WHAT ARE WE DOING IN THE GARDEN TODAY - 2021

@Upsydaisy Thank you very much - they look gorgeous and I love the dark green with vivid red (I've got a bit of a thing for red), I'll have a check into them

@Pushkin I like the Snoopie's too! What do you plan to plant in them?

My gardenia's been looking a bit sorry for itself, and I think drainage may be a problem for me in general. I thought compost in planters would count as well-draining but from what I've googled I should probably add grit to it first. Live and learn, I kind of like that about gardening lol.

I didn't do much in the garden, but I've ordered some grit and planned out making up some well-draining pots.

 

Well I moved the small lean to greenhouse and have planted the raspberry bush and with both black and red current bushes.
Now have a mammoth task of sorting the garage and shed out, needs doing since the rats set up home. A few neighbours have been bothered with them, we have chickens behind us so it’s always a problem.
My biggest job is a lean to on the back of the garage, I need to jack the roof up and lay a proper floor so I can build walls up to it. That’s how ratty and friends get in, 4 have not made it back out you’d think the rest would learn.

 

No they are car decals.

 

I've planted a Salvia Royal Bumble, Leucanthemum Alaska and a Salvia Blue Note.

Red, white and blue.

 

Tested overnight temperatures in my new greenhouse tunnel with all the covers down. Looks to be about 3 degrees above outside temps at the coldest point of the night. Seems to get about 6 degrees up in the day today, 10 outside and 16 inside. I've opened the covers up now though to avoid mould as it's quite damp still.

Someone messaged me saying they have some paving slabs, so if they'll let me collect tomorrow I can lay them down to pop the chilli pots on when the time comes.

Just put my early courgettes in pots on the heat mat to get started. Hoping to get a nice long season out of them in the tunnel as it'll be nice and warm for them. I have de Milo (black beauty?) and also de Nice (a fruit rond), which I'm excited about. Both heirloom so hoping to let some get to a good size and seed save for next year as we always love eating courgettes.

Other than that just wandering around the garden staring at things and trying not to do everything all at once. Pots need tidying up, need to paint a wooden planter for my blackcurrant and get that planted properly instead of in the pot.

 

Snipped off the dead bits off a number of salvias and the Korean lilac, cold wind creates most of these.
Weeded, planted out pea seedlings (Early Onward). Potted up lupins, Verbascum chiaxi, repotted Dahlia imperalis. Sowed Nicotiana, Tagetes, Calendula, Ricinus and Lobelia.

 

Spent the morning and afternoon checking all my pots. I wasn't sure what was in them ( no surprise there ) so I emptied each one out, cleaned it and refilled with fresh compost and slow releasing fertilizer. They were either replanted with the bulbs/ tubers that were found to be in them or labelled up as 'ready to be planted out'. Some had my Giant Lilies in and they had really multiplied so extra pots were potted up with them in . A couple of other pots had been home to my lovely big Begonias last year which sadly were destroyed by Vine Weevil ,the grubs were still lurking in the compost so the contents were tipped out and left for the birds to enjoy. A few pots also had Dahlia tubers in them that were sprouting ....just wish I could see the same signs of life in the ones that I left in the borders. Another pot had Galtonia Candicans in it. Hopefully all pots are now set to provide us with a lovely summer display.

 

Nearly forgot , potted up some Rembrandt Antirrihinums too.

 

Watered the seeds in the greenhouse. Then scarified the lawns. Did a quick check on the plants in the borders. Most seem to be coming back nicely. The Penstemon firebird are now showing signs of life and Buddleja indigo buzz is steaming along. Decided I need to plant more plants for height this year. I'll have to plan carefully so I don't have to widen the borders (again) going to end up with no lawn

 

Hi @ARMANDII ...could I ask you please, I have some very small Echinacea cuttings that I took last year, they are now showing signs of life but being so small are they best left in the pot for this year or should they be planted out into the border....if the latter then when is the best time to do so please ?

 

Painting painting painting...floor, roof, and the insides of two walls of the shed now also had their two coats, so just the last couple of walls to go tomorrow.

 

Ok that's brilliant , they are very small so I think they will end up staying put for this year but I will make a final decision in May.
Thanks very much @ARMANDII your advice has been very heipful.