WHAT ARE WE DOING IN THE GARDEN TODAY - 2022

I planted some bulbs in pots but didn't have enough (pots that is) so a trip to a garden centre is imminent

 

My new compost aerator arrived so I tried it out and it worked great.

 

Started cutting the fruited canes off the blackberry plants.

 

More bulb planting. After lifting some zinnia and gaillardia. The zinnia still had plenty of flowers, so it was a shame to lift them.

 

What type did you get Jocko please.

 

Primrose compost aerator.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B016YJQ3FG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Thanks Jocko.

 

Today I cut all three areas of grass. I used the petrol mower for them all. I found it easier to humph it up the stairs and lift it over flowerbeds than struggling with the Flymo cable. That is a real pain in the tonsils.
I dismantled my edging shears and gave the blades a sharpen. They will cut paper but still struggle with grass near the hinge.

 

Tied in the new blackberry canes for next year and pulled up a lot of ivy.

 

Cut lawn and wondered around deadheading some dahlias and pulled the odd weed . Potted on a few monarda cutting and some hawthorne which I am not sure are going to pull through . Did a bit of watering as well .

 

Loosely in the garden (), I spent the morning filling in all the gaps in the chicken hut floor. Evidence of rats brought on a really good clear out and I'd be surprised if a mosquito could find a way in now Then picked all the quinces off my poor over-laden tree, ready for the market tomorrow. Finally got round to pruning a few shrubs and clematis, but the bonfire heap is getting dangerously big and daren't have a bonfire until it rains and the ground is damp

 

Other than take some photos of my summer flowering plants, I haven't done anything today, as in a few weeks they will be gone.

 

My new routine job- forked off a dead bird (common pigeon this time) from the middle of the back lawn and threw it into the wild corner (which I consider rebranding as Heavenly Thickets or similar).

Half way towards the Heavenly Thickets I realised that the load was light, as it only contained 95% of a pigeon.

For some reason this summer I have done that three times. (Our plot must be on top of ancient Indian burial ground. Remind me not to bury cats or young children.) The birds are not hitting windows but either arrive peacefully late at night with their own wings to spend their last evening here, or like this headless one, as apparent victim of bodily harm.

Seen the pouring rain and a long day at work, that's the extent of my gardening activity today.

 

Other than a little bit of pot shuffling because it keeps spitting on and off out there, I have been a naughty girl... My neighbour spoke to me other day for the first time in 20 some years (the hillbilly wife) and mentioned that a rat was coming from the back left corner of my yard. The corner along our shared lot lines. Well, this is the side that they have trained to dog to poop. All along the fence line to that corner. So she has to go there to pick up said brown stuff. This is the corner area..


and this is their yard. That tarp has been laying on the ground for about 2 months now. And you can see the rest.


So, I snap trapped the rat last night and it's a good size - at least 11-12 inches from nose to butt. And I placed him on the corner where my metal fence meets my back wooden fence. Just so he can greet her on her next trip back there. Top left..

Bad Lori, really bad Lori..

 

I should have added that I usually put the dead on the fence because at night, opossums come along and dine. No fuss, no muss!

I've just been out trying to collect some more seeds from the one 4 O'clock that is white. Patience is again required as they are slow to be ready. And I've got my bags of shredded paper not ready to receive bulbs and tubers