Spring Bits and Bobs.

[retropants]

I've had my hozelock yellow one for over 15 years. It's on a winder drum, and never gets put away in the winter! It hardly ever folds itself over, and has no cracks that I have noticed (famous last words!!)

[tigerburnie]

Hi all, been absent without leave, health not too bad, just life getting in the way, hope you are all well. Had a quick scan through to check what you are all up to, lets hope the weather both dries up a bit and warms up a bit too.
I've done another short video of what I'm up to for those who are bored and need something to look at, this ones a bit shorter, hope you enjoy it, I will try and contribute more this coming season.
https://youtu.be/u_qpZrUzwiQ

[oldherbaceous]

Now that is good news to have you back, Burnie….I did send you a PM a few weeks ago but, it still sits in my unread box!
Glad your health issues aren’t too bad…..
Looking forward to having you back onboard!

[oldherbaceous]

Just watched your video, Burnie, very enjoyable as always…

I have just started to share the wonders of gardening with my youngest Sons, girlfriend….and she absolutely loves it…her face when she saw her first seeds coming through was a real picture to behold….can’t wait until she digs her first potatoes.

[Westi]

Cheers Geoff, didn't spot them when looking but will have another search.

[Myrkk]

Was really pleased it’s started to dry up a little here but then hubby emptied out my containers of rainwater and now I’m praying for rain to fill them up again lol.

Had 4 days in Whitby and boy has the garden grown when I came back. The bush full of little buds has sprung into life and is full of white flowers. No idea what but it is gorgeous. The rhubarb has a single tiny leaf (which the dogs knocked off this am, so will have to guard it) and so many things are coming through I didn’t know were there… sadly ground elder is one of them.

It’s lovely to finally be able to get my hands dirty.

[oldherbaceous]

Another damp, drizzly morning here, work is becoming a real challenge to get certain jobs completed!
Maybe next week will be bright and sunny…..not sure how many weeks I have been saying that now…..

[retropants]

its' just so cold still, I can't face spending much time out in the garden, the wind chill is bitter. I have done as much as I can with the seedlings, they are bursting out of the little greenhouse! Nothing is really big enough to plant out anyway, not enough warmth to give them a boost. It's all really slow and miserable. We need sun, we need warm (but not too hot!!!)

[Clive.]

5mm rain overnight..that was enough to stop progress on the ground again..
I went to Horncastle this morning...to see what I could see...or in fact to pick up some new spec's...not a thing I have had before. Reading was getting an issue, screen work is ok, whilst distance is still good.

It started a heavy drizzle whilst there and it followed me back to work...mustn't complain we have had three dry days in a row and progress has been good over those days but back to sorting and potting this afternoon..including the annual re-pot of the big mint pots...seems that the vine weevils favourite is the one labelled chocolate mint

C.

[oldherbaceous]

Had glasses for a few years now, just for reading but, I was having a job doing screen work, so got some new ones a couple of months ago.

I needed to get a couple of very wet lawns cut this morning, so went over them with my leaf blower first, makes a huge difference……border work is still very slow going, as it’s all hand weeding, just too wet to hoe them.

[Westi]

Beautiful currently with a nice warm sun shining, unfortunately the rest of the day was drizzle continuously so I abandoned play on the plot today. Still a bit of a chance of drizzle tomorrow but not all day. I'm going to do some sows of proper summer crops like the beans & squash & pumpkin as ground is quite wet from the incessant drizzle, but will check how easily the bean frames go in & do a swap of chores.

The tunnel is holding it's temp but the light levels aren't great with all the drizzle but brighter in there with the refracted light from the bubbles. My theory is that it will be warm enough in there for them to show but think they might be slower to get to a decent size to plant out due to the cloud cover so could be ready for when we do get some proper consistent warm weather for more than 1 or 2 days. I'd like them in the ground as long as possible just in case the late summer weather is going to be as unpredictable as this spring.

[vivienz]

I've been continuing work on clearing, digging and topping up my raised beds which were neglected last year due to eye issues. It's so good to see them coming into productivity again. I've got plenty going on in the greenhouse and put my tomato plants (still in pots) back in there today after bringing them in for a few days when night time temps dropped close to zero. They're happy chaps and nice sturdy plants. I have a couple of troughs of dwarf french beans that are doing nicely; I took a chance on leaving them out last week and they came to no harm. Lots of other things starting to stir and I'm already getting a bit bored of asparagus. Happy days!

[Westi]

Had a bit of wander online looking at things, nothing in mind to buy just trawling through. It turned out quite interesting for a change.

Firstly I found Queen Carlin Peas, never heard of them before & actually found them in a food mag article. They are the UK alternative to chick peas as actually grow in our climate. I found myself inclined to buy some to try alongside my 'normal' ones. Didn't buy from the seed sellers who are well expensive, but did the same I do with chickpeas which is buying organic dried peas in the food section & soaking before use. Saves a bomb as way cheaper, loads in the pack & they keep for years remaining productive. Luckily I have a space as everyone of my Saffron bulbs failed in the old compost bed. Anyone know much about these peas, apparently they have different names?

Then I went on another mixed site to see "Electroculture" is the next big thing. I little bit more suspicious of this one as find it hard to believe a copper wire wrapped around a stick in the ground would make too much of a charge to see any impact & like all these new ideas detail very limited, like how many 'sticks' per metre etc. I do however see dramatic changes to plants when we have a proper thunder & lightening storms so there could be something in it. If the copper wire is still on the 'Free to Take' table at the site I might just take it & do a little experiment. The article did say the greatest change is with tomatoes, which I assume if it does work is due to their moisture content & I have some spare plants so nothing lost. I will try to remember to take pics as always forget - too much chatting!

[tigerburnie]

Pleasant enough day today, got some grass cut and a bit more digging of a new flower bed for the wife to play with(she will tell you she is no gardener, but wants flowers for the Bees), have some more Onions and Peas to plant out that are getting in the way in the greenhouse, hopefully do it tomorrow.

[Myrkk]

Then I went on another mixed site to see "Electroculture" is the next big thing. I little bit more suspicious of this one as find it hard to believe a copper wire wrapped around a stick in the ground would make too much of a charge to see any impact & like all these new ideas detail very limited, like how many 'sticks' per metre etc. I do however see dramatic changes to plants when we have a proper thunder & lightening storms so there could be something in it. If the copper wire is still on the 'Free to Take' table at the site I might just take it & do a little experiment.

It’s interesting Westi as electricity in cells has been shown to increase…”growth, adhesion, reorganization of cytoskeleton, contractility, differentiation, proliferation, activation of intracellular pathways, secretion of proteins and gene expression”.

In fact there is a treatment I’m currently training in called Frequency Specific Microcurrent in which you programme different frequencies depending upon what you want to achieve. Also, It’s electrical currents within the cells that helps some lizards regrow their tails.

So I would be interested to read more about electroculture as a way to improve your plant yields.