What are we doing in the garden 2024

My Thalia bulbs arrived unexpectedly so they have been planted along with some Calendula Indian Prince seeds. Still waiting for delivery of the Tete a Tete bulbs and then I can finish off some pots with them plus violas.

 

Went outside this afternoon to dismantle my blighted tomato plants, but then felt that hint of rain in the air and re-tasked myself to rake up leaves whilst they were still dry. It's mostly silver birch so far, with a little bit of rowan. Just got it done before the heavens opened, but it looks to have calmed down again now so I can go out and finish doing the tomatoes. I ordered myself a leaf blower/vacuum yesterday which will hopefully make my life a little easier this year, though looking at the forecast I won't get to try it out for a few days. It's not so much an attempt to be tidy, as to collect plenty of leaves for making leaf mould. I've been collecting them for the last 2 or 3 years and hope to get to use some next spring.

This morning when I first went outside I noticed a strange gritty brown substance in little piles and straight lines all over the grass. Weird .. I searched around and found the cardboard box that had held granular plant food. I had planted out a new white anemone the day before and put some food at the bottom of the hole, then of course completely forgot about the box and left it outside where the foxes must have found it. They had pulled the plastic inner bag containing the food right out and chewed it - I found it further down the garden, still about a third full. Hopefully it's not harmful to them; it looks like they played with it rather than eating it. It's very smelly though which is probably what attracted them.

 

I have picked all the green tomatoes and given them to my neighbour to make chutney. Hoping I may get a jar back, but I decided not to make any myself after i weighed myself the other day!
I have left a few red and yellowish ones in the hope that they may still ripen.
Also fed the remaining bedding plants and dahlias.
Then I came in and ordered two new plants for the front garden bed which I cleared earlier in the week.