WHAT ARE WE DOING IN THE GARDEN TODAY 2023

Sowed a few more seeds, Strawberries, Chillies, Tomatoes and Echinacea ( the ones in the borders are past their best now, I think, as they weren't that brilliant last year...maybe the heat .
I have moved more compost in and spread it out to dry off a bit so that it can be sifted in a couple of days time.

 

Been waiting for the neighbours to take the washing in so I can burn some dry stems from last years cape gooseberry and sunflowers.
One has just taken it in and remarked to the other "it hasn't dried much has it", not surprising really.

 

Nothing today it's been cold and frosty.

 

Other than going out for five minutes to open the mini-greenhouse door, which I forgot to do yesterday, the only other thing was to sweep the balcony floor of the pigeons' dropping! Then about 5.30pm I went out again & closed the door so my plants won't get "nipped in the bud" by Ol' Jack Frost!

 

Yesterday i did check on the plants in the greenhouse, the trailing geraniums didn't make it, but i can buy some more.

 

Sowed chili and sweet pepper seeds, now the pots of compost have warmed up in the propagator. Tomato seed follows in a couple of weeks.

 

Shifted a few cwt of rubble out of the flower beds and onto the lawn. Once they remove it I will have to do a fingertip search before I ever run the mower over it.

 

Quite busy today. Power washed the tool area floor slabs and the built-in garden bench - which will be Cuprinoled when it is dry.

Couldn't resist any longer so started off a seed tray of Cosmos - saw on Youtube that they can be planted now. Packet of seeds free on the front of 'Garden Answers' magazine - the packet said top with vermiculite. I bought some last year - to retain moisture at the bottom of this years hanging baskets - this is the first time I've used it for seeds.

Tray on conservatory window sill -

 

Did some more compost sifting, then swept all 3 patios.......where does all the chunks of moss come from, I'm sure it's not all from the roof of our house!!!.

 

I can't do much until the grey bin has been emptied tomorrow, then i can't do anything until Sunday because i have to do other things tomorrow and Saturday going to see my friend Marion.

 

Dug some holes and buried some bulbs, emptied some pots of compost onto the garden, stared aimlessly at the lawn, watched the birdies do their thing,(starlings, robin, sparrows, magpies etc.), decided on what jobs to avoid and which ones to actually get on with tomorrow and decided that was too much excitement for the day, so knocked it on the head about half four.
Little and often this time of the year

 

@clanless I doubt putting vermiculate at the base of basket will aid much with retaining enough water in mature hanging baskets , you'd probably be better of using a bit of plastic or a yogurt pot or something similar to create a reservoir. I use Vermiculate often for sowing seeds and covering them. Might struggle with the cosmos as well they will get a tad leggy at this time of year I sow mine in April .

 

Well...back in the greenhouse sifting and warming up some compost as speedily as I can. Why???

Why oh why indeed...the tray of Cleome seeds that @CarolineL kindly sent me all miraculously germinated in less than a week but.... this morning hubs accidentally knocked the tray onto the floor.

I've managed to salvage quite a few, but will they survive . Thankfully I have lots more so I want to sow another tray.

Interestingly the other 2 trays of packet Cleome seeds that were sown at the same time have, as yet, shown no sign of life. So it looks as if fresh harvested seeds ( Caroline collected her own seeds) are the answer to avoid the failure that Cleome are well known for......just don't knock the poor babies out of their
trays.