Early Summer Bits and Bobs.

[Westi]

Seems weeding was all our tasks today. Strawberries all weeded & trimmed & absolutely loads of flowers on the ever bearing ones & 3 ripe ones. Got the bind weed out of the Autumn Raspberries, it was not the nice long rooted one but the little multiple root one so I did have a little cuss, then to finish off did the Asparagus beds so all in all I am happy, even though my trousers have mud caked knees!

Repeat performance tomorrow but not as many beds to weed, so think I will give Plum Beauty it's summer haircut, as it has really enjoyed this season & keeps attacking me & anyway it's earned it with the great harvest I got.

[Clive.]

The plum that's doing well this year at home here is the Pershore. I heeled it in at the top of the garden upon its arrival some years ago pending a move to the bottom end to replace a greengage...but the replace or any such move never happened so its firmly established and fruiting well in its long term "temporary" location.!
The first year it fruited the plums were so waxy that I chucked away the first ones I stewed as the resultant wax topped mess was horrible....so.?? have the plums got better.? or has my culinary expertise increased.? as the ones I had tonight were lovely

No hand weeding today...I was at first walking behind an edger machine
then behind a Hayter Harrier mower...leaving some strong stripes in a very green lawn that was pretty long and lush.

C.

[Clive.]

Home and straight in the bath tub.!..beech hedge cutting today...

Lovely hedges but filthy mucky even with all the washing of the rain they had on Saturday.

C.

[Westi]

I managed to cut back plum beauty but can't reach the top so that has to wait until my kindly neighbour comes down with his high reach lopper. I have so many piles of raspberry & blackberry stems & branches around now, but same kindly neighbour gave me one of those big fork lift bags so as weather report has changed & no rain tomorrow so I can sit down & just cut them down a bit more tomorrow so they all fit in the bag as been bending & crawling around a bit too much & my back is not happy at the moment. Our tip has above ground skips so you have to lug everything up steep stairs while the workers sit at the top, more interested in what you are throwing in rather than helping a bit so this bag & neighbour's assistance should be just one hike up.

I also tidied up & cut back the dried squash & pumpkin leaves & the extra long vines & gave them a little feed. The bonus is I excitedly found a Turks Turban turning the right colour! No change in the other varieties which remain orange but definitely they seem to taking on the correct shape & size. Very relieved!

[Primrose]

Mr Primrose bought a bitter melon (looks like an exremely spikey and bristly cucumber fruit) from our village market stall this week and I decided it might be fun to try and save any seeds to try and grow one.
For anybody who hasn't come across one the skin looks like a bristly hedgehog!

We had some in a Chinese stir fry today. My advice is "don't bother! . It,s extremely bitter and unpleasant and I can't imagine anybody eating this vegetable for pleasure. Has anybody come across them and are we missing something in the way it was cooked?

[Westi]

I've seen them but just the look of them was outside my comfort zone, so have restrained from buying. Maybe the stall holder will be there next week & has some tips or recipes?

[oldherbaceous]

The same as Ivy, Clive….the job I was doing this afternoon…yuk!

[Westi]

Well all the piles have been cut up & bagged up, not as casual & enjoyable as I anticipated as I have lost my good secateurs, so only had a cheap pair in the shed so now nursing blisters on my fingers, aching arms & it took ages! I did waste quite some time looking for my good cutters, including sifting through the compost bins; I did find my old metal tape measure buried & rusted though. No show, of the cutters so think I left them when I tidied the outside bed of roses, as I did trim them all back first then went back & weeded.
Someone has themselves a very good pair of secateurs, & I am out of pocket buying another pair. They are bright yellow so not easy to miss. Japanese ones that stay sharp for ages & just sit right in my hand as a hint to how expensive they are!

[Primrose]

So annoying when your old faithful gardening tools get lost. How many times have mine turned up rusty in a compost heap, along with our faithful Victorinox potato peeler!

[Westi]

I have 2 of these Japanese garden tools as the company used to be reasonably local & hubby liked going that way as a great bakery, so went in for a browse & chat about the products, as quite a wide ecliptic range from art stuff, clothes & other funny things, but all with a purpose, even if unknown what, as everything is Japanese. To compensate for his compulsive buys; (& my tuts) he bought the odd thing for me. The shears I have never misplaced as bright yellow, handles, but nearly every trip down I loose the Hori knife, I even resorted to painting the wooden handle, but muddy gloves soon give it camouflage! The wee company is now central London & the prices certainly reflect the new post code as £30 more now than the original!

I am planning going onto the allotment site FB page to see if anyone has a metal detector & wouldn't mind sweeping around, as although I have ordered a replacement I am still really peeved by loosing them.

[Geoff]

The only flashes I saw in the night sky were the raindrops in the outside lights when I let the dog out at bedtime.

[Primrose]

What you need Westi is one of those gadgets like you fit to your house keys. Just whistle and they respond. ,

[Clive.]

Raspberry cane cutting out and tying in today...that's the start of the gardening year in my book .

Felco No.2 being used...but hopefully not as green bin fill

C.

[Geoff]

Don't suppose a knife is any help Westi, free p&p https://www.qvsshop.co.uk/fiskars-foldi ... 3079-p.asp

[Clive.]

Bother, change of plan...very heavy rain showers... so got the old Dyson out instead and removed some of the garden from the house and put it back outside...

C.