WHAT ARE WE DOING IN THE GARDEN TODAY 2023

Dead heading Daffs, finding baby Jap. Maples, pulling some weeds.
And discovering something ----
We all talk Daffodils by the flower color. Presently I am in the process of dead heading the thousands. But still have some fresh blooming and ready to bloom. But that is not the focus here. Sitting on the deck I realize they can also be planted for the "color" of their green. Sitting on my deck looking out I see a dense line of the short variety, now long gone, but the green stands well, the miniature, and their green is a very green, behind them a taller variety, their leaves are a blue/green and then behind those their leaves a green with a silver hint. All of which I can see the transitions of color, quiet unique.

 

Planted the soaked Anemone Blanda corms. I used to have a lot in a nice pot but they disappeared in some house move. A house nearby has a magnificent display so out of envy I bought 50 corms for pennies. In your face, neighbour! .

Dug planting holes for the Sweet Peas and had to stop play when heartburn told me not to bend over. Last time I had heartburn was when I was 9 months pregnant.

And to crown the day, my best watering can is leaking so I'm relying on two smaller ones I filled up in the kitchen and rested behind the front door for easy access while exiting via the back door.

Then I opened the front door to get the cans. Then I dried and washed the hallway floor.

 

This afternoon I cut back and tidied up the Cineraira Silver Dust plants.
Divided some Phlox.
Direct sowed some more poppies.
Deadheaded and tidied up some of the larger/ older Wallflowers.
Watered all the Giant Lillles that are now growing fast.
Weeded two borders.

 

I only pottered and sorted out some flower pots, putting them tidilly on shelves, and even though it was a damp cloudy day I enjoyed listening to the birds, and the smell of the wet earth was wonderful.

 

@Retired your front garden looks lovely and good that you like to keep your tools clean and oiled.

 

Checked most of my dahlias in the borders after seeing your posts. Mine all seem ok thankfully and a few are shooting. Checked out Dark Spirit @Loofah, looks fabulous so it’s on my list for next year. I have a few La Recoleta which are similar. Beautiful dark colours, both of them. Fingers crossed for both of your dahlias

 

Weeded 25 blueberry pots and topped up with compost.

 

Weeding, sometime in the greenhouse, where lots of seeds are germinating, dahlias beginning to show signs of life. Cheered to see that Iochroma purpurea has sent a shoot up from the base, as the label said hardy down to 4°C so after a low of-3°C in December I thought that it had it. The Iochroma coccinea and I fuchsoides have had it though.

 

I've been round at mum garden today for most of the day planting out weeding etc . Took a barrow full of plants round last week manged to get get most of them in . Back home I've sorted the veg trug out removed the old top soil/compost and topped back up with homemade compost , got the spuds planted finally . Also dug out the tomato bed in the GH and re topped that up. I need to mow the lawn hopefully tomorrow

 

Only took some photos today after sweeping the balcony floor of the compost that I hadn't picked up yesterday.

 

Hi,

Three supermarkets visited early this morning now back home enjoying a mug of tea before resuming hostilities up the mountain; I hope to get the two remaining tree stumps out today then I can start removing the many roots.

Two new reciprocating saws are due one arriving around midday today; one is a cheap cordless for rough garden work like cutting roots the other a much more expensive mains saw for workshop use. I've already worn out a cheap Parkside mains reciprocating saw but in fairness it's done a great deal of work.

I've got two 20" petrol chainsaws these also having done lots of work and are still on top of the job but recently I've cut a few very thick tree roots and killed the chain twice after hitting soil; normally I don't bother resharpening the chain just replacing with a new chain because if a chain is looked after it will do lots of work so the cost of a new chain is well worth it. I dislike cutting roots because there's usually hidden soil or stones; it doesn't take long to sharpen a chain but I don't believe in abusing any of my kit.

A reciprocating saw however does an excellent job of root cutting and can withstand hitting soil before becoming blunt so is the weapon of choice for roots; this however must be about the hardest way of creating a small wildflower meadow firstly having to fell very tall trees then get the roots out but the trees were so tall they'd become a liability so had to go hence now being replaced by a meadow.

Got to go I feel a need to remove tree stumps.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Cleaned out some of the bigger display planters and refilled with fresh compost in readiness for planting out next month. I will add slow release fertiliser at the time of planting.

Fed the Roses.

Thinned out some nice but thuggish plants.

Carted everything out of the Greenhouse and Cold Frames. Didn't need to water much except for the Fuchsias.

It's been warm working in the garden this morning., not that I'm complaning....yet!

 

I've just put some plants back in the greenhouse and reconnected the gas from the mains to the heater. The pilot is lit and it's ready for predicted cold nights.

I am finished the heavy work outside which was relocating a wood pile and moving a garden. The old garden was 4' × 20'. The new is 4x16 and 4x12.. The part of the fence that is not grey is where the 12 foot wide firewood stack was.

Then I dug a 18x24 inch wide hole and down 20 inches to set a large cement block with a pipe for my umbrella dryer.
I have liberally sown grass seed and mother nature is assisting with watering it.