Next steps; grip-relaxing bimbling, and avoiding the temptations

foxgloves

Hi @Suffolk_lass,
Yes, 1st half of March for echium sowing here. They are usually pretty fast growers. I'm not actually growing any this year as decided to minimise spending by using the huge amount of  seed packets I already have in my seed box. Still aiming for my usual floriforous (sp?) tangle of stuff to attract wildlife though. 
Hoping for a good garden border clearing session this afternoon. Mr F has promised to help me dig out baddies at the weekend so I want to do some prep work on clearing access so that his efforts can be directed at the worst affected areas. We also have plans for re-furbing parts of our veg plot, work which will need to be in place by the end of May at the latest. Love a good project though.
F x

Suffolk_lass

I don’t think I mentioned that I bought an oak bench to sit in the front garden, under one of the windows. So, I got it on Faceache MP, nearby. As is usual with things around here, it looked lovely but had one or two things to sort out. Fortunately, Mr Sl is an engineer, and was a resistant materials (Design & Technology) teacher (that is woodwork and metalwork to me, along with product design). It’s dead handy, having someone who knows what needs doing. In this instance, he ordered the correct epoxy super-strong glue to stabilise the joints that were on the verge of being rickety. 

I suggested we also used the extra piece of wood that the garage door seller gave us when Mr Sl collected them (because the new door fitters omitted to support the door when they unscrewed it, causing a split by the other hinge). Those doors are a soft wood so don’t need that particular piece of oak as a side bar. So Mr Sl has repurposed it in true MSE style. He cut it to size and used it to brace between the bench legs, under the seat. This means that when two heavier than normal individuals sit on it, there is no more bending and pressure on the legs. No need to ask how we know this…, actually, he being 6’3, me 5’8 and both sturdy to a bit too fat (depending on the time of year). Anyway, ’tis done, and a thing of simple beauty. 

His next job is resuming the cleaning (scraping and scorching to sterilise) beekeeping kit. He has two boxes that originated with other people that are not assembled up to his standard, so what (for me) is an hour’s work, is more like two or three for him. In this case, one box had not enough nails and no screws, and the other has metal side bars instead of runners, so it impinged on the bee space, and explained why this hive was often furious when we tried to inspect. Our beekeeping friend is ready to return the brood frames we lent him when he had to shook swarm four colonies to deal with an outbreak of EFB at his apiary. We have about 40 coming to us (and the rest to the Teaching apiary), hence the sense of urgency in getting the kit ready

Also outdoors, the gravel parking area is fixed, thanks again to Mr Sl and our gardener (and a bit from me). Between them, they scraped back the gravel, identified where the membrane was compromised, dug out the damage, filled it with old concrete roof tiles as a continuous panel of hardcore, then membrane, then heavy duty gravel mats and finally, putting our gravel back as a deeper layer. Yesterday, three tons of 20ml stone was loose delivered (wholesale price too :-), and Mr Sl and I shifted, spread and flattened it.. I admit that my pectorals, triceps and neck are a little stiff this morning, but two paracetamol - mid evening, meant no struggling out of the chair and this morning I am bright eyed, if not bushy tailed! 

In a fortuitous accident; I had bought the heavier gauge gravel mats last year (and the membrane), when on offer, but fortunately, as it turns out, the first lot of damage had not been repaired before the second lot (when the compost was delivered) made it worse and effectively, rendered the parking place unusable! The origins of this area of damage was a soft spot was where the bay tree was dug out when it was originally given over to parking. The drop kerb was already there, and the grass refused to revive, ever since the thatcher stored everything there in 2010! So we eventually moved the tree and made it a parking area.

I was chatting to the community garden coordinators in the bar last night and apparently nobody except them liked the black opal tomatoes I gave them last year (the others would not pick or taste them as they thought they were rotten, apparently). I think we on here, often forget how limited and unadventurous some people are. He thought they were delicious, by the way, and that it was very funny that others were convinced that tomatoes come in red and only red! I agreed to start some of my unused seed for them to have more plants. Tomatoes first, some Autumn-fruiting raspberries and some squashes (cucumbers, especially), when I start them in April/May. Oh, and flower seeds!

