Morning all. Cloudier here today after a couple of really lovely, warm sunny days. Fortunately we've escaped your intense heat - maximum has been 25, still too hot for me in the sun but ok in the shade with a breeze. It's 19 at the mo, very pleasant.
The first blackberries are ripe in the hedge between us and the cows. Not sure of their quality, but they'll no doubt add some flavour to the "windfall" cooking apples in the fridge. The bullfinches didn't venture to the top of the Arthur Turner apple in their hunt for buds this spring; I guess they have a maximum height above which they don't feel comfortable, so we have - or had - some fruit over about 20ft up, on the very tops of the topmost branches. However, the jackdaws and rooks who stripped the rowans of their berries before they were fully ripe, are now having a go at these apples - and many end up on the ground full of deep peck marks. They're not even ripe yet. There are just a few apples on the whippy ends of the lowest branches too, so I'm hoping the birds leave those for me...
The ants are continuing to appear each evening, though in smaller numbers. The baking powder worked pretty well, but vigilance and the vacuum cleaner are winning the day, I think.
Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
I didn't get it there, or pay that much for it though - maybe an offer somewhere. They'll be selling them off cheaper at this time of year perhaps too.
You'll be glad it's a bit fresher today @Obelixx. By the look of the maps, the thunderstorms are allover the place for the next few days. Maybe you'll get some decent rainfall. Haven't 'seen' you before @roisin897. You probably need some rain too....
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Losing apples to a jay here. The rotter damages several and drops them before flying off with the Goldilocks one. Earlier in the year it was squirrels but the arrival of fox cubs has kept them at bay since. The roe deer continue to prune from below but only eat the leaves which is odd as they love the windfalls and jay drops.
Thanks @Fairygirl 👍 think that's the newer version of the one I've got so that'll be fine ... there are offers about, but it seems that the length of hose supplied can vary with some of the offers ... I'll get OH to pop into Notcutts and see what they've got as we can get 10% off plus I can go and shout at them if it's 15m masquerading as 25 😉
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I had one of the expensive auto rewind jobbies from Hozelock with a 40m hose @Dovefromabove. It only lasted a few years before losing its spring and last year stopped rewinding at all. This year, the hosepipe has sprung leaks like a sieve. I've been patching them up by winding silver packing tape around but then another one appears.
No idea whether it's sunburn or being rewound under a bit of tension all those years but last week I just bought & plain, 15m hosepipe that was on offer and I think I'll probably get another this week.
If I do get a wall mounted reel again it'll be a handwind job but our hoses are in use every day at the mo so no point winding them up so not much point.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
I think I got mine at Argos - I usually have nectar points, and I can collect at Sainsbury which is much easier than going to the nearest Argos. Normally use the points for fuel.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
We have one of them - the X shaped metal ones were a pain as they kept rusting and had to be replaced every couple of years or so. We put a 30m hose in ours ok,
Haven't 'seen' you before @roisin897. You probably need some rain too....
Yes, desperate for rain; but here in East Anglia we are used to not getting very much of it in summer. Fingers crossed we will get a drenching on Thursday.
Age doesn't make you forgetful. Having way too many stupid things to remember makes you forgetful.
Haven't 'seen' you before @roisin897. You probably need some rain too....
Yes, desperate for rain; but here in East Anglia we are used to not getting very much of it in summer. Fingers crossed we will get a drenching on Thursday.
And yes, I am new here: thanks for noticing.
Age doesn't make you forgetful. Having way too many stupid things to remember makes you forgetful.
Back from Daughter's. There was a huge thunderstorm that lasted quite a lot of the drive home, 20°, heavy rain, strong wind, lightening, huge puddles, but 40 mins from home it was dry and hot. Dry here, 30° now. I would have loved that rain for the scorched garden. Rain was going north, maybe it will get to @Obelixx
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
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The first blackberries are ripe in the hedge between us and the cows. Not sure of their quality, but they'll no doubt add some flavour to the "windfall" cooking apples in the fridge. The bullfinches didn't venture to the top of the Arthur Turner apple in their hunt for buds this spring; I guess they have a maximum height above which they don't feel comfortable, so we have - or had - some fruit over about 20ft up, on the very tops of the topmost branches. However, the jackdaws and rooks who stripped the rowans of their berries before they were fully ripe, are now having a go at these apples - and many end up on the ground full of deep peck marks. They're not even ripe yet.
The ants are continuing to appear each evening, though in smaller numbers. The baking powder worked pretty well, but vigilance and the vacuum cleaner are winning the day, I think.
https://www.diy.com/departments/hozelock-2-in-1-wall-mounted-hose-pipe-set-l-25m/212552_BQ.prd
I didn't get it there, or pay that much for it though - maybe an offer somewhere.
They'll be selling them off cheaper at this time of year perhaps too.
You'll be glad it's a bit fresher today @Obelixx. By the look of the maps, the thunderstorms are allover the place for the next few days. Maybe you'll get some decent rainfall.
Haven't 'seen' you before @roisin897. You probably need some rain too....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
No idea whether it's sunburn or being rewound under a bit of tension all those years but last week I just bought & plain, 15m hosepipe that was on offer and I think I'll probably get another this week.
If I do get a wall mounted reel again it'll be a handwind job but our hoses are in use every day at the mo so no point winding them up so not much point.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Back from Daughter's. There was a huge thunderstorm that lasted quite a lot of the drive home, 20°, heavy rain, strong wind, lightening, huge puddles, but 40 mins from home it was dry and hot. Dry here, 30° now. I would have loved that rain for the scorched garden. Rain was going north, maybe it will get to @Obelixx