What jobs are we doing in the garden today 2016

I did consider some veg @shiney, as there's some good growing soil there thanks to the chickens. But we want to fill the space with something which will give a certain amount of screening throughout the year, hence my plan for large shrubs.

I already have a couple of decent sized veg patches elsewhere in the garden in any case. I do need to remove a good depth of soil from that empty area, as it sits a bit high at present, so all the soil I move will be added to the veg patches to get the benefit of all that chicken fertilizer.

I like the idea of growing something up the chicken wire which they will enjoy pecking at. Nasturtiums maybe, or runner beans? (No idea if chickens like runner beans ).

Been out in the greenhouse this afternoon escaping from the wind and hail showers. Potted up the tomato seedlings, about 20 each of Gardener's Delight and Beefmaster. Sowed some Hyssop and Rudbeckia 'Rustic 'Dwarf'.

 

Nasturtiums get my vote (the seeds act as a natural wormer for chooks )

 

@Trunky you've done a grand job there, worth the frustration and effort, gardening is like that innit

Sunny today with the odd rapid shower and a nasty freezing wind. Kept warm by turning the compost. Have to get in the bays to do it and while I quite like getting a bit mucky, it's really hard work. Now got one bay with stuff that should be good for spreading by autumn and another free for loading up over the summer. Thankfully all done for a while. Oooh me back!

Off for a cuppa.

GG

 

Moved some waterlines. It's dry work because they have been drained since the fall. This is in preparation fof shifting the small greenhouse on Tuesday.

 

Got the rest of the Hefalump garlic in, potted up some stray Aquillegias for Shineyland and dug a few Tiddies up



This is the new compost corner I put together last week, gonna make a screen for the white bag.

 

Split up my ever bearing strawberries between the downpours. To my horror vine weavil s are a plenty.
So most were squished and the soil left out for the birds to get the remainder hopefully. Trimmed the leylanddi hedge, resident pigeon wasnt chuffed.And potted up and moved a yellow grove monter bamboo, a good day

 

@Zigs bit off topic here, but (watch out, its one of those, how long is a piece of string questions) but what would you say was the minimum area you'd need to bother putting some potatoes in? I've not grown potatoes before and they are cheap as chips around here in potatoland, but I'd like to have a go. The only space I have at the moment is part of a raised bed that's about 5ft x 8ft. I need something for it I can put in that can take care of itself till June. Is that worth it?

Ta
GG

 

Plenty of room GG, you could grow them in half a growbag on it's end and still get a crop.

You going for a tasty one like Pink Fir Apple?

 

Cheers @Zigs , I'm planning to go to the nursery tomorrow as I noticed they had a huge selection to choose from. What would you recommend? I'm going to be away a fair bit this spring so ground planting the best I would imagine as they'll have to look after themselves mostly.
The soil is decent but is it best to leave it as is, or really work it before planting to loosen the soil (I have clayish soil, but it has been improved).
They seem to be sold in nets. Any idea how many I'd need for the area I mentioned?

GG

 

I am plowing through all my backyard pots, replanting some with fresh compost, bagged up the old compost, future front garden project, going to get rid of all my old raspberry vines, I will buy new, ditto blackcurrant and redcurrant bushes, never eat the things anyway.
Will do the same with the greenhouse overwintered pots as the time draws nearer to putting them out safe from frost.

 

Pink Fir Apples and Charlotte, you'll only need about 5 of each, you'll need someone to earth them up though.

 

So what's @Redwing doing in the garden now?

 

Sowed some more sweet peas, planted out some Autumn sown ones. Cleared a couple of areas of weeds. Did a bit of potting on and dividing and watered everything in the greenhouse. Gave the roses a weak feed. OH mowed the lawns.
Then me and OH started on creating a new flower bed, full length of the garden and pretty much south facing. Only gone for a metre wide and it had to be straight as that's what he wants and he does the heavy work nowadays.
So far we've lifted the turf and started digging it al over, feels like there's a long way to go though.
Already got plenty of roses, shrubs and herbaceous perrenials to go in from my bought cheap/ gifted and seed grown/cuttings.

His gran was demanding I plant out the evergreen agapanthus she bought me but I'm not convinced it will survive a winter up here...