WHAT ARE WE DOING IN THE GARDEN TODAY 2023

Waited until 7:00 to water wilting pot plants (that were watered yesterday) and one minute later, a thunderstorm minus the thunder. Stands to reason. At least the rest of the garden got a good soaking.

 

Planted some cosmos at 8am this morning before it got too hot.

 

27c in the shade, the toms are covered. Too hot at the moment, will water later.

 

Hi,

Trimmed hedges & laurels this morning but it's now too hot which is rare for Yorkshire; mad dogs & Englishmen etc; I'm mad but not going out to do any heavy work whilst it's so hot; anything over 10C I regard as hot.


View across the big valley from near the top of our mountain; the valley bottom is way out of sight but we have beautiful panoramic views along and across the valley; in the far distance can be seen Victoria Tower just on the horizon it being a well known landmark.

The picture shows two things; the meadow now in partial bloom but very dry not having had rain for quite a while and the 43' tall mature oak tree towering over our bungalow; this is the oak tree the pigeons are using as a toilet seat bombing everything to the patio area creating a daily clean up.

I removed the bottom three branches from the oak a few weeks ago but I intend to remove the whole oak tree next week I've had enough of these dirty birds; removing the oak will benefit us in other ways too; it's a liability so near to the bungalow; it drops millions of acorns and a huge load of leaves; it also drops lots of little bits which cause long lasting brown stains on the patio flags; I'll be sorry to see it go because I don't like felling healthy trees but enough is enough.

I measured it yesterday using this method;



I measure slightly differently; I use the stick as shown holding the stick vertically but align the top end of the stick with the top of the tree but also align the bottom of the stick with the bottom of the tree; it works well on our very steep garden showing where to top of the tree will land; last year I successfully felled 15 very tall trees all landing where they were intended to land. This oak tree won't be a simple job because most of its branches are on our bungalow side so to fell it hoping for the best it will fall directly onto the bungalow roof; have a browse on YouTube for tree fails due to insufficient felling experience; I'll do a lot of roping and remove the branches one at a time working from up the tree and definitely not cutting from a ladder all the branches that are making the tree heavy on the bungalow side; I'll also securely rope the tree to prevent it falling the wrong direction. This is very dangerous work often attempted by novices using a chainsaw.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Planted out about 25 clumps of bulgarian giant leeks. Picked the last of the spinach and planted out 15 Brussels sprouts in their place. Watered.

 

All I've done today is water a lot of the plants, especially the hanging baskets as they dry out very quickly in this sort of heat we are having at present. The Petunias were flopping over so I also watered them. While I was at it I also gave the Geraniums & Pelargoniums some water as well. Being as they are big plants in small pots & in full sunshine from 11am till the sun goes down they need more water than when growing in the soil of a garden.

 

At 8am i planted out more cosmos and 2 lupins, nothing else today it's too hot for the plants and me.

 

Currently re-homing a load of runaway Verbena Bonariensis to where I WOULD prefer them to be!!

Tea break time as it's hot in the full sun. Probably won't do much else.......maybe .

 

Hi,

Just a normal day for me; shopping at three supermarkets first thing this morning home by 8:30; after a mug of tea head up the mountain with the big oak tree in my sights.

Work until 10:30 then knock off to make a cottage pie and have another mug of tea then back out again for another hour attacking the oak tree until the cottage pie was cooked then dinner time.

Do the dishes then resumed hostilities with the oak; I've just knocked off dripping with sweat; it sure is hot out there in full sun.

This oak is very difficult to fell it being so near the bungalow with lots of things in the way; two flights of garden steps; two fences with handrails a very nearby smaller conifer I wish to retain but it's got in the way then the main bungalow roof and rear two roomed extension and the garden hut.

I'm removing this oak one branch at a time having to rope each branch to control its descent; I stopped it just short of the roof then I could use tall stepladders to trim it back; a long hard difficult job working on my own; the rope used to attach to near the branch ends is near the top of the tree; I enjoyed climbing up there; a second shorter rope was arranged nearer the trunk but to allow the end of the branch once cut to swing away from me; the top of the telescopic ladder was securely roped to the tree trunk; I don't care how long it takes safety comes first; I'll be able to resume work earlier tomorrow morning before the heat gets too oppressive; our neighbour is going to be delighted with oak logs for her woodburner.



Branch fully cut; trimmed and suspended vertically; slow but safe; it's now cut into logs.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Our Oak trees here all have preservation orders on them.....??
Sad to see them go.

 

sadly very true Woo.