Kitchen Garden Forum

The little blighter. I feel the same, they have been destroying my garden for years. Coming right up to the patio and trying to 'dig' the furniture cushions and ruining them. Pooing on everything and generally being an absolute bl**dy nuisance.

I finished cutting a load of topiary today at one of my jobs, so they all look nice and sharp for the Winter….

Trouble is tree huggers have taken over the world and they don't recognise the term vermin. Probably don't like me shooting ground rats and tree rats with my air rifle.

I'm surprised we even have him as he must go around the supermarket parking area & garden centre who are our plot neighbours. Both deal with food & must have rigid rules regarding the external environment as well, but of cause they aren't there at night & lights on! Mind I've never had any poo on the plot & haven't seen any on the paths into the site, which is one of the main reasons I would like some confirmation...I can find it pretty easily in the woods!

Finally my lovely neighbour is back in action & all the bits & bobs I've bought like compost etc are being taken down to the plot tomorrow. It's a real pain with deliveries to the plot now as most suppliers will only deliver to the home address, even though I would arrange to be down there to accept & even said I would sign a disclaimer if I couldn't be down. I think it's because they all use the big boy delivery firms like 'A' etc & it is not considered a residence.

He's my go to for advice so I will be interested to see what he suggests regarding moving the fox as well. I'm pretty sure he will have something in his arsenal of knowledge. He will be pretty amazed when he sees the damage to the tunnel for sure!

Started cutting the big Holly hedges at the Big house…wanted to get one section done, as it runs along a border that is full of snowdrops and they are well advanced…..they get earlier and earlier each year!
Are your early ones showing any buds yet, Clive?

Certainly where some apple tree pruning has been taking place there is evidence of snowdrops points...this is in an area where they are usually a little late running.
I was planting a new prunus tai-haku over the south side of the big garden and had to walk on an area where snowdrop prevail and there I didn't notice any shoots as yet. I always happily state that snowdrop are more to time in their flowering than any other element in the garden despite an often early initial showing. There is an early one, Queen Olga's snowdrop, that can be genuinely in flower in November..but the two locations where I know a couple to be locally..they have been having a poor few years and seem slower than the more regular types.

Meanwhile, today was re-assemble of greenhouse staging..and shuffle around some potted plants back into their usual, almost, locations.

...and in other news...I eagerly await delivery of fish and chips for tea..in the meantime..I'll go and stew some Newton Wonders for pud.

C.

Well nothing done in the garden today….either drizzle, or rain all day….did a bit of sitting in front of the fire instead.

It's bracingly chilly out today..I've had a visit to the big garden and back via the Co-op but maybe now after coffee I should see if my spade will start up

C.

Quite agree, Clive, just emptied the muck trailer….and the wet plastic sacks were quite cold on ones fingers.
Hope your spade doesn’t play up….

Spade started up ok...it's running on Hunter's chicken and mixed veg..not too sure how stable that fuel supply will be.....

C.

Tad breezy down here today but all settled down now. Even the dog was not overly interested in sniffing so fortunately we were back indoors quite quickly. Looking good to get down tomorrow & even some sunny breaks in the mix. I will have to unwrap all the things my neighbour took down & store them safely hidden as a priority seeing it is Xmas as no one will be down long & the unwelcome visitors are likely to visit. They did all the sheds in the front row last week, but it appears gate was left open!

If any time left I will be sorting the rose prunings & moving them to a new grab bag as they are in the wrong one. I had so many weeds for a while I experimented with throwing them in a new builders bag to see if they broke down quicker as it seemed much warmer in the bag, but as usual I was distracted & threw the roses on top. But I did remember & when I had a quick push aside of the rose stems it looked like some nice black soil in the bottom fully broken down. That will come in handy indeed & you never know might even get some reindeer droppings!

When I awoke this morning I was pleasantly greeted by a flock of Redwings in my orchard. Always had Fieldfares followed by Redwings in previous years. I have spotted Fieldfares when out walking and hope to see them soon around my home.

Barney

Today did not go quite to plan but got everything delivered sorted & tucked away. Strulched the strawberries on plot 1 & weeded the sneaky ones that popped up since I have been waiting for the Strulch. Then popped on Plot 2 to find that the compost bin due to be closed had somehow moved & tipped half the contents out, it is big, but I've just been filling the back so when close up time for it I could just put the boards in at the right height & rake it flat to cover. The ever so helpful chap down the road said it was probably a minor earthquake! Any chance to take the Mick!

It had pretty much buried 1/2 the front strawberries in about a foot of compost, which was handy as plan was to use some of it to top up this bed with a Strulch layer on top. It was not fun shovelling it back in as I had to find the strawberry plants so I didn't accidentally dig them & throw them away. I think what happened was that the rat runs underneath had collapsed causing the slippage maybe. Anyway got most back in & temp boarded, so secure if not finished. Just a weed & trim for the s'berry's after Xmas & they can then have their share back.

HAVE A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

A year on Westi’s allotments….thank you for sharing the highs and the lows, Westi, just shows what pleasure and a few hardships, allotments can provide through the year…..you really are the forums superstar….