Awful weather - typical Brits talk

-taff

Quick one - if they're like tiny slimmer sperm type shapes, it's mosquito larvae.

-taff

PP, lovely philadelphus. I have the long leggy kind and a small bush type affair with I think four or five petalled flowers. Absolutely love love love the smell...

2P, so then I had to go and look at the sweet peas, I quite fancy a Monty Don now and some Cupani...

Dusty, Gladiator was quite good even if it did mash history about a bit. Love your polytunnela dn aren't some of your tomatoes huge!

YBE, I'm glad we're just seeing the back of the death stare

Arbsm also I have strawberry envy now.

I went to Costco today and surprisingly stuck to my list but when I got back it was nap time. Not long woken up now, an I have stuff to parcel up for the freezer, but I have taken a tour round the garden, gawd, hot or what?! so I've come back in again untiil after. I don't know what it is about that mushroom compost, it really could be too alkaline, everything apart from the nasturtium and pelargoniums are dying two days after I put them in it. I did try and mix in some of my compost but it doesn't seem to be helping at all. Any words of wisdom for reblanacing the PH or any other kind of help I can give it? The stuff in the big made up bed isn't doing too badly, it is growing but the stuff in the long thin ned is not happy at all. It's aready killed some campanula, some scabious, some erigeron, the two fruit bushes, and it's thinking about killing the lavender and african marigolds.

YoungBlueEyes

Thank you taff. They look like this - 

Hard to get a pic without the light parts and  reflections. Will I need to empty both butts out to be safe or can I still use it for watering my garden? Cat will have to drink tap water and like it. 

I’m sorry I can’t reciprocate with some wisdom about your ph problem.

-taff

They don't look like mosquito larvae [yet?] so scratch that for the now. It's still safe to water your garden, and to be honest, of the cat did drink them, they'd probably die in his stomach. One of mine likes to drink from the bucket that sits under the overhang which has mosquito wotsits in it, hasn't done him any harm yet though, but then, he is a big fat furry beast so hes got moe stomach than most.

The little bushy philadelphus, it almost smells like bubblegum it's so sweet

Dustyevsky

twopenny said:

Dusty that tom arrangement looks worthy of a stately home garden. Are you sure you only have a bungalow

I've only a 3 /4 bed bungalow, yer honour; I swear on me life!  Admittedly, it's quite nicely appointed now, but only because we spent all our savings and 3 years of our lives on it. The polytunnel is also a refurb of the original from 2010, so we've been quite frugal.

We grow toms all of us enjoy, such a Sungold and Floridity, but each year we experiment too. So, there's also Datlo, a plum type from E. Europe and Lulu's Best Ever, an allegedly huge tomato from Wales. We're also trialling Sungold from our own saved seed (so not F1) and the Veranda Reds. I have a hunch we won't taste the difference between real Sungold and 'our' version. 

We will eat many of the toms, give some away, and then, when we're all tommed-out, juice the rest and freeze....skin, pips everything. It's all good.

Bluey, I think the Holy Moggy will be OK with the water, which is most likely full of mosquito larvae and similar. Why? Well, you should see what ours drink from the various 'ponds' around the place, and they're fine! The last pair made it to 17 each as well!

I agree with Farway's description of vine weevil behaviour. They climb. We use the chemical selectively, but the majority of stuff is re-potted. 

I'd read your book, Bluey, but I've learned so much in the past 4 years, I might not need to IRO the history, deviousness, use of psychology etc. Even journals like The Lancet need treating with caution, though the findings published there sometimes make interesting reading, especially those not 'noticed' by the MSM!

Here, it's just about made it to 19c today. No sweat yet!

YoungBlueEyes

Ok the water can stay. Tbh I treat His Holeyness like a sort of small disdainful dog which works well 95% of the time, and I shudder to think what my dogs drank in their lifetimes... I'll keep filling his dish and he can drink it or not. His choice. #Shawshank - it's universal  

Thanks for describing the smell of your philadelphus taff, I can cross that one off my list. Bubblegum - bleurgh  

Cooler today, marginally, they say. It was up to 26'c yesterday and that's way too much for me Beautiful here now, 16' with a gentle breeze and the sun just breaking the clouds. Nicer than when I got up cos it was misty and humid and thick air.

