O/H cut the lawns today , a job I usually do but unfortunately I’ve got “ gout “ , so hobbling around , very frustrating as there is lots to do in garden/allotment
I’ve potted some pelargoniums and herbs for my patio display and just about to plant out a Day Lily (orange) and Heuchera (Purple Palace) into my take on a ‘hot’ border. The colour theme of that border is lime, orange, gold and a bit of pink and raspberry early Summer, changing to deeper oranges with a hints of red later on.
Planted some campanulas that arrived today, added my leggy and wonky phlox "Creme Brulee" plants to the raised beds with some bamboo to try to get them upright (may be a lost cause) and put the scabiosa Ochroleucas in their final position. Considering how long I was out there today, I don't seem to have done an awful lot!
Since the pigeons (I think) dug up the dwarf French beans and trampled/ate other seedlings, I put the veg plot back under a fleece tunnel until the new netting arrived. Out of the persistent North wind, but in quite strong sunshine, I think inside the tunnel got a bit too warm and humid as mushrooms appeared on the compost.
When the net arrived I stripped the fleece off the hoops and laid out the net over them. Bug*** I soon discovered I'd not bought enough! So now the area was half net and half fleece until a new bigger supply of netting arrived. Luckily with half the area out from under the fleece the mushrooms soon disappeared.
The new lot of netting has now arrived and has been used to amply cover the area. I feel much more relaxed that I just might get a harvest this year. Strangely enough I've not come across a slug or a snail for over a week either (hope I'm not speaking too soon!).
In a space under the net I've planted 'minted lettuce' seedlings. The packet came free with a seed order, it'll be interesting to see what they taste like. I had a few left over so I planted them with newly emerging 'cut and come again' salad leves in sparce places. Also planted basil seedlings.
Gave the plants a good watering with the hose pipe, including the young trees, as it hadn't rained for a few weeks. Water butts are now dry, although I saved some to water the blueberries. Discovered the hose had sprung a leak when I went to turn it off, luckily the water sprout had concentrated on the rose Strawberry Hill which is looking rather splendid in it's 2nd year. Now I've ordered another hose, the garden seems to be a drip drip on the finances at this time of the year (excuse the pun).
Liquid fed the 5 roses with rose fertiliser, and fed the rest of the garden, including hanging baskets, pots and troughs with a Tomorite solution. Tomato plants are now in their summer homes with one showing flower buds, they'll soon need feeding. Side shoots were removed, and made a mental note to stake them pretty soon. They're looking really well with deep green foliage, it's been mental torture getting them to this stage this year what with them being in a frozen state for a while.
Cut the back lawn, there're plenty of bare patches still, but lots of evidence that the patch reseeding has worked relatively well.
What the garden needs is a good downpour, and that the dreaded NE wind will abate and let a nice westerly in. Looking at the long distance weather forecast (if it's to be believed) there's fat chance of that!
Wow!! You've been busy. What did I do yesterday (other than vacuum clean the whole house because my wife can't) - I painted the garden gate and posts, clip the pyracantha hedge, and read the newspaper.
I am on "bed rest", taking it easy, after being rushed into Critical Care, last week. I am fine, sort of, and my family did their best to keep my babies watered. I have sadly already lost several mature plants. It is so frustrating not being able to crack on and get things potted on and or watered properly. The heat and dry wind are killers. The loofahs and okra seem to be loving it. The tomatoes will soon be marching into the greenhouse under their own steam, they are so strong and chunky. The lettuce have gone mad, also the cosmos and love in the mist. Sweet peas are struggling, need to be planted out, also Morning Glory and courgettes.
@Joyce Goldenlily - there’s only one thing for it… you’ll have to watch gardening programmes until you are on the mend.I hope your recovery is speedy and you are doing ok.
Posts
early Summer, changing to deeper oranges with a hints of red later on.
When the net arrived I stripped the fleece off the hoops and laid out the net over them. Bug*** I soon discovered I'd not bought enough! So now the area was half net and half fleece until a new bigger supply of netting arrived. Luckily with half the area out from under the fleece the mushrooms soon disappeared.
The new lot of netting has now arrived and has been used to amply cover the area. I feel much more relaxed that I just might get a harvest this year. Strangely enough I've not come across a slug or a snail for over a week either (hope I'm not speaking too soon!).
In a space under the net I've planted 'minted lettuce' seedlings. The packet came free with a seed order, it'll be interesting to see what they taste like. I had a few left over so I planted them with newly emerging 'cut and come again' salad leves in sparce places. Also planted basil seedlings.
Gave the plants a good watering with the hose pipe, including the young trees, as it hadn't rained for a few weeks. Water butts are now dry, although I saved some to water the blueberries. Discovered the hose had sprung a leak when I went to turn it off, luckily the water sprout had concentrated on the rose Strawberry Hill which is looking rather splendid in it's 2nd year. Now I've ordered another hose, the garden seems to be a drip drip on the finances at this time of the year (excuse the pun).
Liquid fed the 5 roses with rose fertiliser, and fed the rest of the garden, including hanging baskets, pots and troughs with a Tomorite solution. Tomato plants are now in their summer homes with one showing flower buds, they'll soon need feeding. Side shoots were removed, and made a mental note to stake them pretty soon. They're looking really well with deep green foliage, it's been mental torture getting them to this stage this year what with them being in a frozen state for a while.
Cut the back lawn, there're plenty of bare patches still, but lots of evidence that the patch reseeding has worked relatively well.
What the garden needs is a good downpour, and that the dreaded NE wind will abate and let a nice westerly in. Looking at the long distance weather forecast (if it's to be believed) there's fat chance of that!
Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border.
Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border.
What did I do yesterday (other than vacuum clean the whole house because my wife can't) - I painted the garden gate and posts, clip the pyracantha hedge, and read the newspaper.
It is so frustrating not being able to crack on and get things potted on and or watered properly.
The heat and dry wind are killers.
The loofahs and okra seem to be loving it. The tomatoes will soon be marching into the greenhouse under their own steam, they are so strong and chunky. The lettuce have gone mad, also the cosmos and love in the mist. Sweet peas are struggling, need to be planted out, also Morning Glory and courgettes.