WHAT ARE WE DOING IN THE GARDEN TODAY - 2021

So have I @Michael Hewett.

 

Visit to hardware store for more compost and couple bags of soil. Also bought two pond plants and a few bricks to stand them on once potted into larger pots. Both will be going into my plastic whiskey barrel water feature. Had a perusal of the perennials whilst I was there and bought a Penstemon for the patio bed.

I did consider Buddleja for the patio bed, but they don't seem to like pots/ containers that much. All the ones I've had have either died of looked very unhappy about it. The container bed is larger than my tree sized pot but still just a bigger pot. There is a Buddleja in that tree sized pot and it's looking very sorry for itself, so I need to find somewhere in garden for it. Soon.

I was wondering if Roses would grow in the patio container, but maybe not enough sun as it's partially shaded.

 

Oh.. didn’t know Buddleia don’t like being in pots, I have 7 cuttings from my neighbours garden taken last year in pots in a mini greenhouse, was planning on putting them all in one big pot ready for when (whenever that may be) we move and get a real garden to plant out then. Do you think they will not survive in a pot then @luciusmaximus ?

 

Weather report is looking up... lows of 9c and upwards from Sunday onwards. Dare I plant out?

If I can stomach it I might get the courgettes in the polytunnel this weekend. Still a bit ahead of schedule but they really look like they want to go in the ground and at least they'll be under cover.

For the tomatoes out front still deciding. I might go get the growbags at least.

 

Well, I've had this week off so I've been busy potting on seedlings, painting old pots to make them look pretty in the garden and yesterday whilst it was pouring with rain (thank goodness - my garden really needed it as well as the water butts) I spent a lovely leisurely couple of hours at my local garden centre. Today's jobs are building a climbing frame for my butternut squash and sanding down the garden bench ready for a new lick of paint. I've also got to plant out the broccoli and chard, as well as the sunflowers (evening sun). I've never grown sunflowers before so this will be a first - any great tips? Just writing this in a break (can't give up my coffee!) and then back to it. I'm sure I work harder in the garden when I'm on annual leave than I do when at paying work .

I got so much more done then I planned. Happy days! I did all the above jobs but also managed to plant up some lettuces, onions (couldn't resist buying them in the garden centre yesterday - reduced to 25p) and potted up pineapple mint, Morrocan mint and apple mint. I also planted up a trough with a salvia hot kisses, pansies, cosmos and dwarf sweet peas all in pinks and bluey purples, so should look lovely in flower if the slugs and snails don't get there first!

I am definitely going to enjoy a glass of wine tonight

 

That's because you're enjoying it! Tips for growing sunflowers..take one 5-hectare field, one €100,000.00 John Deere tractor, several big-bags of seed and spend two days putting them all together Seriously, you can't go far wrong. Don't overwater, give them sun and a cane or stake if they're tall ones and Robert's ton oncle....

 

LOL - Righto that's my jobs sorted for tomorrow then - just need to pop out and find my local tractor dealership, flog the house (but not the garden!) to buy a tractor and I'll be alright.....

 

They should be okay for awhile, but long term I think they will likely suffer. Do you know when you will be moving?

 

@Snorky85 the shelving unit looks fab. Well done. You could consider starting a little mini business making bespoke shelving units for people. Something like this would look great in my lounge with for my bronze Hares

 

Thanks for your replies @shiney and @luciusmaximus

Not anytime soon, it would be wonderful if it was this year but realistically we are hoping for next year. OH lost his parents just before COVID hit, their house has now been renovated and is sold, hoping for completion in about 6 weeks. We are currently clearing out our 18 years of accumulated “stuff” from our house and giving it a cosmetic spruce up. Looking to get it on the market mid/late summer.

Houses in our village are selling quickly (within weeks) at the moment but who knows what the housing market will do over the next 6 months. We imagine people will prefer to start living after lockdowns, some may have been financially hit hard, some may want to get away on holiday, etc to want to go through a house move “experience”.

So, shall I will pot up all the cuttings into one big heavy pot, with mpc & gravel, BFF and slow release fertiliser, put it out front (where the pesky labradors can’t eat the compost), it gets sun from first thing until about 1pm at the moment? Do you think they would survive maybe a year there?