We certainly had lightning and thunder here in Berkhamsted, for 15 or 20 minutes I would say.
Re: the chipper, I took the blades out of mine, sharpened them (I have decided to do this every time I use it. Now, ten weeks later, I can not find them! I have the oilstone but obviously, I put the blades somewhere else and a very safe one. I wonder if the only way to make sure I find them is to buy a replacement set?
Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool.
oldherbaceous wrote:Dear Barney, veg growing seems to get more challenging as the years get on, due to the weather!! I do hope your Runners recover...Just had a Mole out of Old Codgers Runner beans, so he was very grateful...they do so much damage when the plants are trying to get established....
Thanks OH for your kind words. There is nothing like the sense of achievement felt when trapping a mole and I'm sure that Old Codger is very pleased. You would have thought that someone would have come up with some form of electronic deterrent that actually worked using modern technology by now, until then I'll rely on my scissor and tunnel traps.
Oh, Barney, that weather damage doesn't sound nice at all. I hope everything recovers or you can replace the plants, at least there is still time to do it. We did have a smidgeon of hail but certainly not damaging. We also had 5.5mm of rain overnight which makes everything look happier. In addition to that, a few minutes ago I was watching a small flock of mixed tits, including long-tailed tits, and some young goldfinches working through one of our bird cherries. It's always nice to see that nests and youngsters have survived droughts, winds, grey squirrels, sparrowhawks and cats ......
Having nice moist soil after the rain was short lived, a bit of drizzle & windy weather dried it all out again so down early to beat the tap queue. Invasion of Mr Mole kept me busy stomping around & used up all the Mole bulb things so here I go again going on 'A' to get some more & being distracted & getting something I don't really need. I know I am too weak but the cook books are being used quite a bit currently!
The first chilli has materialised in the allotment greenhouse, I think brought 3 plants before lockdown, I can't remember where to be honest but they have done well!!
Rained most of Saturday, as well as chipper tank replacement I did some greenhouse reporting, pricking out and rearranging. Even had a clamor two of thunder. Today looked better, did an hours walk with the dogs and took some secateurs with me to improve vision on a couple of cutthroughs. Went to the allotment and started redoing the brassica cage with a weed membrane base. Started to rain part way through, I'd limed, chicken poo-pelleted, growmored and raked in at that point. Ended up with muddy boots, but no mud, just the surface sticking to the soles. Had to part dismantle what I'd done last weekend to get the 3.3m wide membrane under my patent panels.
16'×2"×2" times three, quarter one and halve two, add four 1/2"×8"×8'4" planks, some screws, staples and 4' high chicken wire. To make one panel, arrange two quarters and two halves on the ground as a landscape picture frame with 6" legs sticking out on one long edge, out a plank on top of the top rail flush with the top and screw to quarters and half, repeat at the bottom, flush witht the bottom of the rail. Unroll chicken wire, staple with a 4" to 6" excess sticking out the ends and cut off the roll. Fix together with tie wraps, or wire with the odd strategic greenn expensive hex-head screw bolt through uprights and add metal pipes or angle iron at corners. I made four without chicken wire to cross-Brace my two panel wide by three pale long cage, they also help support the bird netting I tie over the top. I also have two panels with hinged 2' gates attached on one end.
Wish I could get that plastic them make municipal benches and tables out of in the right sizes. I think it's all the random plastics melted down with some black colouring added and extruded or moulded. My wood does what wood kept outdoors always does, despite being treated and painted. ...
Do not put off thanking people when they have helped you, as they may not be there to thank later.
Today was big game hunting. My veg area I thought was secure but we have been getting some damage, bizarrely larkspur that I grow for my wife to dry the flowers that I thought was poisonous and a few other things. Set mouse traps and laid rat poison to no avail. Yesterday we disturbed a baby rabbit but couldn't find it again. Had a more determined effort today, after losing some runner beans overnight, and with two of us and the dog we cornered it, it won't give us any more trouble. Checked all the fences and still can't see how it got in but hopefully its kin won't manage it.
During a video chat yesterday, my mother told me that a squirrel has been eating all the strawberries, it had even eaten though the netting to get to them. The net was white, probably veggie mesh, and it apparently looked like a murder scene!
Morning, over night temps dropped to 5.8 in the greenhouse last night, but everything looks ok both inside and out, hopefully it will start to rise again now.
Been gardening for over 65 years and still learning.
I was surprised to see that the greenhouse temp had dropped to a low of 7C last night - a bit of a surprise. There's a fair amount of rain due over the next few days, which is nice to see. I hope we don't get strong winds again as they are so damaging. I will need to net my strawberry beds soon. They have lots of berries on them and I know that I wouldn't be able to resist them if I was a bird, so I will take pre-emptive action. I don't mind the odd few going from the pots and troughs, but not the beds. My greenhouse mange tout are nearly done - does anyone know if it's worth chopping them to get a crop from side shoots, or shall I dispose of and use the space for something else? I have more toms in need of space and more mange tout growing outside in my raised beds, but they won't be ready for a while.
Sorry, not sure about mangetout - anyone else have an idea?
Early Tues am I had 2C in my garden - very unexpected! I think I lost some cukes; they were snugged in between the dahlias and a brassica tent, but they really look ropey today. Good thing I stuck in some more seed at the weekend as a precaution (and cause I love 'em).
The v high winds we had here in the east stopped me putting my french beans out. Good thing, with the temp drop. They were safe in the greenhouse with no damage. But the dry weather has made my salads (esp spinach) start to bolt. Time to get some more warm weather salads in!
The slugs have moved in on my strawberries under the currants ion the fruit cage. Oh, well. Fortunately, they don't seem to like the little wood strawberries have have dotted around, so still plenty to nibble.
Wouldn't it be nice to go back to a state where working from home wasn't a possibility because we actually made things and we needed factories in which to do it.
I have the oilstone but obviously, I put the blades somewhere else and a very safe one. 
I think I lost some cukes; they were snugged in between the dahlias and a brassica tent, but they really look ropey today. Good thing I stuck in some more seed at the weekend as a precaution (and cause I love 'em).