Summer Bits and Bobs.

[Myrkk]

What a pain Westie. Can’t you get authorisation to speak for each other on your bank accounts. These scammers cause nothing but aggro.

Lifted a couple of garlic to see how they were doing and only one had split into cloves so will leave the others for a few more weeks. The leaves have all fallen over and the bulb is big, but just one big bulb.

Something has decimated my PSB completely now, assuming slugs, but see pigeons up there all the time. Going to get some netting and get the ones in the conservatory out there once it’s arrived.

The toms in the conservatory have put out funny little leaves at the top, assuming that is what they do when they get as tall as they’ll go. They don’t look like any of the other leaves, they’re funny little corkscrew things.

[retropants]

Hi Myrkk, check those funny leaves, they might have some greenfly/aphids hiding underneath them, causing them to curl up. With the garlic, they need a cold spell early on to split the bulb into cloves, so they won't split now unfortunately, sorry.
I am on regular slug patrol every evening, now I've got everything planted out. They've got the end of the row of cabbage & broccoli, but I've kept a couple of spare back, which I can pop in the space where the noshed ones are.
I need to start of some more lettuce seeds, but it's too hot this week!!

[Westi]

Just walking through the tunnel today was as much as I could be bothered with; (39.7C), even though the plan was to do some weeding & tying in the toms there, so it was outside jobs. Was way better outside as a bit of breeze for a while but it was short lived & then it became quite laborious to really get cracking, but I did get the old peas out & the new plants in both beds & cut back one spent strawberry bed.

A lot of time spent watering by hand again as the new hose was not one of those expandable ones as expected & covered even less distance than what is left of the old hose. You can guess where I am off to now!

[Myrkk]

That’s a good point, I’ve been manually removing aphids from other plants but hadn’t considered the tomatoes would have them only on the tips as to date they haven’t had any aphids on them. Will have a look in the daylight. It’s too hot to sleep currently.

This just makes me think of the ladybug / aphid cartoon, especially when they start running before I’ve even squished one… feel very guilty as I’m doing it. Glad I’m not Buddhist or I’d be surely coming back as an aphid.

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[retropants]

The direct sown french beans I popped in on a whim on Sunday, in between the plants I planted out, have popped up already, if the slugs come for them it's WAR!

[Myrkk]

LOL Retro

[Westi]

Nicely surprised by the delivery of my new expandable hose at 8.30am this morning even though I just ordered it yesterday evening! Even came with a note from the supplier to advise the use of it, which I actually read, probably as very rare to get a scribbled note. I'm glad I did as I don't have the nozzle open when starting the one at home, but apparently the 150ft build up a lot of pressure & if left without the nozzle open for a long time they can pop. (I have found they can also pop when the cat decides to wrestle & bite them when filling whatever the length)!

I will move one of the Trugs somewhere closer to the gate so it can run into that while filling, or just lay it in the pumpkin/squash bed as they won't mind! Will see how it fares but hoping it works as this is the first one that will be long enough for me to go up the path on plot 2 so they get a proper even water without needing the jet spray on to reach them which is not really ideal.

[Westi]

The birds had a field day with my new pea plants I put in, 90% pulled out or nibbled. Here I was meticulously mouse proofing them by nipping off all the soft seeds, making them a little trench so they got all the water where needed & another nemesis got in the mix. I did direct sows to replace as no more plants left & put netting around them as it was not quite wide enough to go right over the top. It should deter them as no space for the birds to fly out & netting pulled tight away from the bottom, with loads of bricks to keep the little furries out!

New hose tested & seems OK; just a tad too short to walk it over to the back of lottie 2 but with it on jet it reaches the plants there & they are mostly bushes so should be OK. Moving onto the tunnel when down on Monday as temp going to lower so should be more bearable in there & will be quicker to weed & tidy as the soaker goes on every time I go down; then the last 3 fruit trees will get a tidy up & I will be ready to start again! Just to reward myself first job when these done will be chasing bind weed along the fence. Don't know why I like doing this, but most likely seeing the piles of white stems which I just have to pile up to look more impressive!

[tigerburnie]

Indoor gardening in the greenhouse today, 13 degrees and it's raining with a gentle breeze, kinda normal for us here.

[Primrose]

Westi, Registering a Power of Attorney sometimes seems the only way to get through on these issues. A couple of months ago my husband had to register a P of A with my mobile ohone company to resolve an technical issue I couldn't sort out myself. I hand the ohone over to him to talk to them - it was obvious we were husband and wife as aI could give them my husband,sphone ano and a/c number but they still wouldn't help.

Yes I,m still around but struggling somewhat as now barely mobile.
Husband came in from garden yesterday with his first picking of climbing French beans. Reluctant gardener aa he is he,s done a good job and they were delicious. The two cucumbers though both sadly died!

[oldherbaceous]

So glad to see you on here, Primrose, but very sorry to hear you are struggling to get about….must be so frustrating for you!
I think your Husband might like to hear, most gardeners have had quite a few failures this year, so he shouldn’t get too disheartened…..and i’m sure with all your knowledge, he will keep improving!

[Westi]

Tunnel all done, toms & cuc's all tied in & some re-sows done. Patches of compacted soil in there slowed progress but bashed the clods into submission as not as deep as the outside areas compacted, probs due to the soaker hose maybe but actually it was mostly the soil close to the hose that was worse so maybe inflicted by me by not wanting to fork the hose. Rain coming so gave the main crop spuds a blight guard water with fingers crossed, then squeezed in a harvest session of raspberries & even found some ripe blackberries. Then had time to do a walk around check which only increased the list of jobs needed, but nothing too onerous.

Hi Primrose! Bank mayhem over, the scam was not a scam but a company that supplies outlets but doesn't sell direct. Mr has got the beast of a scooter he wanted from their recommendation & looking forward to going off road with his camera gear when used to it. It is huge, so already booked him to take some stuff down to the plot for me - well to the plot gate, at least!

[tigerburnie]

That shows the divide between north and south, my blackberries are still in flower, no sign of fruit yet, black currents will get picked this week as will guzzgogs, second flush of strawberries coming on too.

[oldherbaceous]

Sounds very fruity, Burnie…..

[Myrkk]

Sorry to hear that Primrose, take some heart from the poor weather this year, you wouldn’t want to go out in it anyways. Not much consolation as you must be so frustrated.

Think my tatties have blight! Pulled the ones with the starting of the discolouration on the foliage this am and am hoping that will stop it spreading, fingers crossed! At least the Charlottes are ready for lifting but the Kind Edwards could do with a little while longer in the ground.