Dustyevsky

I didn't refresh the page last night, so missed a lot. 

Sorry, but I've very little experience of mushroom compost, other than knowing it shouldn't be used as a stand-alone. Our last garden and water supply had such a heavy alkaline presence, we avoided the chalky mushroom stuff altogether.

I was out far too late last night waiting for the owl, who didn't show-up. Frustrated, I took a photo of what looked like a mackerel sky, but instead of being “not long dry,” today promises to be the hottest of our week!  Drunks say 23c.

What's it now, about 5 days without rain? Hosepipe ban by the weekend?

pink_poppy

Why is it when I try to 'quote' someone, I get stuck inside the quote and can't type anything outside of the box??

YBE, I was trying to quote you... mafted is a word I use too, so that made me laugh   Even before I got to the bit where you said it's heaven, I was thinking that exercise sounds soooo good. I'll give it a try, thanks. And you think it's bad that your Morries garden bit doesn't open until 9am... we can't buy alcohol here until 10am!!   

Farway, maybe the mesh inside the pot was more for slugs and snails and puppy dogs tails?? I thought it was quite a nifty trick.

taff, your bush philadelphus looks completely different to the other one - it reminds me of a clematis?? Anyone know why the one I have is called mock orange?? It doesn't smell of orange to me, although it does have a lovely scent.

Lovely sky pic, Dusty. Shame the owl didn't turn up last night.

It's looking quite nice out there at the moment, but we're forecast rain for the next two weeks from about 4pm today... oh joy...

twopenny

We've been weeks without any rain that's going to wet soil Dusty. You must be soaking it up before it makes it this far.

The garden is looking desperate with petals falling and leaves drooping.

Bluey, no chance of him moving for a lifetime unless he goes back again to his children, and no idea what's going on as they stay inside with no windows open. Mum now paying all the bills, shopping, cooking, washing for him instead of his partner and for the kids when they're there.

And thanks for the support re decision making. It was noted and seems health is very much in pieces and diy these days.

Supposed to be semi cloud and hot today. I must be more sensible as I did do 2/3rds of the brambles yesterday after the walk. Sweat pouring off. Silly woman I am. But nice to get it done. Hopefully won't ever need doing again.

It did go cold last night which was a blessing......just I get sunrise at 4am straight into the bedroom

Plants and photos seem to be on hold at the moment as nothing can be planted. I saw some lovely cottage gardens that I would have loved to enjoy for a while and photoed over the gates for your delight

I'll get about download/upload this evening

Hope Wort is ok and sleeping the way back to health.

No idea about mushroom compost Taff - I was wondering myself as I can no longer haul manure and such. So I'm watching your progress.

Sweet peas were from my last garden. This year they just never grew and I planted a heck of a lot! They've just sat there and produced one flower on 6" of stem.

YoungBlueEyes

Beautiful sky Dusty, even if it is owl-less. You can really feel the peacefulness of it

I don't know how to get round the quote box thing either pp, so I rarely quote. The yoga exercise really is good, but don't do it on a hard floor or you'll feel every bone in your spine. Mafted is good, I like mafted. I thought it was a Hullite Hullensian word, but it could be Yorkshire dialect maybe? Dunno. But it's a good one No drink before 10am I wonder why I'm suddenly thinking of Prince Phillip... God love him.
I thought the mesh thing rang a bell (poss in a book or an old Beechgrove?) the metal of it gives them an electric shock as they crawl over it iirc.

Sounds like the son knows which side his bread is buttered then 2p If it was me I'd be a shoulder for the neighbour, she might find you're the bit of strength she needs to get him back on his way. Re the support - you're very welcome. We can only say so much on here but I think you get the gist of what is said Yay for getting the brambles 2/3 done but booo to doing too much. Looking forward to over-the-gate photos... 

Maybe wort is reading along quietly and healing goodly, and so comfy in her V pillow that she CBA'd to even lift her laptop/phone to come on here