock with the drop in temperature.

Davesnave

The stream is tiny, greenbee, and I'd swamp out other plants, but I have some damp areas near it. I'll only need two or three plants for those, but I'm sure I'll find homes for a few more. Gunnera would be overkill here; hence trying Rheum.

Seedlings raised without heat in the greenhouse will be fine. My toms and peppers in the propagator have stayed there, but they're getting leggy. Conservatory for those next, once re-potted deeper. I haven't made the main sowings yet.

Seems brighter outside today, but wind says no to a bonfire clearance of the hedging and orchard brash until Monday.

Farway

Sunny but a bit windy here as well, nice and warm in the conservatory so seed sowing may go ahead today

twopenny

Looked good when I got up but bitter wind (again) and I'm all out of being 'brave' about the cold so did some mental planning.

I went for a drive and admired the sudden swell of buds on the trees, the corporate daffs were looking a lot cherpier and I had a peer in other peoples gardens for some inspiration.

Then a bit of weed killing, found hand digging them I might as well have dug out the lawn, then sorting out the garage and sharpening/cleaning tools so I'm raring to go when it's finally warm and dry together.

Davesnave

Sowed more seeds this morning in the polytunnel. I may be jumping the gun, but my main tomato sowing has now happened, for better or worse. Peppers have to be in by now and my chillies are already up. I wasn't going to bother this year, but my son-in-law sent me a sample of the chilli sauce he made with last year's crop and it was so good...... other son-in-law wasn't too impressed, but he's Indian and therefore immune to anything less than 5 million Scovilles! 

We went outside in the afternoon. It was cold, but it was sunny and we were digging and similar activities, so it was OK. I worked on a bit of the potential herb garden, eventually clearing a hole about 1m2 from which I removed 4 big barrow loads of stone and building rubbish. There wouldn't have been much chance of growing things in that. The soil was dry enough to sieve, which shows just how fast we dry out here.

[Deleted User]

😬😬😬 those scovilles ..... not for me, i'd run a mile 🌶

Morning Campers, are you all outside already - or having breakfast ? 😆 

It promises to be a nice day here, still misty at the moment - i've the usual Saturday morning errands then see what the day brings .....
Happy gardening 😎🖐🌱