Summer bits and bobs.

[AdrienneRobinson]

That sounds very optimistic Westi - it will be very interesting to hear how they are when you’re next down there!

[Colin2016]

Loads of ladybird in garden and had couple of dragon flies in greenhouse as well.

[Westi]

You are right Adrienne, all the new ones exposed to sunshine have completely died, which was over 20 plants! I found some of my own saved Lady Di seeds which I pot sowed & put on the back table which is partial shade, but hopefully as sowed & not plants they will be acclimatised & they will get some shade.
While waiting for these I am trying to suss a spot I can move the others to that has some shade. What I'm looking at now is a cleared('ish) area along the fence line at the back between the 2 plots. I did not sow this area this year as sprayed it over winter to get rid of the bind weed that crept in as I couldn't dig it as the chicken wire is buried too deep. This end has the mature fruit trees so shade available. Will see, deffo last chance! Got enough other jobs to get on with!

[AdrienneRobinson]

Oh no, how very disappointing Westi, so have all the ones you bought died or have some survived? Hope your Lady Di ones do ok, thank goodness you had some seeds that you could still sow. I’m pretty sure I’ve started climbing beans around this time in previous years and still got a pretty good harvest.

[AdrienneRobinson]

How are those bites you had by the way? Hope they’ve gone down a bit? I seem to be a magnet for biting insects - I get new bites almost daily. Don’t think they are as bad as yours sounded though.

[Clive.]

I just checked out ads-b radar and thought Old H' must have mowed over a helicopter nest ......seems to be a load of them swarming about ...maybe there is a motor race on ??

Rain here in two doses...ran out of excuses not to clean kitchen sink...

C.

[oldherbaceous]

There certainly have been a lot about, most have slowed while flying over, I suppose just to see how the allotments are getting on, then carrying on to the race!
Had one very heavy shower but, you would hardly know that now……

[Westi]

Build restarts tomorrow! Delay is not their fault, the suppliers sent all the inside panelling the wrong size. After they guys mucking around chasing the right delivery it was found not too far away in the New Forest so the guys themselves did a meet 1/2 way between & swapped them over in a lay by, both parties happy. This is supposed to last a week, but still won't be finished as still heard nothing about the disabled sanitary ware which social services are supposed to be sorting. Then it is the clear up, dog fencing & chargers for the mobility scooters. Who knows, Mr might be in for Xmas!

Adrienne some runners did survive & it is all these that will go along the cleared fence line. Just been online getting some of those bag drippers to hang on stakes along their fence length for them so they keep slightly moist as am a bit worried about the trees. I did get an opportunistic phone call from my plot neighbour today asking if he could take some of the red flesh plum beauty on the trees & what he could do to pay me back. That's the join up to increase the length of the hose to reach the back sorted. I have all the gear just can't screw the new hose in, fit is fine, just can't screw together the whole joiner length even by heating the end & blows off.

[oldherbaceous]

Glad the building work is getting there….bet you will be very pleased when itis completed.
That sounds a very fair exchange to me….

[AdrienneRobinson]

Glad to hear some of the runners survived Westi! The dripper thingy sounds like a very good plan.
Good luck with the building work, it must feel like it’s going on forever!

[Cider Boys]

Still very dry here but vegetables are not doing too badly considering the lack of rain. I had a visit from two people working for English Nature to survey my orchard, they spent two days taking samples of the soil, measuring and surveying the trees. They wrote to me over a year ago asking for my permission but of course I had forgotten all about it. They were a pleasant couple with what I thought was an interesting job. Moved the last lot of my sheep last night out of the orchard and noticed they had broken some tree guards and stripped the bark from a nice cyder tree. I'm upset about that but they were getting low on grass and I also had my neighbours sheep break into the orchard, at least I have a very good dog and was soon able to split them off and pen them for collection. My onions leaves have now all bent over and I am pleased with their size despite the drought. Hedging plants are suffering and would welcome some rain.

Still hoping for steady rain.

Barney

[oldherbaceous]

Morning Barney, that sounds really interesting about the survey!
Sorry to hear about the sheep damage……the grass fields here are all white with drought but, we did have some decent rain last night, just as well as this week is very hot! The combines have been out all last week and making a huge dent in getting the harvest in…..
My Autumn planted Onion set leaves have just gone over but, my Red Summer seed sown ones are still growing…..and since they are from seed, there should be little bolting, well hopefully!

[Westi]

Unexpected rain down here last night not overly heavy but persistent all night. Worked out fine as had to be in today for a late discussion about Mr's ramp mixing between building rules & practical access with council in attendance; total waste of time, of course we are aware there will be a drop off on the edge for a full width ramp leading outside! That's why we are having a fence, which will also dog proof our garden. It is worrying when the council isn't too bright. When the 15yr oldish council guy left the boss lady, build guys & I had a good laugh, I expect the council guy was also quite happy getting out! The build guys were pretty direct!

[peter]

Got a hosing down by nature over Sunday and Monday, most welcome swept the dust into the cracks on the allotments.

[Westi]

My brilliant plot neighbour wanted some of the red fleshed plums as strangely the branches overhanging his side which are his to take had no fruit this year. He always wants to pay back any gesture so I asked him if he could sort my hose out as the joined together bits just keep popping off so I have to lug the cans to the other plot to water which is so time consuming. Went down today & I had a mega hose laying along the path, even rolled up at the gate to match the distance to the tap. I must have saved at the very least an hour & I was really watering everything very thoroughly.

Today he popped in to check OK which it really is, but he had noticed quite a few twists in the hoses as quite old & decided he was going to fix it properly. As it is I have a 50m brand new hose still in the packing which was too heavy to get down so he is going to collect it & set it up & take the old hoses to the dump. I am so lucky knowing this man & having him as my neighbour. I will give him cash toward his chicken feed & sundries for them as he's only on a pension but so adores his chickens.