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Post by 4pygmies on May 12, 2008 7:10:01 GMT 1
Another productive weekend for me - didn't get as much done as I wanted but at least I can see that progress is being made.... I am still under pressure to get things cleared and dug in the veggie garden and I still haven't made a start with the post holer for my new fence (too hot..) but the swedes, carrots and beetroot are germinating, the spuds are growing exponentially and the PT is being planted up gradually. The 'flower' garden is a nagging worry as it is turning into a seed ground for the worst weeds but I shall just have to flatten/strim/kill the lot once the weather cools a bit. At least I can't see it because all the Cow Parsley is in full bloom..... ;D And I wish it would rain a bit now...the water butts are dry and it is far too hot! :  |
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Post by The witch on May 12, 2008 8:01:07 GMT 1
Been busy in the garden all weekend, got OH to lift a very heavy slab next to the house, at the back, to make way for my for a climbing hydrangea, rather than it outgrow the half barrel it was in. He lifted one at the front too - but alas under the slab was 6 inches of sand and then a sheet of concrete! : I will now use the half barrel here instead and plant it with a Passiflora me thinks. Didn't plant out any annuals as it was far too hot for them IMO - had to put the parasol up to protect a newly plant clematis which was wilting because of the heat - fingers crossed it's not clematis wilt though! |
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Post by 4pygmies on May 12, 2008 8:03:54 GMT 1
I hope it was just the heat The witch - it was ridiculously hot wasn't it? Hopefully it has perked up overnight |
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Post by cheerypeabrain on May 12, 2008 19:54:00 GMT 1
well over the weekend I put a layer of dark compost mulch on the fern bed which makes the bright green of the newly unfurled fronds look stunning (not that my camera would capture it...ggggrrr) As well as housekeeping in the garden, today I top dressed the taters in their pots...the second top dressing I've done so far, almost at the top of the pots!  Then I lusted over my amaryllis...I think it might be the same one 4P has...Ferrari it's called, a simply delicious deep velvety red...slurp. 4 flowers in one bud...and another bud just opening. ;D |
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Post by 4pygmies on May 12, 2008 21:18:27 GMT 1
I don't blame you - a very lustworthy plant! It's a shame it's so hot really as my flowers aren't lasting so long this year...never mind. Better than not flowering at all...... Eldest spend a hot sweaty hour strimming the flower garden - it has been decimated apart from the little corner where the pond is. She's a good girl, she is, and kind to her mother. It is such a relief to have all that rubbish in a big pile in the ditch. Now I can perhaps start rebuilding it....I was surprised to find the climbing rose starting to come into flower - so I can actually enjoy it this summer I hope (couldn't even see it last year..)! Now I shall start to dig over the bit I want to replant all along the back hedge and try and clear it of all the perennial weeds - I have a queue of plants to put in there - miscanthus, eryngiums, trifolium rubens, echinacea plus the seedlings that are coming along in the GH...I love Eldest! ;D |
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Post by The witch on May 12, 2008 21:25:53 GMT 1
I hope it was just the heat The witch - it was ridiculously hot wasn't it? Hopefully it has perked up overnight It wasn't the heat that caused part of the plant to wilt - it was a broken stem! : |
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Post by 4pygmies on May 12, 2008 21:27:08 GMT 1
Oh dear...will it matter too much? I hope the rest races away to cover it then |
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Post by The witch on May 12, 2008 21:27:20 GMT 1
I don't blame you - a very lustworthy plant! It's a shame it's so hot really as my flowers aren't lasting so long this year...never mind. Better than not flowering at all...... Eldest spend a hot sweaty hour strimming the flower garden - it has been decimated apart from the little corner where the pond is. She's a good girl, she is, and kind to her mother. It is such a relief to have all that rubbish in a big pile in the ditch. Now I can perhaps start rebuilding it....I was surprised to find the climbing rose starting to come into flower - so I can actually enjoy it this summer I hope (couldn't even see it last year..)! Now I shall start to dig over the bit I want to replant all along the back hedge and try and clear it of all the perennial weeds - I have a queue of plants to put in there - miscanthus, eryngiums, trifolium rubens, echinacea plus the seedlings that are coming along in the GH...I love Eldest! ;D Bless - very kind of her indeed. |
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Post by 4pygmies on May 18, 2008 16:52:51 GMT 1
Ooh, I got a goodly amount done today! I sheared down a load of rubbish in the front garden and tidied it up a bit. We can get to the front door now.... ;D I didn't attack it as much as I wanted too cos I found a big toad sitting there so I decided to leave him be.... I went out the back and cleared the long raised bed by the GH and sheared down the long grass in the front of the PT, then sowed Black Kale, 2 rows of Spinach, Spring Onions, Mixed leaf lettuce, Radishes and Little Gem lettuce in half of it. Then spent a pleasant couple of hours potting on quite a few trays of Sunflowers, some Gartenpearle tomatoes, the Runner and French beans and the Golden Globe Thistle.
