Winter Bits and Bobs.

[Geoff]

Last night's contribution got the December rainfall over eight inches.

[oldherbaceous]

Gosh, that is a volume of rain, Geoff…….really heavy rain here today.

[Clive.]

By my posting time you may deduce that nothing would go this afternoon....

This morning was ok though and some cordon pears got some attention from carefully placed tripod steps...then it rained...


C.

[Clive.]

That's better...a lovely sunny day, even chanced sowing some own saved herbaceous seed and put them into the propagator. Brought on by the need to grow some new Echinops and seeing that there is growth of seeds within the still standing flower heads...I thought if it will grow there then some stands a chance in the propagator...so then added a few pans of other own saved bits and bobs.

C.

[oldherbaceous]

Sounds like a very productive day, Clive!
I cleared the last of the leaves, then dug a nice section of ground for next years potatoes, then dropped on to cutting back some more perennials.

[Westi]

Plan was to finish the Asparagus bed & pick a few things but the weather had played havoc on the plots with nets blown off, stakes blown out & the 2 beds beside the asparagus were flooded so it was hammer out & some DIY repairs on the ripped netting/mesh. On reflection it was handy as I could easily take a little harvest of everything along the way & pull the odd naughty weed. I was amazed at how many crops I got & even more pleased Mr bought me the little chest freezer so looking forward to prepping it all, not so the weight of them carrying it home.

This was my last trip down to the plot until after Xmas as have to go into town as still got some pressie's to get & all the obvious stuff that Mr forgot.

[Cider Boys]

I received a grant to plant a native hedge a year ago since I live in a flood prone area, but it did not do too well owing to the long dry summer and I lost almost 100 plants. To-day I drove through flooded roads across the moors to pick up replacement hedging whips that they are kindly giving me, they do appear far superior than the ones supplied previously. I'm hoping for dry weather to start planting. Hope everything is going well with you all.

Barney

[Cider Boys]

I spent sometime in Bath last week and was saddened to learn that the allotment holders at Combe Down had lost their campaign to keep their allotment plots. I know only too well how it feels to loose previous rented ground when the owners want it back for development. I used to enjoy walking past their well attended plots and nattering with them on my rambles around Bath's beautiful countryside. I just hope they can find another suitable parcel of land to cultivate.

Barney

[oldherbaceous]

Hope you get some good weather to plant your replacement whips, Barney!
I remember when the old allotments in Milton Bryan, went for housing, a lot of folk just couldn’t understand why the old boys were so upset, although they were getting a new allotment site…..they just didn’t realise what hard work had been put in to getting the soil into such wonderful, fertile soil, as it had started off as heavy clay…..

[oldherbaceous]

Carol service at the Church, this afternoon…something I really do look forward to!
Just odd jobs this morning but, I did make up a pot of variegated holly, with loads of berries on it, for the grave of the old owners of the Big house!

[oldherbaceous]

Taken on a really awkward job of pruning about 20 really old Apple trees!
About 4 or 5 years ago, someone tried cutting them into a ball shape, so there was an explosion of new growth, that is all knitted together now…..a real job to know where to start and where to finish, so they don’t look mis-shapen!

[Clive.]

That sounds like an interesting challenge..

Suspect it is going to have to be a careful prune spelled over a few years to start to open up the trees and get them heading in the right direction once more rather than another big hit.

It is good that they are being kept and corrected rather than the often seen easy option...of felling... As when you think of the now very senior full standard trees from the 1930s, 40s, 50s, I can never see any of the more recent plantings ever reaching that stature.

C.

[oldherbaceous]

I was tempted to take my big chainsaw down, Clive
Think I will try and take a lot of the centre growth out to start with, to open them up a little, then a lot of the crossing branches…..then stand back and have a good look!

[Clive.]

Then stand back and book another appt for a little more next year.

Different varieties react in varying ways. I have come to recognise that one we have, Allington Pippin makes loads of water shoots more than other varieties..so much so that they appear in profusion all along trunk and branches...much more than others do. I remember the Allington tree at my grandads, it was the same..and was recently shown an apple at an event, where i thought, that's an Allington Pippin..and then was shown photo of the tree.. which again tallied.

....meanwhile I have summoned up the spirit to tidy the little border by my house back door....only very much a cut off, rake away, pickle a few weeds... top tidy..as It's salvia Hannays Purple mingling into hardy geranium, some lily of the valley, muscari, some autumn crocus, hellebore and associated mingled grass rosette, etc... It looks better and the concrete path edge is visible once more........

C.

[oldherbaceous]

Good advice Clive, thank you for your thoughts!
Also, very interesting about different varieties, sending out different amounts of water shoots…
And a good job done on your border!