WHAT JOBS ARE WE DOING IN THE GARDEN TODAY 2018

You have choices here.
Either you go the "commercial (aka capitalist)" route and buy some oyster shell to give the required amount of calcium to built up the hard shell route. Or, you do the small holder "thing" and bake any eggshells you get and then crush those up (finely) into her feed to give back the required calcium
My first ever hen was an X-batt and never laid a fully formed egg; that is, until her last day on this earth when she gave me the most beautiful, fully formed egg, EVER! It was like she put her finger up to the world stating: Sue me! Nearly broke my heart
Just give back what they need and it all resolves itself: Mother Nature really does know best here!

 

Oh @"M" I probably would of kept that egg! Bless her. Bet she had a fantastic retirement with you though!

Luckily I do bake the shell and give them to the other birds now and again (mainly keep them for my allotment) so I'll deffo keep dishing them out more often from now on. Thanks lovely

@ARMANDII you need an open day

 

Nice words and sentiments ARMANDII. There was something "cosy" about Geoff Hamilton too so if he's in your garden it all adds up to something pretty special I think

 

@Verdun panic... i'm having panic attacks more than usual

I know the clematis isn't due yet but I see no goodness showing what so ever on the bottle brushes...most likely down the swannie with the other 5...this waiting game does your head in

 

Done a bit of gardening today the garden very wet from the heavy rain the other day and all the snow recently. Moved some of the pots of tulips / daffs out of the GH which were in there to protect the pots from the frost.

Dug up a hydrangea limelight, the hole started to fill with water relatively quickly, I know its a damp / wetish area but the water logging was a bit worrying, I bought some astrantia snow star to plant there, hopefully its just a temporarily issue. Not even the astrantia will appreciate sitting in waterlogged conditions, good area for summer though cause it south facing so the astrantia will need the extra moister.

Dug up a Aucuba and replaced that with the Hydrangea, took the Aucuba round to mum and plants it there, took some bux balls with me to plant as well.

Move Choyisa Aztec pearl from the back to the front, it was unhappy in the back to wet and the soil heavier. Frost has scorched the leaves but it will come back.

Weeded round the borders , to say I weeded round in January/Feb a lot have popped up mainly willowherb - chickweed - buttercups. Weedkilled down the fence line as well, fed up of next doors weeds creeping under the fence.

 

Ha ha Gail......relax! All will be fine. My word as a gentleman!!

 

ARMANDII, your doubting me hurts so much

 

I do understand that you don't want the rats or the buns in your garden. Times are tough and they are just trying to survive. There are other ways to persuade them to leave. The buns also. No one needs to die, it just requires a bit of time and effort. I persuaded some of my wild rats to vacate their cozy abode under the shower room in the caravan with loud noise and bright light.

Poison is a terrible idea. It causes considerable suffering to the Rats - despite what the manufacturers claim. There is also the possibility of other animals apart from the rats getting poisoned. It is popular because it's relatively inexpensive and offers a quick result rather the more time consuming ethical approach.

 

My garden is pretty much one big puddle of mud at the moment. last night and more expected today. Yesterday I redid two of my aquatic baskets with the hessian lining and moved them into the new pond. Swept a section of pathway and sowed some Poppies and Cornflowers.

Later on someone I save my used pet hay came over to collect the bags. She has several compost heaps. She was most intrigued by the recent excavations out front . We had a wander around staying on the paths and a chat about my plans for the garden. She really liked my Belfast sink mini pond and wants one . I don't have any friends or family here so it's nice to have the opportunity to chat about gardening. I have been invited over to theirs so looking forward to that

 

@luciusmaximus That all sounds good. There is a chap in the village who has a beautifully kept garden. During a drive back from an airport we were chatting about gardening. When we got back late at night he should me his greenhouse (in the dark). I haven’t seen or heard from him since.

G.