Winter bits and bobs.

[Westi]

None of mine are chitting, I just have them in a bag under the open stairs. I think I will try it although I have only found a few people who have, but these few said no discernible difference in size or yield. Like you say Geoff they have blight, drowning & wire worm against them anyway.

On the positive I have a clear signal that spring is coming soon; Plum Beauty is starting to flower! I expect to see the little flies or bees homing in on them soon, well hopeful to see them as normal, but it's been a miserable wet winter for them.

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[oldherbaceous]

Another very wet day here again….just started to do a few bits down at my Mum’s, and down it came….

[retropants]

lovely pic Westi! There's some white blossom in the park I walk in, must be sloes or somehting similar.

I've still not sown the aubergins and pepper seeds. I MUST do it after work today.

[Clive.]

Wet day and then, just to tease, bright sunshine at home time...

..not sunny for long though as some down to the ground swirling stormy edge of weather passed through at tea time...no great quantity of wet from it here but it did look rather black for quite a while out towards Skegness..

C.

[Westi]

I hope you all had/get a great weather report like mine.....days & days of sun shine from Friday!

[retropants]

Yes, we have, and my parents' too, which is where we are headed tomorrow morning for a couple of days. The Marshwood Vale, Dorset.

It's usually always raining there!!

[oldherbaceous]

Hope you have a fantastic time, Retropants…..do they have have a big garden now, after being used to the allotments they used to have?

Lovely bright day today but, the water is still running down our little lane, with the amount of rain we have had….so the allotments will still be squelchy!

[oldherbaceous]

How is the building work coming on, Westi?

[Westi]

Hi OH! It is on the way up.
Breeze block layer done & insulation on & probs about 1/3 of the brick layer. They are up against it as their next job is up in Scotland so working longer to finish it then the roof, electric & fitting guys move in for the finish. Light at the end of the tunnel almost. Won't be too long until I will be looking at how to sort the flower beds, well rather bed now as lost the other one to the new rules on thicker insulation, but room for pots against the build & I am planning on widening the back bit for more flowers when I get the tree guys in to get rid of the Fig tree & the ivy coming in from the school.

[oldherbaceous]

That’s really good news, Westi…..i’m sure it will be worth it in the end!

[retropants]

Thanks OH, it’s lovely and bright here today, but still chilly. They have quite a bit of garden, yes, and a big workshop for my dad’s various hobbies. They also got a free cat when they bought the house. He’s still a bit feral on occasion, but generally loves being spoiled by them. The previous owners fed him, but didn’t let him in the house much.

[Clive.]

In the sunshine at lunch time today we saw the queen bumblebees out and about. Five of them on some hyacinths. Usually see them out first on the bergenia but they are only just showing pink not fully out. I hope they get tucked back up somewhere tonight as there's several hours at 1C, three hours at zero and two hours at -1C suggested overnight.

Working with some 9' 6", 4" x 4" oak posts yesterday and today, with 2' 6" dug into the ground, the previous ones had ring of concrete around them too..... I know I've been doing it too...

Thank goodness for an easy tea tonight..Fish and chips delivered whilst I was stood on front lawn gawping up at planets...

C.

[Westi]

Must say I am enjoying this nice little spell of sunshine & how long it may be lasting. We have an early frost but doesn't last long before the sun burns it off.
Planting the no chit spuds tomorrow, plan was for yesterday but digging the ground elder found it did a turn on itself & was in amongst the dahlia's & when I finished this & removed the spud bed cover good old bindweed showed itself, but not deep. However I will have to twizzle & loosen it as I had to walk on it, but will just do bed by bed. Other job will be doing some sows, what seedlings are up are fine, but March tomorrow so time for the next batch & think I might sneak some direct sows in the tunnel as max temp in there is around 30C & min holding round 10C despite my DIY repairs.

[Westi]

Colder than it appeared this morning even though the frost burned off quickly I found the beds were frozen so spuds remain in they bag out of mice/rats way. Plenty of little chores to do so some reward in getting these little bits done, even though only I really note the difference. Mist for next couple of days rather than frost, hopefully from the north rather than the Solent or it will be around longer, or even better it just doesn't show!

[Clive.]

Trip to one local garden centre this morning to partake of their car wash...but as it was just opening time thought I should pop in...came out with a couple of packets of seeds...another of those make it like it used to be silly dreams..lettuce in the cold frame..
Then called at another nearer home...and came out with a Sarcococca....to maybe go just across from the house back door on the end of the border that I was fiddling with last year. Interesting purchase for someone whose sense of smell comes and goes on a good day...!
I then had it in my head to go and fork over ready for this and the other bits that I have to go in there, as the area needs cleansing attention....but ended up digging a strip of ground ready to push some broad bean seeds in sometime soon...

C.