GreenFly - A 'flylady style' gardening thread with weekly tasks to tame your garden

greenbee

All my remaining beds are odd sizes - 90 x 260, 120 x 260, 80 x 430, 100 x 430, so I'm trying to do the maths to work out whether there are any kits I can adapt to avoid having to a. put up with the scruffiness or b. make them myself.

A neighbour has just dropped off three asparagus crowns which she dug out of a flowerbed. At least 4 years old. So those will need planting later. Of course, I have a whole lot on order... 

kazwookie

Power washing been taking place here, looks so much better, but there is more to go, I didn't know my patio was so bright under all the grime.

Grass was also cut  over the weekend, just toook the top off, to level the grass, and so it can breathe in the sun shine.

Tomorrow more power washing and getting the chain saw out.

Seeds have been sorted in their packets, so will start on planting them towards the end of the week.

redofromstart

I am hoping my patio is bright under the grime of many years Kazwookie

I walked round the garden with DS1 yesterday and he was saying that the worst part of doing the lawn is the number of bumps and hollows in it - a delightful combination of moles and a dog who liked to dig.  I actually think that is a good point, I avoid walking up it due to my dodgy ankle.  I need to look in to what we can do about it.  The grass is poor - more moss and weeds than grass, but I suspect having it cleared and re-turfed would be an expensive job.  

Lovely blue skies again today so I want to get the next two raised beds in. At least that bit of the garden is in full sunshine rather than the cold and gloomy patio that is in the shadow of the house.

I have put both lots of sweet peas in some water to soak.  I need to clear some things away in the dining room to set up the propagator on the back window away from the cats.  The things in question are the boxes with the raised beds in, and the one with the raised bed propagator covers so perfectly achievable.  

Sun Alliance mentioned on her diary about going back to doing one thing a day on the garden, the basis of the five minute gardening theory.  I am choosing not to work at the moment so I have far more time than this, but I also have quite a lot of garden to look after.  Decisions would be simpler here if I made my mind up about staying or moving, but for now I am focussing on making the garden 'pretty' and maintained again rather than sadly neglected.

kazwookie

Redo, with the grass / holes, can the lawn be sectioned off into two, dog/s get one, humans get the other?  Depending on size of area, I would get top soil and fill in the holes and seed. I also use 'weedol lawn'  to get rid of moss / dandylions etc, but I know not all people like using chemicals on their lawn. If you want to dm me a couple of photos, I have a think of what I can come up with to help you.

greenbee

Agree with @kazwookie, redo. Fill the holes, roll if you have a roller so it is nice and firm, then seed. You can always get a spirit level out if you want

I'm trying not to sow any more seeds until after my next work trip. It may put me behind, but they're unlikely to survive it. 

A neighbour dropped off some asparagus crowns yesterday that she'd dug up. I know they don't like being disturbed, but it's worth a try to put them in. So I need to find a space in my work diary today to go and dig holes for them and get them planted. Once that's done, i'll let myself go and buy the pretty stuff I want to fill the remaining pots on the patio. 

As this week is predicted to be dry, I think I'll ask the gardener to mow on Friday so that the 'orchard' is ready for bulbs and wildflower when i'm back. 

redofromstart

Thank you both. 
The dog in question is no longer with us, or I wouldn't even try.  He just used to dig up any filling we added so I have ignored it for years. 

Getting the shredder out of the gardening shed I realised we have an electric scarifier thing that we bought many years ago (must get someone to check it is safe to use first though!) and a big tub of lawn weed and feed.  There is a handheld stamping plate rather than a roller, but I should be able to borrow or hire one. 

It is about 10 metres square and slopes down towards the house, where there is a sharp bank down to the patio.  Stony soil, full sun, still quite squelchy underfoot.  

Farway

redofromstart said:

Getting the shredder out of the gardening shed I realised we have an electric scarifier thing that we bought many years ago (must get someone to check it is safe to use first though!)

If you use an RCD plug, buy from around a tenner,  then it's belt & braces

https://www.diy.com/departments/masterplug-13a-rcd-adaptor-plug-plug-through/32432_BQ.prd

kazwookie

I have one of those plugs and use it for the chain saw!!.

Another thought, use the mole hill soil to fill in any diggings.

EssexHebridean

Hmmm...it occurs to me that one of those Al's coldframes just could work for what I want to protect herbs...there's a thought! I just need something that will keep the squirrels, cats and pigeons off them. Ill take a look. 

redofromstart

Thank you - I am sure we have an RCD plug.  Where it actually is is more of a challenge, but I shall have a rummage tonight. I also found an unopened roll of chicken wire (no idea what we bought it for, haven't had chickens for many years)  which could come in useful for cobbling together some sort of frame to keep cats out of the raised beds, and animals in general off seeded bits of lawn.  

The mole hills make lovely top soil don't they?  I always pinch it for use elsewhere.