What are we doing in the garden 2025

I have seen a few slow worms in this garden, mainly dead ones the cat caught. They are quite beautiful when seen close up. They enjoy compost heaps because of the warmth and quiet but also enjoy getting under large stones. I have never seen a hedgehog in this garden, I did use to find "calling cards" on the steps down to the patio and on the patio but not seen any for the last couple of years. I also had a jenny wren each year, it used to run around amongst my containers like a mouse, not seen one this year so far, or heard one.
My seeds are coming through at a rate of knots, hopefully no damping off.
Sowed runner beans, french beans, peas, dwarf peas and mange tout yesterday, at last.
My daughter has challenged me to grow some carrots.

 

@Goldenlily26
Is your soil not suited to carrots or is it something you have tried to grow in the past and it never works for you. I think we all have something that , try as we might, it just wont grow for us. Carrots can be difficult to germinate but it should be ideal right now. So what variety are you going for?

 

I have grown carrots here until a few years back then each year I lost them to carrot fly and gave up trying. The best results I ever had was when I turned an old wooden kitchen cabinet onto its back, removed the shelves, doors etc. and filled it with compost. I was able to use it for several years before it finally fell apart with rot. Excellent sized carrots and easy to care for. My garden soil is good for carrots, thin, gritty, low fertility but carrot fly got the better of me.
I have just watched a U tube demo., of growing carrots in oil drums etc. I had thought of using drainpipes, in the greenhouse, to see if that works. The amount of work the chap put into his prep. was awe inspiring and too committed for me.
My family are so competitive! We are always challenging each other to grow something or other. Just for fun, but hell bent on winning! Sad really we haven't got anything better to do with our time!
I haven't decided on variety yet, I know there will be exhibition ones out there somewhere.
I always grow Enorma runner beans, not to show but because the beans are always straight. Curly beans really annoy me when slicing them!
Do you have any suggestions for exhibition sized carrot varieties?

 

@Robert Bowen, far west of West Sussex for my slowworms, though it is not unlike Kent here, in terms of climate, etc.

 

I have just planted out a couple of courgette "Defender" plants in my raised bed, having given it a good soaking - it was bone dry right to the bottom - and added some garden compost.
I put a couple of my Cosmos Sulphureus seedlings in with them. Might add a borage too because I've got some coming up around the garden.

Yesterday I planted out 4 courgette "Shooting Star". These are supposed to be climbers, which I've never tried before. All my courgette plants are looking great, much better than last year.

I then cut some willow shoots from the old goat willow stump; I'm going to make some willow water and then use it to try rooting Dahlia shoots.

 

Crikey ! That sounds very challenging. I have never had a go at growing veg for size so i cant advise anything suitable . Some tall pots might cure the carrot fly , am i right in thinking they only fly at low level? Every sowing i made of carrots last year was munched by slugs , never had the problem before . Good luck with the carrots , i am sure someone can advise you on some award winning massive carrots.

 

I wish someone would advise supermarkets on where to source award winning carrots of any size. The ones on offer are so hard and dry they are almost impossible to eat raw.

I have loads of yellow Welsh poppies and was very disappointed to find the free plant in the pot with my Corydalis Blue Panda has turned out to be one!

 

We joined others in the village for the garden club visit this morning. Amazing plants with (for me) the best were the huge assortments of irises and the magnificent acers. That is not to say the rest of the garden was not good, it all was and again great to share, natter, drink tea/coffee and eat cake!

 

The promise of home made cake , on its own , would have got me there.

 

Been up the ladder again, dealing with the jasmine.
Will be potting on seedlings this afternoon.

 

@Robert Bowen the cakes used to be mega mega mega ......so it really had to slow down. Too much time was been taken and spent on the cakes. Even though as visitors we contribute £1 to the hosts it certainly didn't cover the costs. So now hosts are kindly asked to just make do with biscuits/small cakes/savoury cheese straws for instance. Still a great morning and time to meet up with others in the village.

 

NDN cut back some of his bordering shrubs, including overhanging bits of mine (fine) but loads of brambles and overgrown bits now revealed behind my Rhododendrons. More work but be good to get the air and light through. I’ve made a start anyway, but just applying antiseptic to some bramble scrams as I foolishly set to work in knee length shorts.

 

Neighbours were in the stream hacking back ivy and low hanging branches from an elderly chap's stream 'frontage'. It's terribly overgrown and is damming the stream, plus making our side very dark in one corner.
I have filled more pots and have 1 tomato still to plant, but it got too hot. We filled the dogs' pool and I was sorely tempted to dangle my feet in!

 

Today I divided a grass, Uncinia rubra, as it looked as if it was getting potbound and used the divisions to fill two gaps in my borders. I gave the box ball in a container at the front door a trim for the first time, looking much smarter now. This led to trimming the low hedge of Euonymus Green Spire alongside my sitting area for the first time. I planted it there to discourage the blackbirds from kicking soil from the border onto the paving and it has worked . I then tidied up a couple of mature Phormiums, removing all the brown, yellowed and damaged leaves with a sharp pair of scissors. The lawn has stopped growing now and is going brown. The rain forecast for next week will be welcomed .