3: Gardening Diaries ...

[Zenj]

Morning all windy but bright for the moment ,torrential rain during the night went on for a very long time pond which was very low now overflowing ,Recieved two Nomocharis bulbs by post yesterday farreri and forrestii aperta forgot about them as I ordered about 9 months ago they are like hens teeth to get hold of ,now dilemma weather to plant direct outside now or plant and keep them in a pot until spring .

 

[alp]

Was selling terracotta planters and a very old TV stand with latticed front on gumtree and hence I am still here! Yes, very bright here and still a bit windy. Bet your pond will be flooding soon, @Zenj !

I couldn't even think of buying Nomocharis at the moment as the air can be so dry all through the garden, so dry that the Flame thrower couldn't even flourish a 2nd time. I watered the slipper orchids every other day. Amazing how we forget what we ordered as sometimes we don't even look at the date of delivery! I am sure you can find a right spot for those beauty as you live in the right area. But I can appreciate your concern as they don't come cheap and you can't get it just like that in gc or diy stores.

Just tried to renew the soil in the wormery. Not the most glamorous of jobs!! Maggots and all the smelly, gluey and gunky mess!

 

[Perki]

@alp I am at the moment of looking at some more plants anyway I've come across a Hellebore called Hellebore Hybidus Harvington double Apricot have you come across these harvington variety's before ? crocus have them down as requiring frost protection which seems odd for a hellebore

 

[alp]

rocus have them down as requiring frost protection which seems odd for a hellebore

going 2 google now. ham from last night's pork ! yummmmm

 

[Zenj]

Perki have you looked at this site for hellebores maybe some info there.
http://www.twelvenunns.co.uk/nursery/product/helleborus-plants/harvington-double-apricot-2/

 

[alp]

Finished that mouthful of food. @Perki Do you eat pork / ham. We sliced it for numerous dinner and I can call it harm now.

That's ridiculous! Hellebores are supposed to the phoenix rising up from the snow! I think the info is wrong.

Perki have you looked at this site for hellebores maybe some info there.
http://www.twelvenunns.co.uk/nursery/product/helleborus-plants/harvington-double-apricot-2/

Lovely photo there, with all the lovely markings!

 

[alp]

I was trying to collect seeds from double black or maroons, but was very disappointed as they say generally doubles do not produce seeds. No wonder mine was a failed attempt. Not to mention the cutting off of dead double echinacea next to the main road.

@Perki I have seen tons of them in my favorite gc, but even reduced, they were about £7. They reduced the alstroemerias to £6.49 and I couldn't bear to part with that money and now they have all disappeared. Must have been sold. Wish I had a job there. One woman bragged that she got thousands of plants for next to nothing, not forgetting the 10% staff discount. Sad to say, most of the expensive seeds from Ashwwod have died too. The heat spared nothing and my messiness hasn't helped! Very sad. Should have been as prudent as Zenj .

 

[Upsy Daisy]

Did you have any rain last night, Upsy? Enough for the winter or just dry wind? I have just about half an inch and the ground wasn't even wet when I got up. Now it's sunny and glorious!

No rain at all @alp

 

[alp]

We have had 30 seconds of rain .. not enough to do anything!

,For the avid seed collectors...

Here is my observation on the collection of salvia seeds. Not applicable to Uglinosa though.

Normally flower buds points proudly upwards at an angle. See the bud on the right, pointing towards the sky.

When the seed is ready, the pouch becomes a bit yellowish and becomes horizontal. Please look at the one in the near centre, looking at you with a black seed inside and the pouch has changed color although my photography skill leaves a lot to be desired. The blurry one looking at you in the centre has got 1 or 2 or even 3 seeds in it.

Please compare the colours of the big pouch. The top one is too green and yet the lower one has become yellower and started to migrate to a horizontal position. If the pouch points downward, it's probably too late.

When you collect the seeds, make sure you hold the seed pouch in an upward movement. If you drag the pouch down, the seed will be on the dirt!

Hope it helps ...

 

[alp]

@alp I am at the moment of looking at some more plants

You naughty boy! What's the damage!? I understand how hopeless we are! Another hefty credit card bill with TV licensing. Hope I am 76 now as the Beeb is trying to snatch the free over 75 TV licence!

Hello, @johnny canoe ! How's your weather like lately?

 

[Upsy Daisy]

I can't wait until I get my bus pass! Only a couple more years to go, but our Council are debating as to whether or not to introduce a fee towards payment for each bus journey taken....just my luck!

 

[alp]

You must write to complain and get your friends to do so. It's a sin that people live too long, the councils and the government think!

 

[Zenj]

I can't wait until I get my bus pass! Only a couple more years to go, but our Council are debating as to whether or not to introduce a fee towards payment for each bus journey taken....just my luck!

Don’t think they can do that
Disabled and older people in England will continue to benefit from free off-peak bus travel for the foreseeable future, keeping them connected with their local towns and cities.

Bus passengers aged over 65 or with a disability have been entitled to travel free of charge on any off-peak local service in England since 2007, thanks to the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme.

The government has now amended legislation to protect the scheme in its current format, so that it can to continue for years to come.
The 65 is wrong as it goes on the women’s pension age weather your male or female I got mine aged 62 so have had it a few years now.

 

[Upsy Daisy]

Yes, but to be truthful I can't blame them. Our buses are full to overflowing with pensioners, so they must run at a loss. Wouldn't mind paying a reduce fare just to ensure they can continue.

It's a similar case to that of childcare providers. Parents now get so many hours free childcare per week ( think it's now 30hrs )but what the government pays the providers nowhere near covers the actual individual placement fee for a child. This is why so many private providers ( me included) and bigger nurseries have closed down , running costs can't be covered and we weren't allowed to ask parents to pay a small top up fee to make up the shortfall . Parents are now complaining that they are finding it harder to find places but they can't have it both ways!! However if parents were charged a small fee towards a placement more establishments would be able to stay in business.. Simple!!

 

[Upsy Daisy]

https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/our-re...-bring-in-50p-charge-for-pensioners-1-8586307