What Jobs Are We Doing In The Garden Today 2019

This morning, as usual, I scattered bird food onto the grass and patio steps so I could sit and watch my feathered friends enjoying their breakfast. Two of the Rats turned up and the younger doe came up to the window to look in. I'd like to think she was saying thanks for breakfast too

Spent around 3 hours in the front garden this afternoon. Found rake , so raked up the cut grass from the other day. Cut more grass and raked that up. Planted my two pots of Daffodils by the pond. Netted pond again and was surprised to find some wriggly critters in the net. I didn't think there would be much going on this time of the year. Pulled out lots and lots and lots of couch grass from flower bed by the boat . I didn't get it all. I uprooted a Buddleja plant that had couch wrapped around it's roots and then replanted it. Emptied a bag of compost and a bag of mulch into the wheelbarrow and mixed with a fork. Scattered onto my Daffodil bed under the cherry trees and the bed by the boat seat. Repeated compost/mulch and added that to the pond flower beds. Removed another Toadflax from another sink and planted in one of the pond beds. Sat on bench with coffee watching a storm approaching.

 

Spent most of the day tidying up,cutting back, dead heading, raking and sweeping up at my Dad's. Also checked over all the over wintering plants in his greenhouse. That was on top of doing 2 machine loads of washing and housework. Feel really shattered now so off up to bed. Sleep well everyone.

 

Glad to hear you've found your rake @luciusmaximus

 

Oh yes I forgot, also found vine weevil in my Dad's strawberry plants too.

 

Hi,

I finally made it into the garden today. Working on the valley side is always challenging but trying to remain upright whilst Gale was trying to blow me over it was more punishment than pleasure.

I'd been unsure what to do with our spent wildflowers at the top of the mountain where last year I created a small wildflower meadow. I took up my Makita cordless hedge trimmer and started to cut the flowers near ground level and it worked to a degree then I wondered if I could simply rake them all clear so back down to collect the rake. It worked a treat; even the wet stems laid on the ground gave way to the rake. Being buffeted by the wind I grafted for an hour; with the bulk piled out of the way could I go over with the petrol mower?

Back down to collect the mower after fuelling it and drag the mower up the garden; not the easiest of jobs as the mower struggled to clear the waste but I kept shaking the mower and lifting the rear flap which helped and then the job was done. The pile of debris was then weighted down with stones to prevent it blowing away; the mower was cleaned underneath and the wheels with a stout stick before putting it away. In spite of the wind giving a chill factor I was hot.

Back into the bungalow for a mug of tea I felt flattened; it's a while since I did any real manual work and it showed but now after dinner I've come round and am pleased I managed to do the job this morning.

What now though; do I simply leave as is and let the flowers grow naturally from fallen seeds or do I rotavate; rake and broadcast more new seeds. I'd love a repeat of the gorgeous display last year.

Kind regards, Colin.


Spent wildflowers many up to 4' tall whilst flowering but now rather a mess.



Simply raking made a huge improvement but it was hard graft.



Big pile of spent flowers to dispose of.



This is the result of an hour attacking the spent flowers just gone over with the mower to shred everything.



The flower display was breathtaking in its beauty; I hope to repeat it again this year.

 

Fitted the new starter pulley to the chainsaw. Where would I be without youtube ? After 5 mins struggling to get the return spring tensioned I watched a video which made the job much simpler.

Then dug out a plant. I don't know its name but it is really invasive. It has runners and behaves almost like bind weed. Managed to get a wheelbarrow full of the thing out and, much as I dislike it, will be poisoning any new growth that emerges.

Back inside now. The wind managed to dampen my enthusiasm for being outside

 

I've just been reading criticism of 'Wildflower meadow seed mixes', because they're a mix of both meadow wildflowers and annual cornfield wild flowers. The former (such as the Oxeye Daisy in your image) are perrenials and will also self seed, but cornfield annual wildflowers (such as your Poppies) require soil disturbance.

So it might require a little bit of ingenious seed saving/resowing/isolated cultivation/etc., to retain what's actually an 'unatural' (but very attractive) mix of native wildflowers. Consider sowing some plants in plug trays for planting out once others have established.

 

Hi,

Many thanks Scrungee for your reply.

I've just come back down after bagging up all the debris just as it's getting dark; two good sessions in the garden today which I didn't expects because I intended to do some TIG welding practice.

I don't want to play around too much Scrungee because I've always got lots of jobs stacked up; looking at the plot now I think I'll just go over with the rotavator then reseed from scratch;

100% Native Traditional British Wild Flower Seed Mix

I've got the Hyundai petrol rotavator so might as well use it. I've already done all the hard work in removing the roots and stones; the soil is excellent and once its been rotavated it rakes easily enough giving an excellent base for seeding.

Kind regards, Colin.



Here's my method of bag filling and it saves lots of frustration. An old big bucket with handle removed and bottom cut away; the cut edge was sanded smooth. Place opened bag on ground; place bucket inside as shown then start ramming in garden debris lifting the bucket as it becomes full; a bigger plastic container would be even better but the bucket works fine for me and especially today in the powerful breeze.



Rotavating. Possibly the quickest way to renew the meadow just for the cost of seeds.

 

rained again, lots last night. really wanted to rake for a couple hours.

 

I did a bit of weeding in the border along the driveway and planted few polyanthus
. It had been raining again so i did the side on the driveway. I have to be careful how much that i do because the back of my neck starts hurting looking down all the time.

@Retired it's looking good and hope that it will be the same this year, never know what it will be.

 

Not exactly in the garden but I sowed Chiastophyllum Oppositifolium seeds in a tray today that I collected from the garden. A trial to see if they will germinate after a 'wintering' spell outside.

 

Weeded and tidied up one of the larger borders, so many bulbs now almost raring to go but at the moment it's mainly Snowdrops that are blooming.
Had to take it at an easy pace because of my still very iffy back, nevertheless I spent a happy 3 and a half hours pottering.

 

Gorgeous plant @Sheal ....keeping my fingers crossed for a viable germination.

 

Can you wear a neck support @Logan .
Depending on what / how long a job will take I occasionally wear one as I have arthritis and bone spurs at the top of my spine and base of my neck.Certainly helps.

 

I know this isn't exactly ' in the garden' ...but I'll whisper it so as not to jinx things....

my Cleome seeds..well 2 so far have germinated