Calamity1971
If Mr Peanut says It's okay, then it is.
Same here on the hill in Durham. Mine will be open around April. Lots of snowdrops out and I spied my neighbour has one crocus popping it's head up. Mine are still hibernating .
The gardening thread
- Thread starter ringo
- Start date
RubyToogood
RubyTwobikes
I've barely set foot outside all winter except to prune the fruit. I did at least go and sit in it for a bit this afternoon and order some slug nematodes and start thinking about what veg to grow.
I could start something off in the grow table now I've finished the fennel that was stopping me putting the top on it, but not before I've zapped the slugs that have taken up residence and procreated since autumn.
Mixed salad leaves are always a good bet.
I could start something off in the grow table now I've finished the fennel that was stopping me putting the top on it, but not before I've zapped the slugs that have taken up residence and procreated since autumn.
Mixed salad leaves are always a good bet.
newme
Giant in Pastyland now
Hoping I remember this tomorrow!
newme
Giant in Pastyland now
Yeh I've got the calendar bookmarked on phone and PC since last time thanks! I was just extremely pissed off to find the rats got in. That was previously where my salad bed was and then it's entirely compromised. Having to check if they have tunneled every time I make a sandwich was not my plan. Nor do I want to keep throwing veg/soil/compost away cos they have pissed or shat on it.
This time of year they'll probably be liking the heat under the tunnel. It should take less encouragement for them to move on once it's warmed up a bit.
newme
Giant in Pastyland now
Hopefully, I had tried planting out a celery top and it was going surprisingly well then was missing and there was a hole lol.
TopCat
Putin fanboy
I have started to get in the gardening mood. Bulbs planted at home and at work are popping up and flowering.
Cut the lawn. Pressure washed fenced and paths and patio.
Cleaned all my incubator’s thoroughly.
Now have sowed several varieties of chillis and peppers. Looking at tomato varieties. Thinking I want some bigger toms this year.
Aubergine seeds will get sowed soon enough.
Remembering last spring, I recollect hail, torrential rain showers, gusty winds, it was shit. I hope for better weather this year.
Cut the lawn. Pressure washed fenced and paths and patio.
Cleaned all my incubator’s thoroughly.
Now have sowed several varieties of chillis and peppers. Looking at tomato varieties. Thinking I want some bigger toms this year.
Aubergine seeds will get sowed soon enough.
Remembering last spring, I recollect hail, torrential rain showers, gusty winds, it was shit. I hope for better weather this year.
Leafster
.
So many tree-planting projects don't reach their full potential because the trees are planted badly or there's no follow-up care.FML
View attachment 413157
And the person who planted this is about to get £££ from the woodland trust to plant thousands more
There's a green space in the middle of a roundabout near me where they made a big fuss about planting some trees only to ignore them once they were planted. I haven't checked on them recently but I doubt 1/3rd of them have survived.
I knowSo many tree-planting projects don't reach their full potential because the trees are planted badly or there's no follow-up care.
I've been known to stick a high vis on like I'm meant to be there and go out to do some rescue work on neglected projects when I know the people who supplied the trees or advised on the planting plan.
They've planted a load of pot grown gorse in the same field and those are about four inches too deep
Elpenor
Dancing as fast as I can
They look lovely clicker
Mowed the lawn, front and back, this evening. Finally got it under control. Think I’ll return my mates lawn mower I borrowed as I’m not a massive fan of it and seem to have broken one of the folding handles - oops - and ought get my own really.
Next job to tackle is the massive bush (leylandii I think) which is obstructing my path to the front door. Think I need to out of politeness tell the neighbour whose bush it is that I’m going to do it? He is a bit odd I think and has the same bushes growing in front of his house and up his garden path. So either likes his privacy or is too lazy to cut them. Anyway they are basically blocking my path so they need to be cut back so the path is usable
View attachment 383837Might look to do it in the next few weeks if it stays cool. Am I going to need to get a hedge trimmer for this or can I use my coping saw? I don’t think there’s that many branches. Would rather not buy an extra tool as money is tight
Have finally cut back the overgrowing leylandii type thing (photo in the quoted post was from July but was much more overgrown just now).
Used my coping saw, filled up green bin and all my garden waste bags. The front path is now usable after 21 months of living here
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Elpenor
Dancing as fast as I can
First mow of the year, it’s been dry enough for long enough to make it worth while. A neighbour has spent 2 hours on his, a couple of mows and a dethatch. He probably knows what he’s doing though, his is also a bit bigger, flatter and in far better shape.
I was in a rush as I had around 40 minutes before my dad was due to arrive and wanted it done before then. So it’s a bit scrappy, but given the next two days are rain, who knows when I can next do it.
Still got the ground elder problem which I do need to attend to
Should probably do the back garden too while I’m in the mood but I think it’s still a bit wet as it gets less sunshine this time of year
Edit also deadheaded and weeded. a good afternoon opening up the garden for the year
I was in a rush as I had around 40 minutes before my dad was due to arrive and wanted it done before then. So it’s a bit scrappy, but given the next two days are rain, who knows when I can next do it.
Still got the ground elder problem which I do need to attend to
Should probably do the back garden too while I’m in the mood but I think it’s still a bit wet as it gets less sunshine this time of year
Edit also deadheaded and weeded. a good afternoon opening up the garden for the year
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Elpenor
Dancing as fast as I can
Now to decide to what plant in this, thinking some sort of climber like a clematis. But I might want to put some more trellis higher up the wall?
Once I’ve got the planter level, what next? Stick a liner in, add soil / compost and plants. Not a job for today as it’s raining too heavily.
