Kitchen Garden Forum

I also saw the candles under clay pots & did just one for a wee test. I felt it worked in it's little 5' area, but it has to be a big fat church candle & on a pot under a pot, not a tea light which did nothing at all. That would end up with a lot of pots in the way!

I am waiting to see someone come up with a DIY ground source heat pump which would certainly help. I suspect if you have several hours to spare to look online & not go into brain freeze there is probably lots of ideas out there that are easy DIY & work. I'm obviously excluded from this search because as you know my DIY skills are nought!

Candles aren't cheap either!!..........................or clay pots....................

The candle was a scented one I got as a Xmas pressie as I don't like the idea of lit candles in the house with the inquisitive critters. I have no idea what the scent was as candle was well old, but a pretty disgusting unidentifiable smell in tunnel lingered longer than the candle lasted! I picked up the clay pots off the freebie table we have years ago. Only 2 big ones but lots of really little ones! Plan with the little ones was to make one of those theatre things & I have planted a some on a ledge but there greatest benefit to me was plugging the rat runs around the shed! Worked a treat!

Gutting, yesterday,s thunderstorm has totally finished off the blossoms on our magnolia and camellia bushes.. they are around for far too short a period.

Contemplating sowing my outdoor tomatoes this weekend for window sill germination. Is this still a little premature do you think? Have to rely on Mr Primrose now to do all the planting out so don,t want to risk the procedure of him having to cover them at night if it gets too cold.

We now have wall to wall sunshine, but there was another frost overnight, winter has not let go up here yet, I have stuff in the greenhouse, but nothing out side yet, Shallots will need planting in the next couple of weeks really.

We have had some really sharp frosts near the end of May, for the last few years but, I still get stuff in and cover what I can….if not, it gets a bit late in the year for some things.

I think I'll just have to sow the tomatoes now and bite the bullet on the possible late frosts.
It's beautiful here this morning. But Mr Primrose has just had another cost of living shock. Went to B &Q for a tin of lacquer as he needs to rub down and revarnish a couple of tatty looking outdoor window sills. £29 please ! Even doing DIY stuff like this, to keep their homes in reasonable condition, will become beyond the reach of hard up families at these prices!

It’s scary times, Primrose…..I don’t mind admitting, i’m finding things a bit tight at the moment…..

Due to my inability to drive far the moment, we had a delivery from Sainsburys(other supermarkets are available) yesterday, blimey not sure we will do that very often.

I agree Burnie, I don’t think Sainsburys are a patch on Fortnum&Masons….

I don't think they will do a £1.50 delivery to the NE of Scotland though!

Looks like no frosts down here now, looking at the long range forecast. I will be planting out the summer leeks out but they will be covered anyway to dissuade the leek moths & allium leek miner, although they shouldn't be out I don't want this years leeks decimated & what I read about the grubs is they have a keen sense of smell & can travel a wee distance when the time is right. I have dug over the old bed so hope the birds found them all! The cabbage & cauls's will also go in. Then after finishing excavating the errant raspberries in the strawberry beds I will do some direct sows.

When I went down this morning about 8am the tunnel temp was already 27C, so I also best get planting some of the bigger more progressed Toms & the Aubergine & Peppers are huge & need going in so they can be acclimatised to the huge temp as well! Busy couple of days ahead for me, but I've been sitting on my hands too long!

At last I have got the second row of broad beans sown in the back garden today. We had another dose of rain on Thursday night and a rather cool night last night that had lifted the wet again so it was a while before it was dry enough to get on today.
It's been better than advertised today with much sunshine but wind now back in the East this evening..

I have weeded and cultivated a strip outside of the area that I got Winter dug, this is for the single row of, new to me, Jazzy potatoes. There were a few seed row leeks abandoned in this area, so the best of these went with my fishcake and chips tea a few mins ago.

I had a pace out for the pea row locations so best be on with that tomorrow if possible as the rain is back for Monday...

C.

All good plans hey? I went into the weeding zone so strawberry beds, kale bed, all onions, shallots, garlics weeded along with the asparagus beds. Lots of weeds & lots of trips to the compost bin which will already need the 2nd board adding. Deffo will tackle the sowing & planting tomorrow - I've got the mesh & netting out ready! (Well hopefully)!

..and forgot to add that I'm on stewed rhubarb for pud

C/