The ups, the downs and the insides out of growing your own in 2024!

alicef

What a fabulous colour @FreeBear. I was once given a piece of oxalis but I think it was the houseplant species. As I am hopeless with houseplants I no longer have the plant, but it was very pretty. 

Haven't restarted on the bulb planting as yet - I shall rummage through my seed stash today and try to assemble some order as I want to sow for cut flowers as well as veg come 2025.

alicef

Not a particularly exciting image - BUT all 20kgs of the Narcissus have now been planted at a depth of 12 inches,  (which was a lot of soil to shift).  1st stage of the cut flower beds done! 

I'm now thinking about foraging for wreath and other decorations; the birds have stripped all the berries on the holding though I still have rose hips. I don't have any pine like foliage so will either have to forage or substitute - I do have lots of ivy; box; rosemary and holly though. 

Suffolk_lass

I used holly and rosemary a year of two back, with some off-cuts from the bottom of the Christmas tree (Nordman, Morries, £25 this year) - it smelled wonderful, and with a bright red wired ribbon (retrieved and used annually since) it made it nice and frugal too

rtandon27

@alicef & @Suffolk_lass - a rosemary wreath is a brilliant idea - I have a massive sprawling bush that needs a good trim - will have to find myself some florist wire and a form and give it a go!

alicef

@Suffolk_lass & @rtandon27 I haven’t got much further forward with making up my wreaths but I have found last year’s willow rings which I can re-use, plus I did slice up some bitter oranges and have slowly dried these in  residual oven heat after cooking sessions.  I'm aiming to have my wreaths up by the solstice!

We took some tree damage, (bits & pieces & a limb from one of the walnut trees), from Storm Darragh. Luckily the bough fell on the ornamental garden – squashed a bit of the box hedging but that’s all. The limb isn’t small and is very heavy. The OH will get the chainsaw out when he gets back. My hop bare roots have arrived, carefully wrapped in moss. They look lovely. I’ve haven’t cleared the ground where they are to go, so I’ve put them in a pot with some spare bulb fibre for now. I did pot up some donated wildflower plugs. Mended the coldframe cover.

I need to start pruning the grapevines in the polytunnel.

FreeBear

alicef said:  I'm aiming to have my wreaths up by the solstice!

Winter or Summer solstice ? (and which year).

Suffolk_lass

My wreath is made, as of Saturday but currently outside the back door and needs the adornments securing. I'm in two minds whether to put little LED lights in it too. Probably not, but not 100% sure.

Garden activity is minimal now

droopsnoot

My cold frame made a bid for freedom last weekend, and now has noticeably less glass (or more pieces, if you like) than before. I have been considering getting rid of it for a while as all that grows inside it is dandelions, so I think this has made the decision for me.

alicef

FreeBear said:

alicef said:  I'm aiming to have my wreaths up by the solstice!

Winter or Summer solstice ? (and which year).

@FreeBear - that made my laugh!  Errrr... I'm not going to commit myself.  

@Suffolk_lass  LEDs - excellent idea! I think I have some tiny LED lights that run off a little battery.  If I can locate them, (and I haven't got the decorations down from the loft yet), then I'm going to include them.

@droopsnoot that's a shame about the damage to your coldframe.  I use mine on and off - probably more next year as I want to sow hardy annuals (flowers) as well as the veg and I'm going to need the space I think.

FreeBear

FreeBear said:

After waiting months and months, my tomato plants have finally decided to flower. At this rate, I might get some fruits in time for Christmas.

Christmas has been and gone (good riddance), but the tomatoes have steadfastly refused to ripen. Contemplating taking some cuttings and getting a head start on next year.