I amended the regular soil with compost and planted cornflower seeds today. There were LOTS of ants crawling around in it.
What did you do in your garden today?
- Thread starter JBtheExplorer
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Reminds me of the day I put a tent up in the garden for the children, and when I walked into it I realised I had put it on top of an ant nest, and it was flying ant day. There were thousands flying round unable to get out.
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Just grass cutting down in the valley garden, pulling tall grass/weeds away from the rocks that flank the path, so I don't bend my blade (can see where the rocks are) and then cut the back yard. Pulled some wayward "grass weeds here and there. Husband loves to leaves hoses every where, so the initial chore of dragging them elsewhere is awesome, so I can cut grass.
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Difficult to get things done around watching the Commonwealth Games.
But I got the front and back lawns mowed, cleared away some weeds and debris between the azaleas and the party fence in the front garden and managed to half-fill the green bin already, which was only emptied yesterday.
But I got the front and back lawns mowed, cleared away some weeds and debris between the azaleas and the party fence in the front garden and managed to half-fill the green bin already, which was only emptied yesterday.
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Tackled a bit more of that hedge, this is going to take time. I came to a section with privet growing in it, there are eight foot straight up sticks with branching at about six foot where the original hedge was, then a little tuft of leaves at the top of each one. I have been cutting them off at various heights hoping they will shoot and I can make a hedge from it. I have rescued two rhododendrons from it, both looking very bedraggled having been overgrown by hedge, brambles and ivy, cleared everything away and gave them a good drink and they were stood up by this evening, they still have a way to go, but at least they have a chance.
Our village has had water supply problems, a fair chunk was without water for several days and they were handing out bottled water. The missus found out that SE Water runs a priority scheme, and as I am an 'at risk' person got me registered. It means if she is ill or something they will deliver water to us. Then yesterday we got notice that they are intending a hose pipe ban, I am surprised we haven't had one already, but here's the twist, as a priority customer I am exempt. Thinking of putting the sprinkler on the front lawn when it comes into force
Our village has had water supply problems, a fair chunk was without water for several days and they were handing out bottled water. The missus found out that SE Water runs a priority scheme, and as I am an 'at risk' person got me registered. It means if she is ill or something they will deliver water to us. Then yesterday we got notice that they are intending a hose pipe ban, I am surprised we haven't had one already, but here's the twist, as a priority customer I am exempt. Thinking of putting the sprinkler on the front lawn when it comes into force
Twigs
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Drove in on my field and caught a 6-point buck making a buffet out of my okra. He topped about 12-15 plants which is around 20-25% of my okra.
It seems they appreciate the spineless variety as well. Not to bad considering that it took them just over 4-months to start attacking my garden.
It seems they appreciate the spineless variety as well. Not to bad considering that it took them just over 4-months to start attacking my garden.
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Not a lot, I did mist spray the acers and gave the exterior of 'arry's house a bit of a hose down as it's very hot today.
As it was getting too big, a month ago I pruned this acer "back to the bone" so much so, in places, you could see through it,but it has recovered nicely, as it does each year. I did prune off a few of the "spikes" this morning to make it uniform.
This has been this Sorbus's best year for berries for quite some time. There's nature for you, last year it hardly had any.
They are starting to redden up.
This clematis has gone a bit berserk, it's invaded the cherry tree, the azaleas to the left and the euonymus to the right.
As it was getting too big, a month ago I pruned this acer "back to the bone" so much so, in places, you could see through it,but it has recovered nicely, as it does each year. I did prune off a few of the "spikes" this morning to make it uniform.
This has been this Sorbus's best year for berries for quite some time. There's nature for you, last year it hardly had any.
They are starting to redden up.
This clematis has gone a bit berserk, it's invaded the cherry tree, the azaleas to the left and the euonymus to the right.
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I started re-laying the path next to the smaller greenhouse. It was oblong paving blocks laid end to end, and was just too narrow when I was carrying stuff. I am turning them the other way and making them stepping stones, "Like railway sleepers" as the missus said. It takes time getting them reasonably level, and my back won't take doing it continuously.
All the stuff that I picked up with the mower when I cleaned out the hedge I am gradually putting through the sieve. The fine stuff goes into a black plastic bag (Compost bag turned inside out) with a bit of water and is stood in the sun to cook. I reckon all the weed seeds will be in there. I will use it next Spring when I make up the mix to grow potatoes in pots probably, though some has already gone to deserving cases as a fine mulch. The coarse stuff is going to mulch the kale and chard.
