Late Winter Bits and Bobs.

[Clive.]

But when does April start.? ....as we had a lovely sunny start and then after lunch very April like showers kept running through.
Worked in the back greenhouse sorting through over wintered and failed to over winter things...

C.

[oldherbaceous]

I have been giving some thought to when we should start the Spring thing…. But as soon as we do, the snow and frosts will start….

[Clive.]

I've been looking at my lawn for weeks....waiting for a drier moment...

Answer seems to be... that there isn't one...so today is the best I could muster.

International travelling Rover mower started first pull on last years petrol in the tank....

The mower is Australian manufactured, sold new from a dealer in Scotland to Lanarkshire local authority, stock clearance acquired by a dealer in Wales before being purchased by me and heading to England....

I looked at the overnight forecast for here and thought...must be done....

...and ref Old H' frosts...the lawn was frosty white this morning...

...and now...after a trim is yellow..

C.

[Westi]

Lovely morning on the plot, weak sun but not freezing or raining, but of course the rain did come later but luckily I was down early so home before that. I didn't get as much done as I would have liked as I had one of those days looking for where I put things 10 mins ago, but I did sow a few things but had to dig over all the beds again as not the fine tilth I had prepped. My fault I should have covered them, but I had tied up all the plastic & put it away & couldn't be bothered getting it out again as it is really thick & heavy.

No sign of a proper sunny run of weather for a couple of weeks but no frost or big rain so will be able to keep slowly ticking off the jobs.

[oldherbaceous]

I got all the allotment grass cut today….but not over pleased with the new drive belt I put on it the other week. Although it’s adjusted up correctly for length, it’s still trying to drive the roller, even when the drive is disengaged…. So the only thing I can think of is, the new belt is just slightly wider….hopefully it will wear itself in!
I did manage to get some broad bean plants, planted out, so very pleased about that.

[Clive.]

..and tonight is self inflicted hair cut time....different machine..."I liked it so much I bought the company" is the make.

It was very white frosty looking on the sides but has darkened with careful trimming...although no idea of what it's like at the back...

C.

[oldherbaceous]

You make me laugh, Clive….

[oldherbaceous]

Another very wet day here, going to sow some extra veg in the greenhouse, to give them a head start, as it will be at least another 2 weeks, before the allotments are in a workable condition!
I bet the farmers are getting really concerned now, as there was a lot of the Autumn sown crops they were unable to get in and some of the ones that did get sown have succumbed to the flooding. And now not being able to get the Spring stuff sown, must be very concerning for them.
Think any cereal related products, or oil seed rape products, are going to go through the roof, price wise this year!

[Clive.]

I bet the farmers are getting really concerned now, as there was a lot of the Autumn sown crops they were unable to get in and some of the ones that did get sown have succumbed to the flooding. And now not being able to get the Spring stuff sown, must be very concerning for them.
Think any cereal related products, or oil seed rape products, are going to go through the roof, price wise this year!

My thoughts exactly driving home from work just now passing field after field that are just standing wet on the top and very patchy with little or no crop at all...
There is one field with oil seed rape that is pushing up towards flower bud...and it's the only one that I have seen that is the rest are terribly thin and sparse, even then the far field corner has no crop due to a visitation by the river a few times over Winter... I feel it is a very serious situation..

C.

[vivienz]

It's a squelch-athon in the bog that passes for our garden. We're on heavy clay and I can't see this much water draining properly much before mid-April. My kitchen garden is all raised beds, but the greenhouse borders are flooded as they're at regular ground level plus a few inches.
Anyhow, I've got loads of first sowings done and washed down the inside and outside roof of the greenhouse - very satisfying. The slugs are hungry, though. I had loads of self-seeded parsley germinating in the greenhouse border and I was going to lift it into pots, but it's all down to stumps now. They left the thistles, picky devils! Mind you, I bet their breath is fresh after eating all that parsley.
Next week I need to tidy up the asparagus bed and get it topped up with some fresh compost and netted to keep the cats off it. The first few spears are already coming through, ridiculously early.

[Westi]

Took the dog down on the bus today as had to find an alternative route as once again there was an incident in the woods with an aggressive dog, no puncture injury on her but he did get a mouth full of fur. It is just stressing her; (& me), too much to go there now as it's becoming too frequent & I'm at the other end of her lead & she hides behind me.

I was dreading how she would react to the bus, so caught the really early one at 6am as only a few people on it. She loved it hopped straight on & went under my seat & ditto on return with a fuller bus. We've still got a few blocks to walk to the bus there & back but only 1 block from the terminus stop to lottie if I cut through the garden centre. My back was very grateful & as a result I was able to really crack on with the chores. 2nd spud bed prepped, last few Jazzy's planted along the fence line after I moved the path a bit, Dahlia's planted, Lemon Tree put outside, chard dug out as gone mutant & lots of putting things back into their right place & last beds uncovered bar one, (I took a change of clothes down thankfully as got covered in muddy water)! I think I was as stressed as the dog with the woods walk which was slowing my progress & concentration.

Still an issue getting big stuff down, but committee has had the tree people in so bigger vans can get around so I can give the site as a delivery address like before & meet them down there, but will get permission first.

[Myrkk]

Oh no. Wee thing, it can make them very reactive. Hope she settles ok and no lasting damage.

It’s still quite cold up here so not preparing any beds yet. Need to get a riddle for the garden so can get some of the wood mulch out of the beds before I plant anything. Have decided the raised beds will get moved before next year so they take up less garden space and be a bit higher so I find them easier to work in. OR, my other thought is to get a polytunnel and put the raised beds in it. Will expand the growing season and also, given the garden is north east facing, get the temperature up a bit with the early morning sun that we do get. My vanity however wants a lovely garden and there’s nowhere to hide a stonking big polytunnel. LOL.

[oldherbaceous]

A poly tunnel, or large greenhouse, certainly does extend the growing season…..and even on very wet days, it is somewhere to go and just potter about!

[Westi]

Either a tunnel or a greenhouse will make a big difference to your growing, extending the season substantially. You can get some really posh styled greenhouses with the cute lattice work & finials like you see in the stately homes gardens so it is a design statement as well.

[Westi]

It's gone very retro black & green on here! The only real change other than the colour pallet is the options re; editing, deleting etc. which is good. You are going to tell me they have always been there aren't you?