WHAT JOBS ARE WE DOING IN THE GARDEN TODAY - 2017

Keep her away from Parliament, already been tried. Hang on ... Scotland you say? ... don't think anyone has tried blowing up theirs yet

 

Morning folks
blue sky, sunshine and a very warm day to come.
The usual veg picking, lawn mowing and deadheading later
Most delphiniums are flowering again.....the third time for some. Used to think of them as having an early flowering and maybe an autumn one but they now seem to flower all summer. Cliveden Beauty is a superb variety ......different "shrubby" sort that flowers non stop with sky blue flowers

 

Seed planting later

 

As the weather is wet-wet-wet and I was out and about taking Ozzy to hydro, I took the opportunity to stop at a garden centre (or two ) and pick up some seeds for next years sowing. Wyevale has all its seeds at half price at the moment. As I've been a little disappointed with peas this year, I've followed the advice of a couple of GC members and chosen a variety of mange tout and a variety of sugar snaps to try next year. T&M are now packaging an "Urban Garden Collection" of vegetables e.g. those which will grow in a pot, so added Dwarf French Bean "Amethyst" and Pea "Bingo" to the mix. On the T&M Seed racks were a packet of Nigella "Midnight" (99p trial price with any purchase of T&M seeds) and Poppy "Ruby Bonanza" (free with any two packets of T&M seeds) so picked up a packet of Teasel as well. Got into the car only to realise that most of the flower seeds I have are for blue/purple flowers

Passed another garden centre and stopped off there. Haven't had any success in finding Borage seeds for the past couple of years but, lo and behold, this GC had some! But they are also on the blue/mauve spectrum Added a packet of sunflower "Russian Giant" then noticed another 99p "Trial Price" on Sunflower "Topolino" so threw those in too: lovely YELLOW to go with the blues/mauves and finally, some nasturtiums for the hanging baskets: "Firebird" and "Milkmaid" Unfortunately, not half price at that particular GC, but I didn't mind, I got what I wanted.

I've noted down when they all need to be sown - seems my little grow house is going to have to really earn its keep come February!

Checked up on the radishes (two varieties) and leaf salad I planted on Monday and they are already romping along.

In the optimistic hope we have an Indian Summer, I've put the last of the dwarf French beans I had into soak. The ones I have planted earlier in the year did nothing at all! I'm happy to experiment and take a risk with the last ones from the packet.

Harvested half a dozen Tumbling Toms and popped them on the griddle with some chopped onion, garlic and ... HOME GROWN courgettes!! Cor, belting!! Note to self: must remember to get some courgette seed for 2018!

 

Been busy M? ......way ahead of me but autumn is nigh and you're right, it is time to think about seeds. Will check out Wyevale...thanks
Pretty hot here, well very warm anyway. Absolutely stunning day. Cut lawns and fed back one...prob last feed now for the summer.....and taken cuttings of gaura Corrie's Gold. Another good picking of runner beans, lettuce and carrots. Oh! And tomatoes
Just in for a cool lager ......could be rain tomorrow (then dry and sunny for the weekend) so I want to deadhead and weed whilst I can
Peas been good here this year....Little Marvel.....but onions are the smallest I have had for a few years.....healthy just smallish. All lifted and "sunbathing" now

 

Wyevale do seeds for 50p a packet at some point, not sure when
@Verdun @"M"

Edit it's about the end of Aug and early Sep

 

Thanks Jiffy

 

I did some more tree chopping today. They were great trees but they had outgrown there usefulness. I'm not looking forward to digging out those roots. Before I can think about doing that, I'm going to have to break up that long piece of concrete behind. What joy?

G.

 

Did more painting today and oiled the decking preparing for winter.

 

Classy Martin.....Did you say for wwwwwwwwwinter?

Gary, I dug up a juniper last September that stood 20' tall and 15' across. Loads of foliage removed and trunk cut to about 6' then the fun started. The rootball was immense. Had to dig down 5' or so and a hole 10' across. Crowbar, saws, loppers, swearing, grunting, sweating to loosen the stump but the fun didnt end there. Trying to lift it out was a job in itself. Then cutting the stump to carry it. Burning it took months
HOWEVER the sheer joy when I did get it out
I will post a picture of how the area looks now.....I had a new planting space of some 20 to 30' across. Glad I did it and you will be too.
Don't take short cuts but I am pretty sure you will get those roots out without too much difficulty.
Before I replanted I dug in masses of compost and manure and this is well worth doing as the soil will be impoverished.....conifers take all the goodness from the soil.
Good luck Gary

 

Cut the stumps flat to the ground, then move the rockery over the top of the stumps and concreate, put low growing plants in the rockery and some taller ones where the rockery was .

 

Cut hedges. Did a little more work on this ...

Need to extend the gravelled area further and the old bench is decidedly rickety, so will price up a new one. I saw some nice wood benches in Stermat, but I'm also thinking that Hartmans furniture might be more practical.

We lit the huge bonfire in front garden and I watered the baths/sinks out front. Inspected a pot of potatoes plants and ate a couple of strawberries ( managed to beat the Blackbirds to them ). I noticed another smaller hole in another molehill, wondering if there might be two Moles.. I also noticed a Bumblebee feeding from the orange Crocosmia. I didn't think it was generally a plant that Bees liked as not noticed them feeding from the plants before. There is quite a lot of Crocosmia here, which I was planning on digging out ( eventually ), might have to keep some now.