BS: What are we doing in the garden?

Subject: RE: BS: What are we doing in the garden?
From: Senoufou
Date: 16 Jun 20 - 01:08 PM

Ah, thanks for that Steve! I've always assumed that 'ash' and 'mountain ash' are related. We have neither tree in our (small) garden.
We have no gas to our village so we can choose either electricity or oil. The former is expensive so we chose oil. It works quite well.
The reason I don't much like the clouds of smoke that pour from people's wood burners here is that one is obliged to close all the windows or the house would resemble a kipper shed. And rush outside to retrieve all the washing from the line. But living in the sticks, one has to get used to this stuff.
My neighbour has just brought across a sprig of a lovely flowering shrub to identify. It's a Himalayan honeysuckle (also known as Himalayan nutmeg or granny's curls!) Most unusual. I reckon she regards me as a sort of female Alan Titchmarsh. But I secretly look them all up on the RHS website.

Subject: RE: BS: What are we doing in the garden?
From: Hrothgar
Date: 17 Jun 20 - 06:03 AM

1 Praying for rain

2 Building a fence around my vegetable patch to keep various livestock out

3 Praying for rain

4 Cutting back the trees that overhang the garden and prevent every other damn thing growing (this is a delightful habit of Australian native trees)

5 Praying for rain

Subject: RE: BS: What are we doing in the garden?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 17 Jun 20 - 06:14 AM

I was going to slap some fence paint of a few bits today but with weather warnings for thunder storms around, I’ll probably do something else, eg. clear (and bonfire) more elder and ivy.

I see the farm are still watering the potato field. They have had the machine going most days since I first mentioned it here. Perhaps that’s an indication as to how dry we really are?

As for my grass, its quite mixed. There are patches that still look dead, patches that have improved since we’ve started to get a bit of rain and patches that have grown quite thickly throuout. The bit by the septic tank is one of those. I sometimes think it leaks out its own bit of liquid fertilizer.

Subject: RE: BS: What are we doing in the garden?
From: Senoufou
Date: 17 Jun 20 - 07:33 AM

Ah Jon, perhaps yew need a visit from the honey caaaaart?

Subject: RE: BS: What are we doing in the garden?
From: The Sandman
Date: 17 Jun 20 - 10:14 AM

The thing about logs is that they must be seasoned for many months to dry out, then they light easily and don't give off too much smoke.quote
exeecptions are ash and holly

Subject: RE: BS: What are we doing in the garden?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 23 Jun 20 - 07:50 AM

Back to a round of grass cutting (mowing and strimming) yesterday. The petrol mower broke down part way though. It’s not the first time it’s done this (cutting out, restarting after being left for a minute and then running for 10 seconds) but this time rather than recovering it came to a point where it wouldn’t restart even briefly. Anyway, I’ve tried to make sure the fuel line and tank is clear, have cleaned the carburettor and it ran well for the rest of its job. Fingers crossed that it was the correct diagnosis and lasting fix now.

Veg has gone from the initial doing nothing to having a few more things planted. Late but some Charlotte potatoes, some brassica (I think mum said brocolli), courgettes in three of the tubs and some runner beans have come in the post today.

Subject: RE: BS: What are we doing in the garden?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 23 Jun 20 - 08:06 AM

Oh and the watering thing in the field gave a nice display of colour when its jet was in the right direction for a while yesterday evening.

Subject: RE: BS: What are we doing in the garden?
From: The Sandman
Date: 05 May 26 - 03:22 AM

putting chilli paste on leaves to deter slugs

Subject: RE: BS: What are we doing in the garden?
From: Charmion
Date: 11 May 26 - 08:55 AM

I’m in a new-to-me house in the suburban south end of Ottawa. Previous owners let the back deck go to rack and ruin and generally ignored the garden. I have two very large hostas and some random yellow tulips in front and nothing but weeds, bare dirt, and a large silver maple tree behind the beautiful new deck I just had built.

It’s still barely warm enough for planting, but I have already spread grass and clover seed in an effort to repair the damage the builders did to what passes for my lawn. The soil is heavy clay, so I might be limited to raised beds and containers. The maple isn’t in full leaf yet, so I’m not sure just how much sun I’ll get and when.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, I’m told.

Subject: RE: BS: What are we doing in the garden?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 May 26 - 09:47 AM

My raised beds beside the driveway in the front yard got a facelift this year with recycled lumber from a large patio cover that was taken down this spring. The garden is very late being planted, but with an eight to nine month growing season, I still have plenty of gardening ahead. (It looks wonderful now, but the area is full of Bermuda grass stolons and will soon be quite grassy and need regular trimming until the crops are tall enough to fend for themselves.)

Subject: RE: BS: What are we doing in the garden?
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 11 May 26 - 10:41 AM

my garden is inside 3 of my 4 windows! The north facing window has had zygocactus for decades & they did not flower at all last year (sob!) but today I noticed 2 of the 5 are flowering!! The youngest bought a few years ago (before or after covid?) has lovely bright pink flowers & buds, & one of the old ones has one small white bud!!! They hide behind a sheer net & sunshine yellow side curtains & always look good when the sun shines in even when they are only green.

I'll check them again in the morning & see if there are any more little buds hiding under leaves. My other windows face east across the courtyard & don't get direct sun, but the scrawny, leggy plant (species unk.) in my living room window always has pink flowers!