Kitchen Garden Forum

Is everybody else suffering from this relentless wind? No, not the sprouts and beans type, the one that is blowing cold and viviously from the northeast at the moment. Everything is being battered in the garden as the wind sweeps down from the moors behind us. Luckily, we don't have this season's veggies growing outside yet, but the daffodils have been bent horizontal, and I daren't put out the seedlings which should be hardened off outside now. I do hope the direction changes in mid-week, as they are promising us. I suppose it could be worse and we could have snow still!

Dear Monika, i thnk everyone is getting this cold wind at the moment, luckily it's not blowing of the moors down here in Bedfordshire, the County of utter beauty by the way.

It will warm up soon.

blowing a hoolie here again today, but not cold. I can recommend not having one's mouth open when using peat free compost in this weather

Yes, we've had a horrible, drying, chilly wind for a couple of days here in the East Midlands. It's so annoying when you can see that lovely blue sky and you know how warm it could be if the wind would just drop! Seems to be easing off here thank goodness.

Plenty East wind out about in E.Lincs too...it gets to us first...straight off the North Sea.

We had blue sky...which was good news for our plant fair at work today...and the drying wind helped the grass car park...so no repeat of last years mud bath.!!

And this evenings blue sky had a Spitfire T9 flying in it..

Clive.

Ditto here in Somerset quite gusty and cold yesterday appears to have become more easterly today although not that cold got up to about 16/17c today, os was bearable on the plot, but I would not plant anything out, too darn windy and feel everything would dry up if left out at the moment. Getting better in the week I hear!!!

Compo

Wndy down here in Northants, too. Very frustrating as I purchased some poly tunnels off e bay this week and I want to get them up. I think they might blow away if I put them up now though!

The wind was slicing through me at the plot this weekend and the minute I stopped working I was freezing. As I have a very solid fence along the "windy" side, I dug out a large compost heap and made a nice patio area complete with hard standing and chairs. When Seedling and I sit down now the prevailing wind whistles straight overhead and the temperature is around 20 degrees warmer. What's more, our chairs are south facing, bliss...

I'll have the BBQ fixed up there for the summer too

Yes - on Saturday my 4-shelf mini greenhouse with its plastic cover was whipped off its feet, taking all the seedlings inside with it. My fault! I should have weighted the bottom shelf down with something heavy. Spent most of Saturday afternoon trying to rescue and replant what I could salvage.

Been cutting down a very tall (15metres+) old willow so on double extended aluminium ladders.. but sawing the old fashioned way (by hand) so lovely and warm...

Otherwise it's sunny but piercing wind in Staffordshire Moorlands.. the kind of weather that gives you a tan (of the wind swept look:-(

Dear Madasafish, please be careful cutting willow.
You may already know this, but when you cut a big branch, sometimes when they have only been cut half way through, they can suddenly split a long way back up the existing branch or trunk.
So extra care needs to be taken on ladder placing, and also not cutting to bigger piece off at a time.

I'm not trying to sound like one of those dreaded Health and Safety people.

I will make you jealous by telling you windswept English that when your east wind reached here there was not much strength in it - just a bit of cold.
Please feel free to get your own back next time we are lashed by westerly gales, and you just get the gentle breath of spring.

Alan

Dear Alan, i'm going to be watcing the weather forecasts with eager anticipation.

>Oldherbaceous
Thanks for the tip. Fortunately I take my time, cut under the branch first and then on top.. and when I hear the slightest cracking and see the saw joint start to widen, I climb down the ladder and run away:-)

We had a spectacular this pm: visitors in garden.. I exited ladder saying "it's due to fall, keep away " or similar.. and went to answer phone. Came back to find it had fallen perfectly in position: I understand it was quite entertaining..

All branches now removed safely except one vertical one: I've left it for tomorrow as sawing by hand and then cutting up the branches and sweeping up the mess is tiring...


Cold? What's that.. I've been perspiring nicely : eye goggles keep steaming up but essential in wind to keep sawdust out of eyes...