Gardening 2023

[Hicky]

Plastic rattan furniture built, 6 roses repotted(they severely needed it), 4 large pots with “bee bombs” potted by nipper no3, two handing baskets done, the remaining bedding plants shoved in spare pots here n there. Grass eventually cut….my next door double dug their grasses area last autumn and seeded it…it’s beginning to look fab. Not jealous, much!
Oh and lots of solar led light put up(I cannot stand them but her indoors loves em🫣).
Next weeks job is a days weeding over the upcoming bank hol and trimming the in-laws overgrown conifer hedging, a job I’m not looking forward to!😤

 

[Gunk]

Spent this afternoon out in the garden enjoying the lovely weather.

 

[rockyroller]

did some tree pruning at Mom's house. wound up making quite the pile of branches
no pics, Mom was yelling at me to stop working so much
the house has been so neglected in my Dad's later years. Mom doesn't survey the property other than what she sees coming & going from her errands

also cut back an overgrown cactus bed that had been obscuring a flagstone walkway. got pics of that cuz Mom was still inside, hehe. just went at it w/ a spade, hatchet & rake

when I was a kid, maybe 55 years ago. my Dad transplanted some of this cactus from Wellfleet, MA. it's a strange species, I think. it seems to grow anywhere. I was wearing gloves, but after bagging all the yard waste, my left hand was covered in tiny tiny hairlike spikes from the cactus. I pulled many out w/ tweezers but so many remained in my fingers. a bit uncomfortable, but I think they will work themselves out

 

[Time Waster]

Type of opuntia I guess. They're called glochids or glochidia. Best method for removal is tweezers that typically have 76% success. Next is household glue, gauze and 30 minutes to stick before peeling back 27th about 60% success.

If left in can cause nasty irritation like dermititus.

 

[rockyroller]

Type of opuntia I guess. They're called glochids or glochidia. Best method for removal is tweezers that typically have 76% success. Next is household glue, gauze and 30 minutes to stick before peeling back 27th about 60% success.

If left in can cause nasty irritation like dermititus.

fascinating. thank you. I think they all worked themselves out. been a busy cpl days for my hands since I've been home
did a closer crop for ID. very flat floppy (leaves?) fwiw - it got down to 3F degress, one day, this past winter

wonder if when my Dad (or Mom) planted them, if they ever thought they would survive so long. the things I took for granted as a kid, seem so much more meaningful now

 

[sevenfourate]

“Gardening” huh ?

Not my forte ! Infact In this household; something previously the wife had done pretty much alone (By choice) - apart from me weeding, cutting grass and keeping the smallish front to the house and garage ‘tidy’….

But I think all round: it’s too much for her alone now. Although she’s keeping ontop of the plants - around that it was starting to mount up. And I’ve always enjoyed ‘it’ tbf. I mean I’m an outdoors guy, I love improving things and I have an eye for detail. So I really need to pitch in now and do my share. How hard can this really be ? 🤣🤣🤣

So: Saturday I spent 2 hours out front and then 5 hours weeding, redefining the edges, digging out between the slabs; and generally tidying the patio area at the back in prep for BBQ weather 😎 And tonight have spent 3 hours doing the same on the slabs / path to the rear of the house.

Meanwhile the wife has re-potted some plants, dead-headed others and added some new - *stolen from her mums (Who’s selling up and going into care soon)…..🙁

Hopefully the weather holds so I can finish the slab tidying up on the small amount left tomorrow. Then I plan to pressure wash the lot. Got a feeling that might be a few evenings gone right quick 😳 Perhaps some protection on wooden fences and shed to follow. But for something slightly more adventurous / exciting - I do and have had a hankering for a pond for sometime. Nothing too large. Or time consuming. Needs to be something I can enjoy - and not become a lifestyle maintaining. I need to do some research…..

 

[biggs682]

We are close to picking our first ripe strawberry in the next couple of days just got to hope none of the wildlife th

 

[Red17]

We have been picking our strawberrys for the last couple of weeks, and they are pretty much finished now.

Looks like our redcurrants and jostaberrys will be next for picking. Hardly any blackcurrants on our bushes this year for some reason. They are usually one of our biggest crops.

 

[postman]

Spent four hours on my hands and knees.Weeding what we call the land.We left some new growth in before the holiday.A tall thing with a yellow flower,it looked good,never had it before,a buttercup- poppy looking thing.What a mistake it went mad while away,horrible thing,and it stuck to my gloves as i tried to throw it towards the wheel barrow.Anyway i won eventually,but it was slow,so next task Saturday weed car parking area and driveway.

 

[Hicky]

Returned from hood to the weeds having an explosion. A full day of essentials means I only have weeding left to do(no mean job).
I used the screwfix own jointing compound on our patio…I’m still not sold on it…

 

[rockyroller]

did some tree pruning at Mom's house. wound up making quite the pile of branches
no pics, Mom was yelling at me to stop working so much
the house has been so neglected in my Dad's later years. Mom doesn't survey the property other than what she sees coming & going from her errands

also cut back an overgrown cactus bed that had been obscuring a flagstone walkway. got pics of that cuz Mom was still inside, hehe. just went at it w/ a spade, hatchet & rake
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when I was a kid, maybe 55 years ago. my Dad transplanted some of this cactus from Wellfleet, MA. it's a strange species, I think. it seems to grow anywhere. I was wearing gloves, but after bagging all the yard waste, my left hand was covered in tiny tiny hairlike spikes from the cactus. I pulled many out w/ tweezers but so many remained in my fingers. a bit uncomfortable, but I think they will work themselves out

a month later there is some impressive new growth. "life finds a way" eh?

 

[PK99]

Forecast is good, may get me toms outdoors later this week.

Mine are 3ft high and setting second truss!

#londonmicroclimate

 

[biggs682]

Spotted our first blueberries with some colour a couple of days ago so frame and butterfly netting just erected to try and stop the birds from eating them all .

Looks like a fair crop this year which is good

 

[PK99]

Spotted our first blueberries with some colour a couple of days ago so frame and butterfly netting just erected to try and stop the birds from eating them all .

Looks like a fair crop this year which is good

I gave up on blueberries this year. We have alkaline soil, so they were in pots and watered with rainwater. An awful lot of effort.. but the blueberries were off the scale good.

 

[biggs682]

I gave up on blueberries this year. We have alkaline soil, so they were in pots and watered with rainwater. An awful lot of effort.. but the blueberries were off the scale good.

Ours were in pots with ericaceous soil till we put them in raised beds and normal soil and they have produced good crops ever since