Lovely.....
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Post by 4pygmies on May 19, 2008 15:50:38 GMT 1
I've got loads to do The witch! I've got to get as much in as possible cos I'm away for those two weeks in June for GWLive. I've just been in the garden for 2 hours this lunchtime - barrowed 3 lots of bark chippings onto the PT path, planted my Aubergines in there and cleared out another patch in the vegetable garden. It's very slow and hard work cos the pesky couch grass roots are so deep..I find it quite knackering.... Still I swear I could almost hear the asparagus growing....we've got it tonight with hard boiled eggs, peas and butter...mmm, can't wait!  |
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Post by 4pygmies on May 25, 2008 12:37:29 GMT 1
I can't dig...it's pouring with rain now  Still I have turfed out my greenhouse and rebuilt it - moved the staging, put a set of wooden shelves in there and stacked all the crates of flower pots on them and under the staging. Now all the plants are along the sides and the tall tools and canes at the end standing in bins. I have far too many pots.......and I still have several crates full in the PT. It's not immaculate, it's not even very tidy really but by my standards - it's sorted ;D And I've had to put the lid on my cold frame - the poor plants are getting drowned......and shut up the PT to keep my newly planted melons warm..  ;D |
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Post by cheerypeabrain on May 25, 2008 12:57:56 GMT 1
rubbish weather here as well...altho the veg will like the rain I'm sure. I shall have another day resting...and then hope to get out in the GH or garden sometime tomorrow....I'll be out VISITING 4P next weekend.... ;D  |
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Post by madonplants on May 25, 2008 18:07:25 GMT 1
So glad I got into the pond yesterday, it's rained all day today. The ceratophyllum was taking over (the fish needed space to swim in!) and I got a few of the other plants sorted out as well. The parrots feather has come out, it's done it's job and it was starting to go berserk, like I expected it too. Still saw some tadpoles in the pond, so the fish haven't had them all yet. The baby fish in the pond are getting quite big now.
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Post by cheerypeabrain on May 25, 2008 20:26:17 GMT 1
Sounds like you got out there just in time Keith... ;D
I just nipped out to look at the plants in the GH...it's getting to the stage now that I need to plant my tomatoes, cucumbers, cape gooseberry and pepinos in their grobags/final pots as they're getting too big for their pots...but it's too early to plant out the bedding! If I can just get my family to help me take the plants I'm growing for Dad to his garden it would free up the pvc 'hardening off' GH so I could rearrange the 'stock'....
