Chitchat thread #24

[bramble]

Good morning all.
A bit on the miserable side here, it's not long since it stopped raining

Good to hear from you Lottie and glad you're enjoying life.
Have a good holiday in Lanzarote.

I think its going to be a pottering day here as well.
I must get out more fleece to protect my plants as the trmp is tto drop to minus 2.
Have a good day all.

[Florence Fennel]

Good Morning All Glad to hear you're happy still Lottie Started out bright here but full now.
I have some petunias plugs to lot on Have a good day All

[Nicos]

My first potter was much needed!…sorting through my medicine chest - checking dates. I only do this about once a year and only needed to chuck out one tube of cream - one I hardly ever use but good to have in. It’s on the shopping list of ‘things needing replacing’. A few things are running low so I’ll just keep my eye on those for now.
Dont want to be poisoning myself!
Out of date food is one thing , but there’s no messing with medicines eh?
Next job?….fridge cleaning.

[rary]

Good evening, we went out to a GC today basically to get our free coffee, but bought some seeds, red lettuce and radish which allowed me to get poppy and pansy seeds at 99p each, also bought some shallots at a reduced price, the the flower seeds and a few of both veg seeds sown and the shallots planted, I also made up a tray and covered the bottom with capillary matting, which allows me to remove two grow bag size, and two smaller trays that I used for seedlings and Young plants, I have used a gray matting with a plastic base, not sure how good it is compared to the green capillary matting, time will tell, I will be going back out to the greenhouse to light the fire as low temperatures are forecasted for tonight, the plants will be covered with fleece and I will be keeping the air fan going which does help if the temperature goes down low I wish you all well and ask that you keep smiling

[Snoop Puss]

rary, what kind of capillary matting do you use? Is there a particular brand? I've been looking here and it seems very difficult to get hold of (next to nobody grows from seeds here), but I'm due back in the UK and could bring some home with me. I'm having trouble watering my seedlings this year, so was thinking matters might be made easier by capillary matting.

Any and all advice welcome.

[rary]

The stuff I have, I think, came from Elixir, as I said it's gray in colour, (actually reminded me of a mat that my mother had to cover the table, to protect the table top from anything hot, before covering it with a table cloth, no doubt many on here will remember such things) with a thin plastic skin? on the base, I have seen it in use in garden centres, but personally I prefer the green Aquamat from Nutley, it seems to absorb more water, but it is a lot more expensive, if you can purchase Seramis cheaper on the continent, that is what I would use all the time, I think it is manufactured in Germany, the cost on Amazon is £49 for 30 lts but as I said definitely the best, the stuff I have, I purchased years ago when it first came on the market, and sorry I never bought a lot more while it was cheap

[Snoop Puss]

Thanks, rary. I've spotted Seramis here, 32 euros for 30 litres. Apparently it's reusable. Is that true in your experience? And do you have trouble transplanting seedlings from Seramis into the ground? Are the roots a bit shocked by the change in environment?

[rary]

Snoop I use the seramis like capillary matting, that is I place the trays of seedlings and those potted on on top of the seramis and water that thereby watering the plants from the bottom, I have never tried sowing seeds in it and the only plants that I plant into it are orchids which have a different type of root system, the seramis that I have now, I bought about fourteen or more years ago, so it definitely is reusable

[Nicos]

Mornin n’alln’all
Well…we’re sitting with baited breath awaiting the delivery of our sit on mower Its like Xmas morning for my OH
I guess I won’t be seeing much of him for the rest of the morning

Yesterday we heard helicopters flying around ,over the brow of the hill ,on and off for most of the day - and they’ve already started this morning.
I can now see electricity pylons dangling beneath the helicopters , being placed into position in the forest on our side of the hill less than a mile away!
Quite exciting for our rural bit of countryside.
Also -The neighbouring farmer was here over the weekend cutting back his trees and hedging as he’d been told we are having fibre internet installed in the next few weeks and he had to make a clear route between telephone poles.
Oh it’s all happening here

More domestics today for me- probably ironing…yes, I know
Apart from that…I do intend to get out in the garden at least for part of the day.

Enjoy your day peeps…the helicopters have scared the smiles away but they were last seen heading oop nooorf….

[Snoop Puss]

Thanks, rary. I've tried 'arlita' (the name here for expanded clay balls used by builders), but the balls are a bit large. I'll have a look at Seramis. The bits look more irregular in shape and smaller.

[Snoop Puss]

Morning all.

Looks like it's fun city round at your place, Nicos. Enjoy the new toy.

Bright here. Nearly left the tom seedlings out last night. Just been to check: low of 10.2 ºC, so could have done. Cold night-time temperatures possible next week, apparently, though unlikely. Going to be warm this week, so will leave them out for the next few days at least. Give my back a rest.

Lots to keep me busy indoors today, unfortunately. I've promised Mr Snoop I'll have a spell of part-time work from Thursday onwards. Not easy balancing financial and gardening needs.

Glad you spotted the smiles, Nicos. Not sure what's going on here, as I've barely seen them since I got back. Maybe they started using us as simply B&B while I was away. I'd better make something nice to tempt them to hang around a bit tomorrow. Mind you, I'd have thought fresh pineapple and frozen raspberries and blueberries would have been enough to interest them. Maybe someone's been baking lots of cakes and they'd rather have those.

Right, better get on with the show. Have a great day, everyone.

[Nicos]

Guess what OH is doing?

[Florence Fennel]

Good Morning All Bright here so bedding in the washer. Hairdresser later.
How exciting Nicos, helicopters and the mower!
I've got a new dog bed for Frank - plastic so he can't chew it up like the last one. Just got to make it cosy somehow now.
Have a good day

[nick the grief]

Morning All, well bob the builder (well Ian actually) is fitting the wash basin as I speak ... the end is in sight well it will be when he's fitted the door .

its nice and sunny here but cold ( well it is with all the doors open ) so the kitchen starts tomorrow ! I'll be glad to get a way.

[greenishfing]

Good morning.

A beautiful sunny morning here...the weather forecast is wrong. Fortunately I ignored it and I imagine my washing will be just about dry out there in the sun and breeze. It was freezing last night though.

Mr GF is happily watching Ronnie O' Sullivan playing snooker. When the session has finished we'll pick up his brother and go do a grory hop.

I called in at the "frozen food shop" yesterday to restock on loo roll, kitchen roll and coffee. I only buy these rarely and in bulk to get the best offers. I can't quite believe how much they have gone up since I last bought them. Off course as the shop sells frozen food a couple of boxes of the double raspberry Magnums jumped into my trolley.

As I got back in the car I handed Mr GF a Magnum. He opened it and immediately asked if I'd like a bite. I said no, I'd have one later. He seriously thought I'd only bought one. After over 30 years it sometimes amazes me how little he knows me. Oh dear! I also forgot to get washing powder ( the one I know he is not allergic to) while I was in there so I may have to call in again in a few days and the Magnums might hijack my trolley again.