What are we doing in the garden 2024

Absolutely zero time in the garden today, due to the weather. Not that I'm complaining mind you. It's saved me having to water anything. Plus it's filling up the water butts - those with any space!!

Edited to add:
I tell a lie. I did deadhead one of the rose bushes as I left the house for my afternoon soggy constitutional.

 

I've potted on the veg I bought yesterday, toms etc and I've planted the Busy Lizzies into a shady pot. Then I strimmed the path to the chicken house where I keep the gardening stuff that isn't in the barn.

 

Dug up a 20 year old lavender plant that died recently and replaced it with another one.

 

Why would you dig up a dead 20yr old dead plant and replace it with another 20yr old dead plant.

 

Had a day off today and only re-attached the porch downpipe to the water butt. I wouldn't even have done that but for the rain forecast - which it is. Aaaargh, my concrete (laid yesterday) is getting wet!!! I was hoping for another two dry days.

 

Another lavender from the garden centre.

 

Which variety did you choose @Logan?

 

@Plantminded it was hidcote

 

The active heap in my 2-bay compost system got up to 65°C yesterday for the first time this year (and yes I do mean centigrade). You could see it cooking! I dug out the mature heap in the next bay and filled two big 'daleks' ready for use.

Like last year I'll be using it (after sieving) to grow my tomatoes & cucumbers but with some added JI, slow-release feed & water-retaining gel.

 

Spent 2 hours with weeding in front of the house.

 

Watering and then mostly trying to figure out how I should fix a space that is currently paved with small bricks. And they are rather uneven . I have potted plants sitting there at the moment but want to situate my Sunoven in that spot instead. The oven sits on a wheeled cart. The replacement pavers will need to be laid smooth and even so that I can easily swing the oven to catch the most sun. I'm thinking of using 8x12" bricks because I can't lift 24x24 slabs anymore. Those would have been ideal. I'm still in the design mode. Perhaps a Lowenbrau would nudge the little grey cells

 

Hi @CanadianLori I have always found 24 by 24 slabs a bit much!
I used them in the greenhouse and found that even if you levelled the sand underneath well, the pressure of the end of the slab falling made it uneven again! 8 by 12 sounds sensible and you could lay them stretcher bond to make it more interesting.

 

@CanadianLori I have never heard of a Sunoven! I had to google it. Don't think they would be much use here! What do you cook in it?

 

Is that the only size of slab you can source @CanadianLori ? They can certainly be hefty to shift around. I have some that are that size, and they took a bit of work when I moved them all around, especially as they're a pretty big depth too. We can get 18 inch ones here, and they're often a bit thinner too, so much easier to move around. Is it worth having a look at any suppliers to see if something that size is available? Bit easier/lighter to lay and get a level surface more quickly than the 8 x 12s too. I wish you luck with it.
I didn't get anything done yesterday as I had a walk in the morning, and then the rain came on before I got a chance. Busy with daughter too, as she's moving out soon, so we were collecting stuff for that etc. I'll need to just get the waterproofs on this morning though, and get the brown bill filled for the collection tomorrow.

 

I will definitely have a look and "feel" of all the options when I go to the builders tomorrow. I figure I can try lifting before buying.

@cactus_girl I cook casseroles, spaghetti sauce, chile con Carne, hard cooked eggs, and many other things. It can also work as a dehydrator. It has gotten up to 375f so very cheap to operate.