On Wednesday I'm going to the Tutankhamun exhibition in Greenwich...but I have Thursday off, so maybe I'll get OH to drive the stuff round to Dad's...he has a really sheltered, but sunny front garden so I could prolly plant the stuff I've done for him.....I can clear my flower border then and prepare the ground. I must say, this rain we're having atm has really cheered up the soil. ;D
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Post by 4pygmies on May 26, 2008 22:01:29 GMT 1
O..M...G...I am sooo totally bu**ered.......I think I very nearly gardened myself to a standstill today ;D I dug and dug and dug in the flower garden.....one really horrid bit left to do..and then I weeded a bit more of the vegetable garden, pulled out another 2 barrow loads of nettles and butterburs and got rid of all the Honesty in the patio bed - just so I could see the Allium christophi coming into flower from my kitchen window ;D I lurve it....even my OH commented that he couldn't fault me for effort - what does that mean? Is that a compliment or sarcasm...?  Tomorrow I shall try and finish that final corner and then I must barrow a huge pile of bark chipping from the front of the garden to cover it all....that's not a nice thought...  but I'm sure I'll feel better when it's done |
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Post by mickthecactus on May 27, 2008 12:46:56 GMT 1
I tried to cram in so much Saturday because of the weather forecast that I made meself slightly ill...
Dug up more of the old lawn for the veg bed (that is such hard work), weeded all the veg, cleared the pond, treated the lawn, potted up hanging baskets, shifted pots, shifted bags of gravel, repotted Haworthias, fed and watered and on, and on, and.....
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Post by 4pygmies on May 27, 2008 13:22:41 GMT 1
I tried to cram in so much Saturday because of the weather forecast that I made meself slightly ill... Dug up more of the old lawn for the veg bed (that is such hard work), weeded all the veg, cleared the pond, treated the lawn, potted up hanging baskets, shifted pots, shifted bags of gravel, repotted Haworthias, fed and watered and on, and on, and..... Me too Mick! It becomes a compulsion to get as much done as you can doesn't it? I just kept going even though I could hardly walk, my back was hurting, my hands were sore and even when I came in to have some food, I was still thinking about what else there was to do outside. It's not very sensible but it does give you a good feeling at the end of the day! Hope you feel OK now....... |
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Post by mickthecactus on May 27, 2008 13:32:12 GMT 1
You were very busy then Mick! What have you done with the turf you lifted? Didn't know you had a pond btw! I have actually dug in most of the turf but I did lift it in Saturday. It's stored at the end of the plot now. It's only a little pond - 2 fish, a few frogs, some plants but I'm quite fond of it. |
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Post by mickthecactus on May 27, 2008 13:33:05 GMT 1
I tried to cram in so much Saturday because of the weather forecast that I made meself slightly ill... Dug up more of the old lawn for the veg bed (that is such hard work), weeded all the veg, cleared the pond, treated the lawn, potted up hanging baskets, shifted pots, shifted bags of gravel, repotted Haworthias, fed and watered and on, and on, and..... Me too Mick! It becomes a compulsion to get as much done as you can doesn't it? I just kept going even though I could hardly walk, my back was hurting, my hands were sore and even when I came in to have some food, I was still thinking about what else there was to do outside. It's not very sensible but it does give you a good feeling at the end of the day! Hope you feel OK now....... Fine now thanks 4P. Et tu? |
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Post by 4pygmies on May 28, 2008 9:19:11 GMT 1
Me too Mick! It becomes a compulsion to get as much done as you can doesn't it? I just kept going even though I could hardly walk, my back was hurting, my hands were sore and even when I came in to have some food, I was still thinking about what else there was to do outside. It's not very sensible but it does give you a good feeling at the end of the day! Hope you feel OK now....... Fine now thanks 4P. Et tu? Moi aussie, merci, Monsieur le Cactus... ;D |
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Post by madonplants on May 31, 2008 22:27:19 GMT 1
