What Jobs Are We Doing In The Garden Today 2019

Nowt much done in the garden so far today...

...bird feeders filled, rubbish taken to the bin store at the top of the garden, and poop scooped, then in was straight back indoors to thaw out!!

 

That's great news.

 

Didn't do anything in the garden too wet and cold.

 

Nothing as I did housework then when I had finished and planned to go out into the garden the heavens opened!! Timed to perfection.

 

in the afternoon I managed to tidy up around the pots against the house wall, and cut back / cleared about a third of the herb bed.... Two trugs full of weeds and leaves down on the compost.

 

Yesterday afternoon, 7.1.20 I at last managed to get into the garden. Not much I could do there. The ground remains sodden and to honest, in it's present state, no way does it resemble the garden of a pro. What remain of my roses, will call for some really drastic measures in a few weeks time. Added to the dilemma, so much eg; Jasmine, symphorycarpus and common lonicera, and oh yes, ivy. So, so much of these unwanted intruders have weaved their way thhrough my fence. Then the Lleylandi has put out so much spreading lower growth, it's a fair way down the garden. The section of fence is still lying in next doors garden. Brambles have rapidly taken over, so apart from the odd fox, I doubt I will have any tresspassers, apart from the mogies.

The weather is a little brighter than the past few days. Never mind, once inside the GH and closing the door, all is peaceful. One side of the house is laden with polyanthus and pansies. These are proving very slow, probably due to the poor daylight. My potting bench is cluttered with goodness knows what. This year I have decided to reuse spent compost, tipping out the pots and adding coir and mpc. My Iris bulbs are now all potted up also the rhizomes gifted by a GC member. Tulips are potted also gladioli, so for some a bit late, but, these had just began to sprout, a good sign to plant.

I continued to tip out pots of geraniums, fuchsias and my beloved lilies. I did my best not to become maudeling at the loss of my fine collections. I have this joke about myself. Yes! thankfull, I can always find time to look back and laugh at myself. Perhaps due to health failures etc. I so often joke. I have got stamped on my bottom. Made by Dunlop.......I always bounce back. I also potted up the begonia sempervirens lifted from tubs etc recently.

The past few years, really have been hard. I am certain that seeing Amanda struggling with life, has truly given me a kick up the proverbial. Apart from my family, naturally. Plants, flowers, trees and plant sciences have been my life. And the love shared with other enthusiasts. HEY DOC! keep those pills coming. I've gotta a whole lot of work to catch up on.

Dearest friends. Please, contintue to enjoy your gardening.

 

@Mike Allen it's good to hear that you're able to get out in your garden.
It's such a boost to do so,even though you can't do much tidying up yet, that's something to look forward to.

It's mild here today but the ground is too wet to get on so I've got to wait to catch up what i couldn't do last autumn because of the weather.

 

It's a shame but possibly down to hot dry climatic conditions where you live?? It was very hot summer in 2018 and last year was hot but not so much so I think mine were suffering effects of that. I had so little time for the garden last year, so busy with art stuff. I'm debating whether to see if they fare better in the ground but no where to put them at the moment. I need to make a bed somewhere.

and strong winds for past two days. Improved this am so maybe later I will have time to do something.

 

A greenhouse is such a blessing at this time of year Mike and I'm sure your plants will soon take off and it will be lovely in there with all your Polyanthus and Pansies.

Luckily I don't mind and am still quite able to enjoy gardening in most weathers and have a full range of clothing to match the forecast, but I can appreciate how frustrating it must become when you can't get out there and the jobs begin to build up. That had become the situation with my Dad, even though he had gardeners he still always liked to 'get out there'. Now he is way too frail and can hardly walk, but he takes great pleasure out of sitting and looking out and seeing the seasonal changes and all the wildlife that is encouraged to share his garden.
I was in fact planning on going over today to dig over his wildlife patch but I am currently suffering from a bad back and I know it would upset him that he was unable to give me a hand, so I will go over hopefully on Friday.
So today it will be a case of gentle pottering about in our garden. A little bit of cutting back is still required, leaves need removing from a couple of borders before they become a holiday haven to S'S's and some dead heading of blooms in the tubs and patio borders.

 

Well, it seems I’ve set myself the challenge of 2 trugs full of weeds and prunings per (work)day. I wonder how long I can keep it up?
Yesterday I did some more work on the herb bed, cutting back the sage bush where it was sitting on top of the lavender “hedge”. A few branches have been left to provide leaves for cooking, whilst the rest of the plant shoots from the cut stems. As soon as I have enough new shoots for the pot, I will cut back the remaining stems.
Today I tidied up the rest of the herb bed, reaching in underneath the Kilmarnock willow to remove the shepherds purse, dandelions and fennel seedlings that were growing amongst the leaf-mould, also cleared up. The lavender hedge has been given a haircut, and the dead mint stems cut to the ground. About the only place where they don’t grow is in their restraining trugs!! Another two trugs removed, and some rosemary cuttings and rooted stems moved to the raised trough for later use at church.
Tomorrow it’s onward and (slightly) downward to the angle bed....

 

Not a lot today. I asked the skip company to deliver a skip with a drop down door so that I could get the laurel root in on the sack barrow. Needless to say the skip is doorless.

Popped round to the in-laws for some free labour and two of us couldn't lift the root ball which didnt surprise me.

Time for a cunning plan. Rested the ladders on the end of the skip. kept all three sections of the ladder together for extra strength. Ran a bit of oil along the top surface of the ladder. Strapped the root onto the sack barrow and with a bit of pushing and pulling we dragged the stump up the ladder-tree ramp and tipped it into the skip.

Father in law then offered to help with the pruning of the hedge which will get the job done much quicker. Previously I was cutting / chopping and then breaking off to move the branches to the skip. Thats a job for tomorrow or Friday.

 

Looks like most people are starting to get out into the garden again , I can tell things are growing with this mild weather because the weeds are growing which are prompt me to do a bit of weeding today.

Washed the glass inside and outside of the greenhouse that used up most of the afternoon , I am going to have to attack the honeysuckle which is starting to scramble on and into the greenhouse.

 

Just popped into see my Dad and found one of his Azaleas out in bloom!!

 

I've been desperate to get out there since mid Autumn but rain stopped play this year. I am so behind with jobs but hoping to win a bit of time back with the mild winter.

 

Last autumn i put the 2 hanging baskets with the plants still in, in my small lean-to greenhouse. They haven't been watered since then and the plants are still alive. So i potted them up singularly and gave them a good watering. The trailing geraniums don't mind going without water. The fuchsias i put on the windowsill in the spare back bedroom so i can water it a bit more.

This afternoon checked the ground and it was alright to walk on so i planted some polyanthus in the front garden. Had to replace some of last year's because they can't cope with the drought last summer.

Still got to catch up with a lot from last autumn, got to empty the compost bins and cut out the spent canes on the blackberries, prune out some of the stems on the currants. Hubby gets nervous when I've got the secateurs in my hands.

@Upsydaisy hope that your back gets better soon.