What are we doing in the garden 2025

We've had a bit of rain this morning, enough to wet the ground nicely. I tried a bit of weeding but it was surprisingly cold so I'm going to stay in and sow some seeds.

 

Yesterday did some watering and hubby did some weeding, but the ground is too dry to do a lot.
Today for me it's hair washing day, so not much today.

 

Sounding good @Plantminded ! Let me know how it gets on. I have high hopes for mine but think it’s taking its time nestling in. The label didn’t say anything about hardening off, how weird, but it won’t have done it any harm either way, I shouldn’t think.

 

A wet day, checked the propagator and cucumbers, melon, squashes and courgettes sown last weekend have all germinated.

 

Dry and bright here but the wind is getting up now. I have been spud planting on Allotments. Exhausted now, see veg thread for an explanation.

 

It's been fine(ish) this afternoon. Potted up the remaining 42 plug plants.
Dug a hole for, and planted a Clematis viticella 'Kermesina - supposed to have deep red flowers. I have a second one to plant, but I had to dig out a dead shrub first - which took longer than expected. Mind you, my dislocated thumb is still giving me gip, and I need to get it looked at. I've got a deep cut on the other thumb!!
Watered all 72 potted plug plants, plus dozens of seedlings and seeds.

 

We can compare notes later on @Songbird . I didn’t realise that the supplier I bought mine from grows all Clematis under glass where temperatures can reach up to 30 C on a sunny day, hence the need to harden off at this time of year. I think I’d be relieved to go out into the cold after that .

 

Makeshift raised bed number three is done and up inside the greenhouse. My stupid hand saw leans to right so the edge is a tad less elegant than in my vision, but hey- what can you ask from a £3 Wilko saw?

Anyways, the purpose of the raised beds is to get rid of the surplus fencing that used to cut the garden in half (apparently to keep something, like a herd of rhinocerei (-oses? ), from the other half), to take some of the excavated soil and ultimately, to house some plants.

Ta-dah! Potted on climbers will start hardening off next week or so.



Oh, and in case you wonder, the right end part is left uncut on purpose because it is very handy to have a vertical surface to, erm, put useful hooks into, or post it notes, or something. OK, I just ran out of sawing steam. The left hand side (not quite seen in the photo) is flush and straight and elegant.

Still this bit of the fence to tackle, possibly I need a small bench somewhere. The timber is good and I quite enjoy building things

 

@Plantminded , good idea. We’ll share and compare No wonder you had to harden it off, I’d have had wilt in that heat

 

I do like seeing builds like this, with all their little imperfections. It makes me less intimidated to try for myself. That raised bed looks extremely functional.

 

No gardening yesterday. It chucked it down and blew all day. I am watching the seed pod on the Amarylis getting bigger by the day. Cammasias in flower, they always take me by surprise, they just seem to suddenly appear.
The Morello has hung onto its flowers so I might get one or two cherries, must check the pear tree, it was just coming into flower before the storm.

 

Yesterday it rained all day, which was great. The whole garden is thoroughly wetted ready for me to sow lots of flower seeds directly in May.

I stayed indoors and sowed French beans (3 different types), courgettes (2 types), sunflowers and zinnias. I pricked out my Cosmos Sulphureus seedlings which I was very pleased with - sturdy little plants with lots of good root. I let them sit outside in the light rain for the afternoon before bringing them back indoors.

I was having to root around a lot for plant labels to reuse, so I went on Amazon and ordered a pack of 300 wooden lolly sticks which should arrive today.

 

It tried and failed to rain with any significance yesterday eve and this morning. Hopful of a deluge, I set to in the greenhouse, I finally pricked on four lots of tomatoes, Ammi Majus, and Catananche caerulea ( cupids dart). Lots more things need moving on soon. I've taken a risk and put one of the potted Cannas out, I just need the space.

 

Mooching about, I found several baby leopard slugs underneath pots. Left them alone, hope they return the favour to the plants

 

I topped up my Potatoes in bags and then sowed some Cosmos seeds.
Looking forward to my Cod & Chips tonight.