Kitchen Garden Forum

Just dropped into one of our local Garden Centers [Do like to spoil the Memsahib } Third of it was closed off, they are setting up the Xmas decorations.

For goodness sake....what is going on with this country!!!!

I've had the dog today to have his eyes examined he has cataracts in one eye we were told he has them in the other but it turns out he has other problems with that eye and it's never been a good one ,I decided to leave him until four this afternoon so they can give him a full examination under anesthetic ,I often wondered why vets always had a happy face, today I found out they are charging me just under £900 for just the examination I won't know till later if they can do anything for him ,my daughter's think I'm mad but with the problems I've had and still got I feel it's worthwhile

I think lots of us would do exactly the same, Robo......sorry to read that things are still really tough for you.

It was all a wasted journey went to pick our Ben up this afternoon after the vet had done just about every text known to be told the cataracts were only part of the problem and even though they could operate it would not make much difference

Robo - that's an upsetting episode all round. I don't know about your vet but the only consolation would be in this part of the world that you can get an appointment with the vet for your pet a darned sight more quickly than you can get an appointment with your GP for yourself.

Shallot Man wrote:Just dropped into one of our local Garden Centers [Do like to spoil the Memsahib } Third of it was closed off, they are setting up the Xmas decorations.

I know! - awful isn't it? I've already received an email from our local animal park blazoned with Santa Claus and reindeer urging people to hurry and book for their Christmas fun experiences before sessions get overbooked. I don't know if they realise just how offputting this kind of marketing is for the majority of people who already feel the pace of life is moving too quickly for them to keep up.

Isn't it great, I can do my Christmas shopping 125 days earlier than normal!

Geoff wrote:Isn't it great, I can do my Christmas shopping 125 days earlier than normal!

I think they're helping you to avoid the post-Brexit shortages

BUT - it would appear that summer has not gone away just hiding for a bit! Maybe the garden centres will be selling 1/2 dead veg plants cheaply beside Rudolf decorations! I do like these Indian Summers - if it turns out to be, as I always hedge my bets & do a few late sowing just to see how it pans out!

robo wrote:I've had the dog today to have his eyes examined he has cataracts in one eye we were told he has them in the other but it turns out he has other problems with that eye and it's never been a good one ,I decided to leave him until four this afternoon so they can give him a full examination under anesthetic ,I often wondered why vets always had a happy face, today I found out they are charging me just under £900 for just the examination I won't know till later if they can do anything for him ,my daughter's think I'm mad but with the problems I've had and still got I feel it's worthwhile

Like owning your own mint.

I have the opinion that the treatment costs in a dogs later years is worth it for the pleasure the dog gives you in it’s younger years.

It appeared to be the end of the summer but we have a new heat wave coming! It will be tough for us here but the kiwano will love it for the fruits ripening. And so does the cucumber!

This is the only large cucumber growing. Apparently it's exactly in the right environment! I think on solid land it's a lot harder to grow them because there are more organisms and potential dangers. I might want to keep them growing in containers, even when we're in the real garden as containers stay a bit warmer.



The other cucumber is getting thick but something is not quite going well in the lengths. There are also more fruity flowers popping up from the main stem

I've got tomato overload already - every time I go into the tunnel or greenhouse one of the green ones has ripened! Have spent loads of time searching recipes but luckily I have bought a wee machine - in the broadest sense - it is a man power machine to peel but not seed totally! Thankfully I have this week off but programme is not 100% getting the crops in! Kinda looking forward to the Donkey Sanctuary visit though & the heavy horse farm within an hours drive was a surprise! That I can cope with them & still get down to lottie!

I haven't had one cucumber yet this year!

One of my two plants was shoved into the only space left in the packed garden, a small, half-shaded spot at the base of a eucalyptus tree that I killed off last year. It's actually got some fruits on it now, which is more than can be said for the other plant which is in a 'prime' location!

What I'm lacking in cucumbers is certainly being made up for by patty pan, though.
Note to self: in future, don't be tempted to grow more than one patty pan plant (or butternut squash either, come to that!)! I just find it so hard to discard spare, healthy seedlings, though.