Once I’ve got the planter level, what next? Stick a liner in, add soil / compost and plants. Not a job for today as it’s raining too heavily.
Elpenor
Dancing as fast as I can
Well I’ve now lined the planter (and got it level as the area it sits on slopes slightly) and have planted a couple of Lonicera which I hope will climb the trellis and something which I hope will look pretty while the lonicera grows. So first planting of the year is done. More to come as my budget allows
Typically I realised after adding the first inch of compost that I’d need some stones at the bottom of so hurriedly grabbed some shingle from the back garden. Not the most elegant solution, but this sort of scattergun approach is quite usual for me, googling how I should do something after having begun already and realising I have the wrong equipment.
Still gardening is something I don’t pressure myself to excel at, it’s just a case of having a bit of fun, and seeing what works.
This is the first thing I’ve planted at the front garden. I should probably get a water butt at the front, as I have a downpipe here and will be planting more stuff here. Otherwise it’s a case of carrying watering cans through the house. At least at the back I have an outside tap (but no downpipe)
Typically I realised after adding the first inch of compost that I’d need some stones at the bottom of so hurriedly grabbed some shingle from the back garden. Not the most elegant solution, but this sort of scattergun approach is quite usual for me, googling how I should do something after having begun already and realising I have the wrong equipment.
Still gardening is something I don’t pressure myself to excel at, it’s just a case of having a bit of fun, and seeing what works.
This is the first thing I’ve planted at the front garden. I should probably get a water butt at the front, as I have a downpipe here and will be planting more stuff here. Otherwise it’s a case of carrying watering cans through the house. At least at the back I have an outside tap (but no downpipe)
Not the end of the world that you have used them but this really isn't necessary, it's a total myth and it baffles me that it's so widespread when it makes no sense if you stop to think about it. Sorry, I have a proper thing about it, it makes me irrationally angry
Did you stab some holes in the plastic if the bottom of the planter is fully lined and it's somewhere it'll get rained on?
Elpenor
Dancing as fast as I can
You know what you’re talking about so that’s good enough for meNot the end of the world that you have used them but this really isn't necessary, it's a total myth and it baffles me that it's so widespread when it makes no sense if you stop to think about it. Sorry, I have a proper thing about it, it makes me irrationally angry
Yes - I Stanley knifed the plastic in line with the gaps between the slats. It will certainly get rained on yes, it faces west and the weather comes in off Dartmoor a few miles awayDid you stab some holes in the plastic if the bottom of the planter is fully lined and it's somewhere it'll get rained on?
will be planting another one in a month or so, so feel like I’ll have more of what to do next time round
TopCat
Putin fanboy
First dry day in ages. Dug the vegetable garden and some flower beds. Got given a big bag of compost. Am coveting a sheet of corrugated Perspex my neighbour has behind his shed. Want to make a temporary cold frame.
Been washing pots to put my various peppers in.
A good start.
Been washing pots to put my various peppers in.
A good start.
RubyToogood
RubyTwobikes
The nematodes arrived and have been applied. I think I'll just do some salad in the grow table for now. Half of it is rocket anyway so when that goes I can put something more exciting in that half.
I've not seen one single ant in the almost-a-year I've been here. There must be some around but nothing like my allotment and home/work gardens down south, which were like something off a bad Syfy channel B movie.
Elpenor
Dancing as fast as I can
Cold frames in Lidl if that’s any good
RubyToogood
RubyTwobikes
Indeed I was just coming here to say that I was in Lidl yesterday and they've got quite a lot of gardening stuff in at the moment including grow tables similar to mine. I picked up a cold frame almost exactly the same size as the walled bed which is one of my main veg areas.
I've also done my first real act of gardening this year and sowed some salad in the grow table.
I've got a lot of seed from previous years still and I think I'm just going to try my luck with it generally rather than buying more.
Most of it will be fine unless it's been stored really badly. Carrot supposedly needs new seed every year but I find it's fine sowed a bit more densely the second year and even after that I'd give it a try if it had been stored well and I wasn't relying on getting a certain germination rate within a certain timeframe.
With proper storage and careful sowing, most things I still get a 99-100% germination rate on year three.
newme
Giant in Pastyland now
No idea where to put this but happened in a garden. Well that was absolutely mortifying. Yesterday someone was digging a hole next door, seemed to be going quite deep and they already had two poles attached to a deck they said they were extending. Husband and wife outside and he's shovelling. Our dogs noticed theirs and is all interested and bouncy then barks so I get him to quiet. Asked if they were extending the deck, "nah I'm burying me dog mate". Fuck, I'd wondered where the other one had got too but they keep weird hours so hadn't been thought a great deal about potential reasons.
TopCat
Putin fanboy
I bought one of their three years ago. Polycarbonate panels and shit fixings and general lack of robustness. I was vexed. I left it where it was when I moved.
I am thinking of an eight foot Perspex sheet plus some bricks. I’m thinking the neighbours Perspex actually.
I have potted up my peppers now. Looking at various tomatoes.
newme
Giant in Pastyland now
Anyone found a decent way to keep rats out of stuff? They ignored it entirely for 18 months then burrowed for an old celery top? Like I get you can concrete chicken wire for whatever but further than burying it 2 feet under anything and hoping they don't realise poly tunnels are easier to chew or some bucket drop trap?
newme
Giant in Pastyland now
It's now pissing it down with rain and they let the dogs son sit out in a concrete kennel while they sing drunkenly in the kitchen. Found this out investigating a whining noise then came to their kitchen window with someone in it unexpectedly. I think I should be comparatively less embarrassed but mainly wtf let the dog in!
I use rat poison left in long wooden tunnel trap things that only the rats will go into.
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