Kitchen Garden Forum

We had a very enjoyable day at Harrogate Show yesterday and I managed to only buy plants I had a space for - three different coloured, beautifully scented Phlox that perfumed the car all the way home. I managed to find a stall selling elephant garlic and bought a big chunky one with numerous cloves on. It was Robinsons seeds and plants and they had a good offer on seeds too. Also saw Steve and Emma on the stage doing their bit to enthuse gardeners.

I'm doing a complete review of what I'm growing next year, trying a few new ones but mainly only growing my favourites and less of everything except perhaps beetroot. I'm not growing anything I've found awkward or difficult or slug magnets and I'm relocating and buying new plants for the herb bed. I also think that I'll grow strips of flowers between beds in all the space I've freed up.

Some fantastic landscapes Tiger and certainly enough fresh air up there to clear any headaches. Wonderful feeling of freedom it must give to be walking up there. Makes me realise just how crowded together we all are in our towns and cities and why we need to fight hard to value and keep what tiny open spaces we have left before we all go stir crazy.

Another better day yesterday. Got some grass cut for the first time for a while and planted garlic and Winter onion sets.

I usually do a bit of foraging this time of year, but the hills were pretty bear yesterday, no Blae berries or Lingons to be found, though I was moving a bit quicker than normal due to the inclement conditions. I passed one man on the hill and bumped into a couple of dog walkers down by the Loch, that was it for the whole day, I saw more Mountain Hares than people, which is how I prefer it lol.

No idea where Mrs S saw frost prediction, lows overnight over weekend are predicted as 9 > 10 as far as I can see.

Just purchased online our Malvern Autumn Show tickets for next Saturday.
Mrs S will also be going with her 'gardening club' work colleagues on Sunday

https://www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/malvern-autumn-show

I would loved to have gone but unfortunately my wife will be in hospital

You two are having a tough time lately robo. Hope all goes well for your wife.

I took down my climbing bean poles today, stored them away and got rid of all the foliage, chopping it up and putting it in the trench I,be dug for next season's tomato plants . It will all have composted down nicely by next June when I plant my tomatoes out.
Also got my elephant garlic planted and another punnet or living lettuce seedlings planted out under a cloche.
Garden gradually starting to look more autumnal now and less cluttered now all the beans and tomatoes have gone.

Started to look at what seeds I have and what I will need to buy, I got a lot a few weeks back in the Dobies half price sale, so at the moment(this could change) I only need to buy seed Potatoes and Butternut Squash, oh and new Parsnip seeds.

Spent yesterday recoating back garden fence. Found when it had dried we absolutely hated the colour! It didn,t seem to resemble the shade on the tester pot at all. So today we had to go back to B&Q to find something else and have now finished the chore with aching arms and shoulders. . Why is it that when you paint wood the shade on a colour card often doesn't seem to resemble the colour you end up with? And, of course, paint colours can look very different in bright sunlight as opposed to heavy cloud.

Shocked at the price of quality fence preservatives. Still it was ten years since it was last done so suppose one must expect inflation to have taken its toll.

My mate made fence paint as a business for years he has just gone into semi retirement he now only sells paint he won't make it anymore , the price of it is ridiculous as it's over 95% water , our youngest daughter has given birth to a beautiful 8 pound baby girl this morning tomorrow my wife is in for a five hour operation what a week

robo wrote: our youngest daughter has given birth to a beautiful 8 pound baby girl this morning tomorrow my wife is in for a five hour operation what a week

Congratulations on birth of granddaughter and best wishes to Mrs R for todays Op.

Her operation was postponed this morning she has been taking clopidogrel as part of her stroke medication nobody told us to stop taking it seven days ago

robo wrote:Her operation was postponed this morning she has been taking clopidogrel as part of her stroke medication nobody told us to stop taking it seven days ago

Sometimes the mind just boggles.
I had to have a ultrasound scan recently, whilst dealing with the paperwork the doctor spoke as she wrote "Scan right side of face & neck"

Fortunately I actually heard this because she had written it from her viewpoint, in fact the scan was needed on my left side of face & neck

Wishing your wife well.

Thanks pa snip and primrose to say I'm shocked is an understatement as it was all discussed at the pre op yesterday when they decided it should be ok ,we arrived at the hospital at 7 am this morning as she had to have a blood test prior to going to the ward we sat in the reception at the ward until 9 am when we were told to home