3: Gardening Diaries ...

[alp]

We have literally got a stream running down the side of our lane at the moment

Funny you should mention that! I was thinking of digging a ditch in between my lawn and the patio as that area was constantly flooded after rain and became a clay play pan. I might actually do it as it would take the rain water to the other side of the lawn.

If it's too wet, better let your hub have a rest. Nobody wants to take a tumble in the clay-y piste!

 

[Upsy Daisy]

I might actually plant out my aubretia today, I sowed them last year, so I think they have been pampered enough, time to fend for themselves now.
Surprised to see one of my Cleome trays have finally decided to germinate...only took 3mths. I had given up all hope and moved them to one side.....and left them to decide on their own fate, I have hope for the other 2 trays now.

Suppose to be the hottest day of the year Yay!!!!!!

 

[Upsy Daisy]

Let him!!!! You make me sound like a slave driver!! I let him choose and he has done it in small portions...he knows not to overdo things due to heart probs
I'm not in a hurry ,it was his decision to make it ( less lawn to mow!) There is such a lot going on at the moment ,so it will be filled with only summer bedding for quick colour this year I expect.

 

[Logan]

I might actually plant out my aubretia today,

Have they been hardened off?

 

[Upsy Daisy]

Yes for the last 2 months !!!!

 

[Zenj]

Grand parenting today just been for a walk along the sea front absolutely freezing 6 c real feel 4 c but at least dry the wind is bitter.

 

[BigC]

I to am over clay (about 18 inches down)..I get a lot of flooding towards the back door, in wintertime...yes it dries out come summer but its a real mess in winter....I'm thinking of putting low profile drainage channel in and running to drain via a sump box...It will be expensive but I can do most of the work myself (except connecting into the house drain)...I have been mulling this over for the past three seasons, but always desisted, but this year I may take the plunge in autumn and get this done.... Anyone had to resort to these drastic measures....Regards C

 

[alp]

How much is that thing please, @BigC?

I am thinking of digging a ditch, but worry that someone might get tripped over.

Today the lawn is absolutely fine and safe to walk on. Been bleaching the walls of the lean to. Son and I did a good job and now need to redo the other side.

Upsy: You've done well. Sown last year!? How do you manage to keep it alive over-winter? Really like them as ground covers!

 

[alp]

Just makes me laugh reading this .. We have been cold and now this rubbish

It's the hottest day of the year so far... but tomorrow is set to be even warmer with temperatures up to 65F making Britain hotter than MOROCCO

• Wettest March in a decade has given way to a warm early April with temperatures hitting 62.4F (16.9C) today
• This smashed previous 2018 UK record of 62F (16.6C) from March 10 - and tomorrow could get up to 65F (18C)
• Parts of UK will be hotter over next few days than Barcelona (61F/16C), Nice (63F/17C) and Tangier (61F/16C)

 

[BigC]

How much is that thing please, @BigC?

It comes in around £7 a metre section which connects to each other....I'll need about 10-12 sections then a soak box and a couple of stop ends, then I'll have to cut into the pathway to take it to the drain and get someone who knows what they are doing to connect it into the house drain. Fairly expensive but I need to do something...Now I thought about another method which is cheaper but not so aesthetically pleasing whereby I make some wood shuttering perhaps 5 inch wide and 4 inch deep at the edge of the lawn. Make up a concrete mic and fill the shuttering to the height of the pathway..Then take a piece of plastic round guttering and press this into the concrete to make a deep groove remove and smooth over. I could take this to drain myself...but I'll have to decide which root to take but something has to be done..I cant have this every year...

 

[Upsy Daisy]

Hi @alp, sounds like you've been busy today.

Sowed them last July ( before sis became ill) , left them in my unheated green house then a couple of months ago slowly weaned them to outside.....they have been absolute!y fine. The thing to do is to sow early so that they are relatively strong enough to cope through the winter in pots as the soil would be too cold.
Planted some out today.

Spent a good while digging up and replanting loads of self seeded Primulas and Primroses.I introduced a wider range of colours last year and now have lots of colourful babies .

Lovely day today , we even had lunch outside.

 

[alp]

It comes in around £7 a metre section which connects to each other....I'll need about 10-12 sections then a soak box and a couple of stop ends, then I'll have to cut into the pathway to take it to the drain and get someone who knows what they are doing to connect it into the house drain. Fairly expensive but I need to do something...Now I thought about another method which is cheaper but not so aesthetically pleasing whereby I make some wood shuttering perhaps 5 inch wide and 4 inch deep at the edge of the lawn. Make up a concrete mic and fill the shuttering to the height of the pathway..Then take a piece of plastic round guttering and press this into the concrete to make a deep groove remove and smooth over. I could take this to drain myself...but I'll have to decide which root to take but something has to be done..I cant have this every year...

I want to move. I don't think I am going to bother. Will get son to use a fork to aerate the area - he's already done quite a bit all over the lawn. Too technical for me. Thank you for the details and make sure you show us your great work before you disappear! LOL!

 

[alp]

Been busy. Was thinking of repainting the lean to, but to tell you the truth. Had done it 4 times and mould kept coming back as we had to shut the windows during winter, not to mention we did our tumble drying there. We just used diluted bleach and now it doesn't look too bad, we will aerate the lean to. Tomorrow we will do the other side of the wall and after that we will arrange the furniture and generally put the house on the market.

 

[Perki]

Bit chilly this morning and a bit of wind, warmed up this afternoon.

Done a bit of work on the lawn this afternoon, give it a light mow and scarified front lawn and verticut the back lawn ( playing with the machines ) and raked some patches over again. I'll spike / top dress / feed / the lawn this weekend weather permitting, might overseed as well or leave to later.

MOT for the bike tomorrow morning, forecast heavy rain. Looks like someone going to get wet through

 

[BigC]

If this weather keeps up I guess the only garden (or windowbox) I'll be able to attend to is the one for this little abode I'm building for my grand daughter (so thats what he was up to over winter) hahahaha