Picked the usual few tomatoes, the next cucumber or two are due very soon, had a few beans and a courgette, but it is so dry they are all very disappointing. I would love to put on a sprinkler for an hour or two, but I can't afford it on a water meter, and it is a bit antisocial when there is a shortage, so I am watering individual plants and finding the earth eighteen inches away from them is dust dry.
All the stuff that I picked up with the mower when I cleaned out the hedge I am gradually putting through the sieve. The fine stuff goes into a black plastic bag (Compost bag turned inside out) with a bit of water and is stood in the sun to cook. I reckon all the weed seeds will be in there. I will use it next Spring when I make up the mix to grow potatoes in pots probably, though some has already gone to deserving cases as a fine mulch. The coarse stuff is going to mulch the kale and chard.
Picked the usual few tomatoes, the next cucumber or two are due very soon, had a few beans and a courgette, but it is so dry they are all very disappointing. I would love to put on a sprinkler for an hour or two, but I can't afford it on a water meter, and it is a bit antisocial when there is a shortage, so I am watering individual plants and finding the earth eighteen inches away from them is dust dry.
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Here in the north-west we've not had a hose-pipe ban in over a decade.
When I had the koi pool, as well as filtering the water, like most koi keepers, I trickle-changed 10% of the water each week. That's over 15,000 galls a year. We weren't on a water meter then, I was paying £84 a month. Naturally, I always made sure the garden was never short of water.
I accepted the offer of a free water meter after I closed the koi pool. Presently, I'm paying £37 a month. I'm still watering the garden as often as I did before the water meter. Plants are more expensive to replace than enduring a slight rise in water charges.
Our consumption of water is not particularly high, the washing machine doesn't use that much although it's on several times a day, nor does the dishwasher which is on once a day.
Where we have a big saving, is that ten years ago we got rid of the bath in our small bathroom and had a walk in shower fitted. Which is used at least twice a day, but again doesn't use much water.
I sympathise with those in the south with hosepipe bans, but as there isn't the infrastructure in place to move volumes of water from the north to the south, me not watering plants won't help them.
When I had the koi pool, as well as filtering the water, like most koi keepers, I trickle-changed 10% of the water each week. That's over 15,000 galls a year. We weren't on a water meter then, I was paying £84 a month. Naturally, I always made sure the garden was never short of water.
I accepted the offer of a free water meter after I closed the koi pool. Presently, I'm paying £37 a month. I'm still watering the garden as often as I did before the water meter. Plants are more expensive to replace than enduring a slight rise in water charges.
Our consumption of water is not particularly high, the washing machine doesn't use that much although it's on several times a day, nor does the dishwasher which is on once a day.
Where we have a big saving, is that ten years ago we got rid of the bath in our small bathroom and had a walk in shower fitted. Which is used at least twice a day, but again doesn't use much water.
I sympathise with those in the south with hosepipe bans, but as there isn't the infrastructure in place to move volumes of water from the north to the south, me not watering plants won't help them.
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Put up the big umbrella, made a batch or hummingbirds at the bar and we sat out and enjoyed the day. Then made a second batch.... Finally put the umbrella down after dinner and watched the stars come out. (Yeah, technically yesterday.) Today, the gym for water aerobics and then transplant some passion flower runners back where they belong, since the main plants biffed it this winter for some reason. Corinne will probably mow the lawn, becasue it's going to be 106F tomorrow - she likes doing it so who am I to argue. By then it will probably be 0 beer 30 and now we finally found a fridge that fits under the bar, it's so much more convenient than having to go inside for one - plus it keeps our water bottles nice and cold for working in the yard.
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Hummingbird: Half a ripe banana, 2 shots Appleton Rum (or Bacardi or simlar works), 1 shot Bailey's Irish Cream, 1 shot Kahlua, about 3 shots Strawberry Daiquiri Syrup, a goodly splash of Half & Half (or cream or milk) and a lot of ice. Blend to nice milkshake consistency. Makes about 3 good servings (two and a top-up for us). Be warned - they go down like milkshakes too if you are not paying attention! Kind of like a Dirty Banana with Strawberry Syrup - which are also good. Two of our go-to Jamaican vaca and summer cocktails. (Technically it should be Rum Cream rather than Bailey's, but that's often hard to find and frankly you can't tell the difference in the cocktail.)
