@Allotment Boy Very happy to be corrected re. Charlotte potatoes. That said, I doubt the crop will be large enough that we would keep any. They will most likely be eaten straight away.
Re. the mineralised straw, are you talking about Strulch? I have been using it since I started planting my garden 18 months ago and I have been delighted with it (water retention, slug and snail repellent, weed suppressor). That being said, I have topped it up so maybe not two full years.
Went to help my in-laws with their garden again. I cleared a deep border of weeds and a lot of creeping ivy, improved the soil with manure and compost, moved some rose shrubs there, as well as a small laurel tree that was struggling in a tiny pot, tidied up the existing shrubs, and planted a whole lot of English cottage style (mostly) hardy perennials and bulbs (gladiolus and lilies). Pastel palette of blues, pinks, purples and a bit of white. It didn't help my tennis elbow but elderly in-laws are delighted. This photo just before I started digging in all the plants.
Just did a tidy of my scruffy ‘border’. It’s mainly large shrubs/trees with some ground cover of hardy geraniums etc. Ideally, I would have a remove and re-design of this area but the large shrubs give privacy and the individual specimens are lovely (Philadelphus, Hibiscus, Quince, Holly) but they are starting to bump into each other now. I have also decided over the years to not over-weed it and let the Celandines etc. come and go. I have a Peony in there and it’s not really sunny enough once the tree canopy above has developed. I am wondering whether to try to move it...
I would give it a go @AuntyRach as the new shoots are just appearing so you can see where to dig it. Get the new hole ready beforehand and move it quickly before it knows what is happening to it. Don't plant it too deeply though, the new shoots should just be on the surface. Good luck.
Cleared another little area. My partner and I do a little bit here and there between other tasks like working or childcare in my case today. Thank you Nintendo for your switch based childcare because it gives me time to pull out the old, dead plant stalks and dead leaves from the border. It's good when you get back to soil on between the grass like leaves of bluebells and other plants there. Seriously, I've forgotten all my plant knowledge.
I've probably pulled up a few leaves of bluebells, geraniums and other plants around there but I figure giving light try everything without mass of dead leaves and stalks. Looks better.
Also, we've cleared a few stone path slabs to find out one looks white like it's a large tile. There's loads of borders and paths around. Some form a circular route others paths into the border with no way out. There's blocks of stone in all borders for some reason. I think the old guy who owned it before didn't like stepping on soil. Thinking I'll move some and use for landscaping.
I'm wondering what to do about bluebells and wild garlic growing in paths. They're mostly in gravel paths spreading out from borders. Some are simply being stepped on. Treat them as weeds is my thought unless they're not in the way (softening the hard stone path edging perhaps),
There's so much to do. It's like we're not making a dent? We probably spent half hour, the two of us, and only cleared the debris of 2m X 1m area.
@AuntyRach I would move the tree peony now before the window of opportunity closes. Perhaps gives your shrubs/trees a good prune come next winter?
@NorthernJoe I pulled thousands of wild garlic from my in-laws' garden the other week. There were none two years ago, very invasive so I would keep those in check.
Planted up some strawberry plants that I picked up on Sunday. Surprised to see them for sale as it feels really early to me, but I’m not an expert by any means! Still, it’s nice to be thinking of Summer.
@NorthernJoe ah Bluebells! Lovely in the right spot but they don’t half spring up all over the place do they?! Last year we pulled up literally hundreds of bluebell bulbs when creating a new bed...we tossed loads of them into old empty flowerpots, that then got pushed into a corner and forgotten about. I found the pots last week, with the bulbs flourishing and in full flower....no soil, just bulbs upon bulbs. No wonder they spread like wild fire in the ground. The bed we created last year still has loads that have come through this year despite all of that work! It’s a battle for sure!
Posts
Went to help my in-laws with their garden again. I cleared a deep border of weeds and a lot of creeping ivy, improved the soil with manure and compost, moved some rose shrubs there, as well as a small laurel tree that was struggling in a tiny pot, tidied up the existing shrubs, and planted a whole lot of English cottage style (mostly) hardy perennials and bulbs (gladiolus and lilies). Pastel palette of blues, pinks, purples and a bit of white. It didn't help my tennis elbow but elderly in-laws are delighted. This photo just before I started digging in all the plants.
The big house projects are hindering time in the garden.
I've probably pulled up a few leaves of bluebells, geraniums and other plants around there but I figure giving light try everything without mass of dead leaves and stalks. Looks better.
Also, we've cleared a few stone path slabs to find out one looks white like it's a large tile. There's loads of borders and paths around. Some form a circular route others paths into the border with no way out. There's blocks of stone in all borders for some reason. I think the old guy who owned it before didn't like stepping on soil. Thinking I'll move some and use for landscaping.
I'm wondering what to do about bluebells and wild garlic growing in paths. They're mostly in gravel paths spreading out from borders. Some are simply being stepped on. Treat them as weeds is my thought unless they're not in the way (softening the hard stone path edging perhaps),
There's so much to do. It's like we're not making a dent? We probably spent half hour, the two of us, and only cleared the debris of 2m X 1m area.
@NorthernJoe ah Bluebells! Lovely in the right spot but they don’t half spring up all over the place do they?! Last year we pulled up literally hundreds of bluebell bulbs when creating a new bed...we tossed loads of them into old empty flowerpots, that then got pushed into a corner and forgotten about. I found the pots last week, with the bulbs flourishing and in full flower....no soil, just bulbs upon bulbs. No wonder they spread like wild fire in the ground. The bed we created last year still has loads that have come through this year despite all of that work! It’s a battle for sure!