Early Summer Bits and Bobs.

[Westi]

No plot today but with bits & bobs being harvested I prepped a few things for the freezer, mainly prepared dishes to just grab out for those days that I really can't be bothered. My last bag of last years runners in the freezer is just begging to be used, but Father's Day is coming up so they will make an excellent accompaniment for whatever roast Mr wants, well it will be pork, he's predictable!

Tomorrow is planting day on the plot..with the obvious dog barriers erected when done. I will also take the broad beans out of the tunnel; very impressed with these overwintered ones, take up space for a long time but really produce when they are ready & get really tall. All the new sown ones are up outside, but had to be moved as they all popped up in one area not by their stakes. I think maybe cached by rats or mice but maybe next doors digging disturbed their run??

[Westi]

All plants planted where they should be today! Did my usual half plants, half seed for the runners - they all catch up eventually if not found by critters, but get an earlier small harvest from the plants. Quite surprised that my Queensland Blue immediately sulked a few hours after planting out but it should be fine as they are quite big & proper rain coming plus fully acclimatised. The last overwintered tunnel broad beans harvested, the bag was well heavy lugging home, but the plants were looking anaemic so time. The 3 extra grafted toms I got from the supplier who missed putting just one in my order went into that space; along with a row of carrots sown as they are still being stubborn outside. Oh & all dog proofed as well! Back to weeding now, somehow looking forward to it!

[retropants]

We got the barrier in for the laurel roots, then I gave the hedge a big haircut. I am loathe to plant anything out, as it will all be demolished overnight. I just evicted over 60 slugs roaming free on the lawn. Feeling slightly icky now.

[Primrose]

Love the Beach hut Westi. Must make your Lottie look really "seasidey", but bet it's already full to overflowing!

[oldherbaceous]

A good job done, Retropants……slugs and snails are being a real pain here too….made an awful mess of the Dahlia shoots!

[tigerburnie]

Warm and sunny despite the Harr rolling in off the sea, got the big hedge clipped with hand shears so as not to disturb nesting birds too much, left the top for later. Grass cut too, it is almost looking summery out there.

[Clive.]

27mm rain over the day yesterday...most in a downpour late afternoon that saw water teaming down the work drive once again...
Managed to get a load of things bedded out in the front of borders today...

Time for a quick munch on a Co-op pizza and then must get my own lawn cut.!

C.

[Westi]

Well despite the weather reports the annual food festival in town proceeded without rain for the 3 days. Neighbour said it was so pricey this year; she gave her niece £20 thinking she will get something it eat & drink plus some little trinket or whatever but chicken & chips was £15! One wing & one leg!

Now this is over & the buses are running again so I can get to the plot I suspect the rain will re-appear. Hoping all will be OK & the phone weather will be right as the local news & weather gave a bit of a grim report this evening. Unless totally pouring down I will go down as Sweet Potatoes need to go in as going loco on the window sill, bed is prepped & ready so shouldn't take long & tunnel needs a water as well. Will do as much as possible with the hoeing if mother nature plays nice.

[retropants]

I had to completely cut back my clematis armandii 'apple blossom' to the barest of stems as the fence it was grwoing along has collapsed. It should re-grow quite happily, actually, it's a bit of a thug, but the blossom is so pretty early in the season and smells absolutely divine and the bees go mad for it, so I don't mind. It gets a couple of annual haircuts, but this is very severe. I've had to do it twice before when I've not go to it in time and it fell off the trellis (helped by my clueless neighbour who cuts back not just what's hanging over, but also what's on the trellis, so effectively through stems that are holding it up. What a numpty.) It was hard work, and I also dug out another thug, Helianthus 'lemon queen' which again is beautiful and the bees love it, but it needs keeping in check. I've created a nice bare spot for some new plants though, so, happy days! (not happy shoulders though!)

[tigerburnie]

Another nice morning, clouding over now, but very pleasant pottering and sitting by the pond watching frogs, newts and damsel flies. Greenhouse doing the tommies arm pits, watering, strawberries coming, looks like a decent crop and the peas in the greenhouse are podding, just as well as the slugs and snails are decimating those outside.

[peter]

Spent the long weekend mostly reroofing a 12'x8' pent roof shed tall front.
Complicated by the fact I extended it on the site, down-slope, with the tall bit of roof abutting the right side.
Where I had doubled up 3/4" plywood header board with an aluminium panel holding the edge of the Onduline corrugated pitch fibre panel against the plywood.
That was day one getting it off and putting a new aluminium folded sheet L shape with a lip-down the the bottom right of the L.
Day two I was mostly fitting the first one and a half Onduline panels under my patent aluminium profile.
Day three was the remaining four each full and half Onduline panels.

Thankfully I have a small scaffold tower and step ladders, funniest part was I used my allotment weeding plywood panel as my rafter seat, so polished by allotment use I slid down-slope all the time.
Picture me lying on a 1' in 9' slope with one foot hooked on the tower upright, shed extension or front edge of the roof days 1 & 2.
Then on day 3 using a dense foam kneeler -which didn't slip- on the top of the plywood, which I was now screwing to the rafters, or balanced at the low end with my boot heel wedged in the two part rear profile of a lower inside 4"x2" with an outside upright 1&1/1" x 6" rim board.

[Westi]

Well as per Sod's law it rained all last night & the most of today so no plot nor home gardening. Fortunately looking good for tomorrow & all the weather reports agree 0% precipitation until the afternoon. Rain's stopped now, so time for it to dry out a bit so as well as planting out the sweet potato plants I should be able to get a few other chores done. Proper big rain due on Thursday again but then looks like a nice few days following.

[Myrkk]

Managed to get the veg bed weeded today and the tatties banked up in the few moments of dry weather we had. Getting a bulk load of logs delivered tomorrow so we can stock up for the winter so tidied the drive between the house and found the cutest little orange frog. Have put it in our puddl. Erm pond. It went straight to the bottom into all the leaves.
Mr hog was out and about yesterday flattening all my poppies as if they weren’t battered enough by the rain, but don’t really mind as I love watching him/her bumble around the garden and I’m hoping at least a few slugs are being noshed. Probably would be more if I weren’t putting cat food out for him lol.

Back to rain again, starting to think this will be our entire summer. Somewhat dampens the spirits.

Have done no mow May by default as it’s never dry enough to cut the lawn.

[retropants]

I still haven't planted anythign out, I am so worried about the slugs, I'll basically be laying out a royal feast for them.

[Westi]

Sweet potatoes in successfully & did a few other bits in the tunnel, I had to cut back the water cress which is going crazy & most in flower with lots of pods & it really knows how to spread if you don't keep on top of it. I also gave everything in there a good water as had to get the hose out to fill the water butts anyway & they get a much better drink with the hose.

Moved outside & did a fair bit of bindweed removal in the front raspberry bed which slowed down progress. I think my diligence in digging it out of the plots shared fence line just moved it further across to plot 1. I'll just have to dig it for the next decade to keep moving it along as I couldn't get any decent lengths out as all entangled in the raspberry roots so may have to dig the raspberries out & replant them when cleared. Anyway at least I got down there & it was not raining & the huge pile of bindweed was a pretty good reward.