Done some repotting of our conker plants we sowed last year. They all came up we think! I'll explain. Craig only had four come up and Stephen and I had the five we planted. Did he only plant the four, we can't remember?!  There was no sign of a conker shell left in the soil. Seems weird if he did, unless he planted four bigger ones than ours in his pot. I was there, so I should remember, shouldn't I? With all this rain, been busy weeding, can't believe the amount of bronze fennel coming up, let alone the aquilegias! I've ordered the outside wiring for the pond now, so need to get on and finish the surround I started a while ago. I'll blame Stephen for me grinding to a halt with that, he's in bed, so he can't say otherwise! |
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Jun 2, 2008 21:02:19 GMT 1
I've had a lovely day pottering ;D I planted some more things in the flower bed, plants grown from seed....veronica longifolia, verbena rigida, berkheya, erygeron (thanks 4P )and a few centaurea. Moved the dicentra over to the fern bed after chopping it back a bit...when I moved it I found a Bishop of Llandaff dahlia just poking through the soil ;D , moved the phoenix canariensis palm out of the huge pot in the front garden (it has a new home with my sister's niece).......then planted the pot up with a begonia rex, cineraria silver dust, trailing verbena (purple), dark pinky red trailing pelargoniums , some dusky pink osteospermum and a lovely dark burgundy foliage ipomoea....(it's a BIG pot) Planted 3 pepino plants in a huge grobag in ring culture pots...put the tomato plant (gartenperle) in a tomato pot....and potted on some of the perennials that will prolly go in the ground in Autumn for next summer (agistache golden jubillee and apache) verbena rigida, veronica, heleniums, lysimachia atropurpurea and himalayan poppies.... washed lots of pots..cleared up a bit and then it started to rain. Got tomorrow off as well so I plan to do more in the GH then...as the weather's sposed to be awful tomorrow. |
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Jun 4, 2008 18:22:43 GMT 1
You're not wrong The witch ;D
I've put the cape gooseberry and a cucumber (petita) in tomato pots now, and the strawberries in individual 8" pots in the GH to keep them away from the birds and snails (in theory)
Also potted on more of the perennials into 5" pots....watered everything...and went through all the pots I've got of plants for my Father's garden...as I can't get over to plant them until the weekend and they're getting really uncomfortable in their little 3" pots, I top dressed them all with fresh compost (the old stuff has shrunk leaving room) nipped out the growing tips of most of them and gave them a good soak.
My DiL gave me a celery plant a few days ago...so that went in next to the leeks....there's still loads to do, but it was my first day back at work today so I'm a bit tired now....time to cook the dinner methinks.
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Post by mickthecactus on Jun 4, 2008 22:13:50 GMT 1
You're not wrong The witch ;D I've put the cape gooseberry and a cucumber (petita) in tomato pots now, and the strawberries in individual 8" pots in the GH to keep them away from the birds and snails (in theory) Also potted on more of the perennials into 5" pots....watered everything...and went through all the pots I've got of plants for my Father's garden...as I can't get over to plant them until the weekend and they're getting really uncomfortable in their little 3" pots, I top dressed them all with fresh compost (the old stuff has shrunk leaving room) nipped out the growing tips of most of them and gave them a good soak. My DiL gave me a celery plant a few days ago...so that went in next to the leeks....there's still loads to do, but it was my first day back at work today so I'm a bit tired now....time to cook the dinner methinks. I tried Cape Goosebery last year but it came to nothing. Mind you, the summer was so awful... |
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Jun 5, 2008 19:09:40 GMT 1
I've only kept one plant Mick...it's HYOODGE...in the GH and it has some buds on it ;D
It's amazing...the seeds were teeny.....
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Still I have turfed out my greenhouse and rebuilt it - moved the staging, put a set of wooden shelves in there and stacked all the crates of flower pots on them and under the staging. Now all the plants are along the sides and the tall tools and canes at the end standing in bins. I have far too many pots.......and I still have several crates full in the PT. It's not immaculate, it's not even very tidy really but by my standards - it's sorted ;D
;D
but I'm sure I'll feel better when it's done 
There was no sign of a conker shell left in the soil. Seems weird if he did, unless he planted four bigger ones than ours in his pot. I was there, so I should remember, shouldn't I?