Clarice673, I pity your soil conditions and I'm not entirely sure what your intention is lifting buckets of stones from your soil but I thought of an Alan Titchmarsh article I read once that said he never removes stones despite gardening on very chalky flinty soil because once you start down that path. ..well, I'm sure you know what you're doing
The last few days have just been clearing ,clearing and more clearing. 3 trailer loads of trimmings and branches. Oh, and son has cut the lawn, makes everything look a lot tidier.
Lovely weather here too in SW Ireland. Reading previous posts, it looks like we all are busy in our gardens at the moment taking advantage of the dry spell. Long may it last!!!
I live in Dordogne and when we started the veggie garden well over 20 years ago we removed barrowloads of stones, limestone, because it was just impossible. Gave up and had 2 lorry loads of topsoil delivered, but it wasn't very good quality, and a farm trailer of manure. I still pick stones out.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
I've sure removed my tonnage of builder's rubble from here, the best discovery was while we were putting the arch up, a bloody thick roll of some rubber membrane buried 18 inches down right where the post needed to go
other discoveries include extremely large slabs of waste concrete about a foot down, way too large to remove but blocking root runs so I do what BL has done and go upwards, built several raised beds to date
At long last, some proper gardening. I started off by going and cutting branches from my neighbor's weeping willow - with permission - to make babies. Most are now in a bucket of water to root but 3 of the best branched ones have been pushed into the mud along the stream that divides our paddock from theirs. Had to be rescued by friend Marie-Christine as I sunk up to my knees and couldn't get out alone. Not an option to leave boots behind as I was wearing OH's waders. Planks and spade to the rescue. One very mucky Obxx. Very glam.
Potte up 10 salix contorta stems I've had rooting in a pot of water - for friends. Then pushed 3 more new salix contorta cuttings into mud higher up along the stream and some pussy willows along the boundary between us and the arable field where water collects. Dug up clumps of snowdrops and split them into 31 small pots. 7 given to M-C and the rest to grow on to make a drift in a bed I have yet to clear.
Planted out some crocuses from a planter, trimmed clematis growth back, layered two shoots on the pink and red honeysuckle and did battle with a pot of Firefox lilies that had become congested. 6 bulbs have become more than 30 plus babies and scales to pot up and grow on. Gave 10 to M-C.
OH has cleared piles of crud and had a big bonfire and then removed an old wire mesh fence where we're putting in new trellis.
Showers and dinner done. Now OH and I are off to our Soul class - dancing.
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)."
No gardening for the last couple of days, as I spent Sunday Night Monday morning in A&E with baby. He seems to be on the mend so I have just been sitting out with him all wrapped up today...itching to get weeding on our West facing bed.
Hostafan1 I know what you feel about a glow due to the sun...It's a lovely feeling isn't it.
Posts
Clarice673, I pity your soil conditions and I'm not entirely sure what your intention is lifting buckets of stones from your soil but I thought of an Alan Titchmarsh article I read once that said he never removes stones despite gardening on very chalky flinty soil because once you start down that path. ..well, I'm sure you know what you're doing
The last few days have just been clearing ,clearing and more clearing. 3 trailer loads of trimmings and branches. Oh, and son has cut the lawn, makes everything look a lot tidier.
I live in Dordogne and when we started the veggie garden well over 20 years ago we removed barrowloads of stones, limestone, because it was just impossible. Gave up and had 2 lorry loads of topsoil delivered, but it wasn't very good quality, and a farm trailer of manure. I still pick stones out.
My rule with stones is , if it's bigger than my fist, I remove it, smaller, it can stay.
Same Hosta,
I've sure removed my tonnage of builder's rubble from here, the best discovery was while we were putting the arch up, a bloody thick roll of some rubber membrane buried 18 inches down right where the post needed to go
other discoveries include extremely large slabs of waste concrete about a foot down, way too large to remove but blocking root runs so I do what BL has done and go upwards, built several raised beds to date
At long last, some proper gardening. I started off by going and cutting branches from my neighbor's weeping willow - with permission - to make babies. Most are now in a bucket of water to root but 3 of the best branched ones have been pushed into the mud along the stream that divides our paddock from theirs. Had to be rescued by friend Marie-Christine as I sunk up to my knees and couldn't get out alone. Not an option to leave boots behind as I was wearing OH's waders. Planks and spade to the rescue. One very mucky Obxx. Very glam.
Potte up 10 salix contorta stems I've had rooting in a pot of water - for friends. Then pushed 3 more new salix contorta cuttings into mud higher up along the stream and some pussy willows along the boundary between us and the arable field where water collects. Dug up clumps of snowdrops and split them into 31 small pots. 7 given to M-C and the rest to grow on to make a drift in a bed I have yet to clear.
Planted out some crocuses from a planter, trimmed clematis growth back, layered two shoots on the pink and red honeysuckle and did battle with a pot of Firefox lilies that had become congested. 6 bulbs have become more than 30 plus babies and scales to pot up and grow on. Gave 10 to M-C.
OH has cleared piles of crud and had a big bonfire and then removed an old wire mesh fence where we're putting in new trellis.
Showers and dinner done. Now OH and I are off to our Soul class - dancing.
cleared the bed outside our bedroom and mulched.
Lots of shredding, but I think the blade now needs sharpening.
I feel I have a bit of a glow due to the sunshine.
No gardening for the last couple of days, as I spent Sunday Night Monday morning in A&E with baby. He seems to be on the mend so I have just been sitting out with him all wrapped up today...itching to get weeding on our West facing bed.
Hostafan1 I know what you feel about a glow due to the sun...It's a lovely feeling isn't it.
Sunny but windy, been planting