WHAT JOBS ARE WE DOING IN THE GARDEN TODAY - 2017

Spent a couple of hours or so shovelling more gravel and sand. Dug out the bits of Japanese Anemone that I missed first time - probably still not got it all. More digging in front garden to plant remaining Daff bulbs ( 215 put in all together ). Added some bark chips to the two sinks that have Fritillaries in, hoping they will suppress the weeds before the bulbs sprout. Shifted some pieces of concrete slab that had been left by caravan, not sure where they actually came from, they seem to have just appeared . Wish I'd gone to the beach instead. Very tired tonight.

 

The greenhouse has now been weighed down. There is a 60x45 concrete slab on each side. That should be enough to hold it still. I would have got around to it eventually. Closing the door after the horse has bolted is a speciality of mine.

G.

 

You dont want to keep a horse in there Gary

 

We watched an episode of Gardeners World last night and there was a piece about ' no dog ' gardening. I googled it earlier and it made for interesting reading. I'm wondering if I might apply it to certain parts of my garden.

Has anyone tried the ' no dig ' approach ?

 

Never tried the "no dog" approach lucius :rasp:
However, I am a no DIG guy.
It is an excellent method......once the soil is dug well in previous years, ideally with compost, manure, incorporated, you simply add compost as a mulch every year.
Over the years I have had lorry loads of mushroom compost and manure....leaf mould and garden compost too. Perfect for the veg garden......exception for runner beans where trenched in compost is needed.
It keeps nutrients at the top and worms will help take down the bulky matter.

 

Planted up one of my window boxes/troughs with some carex "Evergold" with a yellow edged small leafed ivy. Kept the pelargoniums in there, they are doing no harm and have spent two years in there so far. No big deal if they do not survive the winter (and I have a funny feeling it is going to be a cold one this year). I'll add some Tete a Tete after the weekend.

I removed the soil, mixed it with some cat litter for water retention (well, had to find a use for it somewhere! ) and then mixed in some long lasting fertilizer granules; looks better than when I first bought it Good job I don't mind experimenting

 

Interesting idea to add cat litter, @M. I have a bag in a cupboard (unused that is ) but hadn't ever thought to add it to soil.

I dug out some annuals today, pruned a few things including my well-recovered coreopsis, transplanted some primula from one place to another and switched off and collected in the solar lights sprinkled round the garden. Collected leaves with my leaf vacuum and popped them into one of the bags I'm filling to make leaf mould. Emptied a few derelict pots and gave them a wash. Reading my list it doesn't feel like I did much, but it was very pleasant.

 

I think the most "interesting" part will be ... if cats try to use the litter in the window box!

 

@Irmemac Just imaging that LUvverly rich leaf soil for your plants Mmmmm scrummy - wat r we gardeners like eulogizing over leafmould - when others rave over Ala carte meals LOL - well i suppose it could be considered the equivalent to Truffles
You had a very productive day ...far better than me who

wrote all she needed to do



and



thats as far as it got

 

... watch this space If it happens, you'll be the first to know

 

Still laughing from the idea of cats queuing up to perch precariously on planters and baskets to do their business . Mine is not always the most graceful of felines anyway!

@Bee, making a list is the very most important part of jobs. After you've written it, the main work is done!

 

Well knowing your profession - I's not gonna argue with that Miss