WHAT ARE WE DOING IN THE GARDEN TODAY - 2021

I hope that they do and I hope that the plants survive the winter up here.

 

I had that happen to a Buddleia here some years ago. It appeared to be Honey Fungus so I disinfected the earth and a year later planted a Myoporum in its place. Strange to walk out and suddenly see such.

 

Considering the awful weather I had quite a productive day yesterday, really. First I weeded my new border, then planted Aster x frikartii 'Monch' and Salvia 'African Sky'. I then dug out my Persicaria bistorta 'Superba' and moved it because the Eupatorium cannabinum is much larger this year and has ended up being too close to it. The border is starting to come together, but quite a few of the plants were purchased as 9cm pot plants so will need a couple of years to establish. I have about half a dozen plants (including 2 hebes) to add to the border, plus the Lathyrus latifolius 'Albus' which I'll be growing along the fence, and finally the marjoram which will edge the front of the border.

Nick

 

Healthy looking plants Nikolaos so will soon grow into nice specimens.

 

This morning I potted on all my tomato seedlings into individual modules. Considering I only need 8-12 plants, I’m not quite sure what I will do with the other 30-odd plants! I guess they might be offered up for sale along with the spare chilli plants, to help the local refugees...

This afternoon I finished emptying the final compost bay into sacks, and placed a layer of pine wood chippings along the bottom. I’m hoping this will rot down nicely, and also help delineate when I’ve got to the bottom, next time I am emptying! This gave me two empty sacks to refill with chippings from the pile at the top of the garden. I’ve probably got another 6-8 sacks’ worth of chippings to move down, but I need the sack first.

Before I came back in, I broadcast-sowed some wild flower seeds on the thin grass at the top of the garden (thin because the soil is too poor), as well as along the side of the house, which now gets more light since the new owners next door have cleared their garden. I’m hoping that the seeds germinate and give us a bit of colour to look out onto!

 

Started sowing the wallflowers into the toilet roll tubes, done 60 so far.
Hardening off the pot marigolds and Snapdragons. Put the tomato plants into the greenhouse they were getting too tall in the conservatory.

 

Lilacs are neither strong or long lived shrubs/trees @Loofah so it may be dying. It looks as though you may have a stem left to nurture though.

 

I've spent the last two afternoons potting on a 1000 Aubrieta seedlings. A lot of the seed failed to germinate so I've ordered another 2500 seeds.

 

Out on my bike at 6.30 am yesterday. Bunnies everywhere and decidedly chilly. When I got back I cut off the leaves from some Daffs in a lot and knotted some Daffs in another pot as part of an experiment ( mentioned in another thread about Daffs and Tulips ). Removed 4 self seeded Toadflax from a pot and replanted 2 into the patio bed and 2 into the pot with cut back Daffs in. Put out food for birds.

 

Yesterday in my garden i sprayed 3ltrs of glysophate all over my lawn, to kill off the couch grass and start again from scratch……..the lawn is 25mtrs by 10mtrs

 

Well, out of the seven salvias I planted in my new border only 'Blue Marvel' seems to be struggling and I suspect it was due to the soil being a tad too heavy, so out it came and was re-planted into a more free-draining mix of MPC and grit in the same spot. There was an awkward little area between the Knautia 'Mars Midget' and Achillea 'Lilac Beauty' where the plants weren't quite close enough to the edge of the border and I thought a small nepeta I've had in a little pot for a few months would be perfect, so that went in, too. Started working in strong sun and ended up planting the nepeta with heavy hail raining down on me, I'm not playing anymore today, the weather's too weird!

Nick

 

I think this weekend is the one! I'm going to plant out! Looks like as of Saturday evening we're set for 10 degree overnights for the next few weeks.

I finally finished my watering system after I had to order a replacement part from Gardena. So you have me to thank for all the rain that's come since I got it set up!

Everything is really coming to life in my garden and it's making me very happy.

I had to have a large bush removed (box hedge moth got it) and it's left a big area that's open now. Looks a bit crap but as we're moving I don't want to put any money into it. I'm planning to plant the dwarf sunflowers along it and three superfluous tomato plants. Would look nice with a shrub of sorts but not worth buying anything to put in the ground if we're gone by the end of the year.

Raspberry bush has started budding. Still growing new stem lenghts too. Blackcurrant has shot up, wonder if I'll get any fruit this autumn.

I think my garlic might be ready to harvest in a few weeks! Eek! Very excited about it. Half of the bed was planted with "extra early wight" and I was hoping to harvest in spring, then realised probably not for a long while yet. However its started yellowing on the lower sets of a few leaves so fingers crossed it starts to form cloves soon.

Same deal with the onions. They're not really yellowing yet but I can see bulbs forming on the surface of a few of them. Really want to get them out in a month or so because I want to get some moonred lettuce in the ground.

I also sowed a little more spinach and salad onions straight into the ground. And my borage is coming up!