It's been beautiful here, not that far north of you @GWRS . It rained early on and more is forecast at about 6pm, but in between I've been out cutting back more dead stuff and filling the compost bin.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
I only do compost bins at allotment Used compost from home also goes to allotment The garden waste bin at home which is completely full , couldn’t ram any more in , not being emptied until 19th January Fortunately main job at home is tree pruning , which I’ll leave to dry and burn 🔥
You're lucky, our green waste collections don't start again until March. The system must have been designed by a non-gardener - most of the pruning and cutting back goes on between November and February, which is when we don't have collections.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
First gardening of the year today! Started tidying the conservatory ready to use as a potting shed/greenhouse. Prepared the numerous cardboard boxes, that had been dumped there last month, ready to go in compost bin/wormery/bean trench. Then it stopped raining! so went outside. Harvested 3 rather small bent parsnips for dinner, some salad leaves from greenhouse, cut old leaves off hellebores and some Japanese anemones that I could reach from the path then cleared up some soggy leaves from the path. Then it started raining again but it was time for toasted teacake and tea anyway!!
On the plus side, we don't pay any extra for the garden waste bin (I understand some areas do) so if the boat is rocked, they might start charging. It doesn't bother me all that much because most of my garden waste goes in my own compost bins, and I have a car so I could take stuff down to the recycling cenre, but if they start charging there's sure to be an increase in flytipping of garden waste. My green bin only gets things like dandelion roots, big root balls, rooty ivy, brambles, and branches that are too thick or too knotty to go through my shredder. It'll probably be fairly full by March but not unmanageably so.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
The only job I did in the garden yesterday was to refill the bird feeders. I managed to walk the dog and get back to the car just before getting drenched. There were constant showers, read deluges, throughout the day. The same forecast for today. Blowing a hooley, increasingly dark with incoming downpours.
As Sunday was the first bright, dry day, did get out to start the cutting back. Only to realise that the garden bin isn't collected till the last Friday of the month! So will have to go slowly. Still, did do the Hawthorn tree, a bit of the dogwood, and the whispy bits of the Flamingo Willow . Some die back in the bedding boarders, where the spring daffs are about 15cm tall. The Twisted Hazel has fat buds plus catkins on, and the Hot Lips Salvia has new shoots at the base already. Next to tackle the 20 roses that need their cut, but maybe tomorrow as I am frozen now and the hubby has a hot drink ready.
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Used compost from home also goes to allotment
The garden waste bin at home which is completely full , couldn’t ram any more in , not being emptied until 19th January
Fortunately main job at home is tree pruning , which I’ll leave to dry and burn 🔥
Then it stopped raining! so went outside. Harvested 3 rather small bent parsnips for dinner, some salad leaves from greenhouse, cut old leaves off hellebores and some Japanese anemones that I could reach from the path then cleared up some soggy leaves from the path.
Then it started raining again but it was time for toasted teacake and tea anyway!!
There were constant showers, read deluges, throughout the day.
The same forecast for today. Blowing a hooley, increasingly dark with incoming downpours.