Awful weather - typical Brits talk

twopenny

Stimulation Daves.......don't knock it these days. Though I did see a neighbour mowing the tiny lawn then sweep up the bits with a dustpan and brush from the path. I'm going nuts here!

I've put the current in. It's single stem by accident rather than design, will see what happens. Happily we have a lady who takes and makes plants for sale for charity. A wonderful repository for anything to be replaced from either point of view. I no longer have to store plastic pots 'in case'. Just leave them there to be claimed or used and go when I need another.

I did have a huge red currant bush in my last 65ft garden and enough to make red currant jelly, my favourite, to last a year. Now with 17ft it's not senseible.

Farway

Another hard overnight frost but sun's peeping out now.

With his week's forecast I may have to drape some fleece over the plum if the buds break, hope not. Luckily the plum is in a large pot so it'll be reasonably easy to do

I did some more sowing yesterday, some Peruvian vines [forgotten it's real name] and chance it apple pips just for fun, one parent is Gala so in with a chance

Should they grow I'll probably put them on a bit of spare ground near my garage, blossom will be welcome at least

This morning I found a dried pod from last year's "Hurst Green Shaft" although not planning on growing peas this year I took this as a hint, so I've just started them [5 seeds] off on damp kitchen paper

Another find is 2014 sweet corn, unopened, I think I'll give it a go and sow it inside today, nothing lost, plus found a pack of mini  "Spanish Flag" vines, I bought them a few years back but never got round to sowing them. First stage apparently is 24 hours in warm water, it's one of those seeds that needs light & lots of heat 25Cto germinate apparently

Propagator time coming up by the sounds of it

twopenny

No frost this morning! Even sunshine. My moved sage plant looks better.

Moved the iron gate I'd been painting into position and noticed the frame sides haven't been painted a second coat. How the heck did that happen? the darn thing has been turned over around and upside down working on it.

It's at last beginning to look a bit like a garden at last as things are growing and being shifted. May need some advice.

The biggest surprise is that the dwarf Bramley that is tucked in the darkest shady corner and considering moving has the biggest healthiest buds. I think it will be the first to flower.

Davesnave

Still frosty here, but with a reasonably good day ahead and more storms on the horizon, I'm torn between so many jobs!

Yesterday I tore around the grassed areas with the ride-on, but that doesn't pick up, so I ought to remove the hay where it's thickest and where we walk. Then there's planting down by the stream where I've held back as it's a frost pocket, but if it rains next, the stream will be up again. I also have Dearly Beloved banging-on about her herb garden and still no new deep bed built in my veg plot.....

On the positive side, it's great not to be growing 200 tomatoes for local lockdown victims. They've had enough warning this time and there aren't seed shortages...yet!

Still, it looks like only 2 days of hell ahead and then relative normality returns. Could be worse.

Where's BC?????

Farway

Early frost but sun's out & warming the place up, like Dave it seems today is the quite before the storm day

I had a rummage in the shed yesterday & now have enough large plant cell trays for my sweet corn

All very eco because these trays are ex jumbo plug plant holders from 2019

Propagator located & I'm ready to go with the sweet corn, I'll be disappointed if it is not viable seed after this faffing about but only one way to find out

I'll need the propagator for the tomatoes anyway but a bit early just yet not having heat once they get going

I've sent off for some slow release fertiliser, it's supposed to only release when soil is at "correct" temperature, time will tell

I used Vitax Q4 for the first time last year, not a scientific trial but I think it improved my toms, lilies & fuchsias.

ancientmum

It was frosty here first thing, then sunny all day. I collected some muck from the secret stables and spread it about the allotment beds.   We've had a storm warning for tomorrow, so I'll be staying indoors, planting some more seeds, I need to have a sort through before deciding which ones. 

Davesnave

Spent 6 hours in the stream today, conscious that I needed to get it done before the break in the weather. I intended to put in about 30 plants, but only managed a few because it soon became obvious I needed to clear the old fern fronds, masses of ivy and heaps of dead twigs etc. There was very little water in there, so I worked upstream with builders' dumpy bags, filling 4 of them by 6pm. It will be easier to see where to plant now, but it may be a few days before I can get in there again.

Remotely purchased a Pyrus like this, but mine was from a localish nursery and much less than £64

 https://www.gardenersdream.co.uk/pyrus-calleryana-chanticleer-tree-p3388/s10763

twopenny

Sunny and not cold! Spent the morning drinking coffee while sitting by an incoming flat tide. Just lovely.

Then I bit the bullet and paid out for the slighly smaller standard lavender to go in my lavender hedge spot. Heaved another big one out of it's pot, dug the poorly one out and replanted both replacements. Took the poorly one out the back and potted it.

Removed all the Mexican errigion from the base that was an unsucessful idea and replanted the crocus. Dug out a wider border around it all. Planted in Snowdrops while they are in the green too.

Moved a huge soft yellow wallflower that my friend threw out last year, dug out an English lavender from the Hidcote border, replanted it out the back in my Mediterranian seating area and replaced with one H one I'd grown from a bit that fell off when I made the border and the wallflower. It's in full bloom and smells wonderful.

Had to stake and tie all these with the storm coming so fingers crossed.

Also planted some heathers where the wall flower came out and found there was a red one with it so moved that to the back.

Had to shift that darn gate again as it was propped against the wall and I was afraid it would blow down or bang against the gas meter pipes. I hope it's going to be worth all the trouble it's caused because this is the last time I'm dealing with it!

Wonder if this is the last storm and I can bring out my seed shelves and start growing stuff?

goldfinches

2p - whenever I wonder if that was the last storm and hope it'll start getting warmer the weather promptly shows me how wrong I am. Invest in thermal underwear instead.

Farway

Looking very "storm brewing" outside but the garden is ready for it now, I don't have a steam to worry about though, one of the mixed blessings having water on or near a property

I sowed the sweet corn yesterday into modules & now on the window sill in an electric propagator

It was like summer out there yesterday sowing the corn, my neighbour was sat out reading in the sun & we were both aware of wait was coming over today so making the most of the sun

2P, seems you were making most of the weather as well, worn me out just reading it

Dave, just idle curiosity why you chose an ornamental pear instead of an edible one?

I guess the blossom is far better, and sounds like foliage is as well.Drat, I think I've probably answered my own question !