What are we doing in the garden 2024

Mine have to be undercover down here, blight is endemic. I did try growing some outdoors but it was a waste of time and effort.

 

Yes - I've never had blight, so I'm fairly lucky, but no one grows toms round here either, as far as I know, which probably helps. We don't tend to get that humidity either, which tends to promote it more readily too.
I expect I could have some earlier toms if I grew other types, but I'd also need a bigger gr'house to do that, and it's not worth it for me. I often wonder if it's worth growing toms at all though. Now that younger daughter has left, it's only me that eats them anyway.

 

Cornwall has a very damp,moist humid climate in the summer and a lot of potatoes are grown as well which are the main problem, although when I lived in the Thames Valley blight was also a problem, similar conditions really. I use a lot of tomatoes and usually pick and freeze any surplus, no blanching, skinning etc. Just pick and freeze, my favourite soup is tomato soup.

 

I think there was some discussion recently about blight etc on the tom growing thread @Goldenlily26 - I know I posted on it.
It's definitely more problematic in the south because of the climate there, and certainly where you are because there's that mix of heat and moisture. Perfect conditions for it, so maybe not worthwhile for you.

 

Since finding my greenhouse on Freecycle about 10 years ago I have had no problem with blight despite leaving the door and overhead window open day and night.

 

Potato blight is caused by Phytophora infestans, apparently not a fungus, rather a water mould and are more closely related to brown algae than fungi. They require water to complete their life cycle.
Infection typically occurs when a potato or tomato leaf has a film of water on it; so after rain or dew or high humidity outdoors and in the greenhouse if you get water on the leaves while watering; which makes sense of me being told to water the soil around the tomato rather than wetting the whole plant decades ago.
So having the door open and window open will still leave the tomatos protected from rain.

 

My last holiday and I wanted to do the garden today, and I did it. It was the last bit that needed to be done, apart from easy jobs like removing tomato plants in September.

Wild Marjoram, Eryngiums and Crocosmia in front of the new Spiraea had finished flowering and needed to go. Like Mrs Shiney, I couldn't get anything into the ground, it was like hitting granite.
I had to water everything first, then forked the X6 under the soil, and always watering in between. At some point, I was able to get the fork spade deep into the soil, the minimum depth what plants need to grow.
Main target is to give the perennials a good life. I moved one of the Geraniums that I had bought in April a bit further away from the new Deutzia. I hadn't expected that this particular Geraniums grows very high.
Everything has now its space. Finally, I planted the Foxgloves in between, but I don't expect that they all make it.

Looks small, but is approx. 1 meter wide and 4 meters long. Took me 3,5 hours.
After lunch, I will go to the garden centre and buy bark.

 

Thanks @fairygirl , our situation is similar- the house is fully liveable but the garden will be my playground for years to come It's just plenty of slabs, a fence in the middle, dog kennel and a plethora of assorted weeds that make butterflies very happy. My dream garden to do exactly what I want with

The downside financially is that I change buses on my commute in a shopping centre that has a Morrisons with an excellent garden centre department. My bus also passes Dobbies garden centre. I think I'll need a pay rise

 

Well, I spent a lot more time on the**##&£* stump this afternoon. I got it moving, only to have my concerned wife come out to tell me she thought I'd been at it long enough.
"Give me five minutes" was my reply.
Ten minutes later, I got it out!! Okay, so I can't lift it far, because it's so heavy - BUT IT'S OUT!!
Wife can help me lift it into a wheelbarrow tomorrow, to transport to an area for bugs, etc, to enjoy, for a few years.

At least I have space to plant raspberry canes now.
I'm a happy bunny!!

 

May be too late for this tree but the trick is to cut them 3-4 ft above ground so that you leave a good long lever to pull and twist out the root. conifers typically have just one long tap root with a few radial roots that your mattock/axe will slice easily.

 

Thanks for the tip. I'd left 2ft above ground, and it had the one tap root, and three radial roots, going in two different directions.

 

Among other things, I made "gutter guards" for my greenhouses to keep falling leaves from clogging them and stifle my rainwater collection.

This is along the side of one of my small greenhouses.

 

Oh no, I didn't shift the slab to "unclutter" for the pic.

I also removed the slabs from my front, new garden and replaced them with mulch.

They only weigh 21 kilos so a teensy bit of a workout.

 

Yum,Yum.....I have been looking for a green tomato chutney recipes for ages “one that keeps it true colour - green” As a child my mother always made the chutney using the toms from my father’s green house, I have tried numerous of times to replicate the recipe with no success .

(Tangy and not too sweet- was absolutely delicious on a sandwich, at least for my taste at 12 - some 65 years ago!