I gave the garden a good watering a couple of days ago as there has virtually been no rain for weeks in London (or barely a spittle), plants definitely looking the better for it. Planted main crop Charlotte potatoes in grow bag, first time trying to grow spuds for me.
Took all my tender seedlings from the cold frame and brought them indoors as -2 forecast tonight. Laid some fleece all over the flower beds as well. Jeez, after this morning's snow, you'd never know it's Spring! Waiting for my delivery of 7cm pots to keep pricking seedlings.
Tomorrow, all day at my in-laws to help with another shrub and herbaceous border.
Scuse me for being picky but Charlotte spuds are, technically a second early salad variety. It simply means they mature quicker but won't store all winter. Not that it matters much, btw I grow them too in fact they are one of the most popular ones on our Allotments.
@Allotment Boy the crucial test of a spud is whether my boys will eat them 🤣🤣🤣 they do love Charlotte and as such storage ability doesn't come into it. Boiled crushed lightly knob of butter salt and pepper, a short but tasty life
Yes Charlotte's are tasty. I wish I could have got hold of Markies this year as they were good main crop, but will have to do with the Maris Bard early and Rooster main crop, both new to me.
Mowed and edged the lawns. Removed a Viburnum that was in the wrong place and a small magnolia soulangea that was really struggling. I am planning to replace them with a new peony and some Dahlias I have on order. Watered pots and new plants as everything is really dry. Lots of new growth despite the cold weather.
Potted-on some Myrtle cuttings from last Autumn - they’ve been on a cool windowsill all Winter and have developed good roots. I have tackled a very careful tidy of a Lonicera bush/hedge which was starting to cover my ornamental fig branches, using secateurs and working slowly to check for signs of nests etc.
Spent most of the time today mulching the front garden and made a start on the back. Then watered it to settle it on. I am trying this mineralised straw mulch this time. It's quite expensive but supposed to last 2 years, at least it should be weed free, and it's supposed to deter slugs and snails.
I potted on my tiny plug plants into seed trays so hope they grow on a bit. They had quite a good root system so now wonder if I should have potted straight on into 9cm pots. I also sowed a wild flower mix from the GW mag into seed trays in the hope that they may survive better if they are bigger when planted out. After lunch my neighbour very kindly helped me dig a hole in the verge outside and I planted the Callicarpa stump I massacred yesterday. It's got two choices, live or die!
Four rows of maincrop potatoes planted, so that’s all the spuds in and can concentrate on pricking out all the seedlings now. Lots of work coming up there!
A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
I planted two new clematis that I hope will beautify an otherwise plain wall. I was pleased to see a huge bumblebee already enjoying one of the flowers on one of them when I popped back out with a cuppa!
Posts
Planted main crop Charlotte potatoes in grow bag, first time trying to grow spuds for me.
Waiting for my delivery of 7cm pots to keep pricking seedlings.
I have tackled a very careful tidy of a Lonicera bush/hedge which was starting to cover my ornamental fig branches, using secateurs and working slowly to check for signs of nests etc.
After lunch my neighbour very kindly helped me dig a hole in the verge outside and I planted the Callicarpa stump I massacred yesterday. It's got two choices, live or die!