No bananas? - use a shot of banana liqueur. Lactose intolerant? - use lactose free milk and Bailey's Irish Cream Coffee flavoring. (That's a real thing, I invented it for a lactose intolerant friend of ours) And NO, I don't do anything falsely masquerading as "milk" made from anything else. Ain't milk, don't call it milk. Call it milk substitute if you must, but don't lie about it. I'm passionate about some of this stuff, like two more smug misnomers - "green" food and "clean" food for example. BS. Just deliberately trying to make us NORMAL folk feel bad, but it's not working. Don't know about you, but I always wash my food.... and don't get me started on the current gluten free fad. Nothing wrong with it, perfectly good for you and has been for thousands of years. There are very, very, very few people who are truly gluten intolerant, as opposed to those who imagine they are to be trendy. Advertiser's dream. "Gluten free!!" on eveything these days. It's pathetic, virtually all of it never had any gluten in the first place!! But it ups the price and sells their brand to idiots who can't figuer that out - on apples? really? Gimme a break.
Sorry, I digressed. I'll step off my soapbox now.
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Hummingbird: Half a ripe banana, 2 shots Appleton Rum (or Bacardi or simlar works), 1 shot Bailey's Irish Cream, 1 shot Kahlua, about 3 shots Strawberry Daiquiri Syrup, a goodly splash of Half & Half (or cream or milk) and a lot of ice. Blend to nice milkshake consistency. Makes about 3 good servings (two and a top-up for us). Be warned - they go down like milkshakes too if you are not paying attention! Kind of like a Dirty Banana with Strawberry Syrup - which are also good. Two of our go-to Jamaican vaca and summer cocktails. (Technically it should be Rum Cream rather than Bailey's, but that's often hard to find and frankly you can't tell the difference in the cocktail.)
No bananas? - use a shot of banana liqueur. Lactose intolerant? - use lactose free milk and Bailey's Irish Cream Coffee flavoring. (That's a real thing, I invented it for a lactose intolerant friend of ours) And NO, I don't do anything falsely masquerading as "milk" made from anything else. Ain't milk, don't call it milk. Call it milk substitute if you must, but don't lie about it. I'm passionate about some of this stuff, like two more smug misnomers - "green" food and "clean" food for example. BS. Just deliberately trying to make us NORMAL folk feel bad, but it's not working. Don't know about you, but I always wash my food.... and don't get me started on the current gluten free fad. Nothing wrong with it, perfectly good for you and has been for thousands of years. There are very, very, very few people who are truly gluten intolerant, as opposed to those who imagine they are to be trendy. Advertiser's dream. "Gluten free!!" on eveything these days. It's pathetic, virtually all of it never had any gluten in the first place!! But it ups the price and sells their brand to idiots who can't figuer that out - on apples? really? Gimme a break.
Sorry, I digressed. I'll step off my soapbox now.
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Trotting on doing the usual stuff and late afternoon the missus came out, "Your package has arrived. It was supposed to be coming tomorrow, which was a pain because I had arranged to do other things, but now , if I was quick I could try it out tonight. I went through my wood stack and found two 2.1 meters 2"X1/2" and two 3 meters 2"X 1.1/4, made a large rectangle with reinforced corners then opened up my packet and stretched the mesh across it. Got it yet? Yes I made a dew catcher in double quick time. I just about got it up over a gutter before dark, just to see if it works at all, I can certainly improve the supports and stand, it's just on blocks of wood, and if it works I didn't intend catching the water, I can stand it directly over a row of plants. Can't wait to see what the morning brings.
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No, a failure, the guttering was wet, the plastic chair next to it, my car, everything except the netting, further investigation and experimentation needed.
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ackled a bit more of that hedge, I have now reached a point where it has been allowed to grow much too tall and the next stage is to bring it down a peg or two. Not looking forward to that, it is cutting through some quite thick hornbeam whilst standing on something with the sun in my eyes. Little by little, bit by bit, so long as I am cutting it faster than it grows
Bit more of all the usual stuff, watered the gooseberry and mulched it heavily, it was looking very sad, so is everything I am not continuously carrying water to. Re-potted some basil plants that had been left too long and were horribly pot bound, they will probably bounce back. I have loads of basil this year, usually I take a pot with me when I go to see people, but I haven't been going out.
Bit more of all the usual stuff, watered the gooseberry and mulched it heavily, it was looking very sad, so is everything I am not continuously carrying water to. Re-potted some basil plants that had been left too long and were horribly pot bound, they will probably bounce back. I have loads of basil this year, usually I take a pot with me when I go to see people, but I haven't been going out.
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More mist spraying of the acers at lunchtime
Gave all the pots, the shallow rooted azaleas and rhodos a good water around 7.00pm. Also the wisterias, if they are ever short of water they can quickly die.
Gave all the pots, the shallow rooted azaleas and rhodos a good water around 7.00pm. Also the wisterias, if they are ever short of water they can quickly die.