What are we doing in the garden 2025

I've used many paints, oils and stains on wooden furniture and fencing over the years and definitely agree that Cuprinol products are the best. They're expensive though, especially the Garden Shades range, but they work . With Garden Shades the instructions state in bold that you have to apply the second coat on the same day, within 8 hours, so that takes a bit of planning on how much you want to do in a day.

I've noticed that there's a slight colour difference in the new stretch of fencing and the older stretch which was done about four years ago. I'm going to give that older fencing a fresh coat when the weather allows. I doubt that anyone else would notice it, but I can .

 

This sounds like an ill-disguised excuse to buy more plants @CostasK . I agree with you, I tend to overplant and then move things around when they outgrow their space. Some perennials and most grasses do better without a mulch of manure as richer soils can encourage floppy growth and poor flowering. I just top those areas with bark to retain moisture and prevent weeds germinating.

 

@CostasK needs no excuse to buy plants!

 

I tend to mulch plants that disappear below ground over winter so hedychiums, dahlias and similar. I do find that some mulches provide shelter for slugs and with herbaceous plants they also have free food. I try and remember to move the mulch away a bit when spring comes round.

 

Didn't get as cold as was forecast and the dahlias in the ground are still alright, as are the impatiens although Thursday is forecast to be a cold one as well.

 

@ViewAhead it's always better with an excuse

@NigelJ that's a good point regarding slugs. I have a shaded border that slugs love, and I avoid bark chippings there for that reason (even if I use them elsewhere).

 

Spoke too soon about the potted Dahlia, when I got out there I realised it would be going black in the next day or so, I cut it back anyway. I also cut down and moved more potted begoinias that I'd missed, they are in the greenhouse now.

 

Dahlias in the ground all black this morning and the pineapple lily suffering badly. Picked yet more wonderful sized medlars and delivered them to another garden club member. Glad that they are being used.

 

@Retired glad that you liked the book that i recommended and the other book that you have and just bought.

 

Hi,

Thank you; I'm looking forward to receiving both books tomorrow @Logan but I keep being messed around by Parcel Force;


We've received your parcel from World of Books. Delivery is due:

Wednesday, 19 November 2025*

Delivery is estimated between:

10:35am and 2:35pm*
We won't need a signature. Not going to be in?

The last twice the parcels arrived a day or two later so hopefully now I've posted this the books will arrive on time?

I'm grounded for a while until the weather improves but it's going the wrong way with ice forecast; hopefully I'll have the books to read and I'm spending time in my recording studio but what I really want is to get cracking in the garden? I don't expect summer this time of the year but dry and 10C would be nice.

Kind regards, Col.

 

I spent a good part of my afternoon raking. Raking the leaves was easy but those stupid maple keys are a real pain to tease out of the grass. There are thousands of them and I noticed it hasn't finished dropping the whole lot.

The town will be around starting this Friday to suck up the stuff between the 21st and 28th. I'm really trying to get as much out there before they come because once they've been by, I will have to bag them. Come on trees, finish dropping, get on with it!!

I also moved the canna tubers in pots down to the cellar and under lights that will run from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. (low time of use leccy rates period) because I realized @pete was right. I only needed to put on the one 24" long LED so it won't cost much to run it.

 

Did they give you a tracking number and your welcome.

 

Hi,

Thanks for asking @Logan yes a tracking number is supplied; I'll be interested though to see if the books do arrive as stated. I've also bought a digging fork that Evri has just let me know they've got it. I'll post tomorrow with an update.

Pity I can't buy good weather too. Snow is forecast for the hills and I'm pretty near The Pennines on the exposed valley side; if I could see over the top of Castle hill I could see The Pennines.

Kind regards, Col.

 

Hi
@Retired that's good, fingers crossed.