I got a couple of hours of cutting back and weeding done on Monday afternoon and put the tap-root weeds and thick tough old stems in the green bin for the first collection of the year today, along with some ivy that was making its way out of the hedge bottom into the border. I'll never be entirely rid of it (unless I grub up the hedge as well), it's just a case of keeping it in check. Also popped some potted daffs in the ground in the spaces that I made. It's amazing how wet and coherent the soil is at the moment - I can actually dig a hole without the sides instantly crumbling in.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
I dashed out between the drizzle and managed to tidy up another clematis and pull up some weeds on a slate path - very easily because it's so wet. Lovely to be out in the fresh air and doing something.
I potted on in individual pots my six bare root Mara des bois strawberries which arrived yesterday. Used a mix of peat free MPC and my own compost. Both were rather wet as I had forgotten to recover the bag of MPC, then I watered them in and have put them temporarily in a cold growhouse to protect them from yet more rain. Bit worried they may just rot off inside there though? Any thoughts please?
My son-in-law came and did a light prune of my quince. A bit late as it is already breaking bud, but beggars cannot be choosers. The tree looks much better now, fingers are crossed it is not too upset with its new hairdo. I went to plant my garlic but it had rotted off so that solves that problem! I managed a couple of hours weeding a border. I found the edge of the path again. Several rooted brambles still to deal with. Everything is shooting, daylilies, salvia, etc. I was shattered but satisfied I have been able to make a start on catching up, so much more to do. Little and often hopefully. We had torrential rain for a couple of hours during the night, a hail storm this morning, more rain, and now sunshine, colder. So unpredictable. Very easy weeding but so much moss everywhere.
Sowed dwarf broad beans, 2 different lettuce, chicory and Japanese spinach in pots and indoors. Completed an archway into the orchard. Looks good. All reclaimed materials from our shed. Dismantled a bridge, made decades ago going over our small lily pond. Sadly rotting away but it had a good life.
Bought begonia tubers… does that count? Crazy wet here so still no hope of doing anything outside. Times like this I really wish I had space for a walk in greenhouse, not just a “lean to”.
Marne la vallée, basically just outside Paris 🇫🇷, but definitely Scottish at heart.
It's been too wet here recently, and I've buggered my shoulder, but I do need to pull the grass out the front borders, and cut some dead stuff out. I planted two of my salvias too shallow last year, so I've had to wire them to a stake for the time being.
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I potted on in individual pots my six bare root Mara des bois strawberries which arrived yesterday. Used a mix of peat free MPC and my own compost. Both were rather wet as I had forgotten to recover the bag of MPC, then I watered them in and have put them temporarily in a cold growhouse to protect them from yet more rain. Bit worried they may just rot off inside there though? Any thoughts please?
I went to plant my garlic but it had rotted off so that solves that problem!
I managed a couple of hours weeding a border. I found the edge of the path again. Several rooted brambles still to deal with. Everything is shooting, daylilies, salvia, etc. I was shattered but satisfied I have been able to make a start on catching up, so much more to do. Little and often hopefully.
We had torrential rain for a couple of hours during the night, a hail storm this morning, more rain, and now sunshine, colder. So unpredictable. Very easy weeding but so much moss everywhere.
Completed an archway into the orchard. Looks good. All reclaimed materials from our shed.
Dismantled a bridge, made decades ago going over our small lily pond. Sadly rotting away but it had a good life.
Yesterday afternoon , enlarged a flower bed that the lavender bush was in , put the turf on the stream bank , need to think about planting it ?
I planted two of my salvias too shallow last year, so I've had to wire them to a stake for the time being.