What Jobs Are We Doing in the Garden Today... MK3.. 2013

I have a couple of cheap sensors from Tfa - when I got the first one I compared its reading against the expensive calibrated twice a year (so they say) system we use in the building computer room - it was within 0.5' and as you say they only spec them to +-1'c anyway. When I added the second one for going in the greenhouse I checked it against the existing one & it gave the same reading on the monitor, which is good enough for me. I would like one of the expensive Davis units but really I cant justify that & I dont have the space to set it up properly anyway - all I want is to get a reasonable idea of the temps out there & to get a log of when the heater in the greenhouse is doing its thing.

Getting back on topic - the cheap logger I have doesnt actually talk to these sensors it turns out, it needs the more expensive ones, which is a bit anoying so I will have to look at something better in the new year when I have a bit more cash!

 

Thanks. Not come across them before.

Cheapest way I know to monitor temperature, to computer, is using 1-wire sensors. But I don't know of a way to do that cheaply using wireless - so its only really a solution where you can run a wire (telephone wire is all it needs). Needs some basic electronics and soldering skills though ... I haven't checked prices recently, but when I did a few 3 or 4 years ago it was about a £fiver per sensor.

 

Just battled the wind and rain to tie the Armandii up(of the Clematis kind) the wind had dislodged it...also found some Red Onion seeds so put those in in the GH......

 

Disappointed that your post didn't turn out to be the Clematis Armandii "50 Shades of Grey" variety

 

I've been cutting down trees, I've been given an extra piece of land right at the end of the allotment site.
Trouble is its been a dumping ground for years, its mostly rubble, old iron, the odd electric motor, old fencing and tree suckers from a plum tree that some bloke thought would make a nice hedge about 20yrs ago.
Not expecting to get it immaculate any time soon,but made a start mostly with cutting down the trees.
Now I need a bonfire before I can go further.

It might just end up as a place to put all my summer pots, as digging will be a nightmare, it has all the stones and rubble from the whole allotment site, I think.
But it will be nice just to have the extra space.

 

Some serious clearing done there Pete, a well deserved is in order.
Remember Rome wasn't built in a day!

 

Hire a mini-digger. Best "Boy's Toys" there is

 

Thanks Mowgley, it likely to be long term, a bit here and a bit there.

Would be nice, but do they separate the stones/rubble from the good stuff?
I tend to think not, plus I'm not really up to spending too much cash right now.

 

Nah, won't separate I'm sorry to say, but once its all loosened up that job becomes easier; effortless if you want to do an initial double-dig too. JCB will extract any large boulders you find of course, and you'd get the land into production a year earlier (if your alternative is to pretty much take the first year to "get it round"). But I do understand that immediately-after-XMas is the least likely time to have money jingling around in the piggy bank :(

 

Well done Pete on the clearance, I have been lazy in the garden as it is again blowing and rain pouring down. So went to the greenhouse and filled up some loo rolls with soil in readiness for the Broad Bean planting shortly.

 

I've spent a couple of hours "researching" (it's blur outside)

 

What a super site ...bags of potential there ...good luck

a-a

 

Re-painted my gate, from brown to black, much better! Needs another coat though which, weather permitting, will be done the morra.

 

I've done a little tidying up, but plan to continue the rest of the week, if dry. Trimmed a young Ash tree as it is making alot of shade, although I did feel bad about doing that in the current circumstances. Picked up sticks to supply my kindling pile and checked on my onions, which are growing slowly. Yesterday, I went to a local garden centre and bought a bag of seed potatoes for only £2.99, mixed maris peer(s) and Charlotte, so today, I started sorting out the space to chit these. Oh and started adding to my ebay basket with seeds that I want to order this week! Just wish it was time to start sowing!

 

I sowed some Broad Bean seed (The Sutton) in pots, I hope to get the young plants out under cloches in February, for an early crop - not a lot, just enough for a 2mtr double row. Planning to grow Bridgwater and Blue Lake climbing beans again this season, just a few of each on 'wigwams' - far too early to even think about those now though.
Also sorted through my Jerusalem Artichokes and selected some nice 'seed' tubers to plant out later. I will grow a few in big pots (quite successful last season) and a few in the open ground.

a-a