WHAT JOBS ARE WE DOING IN THE GARDEN TODAY 2018

It been another lovely spring like day today two on the trot .

Not done much today , been round to mums and cut some epicormic growth off the base of a large tree, chopped a few other bits up.

Got home and set into a couple of pallets with the chainsaw, I made a much needed extension to one of the compost heaps . The top section is the bit I've added its not the prettiest thing I ever made but it gets the job done. Like they say - you can never have a big enough compost bin. Seems the compost is a little bit behind this year must of been the cold winter so far compared to the last few . Cant find the paint either so I can paint the plywood lid

 

Looking at raspberry canes online now , nowhere near me has any of the variety's I originally wanted. Problem is now there more choice online so I keep changing my mind thinking of trying a new variety Erika but I want to compare them with Joan J and Polka, I might get 2 of each ( limited on room ) and keep 1 or 2 variety's and the loser goes in the wood chipper

I am getting some new strawberry plants as well, any recommendations ? I got Cambridge favourite on the list, looking at a everbearer variety called Buddy supposed to be good.

 

Cor Perki, I thought you were swearing, and I had to look that up... learning all the time

 

@Verdun Yes, always on the beach or in Snowdonia . Your beach sounds lovely

Busy day today. Bailed out pond to a level where I could see what I was doing and put in another basket of plants. So, you and ARMAND11 think the hessian will make a big difference? That means I will have to remove all 3 baskets and start again.

Also, pond liner arrived, so installed it, shovelled in gravel and back filled hole.



This is as far as I got before packing up for day. Will do a bit more tomorrow maybe. Scrubbed out bird baths, dug up and replanted some newly discovered Daff bulbs, raked through ' the mound ' a little to dislodge more weeds.

Anyone know what this is please. Saw a huge Bumblebee land and drink from it.

 

Looks like a heather Lucius, is this your bog garden area.

 

Its taking shape lucius. You have worked really hard there haven't you?.....going to look fantastic
Hmmmmm! I think hessian is the way to go. Best get things right from the start
Yes, a fine beach; no pebbles, etc., just soft sand.

 

The baskets are like yours but kidney shaped. I did put layer of gravel on the bottom of the basket and on the top. I did expect some compost to come out obviously when baskets were lowered into place. I realised yesterday that I forgot to water the basket I posted about so compost was dry when I lowered it into the water. I think this might have caused the compost to wash out. I have done some reading online about ponds and, as you may recall, I've had them in the past. I did know about the hessian but my thinking in not using it was that the plant roots would grow out into the water quicker?? .

for the compliment and to Verdun too for the same. Its coming together slowly. Apart from Roger digging the pond hole by himself ( I was unwell that day ) and helping me to backfill the pond hole I have done the rest myself. The ' mounds ' were already there as created from excavated pond hole and a former bonfire site. I'm quite pleased with what I've achieved, you never know what you can do unless you try .

Incidentally I have enough pond liner left over from the Bog garden to either make another smaller one or even a little pond in the side garden

 

No, its part of a mixed hedge planted by previous owners

 

As it's been dry for a couple of days I'm digging over the vegetable beds, both the area with green manures on them and the patches where there were winter crops now finished and lifted.

 

....looking at mole hills....8 new ones this morning

 

Any thoughts on this?

G.

 

Yes I've seen this before....may work, but certainly not a good look!!

 

Oh no Upsy! Hopefully he or she will move on soon, at least it is a sign of good soil fertility with lots of worms to drag down manure and leaves? (if he hasn't gone to town on them all!)

 

Having a "low maintenance," garden, (don't all laugh, I know there's no such thing unless it's completely paved). Although it was a nice day, I was struggling to find things to do. I pulled the last of the grass out of the rockery, I think it will do well this year, given the number of creeping flox I added to it at the end of last year.




These are the tree azaleas I gave bigger pots yesterday and took away the stakes as now the trunks are quite sturdy.





I gave one of our acer palmatums a prune of the last of the dead branches, there's always quite a few and I trimmed off any "split ends." I'm quite pleased that it has retained its balance, I tucked a few errant branches in to help it keep its shape and pruned off a few that will be untrainable. Others will need to grow a bit before I can tuck them in. The tiny buds are all doing well. I have to keep an eye on them as they are susceptible to black fly as soon as the tiny leaves appear, although they prefer the sambuca.




Everything that should have buds on it has, I like to see fat ones on all the wisterias at this time of the year.




We'll be knee deep in bluebells in this bed as we are each year, but they make way for a peony and several dahlias later. I gave those four tree roses which will eventually go on the patio some stronger support canes. They were bare-rooted from T & M and are all showing new growth now.
The pots cost more than twice the roses!



I resisted the temptation to get into this bed and remove a few weeds and tackle this year's fallen bamboo leaves, but I'll leave it until I can see the heads of all the bulbs planted there, as I'll otherwise be bound to step on a few.