What I did today - 2015

[kris1960]

Only had until lunch today- planted out foxgloves,lupins, poppies, delphiiums, lavertera, christmas cactus, lupins, sutherland and east friesian kale in previously lost 20 metre square bramble area that I inherited by hedgerow.

This area has not seen sunlight for over 20 years so am intending (made instant decision as soon as I thought of it and started) to plant tall perrenial vegetables and ornamentals at very wide spacings with red clover in between to enrich soil and keep weeds down. Please ,please let me know if you think this is a good idea and what problems may arise from this approach- I am very much making this up as I go along.

[kris1960]

New planting

Not at work until later so am experimenting with attaching picture from phone- in theory this is start of planting where blackberries were with pond in foreground. Excuse mess- both areas have only just been started!

[kris1960]

Sorry - not a good picture and upside down- might just give up on this.

[Dorothy rouse]

Planted out my broccoli, that might be cabbage! Label says broccoli on one side and cabbage on the other! Constructed cage thing and put netting on, this will need to be replaced, as butterflies will get through!

Removed the garlic leaves that had rust, and disposed of leaves in bin, so will see how it does.

Raked some earth over the potatoes, that are all looking good.

Home now, might sow some Dwarf and Runners this afternoon, and sprouts! But feel sleepy.

[Lumpy]

Today's battle was worthy of a great Greek poet. As we surveyed the scene before us I stood, like Leonidas with my trusty sidekick Baldrick (Mr Lump) and watched as the great Persian army (weeds) covered the land (Lu Lu lottie).
At the given signal (putting down of the coffee cups) the fight began. Slashing, digging, stabbing and trampling the congested horde with hoe and small diggy thing.
There were casualties, as the sugar snap soldiers were over run by the Persian cavalry (thistles) but these shall be remembered when my new army of seeds replace the dreaded invaders.
The brave beetroot, the sassy spring onion and the radish rabble will forever make this lottie complete.

Do you think I have heat stroke?

[Snadger]

I was happy that i managed to get a cardoon moved to another spot. I wasn't best pleased that I smashed a spade and fork handle achieving it!

I had to resort to an axe to hack through its tap roots in the end.

[Nannysally99]

Definitely Lumpy lol

[weed]

planted three clematis plants prepared ground for bean poles dug up rogue potato plants that had grown from a couple of missed spuds managed to get five small new spuds to eat early surprise weeded flower bed and did some more potting up but on the down side discovered i had over watered my runner bean seeds lost about 15 rotten but the others are doing well so sowed some more for a staggered harvest

[kris1960]

Many thanks VC! What can I do to avoid this, if I ever post another picture?

[bussinspain]

And today I have, planted 4 PSB "Rudolf" and netted them, also netted my cabbages, planted 2 butternut squashes - these were seed from one of last years fruits so will see what happens. Mulched my 2 bramleys with 'orse poo'. Too hot now to do anymore in the garden. Will chill before my reflexology client arrives later.

[Jungle Jane]

I've got a little trug for my strawberries,I've just made a net tunnel (protect from birds) using some steel wire,made into hoops pushed into the soil & using spare bit of netting (just fits) & pegs to hold the netting on. Cost nothing & I feel like a DIY expert

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

Do you think I have heat stroke?

NO!

I just think your just a sad "nutter" who gardens!

Pretty much like us sad "Nutters" who follow suite!

[Snadger]

Pricked out some brussel sprout plants to grow on in modules. Uncovered frost susceptable plants in greenhouse, watered, then replaced fleece.

[Penellype]

Went to assess the state of the garden before going out for the day - opened the growhouse doors and peeled back the fleece on the strawberries and apple tree. Then I went out for the day to visit my Mum. I drove through a snowstorm on the way and we had several hail showers while I was there and I noticed it was getting windy.

When I got home I found that the fleece cage that I had constructed around my strawberry tower had been blown by the wind to the point where it had pulled the whole tower down. Worse, while I was scooping the plants off the floor I found several vine weevil larvae in the compost.

Not exactly going to plan. I shall be ordering some nematodes pdq.

[kris1960]

Completed digging new bed and removing a barrow load of nettle and blackberry roots from south side of greenhouse- previous dumping ground for wire, pots, poles various and loads of junk. Helped a fellow allotmenteer plant a bed of dahlias.