What are we doing in the garden 2024

Hi,

I feel your pain regarding the pigeons @Balc. Last year I removed the huge oak tree overhanging our kitchen and patio mostly because of the pigeons using every branch as a toilet seat. We suffered many years of the daily clean up. I tried lots of things to deter the dirty pigeons but without success but now the tree is gone what a dramatic difference. A bonus is no more acorns and leaves to dispose of every year. I did receive some criticism for removing the beautiful healthy oak but those criticizing weren't the ones clearing the dirty mess every day.

The pigeons are still with us nesting in a huge blue spruce higher up the garden; when they do venture onto our patio or window cill I scare them away so they are finally getting the message to remain in the garden.

Why not adopt a pet falcon? A few days ago whilst looking out of our kitchen window I saw lots of small fluffy feathers rising into the air; leaning over the sink I saw a falcon on top of a blackbird; by the time I dashed outside the falcon and the blackbird had gone.

One thing I tried was to record a falcon singing on my laptop; I wandered up the garden and under the nesting tree played the falcon on highest volume; I've never seen birds clear the garden as quick; not just the pigeons all the birds made a rapid escape; unfortunately this was short lived. It would be easy for you to rig up a permanent speaker?



I've gone on a bit because I know from first hand the misery pigeons cause. Good luck @Balc it's a real problem.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Not a lot at the moment: in part because it very wet underfoot, so no tromping on beds, not too much walking on the grass either; but mainly because I had a 2nd cataract operation last week and it's no gardening for two weeks, followed by nothing strenuous for another two weeks.
All seeds needing sowing are done, greenhouse gets watered, as needed as do seeds in propagator (nb this is not gardening it's life support).
Currently the weeds are getting a massive headstart, fortunately I like daisies and dandelions and is lesser celandine really a weed?
Main concern is that we'll get a couple of hard frosts which will set back everything that is currently 3 to 4 weeks ahead of the calendar, never the weeds though.

 

@Balc
What a surprise ... I thought there was only two floors above you ... I don't know why.

 

A small disaster here. I went out to see if any of my 6 Bulgarian Red Peppers seeds had germinated to discover my T'other Half sweeping up some compost. I looked down and saw my "pepper pot" turned over and half the compost missing!!! I told him to stop sweeping and to carefully collect what he had. I asked what happened and he said he moved the coffee table and hit the pot next to it. I told him the pot was where it was to keep it safe from the cats ... I didn't think of keeping it safe from my Husband! Any old how, I spread the outed compost in a terracotta saucer and am ... and came in and ordered more, 20+ this time!

 

Turned the propagator on and starting some broad bean seeds, they will be going in the cold frame soon after germination and a couple of leaves.
Started a couple of sweet pepper seeds as well, its a bit early for me as growing on can be a problem regarding space especially as they are now forecasting cold weather in early March.

 

Mine had black fly as usual last year and I was good, I only used washing up liquid as a spray, it didn't do much more than wash a few off, as I used a strong spray, but I did get a decent crop in the end, the ladybirds came along about a month too late as usual.

I'm still eating them out of the freezer now.

 

I've been in and out of the kitchen checking on my tray of tiny spring onion seeds which are finally showing there heads above ground
I sowed them on the 13 Feb and kept them around 18C temp - its been ideal for them today with the sun coming through the glass of the patio doors.

Now they are back in the propagator incase it gets cold tonight and I will carry on doing this until they get stronger and don't look like tiny weeny blades of grass.

i diid slip-up though... I should have sowed them in small bunches of 3-4 - instead of finely scattered a few with little spaces between each
"never mind it's the first seeds I have ever sown and just seeing them germinate felt good, plus there is always next time when these get put into the cold frame.

 

Ummm!! I'm not sure, but would say heterantha. It's certainly snail resistant as it lives next to several snail-refuge-favourites like Bergenia and Kniphofia, without suffering any damage.

 

It's invaluable here. Not just for suppressing weeds but mostly for water retention. The difference between borders given the fabric treatment and those without is conclusive The only drawbacks are no self-sowing of annuals and it's a non starter where you want lots of bulbs.

 

Hi,

Not in the garden but in Huddersfield Royal Infirmary A&E Dept at 4 o'clock this morning. My wife had suffered a nasty tumble getting out of bed and banged her head on the wall as she went down bringing up a big lump.

As usual it was bucketing down with rain and a black hole; parking the car proved a problem due to the amount of rain coming down and being so dark; it took three attempts because the lines weren't clear. We received a real soaking.

Every one of the staff in A&E were truly wonderful; thankfully after a detailed examination she was told a scan wouldn't be needed because of the type of lump on her head; it was on the outside and firm otherwise it would be a cause for concern needing a scan. We did the correct thing in having it checked.

We always take along a box of chocs as a small gift of appreciation each time we have NHS appointments; it costs little but cheers everyone up. The receptionist was very friendly offering us a drink; I was OK but my wife was given a welcome cup of tea.

Seated in the waiting area a pretty; well dressed young lady came in and joined us; she was very friendly striking up a conversation; she told us she was autistic and we talked for about twenty minutes when two hospital security staff arrived and politely asked this lady to either call for a taxi or leave the hospital because she wasn't booked in. It's sad when such people are out alone wandering around open to being attacked. The receptionist apologized to us if it upset us but these things happen.

Two and an half hours in A&E which is pretty fair considering the horror stories put out by the media. We'll never complain about the huge amount of care we've both received from the NHS over the years; top marks to the NHS we certainly don't take the NHS for granted.

I thought I'd add this just for interest although it's not gardening. It's still dark and lots of the roads were flooded with big puddles of water. Another day of many with the gardens receiving their daily dose of heavy rain; will the rain ever let up.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Colin
So sorry that your wife had a fall and good to hear that she's ok.


Nothing today it's raining again.