That sort of brings me to this morning (what is left of it); after coffee I shall be going out to sort out my greenhouse, and the numerous pots therein (and outwith). I have located the long root trainers for my sweet peas and shall be planting more tomatoes (in unheated propagators until I can swap the germinated ones) and I might try some half sized seed trays of flower seeds. Also some pruning and cuttings from blackcurrants and gooseberries to get struck and planted.

Time to do some getting on with it before DS visits this afternoon and we have a party to go to from 6pm this evening! Happy weekend!

foxgloves

I just love a day of gardening plans. We've had a good session here too, though I shall ache later.
F

Suffolk_lass

We each managed around two hours before backs began to ache and small dog got fed up with being on Mr SL's coat, next to the convector heater in his shed. I'm not sure how far Mr SL got but I got the things planted that I need and four half-sized seed trays, ready to plant up. I also found some fibre cell-trays so used these for 24 tomato seed starters for the Community garden; four each of six varieties, all more suitable for outdoors than my chosen cherry and beefsteak varieties.

I think I will use the fibre cells again for mini plug plants - flowers for my long-awaited wild-flower area and the bed I am replanting out front. That needs a bit of early intervention to remove some weeds that are sprouting. Hopefully from seeds rather than roots, as the former are much easier to remove.

As I have blue skies this morning, I am going out for another spell of planting and clearing. Slow and steady, wins the day. Day two after moving three tons of stone and while I can feel it, I can work with it, as long as I don't overdo it. After last year's knee injury has changed my ability to kneel and weed, I need to be mindful of what needs to be done differently. I have been looking at long-handled tools. Sign of the times!

I paid for the stone and the gardener, so a lump of cash has gone from my account. Not a problem this month, as the frugality of January has paid dividends in lower payments to CC this month.

I have a nice lump of meat out of the freezer, defrosting for a roast later, when DS&P are meant to be coming over for Sunday dinner. Hopefully early evening as someone is supposed to be collecting a FBMP item I listed before Christmas. I hope they come as it has been hanging around for ages. Fingers crossed for £40

foxgloves

During my spell of vertigo last year, I managed quite a bit of garden maintenance using my Mum's old long-handled fork & a grabber I purchased online. They helped so much while I was unable to bend over. I am still using them for at least some of my gardening sessions to help avoid muscle stiffness later.
F

Suffolk_lass

Thanks for that @foxgloves. I had been in two minds whether to get one and have now ordered one.

Suffolk_lass

Remarkably, the jewellery box I listed on FBMP before Christmas has been collected today. Full price, no quibble. They seemed pleased. I am useless at decluttering (always better things to do, but I will admit to a small feeling of elation and £40 has been added to the "save £12k in 2025" savings pot for this month)

Suffolk_lass

Energy price cap 
I switched to the cephalopod's 16m fixed tariff that was the same as the flexible one we were on already, just a couple of weeks ago. I pay £200 every month and it means it accumulates a goodly reserve when we only use a small amount (subsidised by 9 solar panels) in the summer months, so we accumulate a large credit. I always have to contact them as their recommended payments algorithm does not recognise our pattern of usage. 5 ultra high months and 7 that are ridiculously low by comparison. Come October, we turn the electric aga on and our usage is something just under £400 per month (over £400 during the festive period when visitors are here) - by the end of March we have used the cushion and I am prepared to top up in April with a one-off payment. Then it is back to washing and dish is shining, and baking slightly bigger batches of bread so I can usually wait until I bake, if the weather is meh.

I can't talk about what is happening domestically at the moment. Big things, deeply worrying. Not me. Mr SL in hospital.

edinburgher

Prayers for Mr SL, we'll be here to chat when you have a spare minute.

rtandon27

Sending supportive vibes for you & healing ones for MrSL xxx