Spring Bits and Bobs.

[Westi]

Today I received my velcro tape for the door opening. I would have liked a zipped one like I had on the old tunnel which was velcro'd secured but I couldn't find them online. I was thinking to do it similar to the old one which left some netting at the bottom to step over, but wondering whether to cut it slightly longer & staple it into a hem to thread through the secured pole at the bottom in the pic, then I could push it back like a shower curtain when unzipped. Won't be sewing anything as fine mesh is too slippery but got a stapler!

Once again moving along another path, so best get the extra canes for supports in first, especially as nature is playing fair & giving me no big winds & some nice drizzle to settle the soil, mind 8 days of drizzle is overkill, but the plot needs it!

[Westi]

Well should be interesting to go down tomorrow to check the structure as we had proper big wind overnight. Blew down the things the builders had rested against the wall to go into the giant skip at the end & they were heavy things like the old garage door, their filled bags which they actually had heavy concrete blocks on top & the like. The close looked like some squat as all the bins knocked over & contents spread by the seagulls who had the time of their life. I cleaned it all up but had to chase things blowing around & as I was the only one up. Just shoved things into any bin close & then lined the bins up pushed together as still a bit breezy. My neighbour who is a right whinger made a comment about his bin placement....I kinda of knew he would & I was very tempted to leave his but it would just have blown around & might have damaged cars.

Doesn't bode well for my structure does it? But on the positive my neighbour would have rung me if he noted anything & he deffo would have been down to check his chickens. Will see tomorrow then!

[Cider Boys]

Very cold this morning but the sun is now shining so hope it soon warms up.
My hedging whips would have benefited from the recent rainfall along with the seeds I have sown. My grass is growing very well along with the clover I sowed last year, my eldest son will be moving some of his sheep down from Exmoor soon to fatten before sale but alas no lambs. I used to get his ewes and spring lambs and I will miss seeing the lambs running and playing this spring.

Hope all are keeping well

Barney

[Clive.]

Cool one here this morning too...2.5C on the way in to work...but develped into a really gorgeous blue sky sunny day..

..and we sighted the first swallow...it had followed instruction totally to the letter...." head to the North"....in fact it was sighted sat on the letter N of the newly refurbished clock tower weather vane.

C.

[Westi]

Brassica cage still standing today & I managed to complete it; well not quite; still some fiddley jobs to do as the door entry doesn't quite work as intended but it is secure, just a flaff getting in & out. The velcro I ordered is well strong which is the main issue as you can't just pull it open with one hand while trying to get stuff inside so I will be reviewing this, fortunately I have loads of micro mesh. I'm thinking I may just trim & secure what is up & create a new entry like the shower curtain idea I had & look for some sort of magnet catches to secure to the frame.

Moved the brassica plants into the tunnel to get acclimatised but they have been visiting the big outdoors during the day when down & back tunnel door open. The pic shows loads of plants but not all destined to the tunnel just those that get tall or those like cauli that I like some for my neighbour as well. Kinda chuffed with myself actually.

The anticipated rain has disappeared off the phone weather so won't be able to do much with the soil except water loads & cover so will skipping putting up the Runner & French beans for a bit. I have the 2nd Xmas pressie raised bed to assemble so might as well progress with that while on a roll!

HzCrDJyHRaS%xjvR5fBLgw.jpg (5.05 MiB) Viewed 402 times

[Cider Boys]

Wretched cold, blowy and rainy day here in Somersetshire, however we do need and appreciate the rain. Spent the early morning checking electric fence connections around the fields and all seems OK for the sheep when they arrive. Managed to sow a row of peas yesterday evening and I am pleased that I had made the effort.

Looks like a good cage Westie to help protect your brassicas.

Happy Easter to all.

Barney

[Colin2016]

Bit of info please on your velcro mesh frame, do you attach the velcro to the mesh or is it already attached?

