What are we doing in the garden 2024

If the fronds blacken @simone_in_wiltshire, that’s OK, you can cut them off before fresh growth starts in spring. The critical thing is to make sure that the indent in the central crown is stuffed with fleece and also that the outside of the top of the trunk near the crown is protected.

 

@Plantminded That part was properly wrapped, double and triple.

 

We also use the garage as the entry point like you do. In theory and practice you drive up to the house and use the remote control to open the door, then drive into the garage, get out of the car and press "the tit" as we call it to shut the door. Then we access the house via the utility door, which starts the burglar alarm countdown. The main front door is bolted from the inside and opening it if you could would set off the alarm straight away. So it's not the entry point at the moment.

We have a side door to the garage, which we use when on foot, but the side gate is locked when not going out that way.

We once drove in and the door came down on top of the car and we were stuck half in half out. Luckily hubby was slim enough to get out of his door and push it off. No damage done.

Today hubby has been looking at the side runners that the door runs along. They seemed very gunked up with grease and stuff. He has cleaned one out and will do the other tomorrow. The automatic reshutting or reopening happens if it thinks there's an obstruction. It was just unfortunate that I slipped outside before it came back down. Best always to wait till it's finished opening. They are scary things with a very heavy door and big springs. Treat with respect!

 

The door operates by remote control - a simple flashlight when outside and a button when inside. We think it reshut due to gunk in the side runners. It's a safety measure so that you don't get crushed - it rebounds. I obviously rushed outside before it had properly opened - well it could have come down on top of me I suppose. Hubby has been cleaning out the side runners. He will finish that tomorrow and hopefully it will run a bit more smoothly. Our front door cannot be used for entry the way it is set up at the moment as it is bolted and alarmed when we go out. If the battery fails in the remote control it could be a problem. But you usually get a couple of goes with a flat battery

 

@cactus_girl my garage door also has a remote for each vehicle and a push button type opener/closer inside by the house access door. The keypad is for when you're wanting to open the garage door without the vehicle remote or going in the house.

I usually enter by my front door though.

We probably don't get any break ins on my street because the criminals probably think it would not be worth their while.

 

I now see what you mean by a keypad for opening the garage door. I have never heard of that over here. It seems such a good idea. I will have to research that. Hubby did suggest we have a new garage door - a sectional one rather than it being one big door. Not keen on the thin strip ones. Our door and controls are 41 years old!

 

Not a lot this weekend as I have a guest arriving this evening. Of course the greenhouse will get checked over at least once.

 

I didn't do anything yesterday as everything was frozen. Nothing urgent required anyway.
If it stay dry-ish, I'll get the rest of the stuff I cut down, chopped and put in the brown bin as it'll be emptied soon.
Hope you get a solution @cactus_girl . Maybe a way of unlocking the side gate more easily or something? Or just use the front door...

 

Filled up the bird feeders and put some on the bird table and the ground.
Hubby did some pruning of a apple tree, not sure to keep it or not it doesn't produce a lot of fruit if at all.

 

Around here there were a few breakins and they got through the garage to steal push bikes. The garages don't have proper locks on, then one of the neighbours put locks on his, he has a vintage sports car so he doesn't want that stolen. Ours they can't get in the house because we have good locks on the door, in fact it would be impossible for us to get in if we lose our keys.

 

Theives round here don't bother with doors. They lob rocks through your windows and climb in. That happened to a neighbour 4 doors away. They had come to get their cars. We don't leave our garage door open very much (perhaps it has AI properties now!) as we don't want the occasional van man seeing our nice car in there.

I need to get out into the garden to remove plants that have gone to a mush. I may just dig them in.

We have been doing a bit of painting on a lower soffit - yes mad, but there was rotten wood which hubby has now replaced. Next is to put some new roofing felt then some new lead flashing. We have all this in stock in the garage! So we (mainly hubby) are in the garden sort of.

 

Much milder today and drizzly. I have just dug a hole in the front lawn and planted my new hamamelis. I plan to then make a small circular bed around it and put some bulbs in. I'm doing it in that order because in my experience getting a plant in the exact place you want it in an existing bed is almost impossible!