Kitchen Garden Forum

Something that I have noticed and think is a real shame is, over the last few months we have had a few new members ask questions, but don’t bother coming back on the forum, so don’t get to see the replies…..whether they are hoping for an instant answer and that is the reason, i’m not sure!

I think you could be right OH regarding quicker answers. I do try to remember to reply & ask them to hold on until those that know answer is back on, but also notice when they have an answer sometimes there is no evidence they have read it. It also fits in with the enigma that there are so many online at times but no new questions & wondered if they just went to the general KG site & not on the forum??

This is not a new phenomenon, been going on for years, baffles me, I used to moderate a forum, we used to get all sorts, sometimes they were spammers trying to sneak in first with a question and then hit the forum later with advertising or sometimes even worse stuff.

Another cold wet miserable day, forecast suggests it might creep above 10°.

We are lucky here, after a very chilly start, it’s not a bad day at all….at the moment!

Got a barrowful of little jobs done this morning, so rather pleased with myself….. digging new potatoes, pulling a few carrots and going to see if there are enough broad beans ready, next job!

14 degrees and the odd shower here, not quite high summer, but not too bad.

Have had a weekend hoeing sowing and mowing...and potting up some begonias in the poly tunnel during a wet spell...the sowing I was keen to get done as time is racing on and there seems to be quite a dose of rain in the forecast overnight and tomorrow...I didn't water along the seed drills having seen the forecast...
When checking the forecast over lunch I see that there was some of those hailstones listed too....

C.

The weather certainly is getting less predictable….looks like a lot of my mowing plans for the coming week, are going to be altered yet again….don’t think I have had a single week this year, where I haven’t had to alter my work plans!

On a positive note, i’ve had to do very little watering this year, apart from containers and pots, at various jobs!

I was kinda hoping the bit of rain we got at home yesterday passed over the plot, but no such luck, so watering it was. One of the taps on the site had a mega leak under the lane & as on the mains they had to turn the whole sites water off until the council fix it tomorrow. The number of people who threw little hissy fits not being able water & just got back in their car & went home was also surprising. Mind those that stayed emptied the throughs as well so if they come back tomorrow they won't be able to water either. I'm glad I've got the butts & the Trug's!

I finished the front flower beds so all looking tidy, but instead of weeding inside the plot I got distracted by the dead halt in growth of some baby plants at the back so did some investigation. Despite digging these beds quite deep & adding my compost they were completely compacted 6 - 8" or so down. It is not clay which was my first thought as same soil colour....Maybe my old compost but that wasn't a layer but mixed?? Anyway I dug every wee baby plant & gave them a soak while I broke through this layer. Had to do it on hands & knees with the Japanese knife as way too hard to get the fork in, but actually only about the knife blade depth & normal loose soil below & it broke up readily with whacks from the blunt side of the knife. All the babies planted again so fingers crossed they progress now.

Just finished watering yesterday, the gloriously sunny day that it was, when it tipped it down! Honestly the only thing growing in this weather seems to be the weeds. My tatties are leggy, my chard is unsure, mange tout are starting to give some pods but generally it’s not warm enough for anything to think ooo lets get our roots on and get up there. Even the acanthus I put in haven’t grown a jot. Compare that with the sticky willies which have taken over the garden!

On a side note I was in a conference call that was demo’ing new tec and happily it was Scottish… ‘cause when they wanted a phrase to pop into the generator I said how to get rid of sticky willies in the garden… didn’t think about what I’d said (pure mind you see bwahahaha) the Scots laughed as they all knew what I meant but the lecturer said mebbe not as I’m not sure what we’ll get back lol.

I believe today's rain started about 2am...certainly heard traffic swishing past about that time. Pouring down at going to work time and 25mm amassed in the rain gauge. Should have wetted in the clary seed that I sowed the other day, it usually goes well if you can catch a dose of wet just after sowing....so it was welcome rain, as long as we now get some dry.

Gorgeous sunny evening now, a little windy...about to put some washing out...hopefully just the job...but I am aware that the line is getting a little tired.....

C.

I remember as a lad, my Mum doing all the weeks washing by hand, hanging it out on the line, only to find out later the line had broke and the washing was all dirty again….gosh she had some tough times!

Annoying day, every time 'Mr' & I tried to buy anything it came up as card declined. Mr spent ages pressing buttons to actual speak to someone - (my tip if stuck in this press nonsense is to just stay on line & not press any buttons as with patience they eventually get a human to answer not their computer). Anyway his human said he would fix it & give it 3hrs then try - hmm 12 hrs later still nought! Our accounts not touched just won't let us pay for anything & declining our cards.

Anyway after ranting quite a bit I went on the bank site this evening & found they were still answering the contact us messaging. Chatted with a nice guy with a foreign name & he did say it was handed over to the fraud experts & finished the chat before I could ask the when/why questions. Then a nice Nancy (probs not the actual name), came on when I did not leave but I now actually have the number for their fraud team. It is logged as maintenance required on our debit cards as there was likely an attempt to scan our cards from a distance but the bank has this covered by total block over a few £'s for what would be considered our regular spending & just the supermarket & like, not online.

I need to lay down in a dark room... or go to the plot!

Wher have I been all these years? Today we had some stewed Red apricots. Not just red skinned but red fleshed too. Presumably a foreign variety?
They had a slightly different flavour from the orange fleshed ones.

What next I wonder? Red skinned bananas?

Oh no Westi, what a pain. Hope it is sorted soon. These companies are quick to take our money but slow to respond when there are any issues.