Spring has finally sprung, Bits and Bobs.

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oldherbaceous
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I have just been edging the grass paths over the allotments and i'm sure i am right in saying, Spring is now with us in growing terms.... what a most wonderful feeling. :)
Kind Regards, Old Herbaceous.

There's no fool like an old fool.
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Geoff
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You must be right. Having been in the fog until about one o'clock it suddenly burnt away to lovely bright sunshine and then we were surprised by a Swallow circling about for 10 minutes or so before disappearing. Not seen it again so I guess it wasn't one of "ours".
Monika
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What a difference a week makes, eh?
First butterflies out (small tortoiseshell and peacock) and all the washing is drying in a jiffy. Big allotment gardening planned for tomorrow, including planting the sweet peas, surrounded by a shelter fleece to protect them from damaging winds. Will also prepare the beds for all the shallots and set-grown and seed-grown onions which are still waiting at home but have spent the last few nights outside.
As I am writing this, I am watching a great spotted woodpecker on the fat block and a pair of house sparrows dipping in and out of a nest box.
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Clive.
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I tally with spring has sprung. I have been on car parking duty for 3 days but on return to the garden late this afternoon things have noticeably grown. :)

We started with sunshine first thing then at 8am the fog rolled in but sunshine returned during afternoon... :)

Clive.
Elaine
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It was misty and miserable here to start with, rather chilly too. Still, we went to the allotment anyway......and the sun appeared! Wonderful....off came fleece and sweatshirt! It was lovely working and feeling the sun on my arms.

We got lots done, far more than we intended really...and probably more than was wise, judging by how my muscles are feeling. :shock: We're replacing the old fencing around the plot and were spurred on to get the fence between us and our neighbour finished as quickly as possible, after an afternoon of her 5 year old coming into our plot through the gap in our fence and running around all over newly prepared soil, running in and out of the greenhouses, touching stuff and opening boxes etc. :evil: :evil:

His Mam is one of these who obviously doesn't raise her voice....but I did, after the little chap was told several times by his Mam to stop waving a 6 foot bamboo cane around...he didn't stop.... and very nearly whacked me across the face with it. :x I picked him up and deposited him onto his side of the fence, took the cane off him and put it in my greenhouse. His Mam apologised and they went home shortly after. Me and Ken just looked at each other...."We have to finish the fence", we said in unison.....
So we carried on till that side was complete, and hopefully childproof!
Happy with my lot
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donedigging
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I had to scrape the ice off my car this morning. :shock:
donedigging
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retropants
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Spent five hours at the plot today, absolutely exhausted! Got lots done though, and it looks quite marvellous :)
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oldherbaceous
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I guess everyone are on their plots today, as it is so quiet on here!!!!

I have been busy sowing all sorts of seeds today and very much looking forward to the rewards. :)
Kind Regards, Old Herbaceous.

There's no fool like an old fool.
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Clive.
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I've been planting Potatoes in the garden at home here...and now I'm about to send a Christmas email to an old friend in the Sunny South....I wrote it but never got it sent. :? I'll get caught up one day.!! :shock:

Clive.
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Primrose
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My local garden centre was selling runner bean seedlings today. Surely too early to rosk planting them outside yet. I haven,t begun to sow mine yet. What is the esrliest most people sow them and plant thwm out? I'm wondering if are any techniques other than wrapping fleece round the bean frames to protect rhem?
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Clive.
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I sow them in situ....around here they go in when you see the first person returning from Boston May Fair. May 4th?

Clive.
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Geoff
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Fools and their money easily parted!
I sow in the greenhouse in rootrainers about 1st May and plant them out about 20th surrounded by fleece.
Monika
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About the same dates here, Geoff and Primrose.
Yes, there seem to be lots of very tender vegetable and flower plants about already in the garden centres and (especially) supermarkets: runner beans, French beans, marrows, cucumbers et al. Responsible places tend to have a big sign to say they must not be planted out yet, but the majority do not and people are merrily buying them.
Yesterday (with 19C) might have seemed ok, but today (with 8C and a freezing cold wind), it looks quite different!
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Spent a nice afternoon trying to sort the back lawn. Lots of bald spots to sort but the soil was completely compacted so took longer than expected breaking it all up so could sow some more seed.

This year I've had another labeling disaster, but can't blame the cat. Bought a new fine point permanent marker - hmm! Completely disappeared on all the labels so I will have wait to see what things look like when they come up. It's going to be a challenge as it is flowers I have never grown before so haven't a clue what the seedlings should look like. The others were my courgettes & squashes, but hopefully if I pot them on a couple of times the squashes should be a bit bigger leafed - fingers crossed!

Westi
PS: Said cat is currently nursing 4 new mittens - amazing!
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Elaine
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I sow my Runner beans in pots, in the greenhouse round about the end of April, to plant out first week in June, or there abouts. I don't use any protection...usually, the weather is kinder by then and I don't usually plant out any tender plants until then.

In my last job, I remember a colleague telling me she had spent almost £50 at the garden centre on summer bedding and tender veg plants. She looked at me in amazement when I asked her if she had a greenhouse to keep them in, until she could plant them out. Her response was to the effect of, "Don't be silly, if the garden centre sells them, it's okay to put them outside" and she had indeed planted them out....at Easter. :shock: She lost the lot after a particularly hard frost in April but she wouldn't have it that it was the frost.....it was "bad plants" from the garden centre. I believe she actually complained to them but of course, she never told me of the outcome..... :D
Happy with my lot
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