[oldherbaceous]

Well i’ve finally managed to get all my Mum’s sheds and barn emptied…..there was stuff in there, that must have gone in there for over 50 years!
Also made a start on the house and as most of you will know, it’s a very emotional job!
Did manage to get 2 80 foot rows of potatoes in yesterday and might try getting some broad bean plants, planted out in a little while…. never been this far behind, before…

[Westi]

Hi Collin,
It is just on a roll & you cut to size & pull it apart & stick one half to the secured mesh & the other half to the door mesh opening. Major problem is it is just too strong to pull apart to open the door easily & pulls on the secured half so think it would tear the secured mesh from the canes in no time.

I have found magnetic clips online that sound much better & I had good feedback from someone online who uses them to secure her old fly screen as a door. Her only hint was to superglue one side of the magnet onto the canes so it is all lined up correctly when you close the door.

Right on cue they have just been delivered! There is 3M tape on one side & they are quite narrow 1mm, which might be fine as they are my much thicker canes but will tie them on as well. Might stick to the superglue on the actual mesh as it's the edged bit of the mesh which is woven & heat sealed so stronger. I won't be down until Tuesday to test my theory as no bus on Bank Hols.

[Colin2016]

Thanks for the explanation Westi.

[Clive.]

Today's job is filling in the old formal pond in the back garden....

Back in lockdown furlough time the overhaul of the pond was next job on my list....I was as far as searching for a new liner..but then most thankfully work called and it was back to the big garden..

I was recently tracking down a new liner once again but then had a change of direction and have decided to make it a bed for some new Chenopodium bonus-henricus..or as we call it 'Markery'. The old bed is lost in an area of dart grass.. and I am missing the taste of Markery...

So after doing the sums for infill amount, I cut away the liner at the bottom of first pond shelf level to leave some as a barrier around the bed. It has a surround of small slabs, being a small formal square-ish pond.

I have used 25 builders buckets full from the compost heap and have then purchased, this morning, some 'weed free' enriched 'top soil', 350L of it, to top it off....

Currently lack the plants to complete the job..but I have a packet of seed in stock.
I really would like to find some of the existing old to propagate as it's a plant that has been with the family for years.

Bit of a sad one seeing the pond go...Dad set it up in 1974 upon recovery from a serious spell of 'poorly' that year. and it replaced one that me and some school mates dug out elsewhere in the garden one summer holiday.
My dad was very studious in research for the best liner in 1974... by my reckoning he did a good job...as it lasted 46 years before cracking and persistently leaking.

C.

[oldherbaceous]

Afternoon Clive, it is sad to change a garden from how it was but, gardens are always evolving, so now it’s time to put your mark on it, and i’m sure a very pleasing mark it will be too.
Managed to get a few bits planted out at first light this morning….

[Westi]

Well only one day until I can back down to the plot! I was right not to trust the buses as while walking the dog ran into the lady down the road. She had just walked back from the supermarket as her bus was a no-show & next was 3hrs. Clearly knackered & quite distressed walking through the woods as scared of unknown dogs, but it is the shortest way. I walked her back home & carried her shopping for her.

Turns out she got a bit muddled with getting a taxi as thought you had to pay on entry but she could have got one & dashed indoors for some money. She told me she hadn't got a taxi for decades & just uses her bus pass & takes enough cash money for what she is going to buy. Really unsettled her so I shared my phone number just in case she needs it in the future. She is in 80's & her old dog died a few weeks ago & her husband died about a year ago, so expect that didn't help her think clearly. She is not normally like this, usually on the ball 100%.....hmm if only the bus had come hey?!

[Cider Boys]

Good to read what you all have been doing today. It has been a beautiful day here in Somerset and I have potted on some cabbages, calabrese and cosmos. I walked a couple of miles to visited my youngest son and his family, who have recently moved back to the village, this afternoon and passed several gardens and allotments that all looked splendid with the blossom in full bloom.
When I returned I managed to sow some late broad beans and enjoyed a glass of cyder that I made last November and it was very pleasing.

Keep enjoying your gardening

Barney

[Colin2016]

Made 2 brassica frames 4ft x 5ft, cut the legs and corner bracing bits but did not fit them as clever me knew they had to go in car so would fit them on the plot.

Not so clever me realised later that the 4 x 5 frame would not fit in the car, so had to take them apart.