What Jobs Are We Doing In The Garden Today 2019

They look very tasty . Well done.

 

Experimenting time!! Found a Peony pod bursting with seeds at my Dad's, so I am trying out 3 different ways of trying to get them to germinate. Tried before unsuccessfully. There is no short cut, all stages are a long haul, but maybe in 3 to 10 yrs time we might have a bloomer....if only in my dreams!! It's a challenge but if it works then I will be extremely happy as it one that my Mum planted many moons ago.

 

@Upsydaisy there is something so special about plants that come from our parents, aren’t there?

Many years ago, Dad accidentally gave me a lychnis coronaria, mistaking it for a lambs’ ear. Its progeny have spread across High Wycombe, Brussels, Tervuren and now Rhode-saint-Genese. My rosemary is a 6th generation plant from the original rosemary that was in their garden 50 years ago. Then there’s the black currant plant - the last plant Dad bought the year he died.
I have some wonderful early snowdrops, big flowers before Christmas, given me by an old friend. They go into the ground where I think I will settle. As soon as there is talk of us moving on, I start to dig them up...

Memories can turn an ordinary plant into a treasure!

 

Cut the grass this morning after 2 weeks away. The grass box filled before I got one length cut so I opted to dump the clipping back onto the lawn for collection later.

Then set about giving a laurel bush a light pruning.

Before



Half time



Roots to go



I'm thinking that I'll get a stump grinder to remove the roots as I was told that they can be a pain to get out. Will give it a try tomorrow and then decide.

I'll be levelling the area and grassing. It has already opened up the garden

 

Good to see another pair of well used Felco's

 

Hehehe!! I think they are over 30 years old, and are on their 2nd spring...

 

My spring had a habit of falling out but Ive always found it. It hasn't fallen out for a few years now. Mine are mere youngsters at 20 years old then.

 

Hi,

Up at 5 o'clock this morning and at Rufforth Auto Jumble; York before 7 o'clock. back home cut the grass and trim some of the laurels then dinner time. This afternoon more laurel trimming then weeding back and front gardens; thought at last I've done for today as I put the tools away in the hut until I noticed the badger family had been digging another big hole so filled it in AGAIN.

I'm still dreaming of quality workshop time but I can dream on; being retired is full time with no let up but I'd much rather be too busy than sit around being idle.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Had around an hour and a half in the garden today so dug out old Herbs from one of my baths, added a few shovels of gravel and worked it into the gravel and compost layers already there. Back planted 3 Lavender and half of the Tyme that I had removed and split. Not sure where the other half is going yet. Watered some pots, all 3 baths, the raised bed and topped up the pond. Spent around 20 mins to half an hour cutting back some grasses around pond and netting out loads of blanket weed. I bought some barley straw awhile ago and finally put some in today. I think it's meant to be secured under the surface but I just floated it on top as no where to tie it down to below the surface. The Ramshorn snails have had babies . I also saw a red Dragonfly not far from the pond.

 

Was working until 1 then baking for the afternoon so only added plant food to the fertilizer injector and gave everybody a health drink.

I do need to get a lot of pepper harvesting done. Hopefully I'll report that in a day or two.

 

Pepper harvesting! Lucky you @CanadianLori Ive got three plants full of long sweet peppers but only one has turned red :(

Spent the last hour or so cutting up loads of cherry toms to slow roast with a bit of my elephant garlic and thyme. Then they’ll be preserved in jars with olive oil. Have got loads of onions to chop and freeze, apples to stew and freeze and then chopping up garlic to store in oil (overnight process in citric acid too to prevent botulism).

Also did a few more salvia cuttings as the last lot rooted mega fast in perlite

 

Revamping of borders is in full swing...it's like the blind leading the blind!! No idea if what I'm doing is right.I'm either pulling plants up or chopping them hard back!
Really miss Googling, I usually go online to do a spot of research before performing a drastic deed! Oh well never mind....call it a great gardening experiment! We might amaze ourselves.
Popped round to see my sister and had a sneaky online moment while the kettle boils.

 

Finally got around to strip leaves from the toms and covered the paving with tomatoes in various hues. Fantasized of holding my own Tomatina festival



Now it's a bit questionable why I grow tomatoes in the first place. I don't actually like tomatoes, and the other feeding mouth in the household nibbles a handful but can't really cope with the abundance at this time of the year. I can't take them to work as my 3-up manager grows them and brings some in and mine are generally tastier, not a good career move

I strictly do not have space for them, and North East doesn't really have the growing season for toms. And yet, every February I cut a Tesco baby plum tomato and plant the seeds and tackle the 6 feet plants all summer. OK, the leaves smell gorgeous and somehow the plants are just so nice to grow.

Anyways, got quite a bit of nice things done, The Teenager finished clipping the hedge. She's definitely developing the eye, instead of just mechanically clipping she started to take steps back and looking, taking pride in straightening a lumpy bit and in general enjoying the task. I smell a gardener in developing...

My wine making scheme took a big hit when my "self-seeded Muscatel vines" started to resemble too much a Birch. Is this a Hazel?

So I pulled out the lot, selected three best stems, potted them, trimmed the branches and braided the stems.


The cuttings for my friend look good, the foxgloves seedlings are growing very strongly (unfortunately, as I really don't have room for them... well, 9 are now in their individual pots and the rest in the seed tray thinned out) and it's just so nice to be out there. Even this urban postage stamp garden is a real blessing to have

 

Been collecting seeds and dead heading ,watering toms and general tittivating..been a good day for it.