What are we doing in the garden 2025

oops!

 

Volunteer day at Capel Manor, mostly leaf clearing, 2 skip bags full, mostly from a deciduous magnolia so rather large leaves, even squashing them down they take up a lot of space.

 

Wrap up warm, @shiney. You need to be back to full fitness for supervising the new greenhouse installation.

 

Hi,

Three hours digging up more of my couch grass crop this morning; the rain didn't arrive but at 8 o'clock this morning I donned my waterproofs and got stuck in but it's been unpleasant buffeted around in the strong breeze; warm enough though; rain forecast again after dinner but I'll look out of the window which is more accurate; if it's not raining I'll carry on where I left off.

Kind regards, Col.

 

Filling in and putting up some reinforcement for where the badgers are coming in. The trail camera has picked up 3 but we think there are more. Yes I know they will start coming in somewhere else but the mess they have made in the orchard is an accident waiting to happen to us. They have all the fields behind us and we would like them to stay there please.
Collected more fallen leaves.
Dug up another volunteer walnut but sorry this one has to go on the compost as we already have 3.

 

Have you tried those pickled walnuts yet.

 

@pete no we haven't. Many say we should wait until the festive season. A bit nervous though as this is the first time we have done them so maybe sneak a few before hand. Thank you for remembering we had done them earlier on this year.

 

Oh no...the Man Flu! We'll make a rota to relieve Mrs Shiney daily to give her some free time whilst we rustle up some beef tea and Sky Sports for the patient.

Jokes aside, get well soon @shiney! It's rubbish to be poorly, but if you just do exactly what Mrs Shiney tells you to do you'll be up and abouts in no time.

Looking forward to hearing on the updates on how the the new Crystal Palace is coming along.

Get well soon @shiney

 

Hi,

Get well soon @shiney I hope you don't have a nose like Rudolf.

I too never watch sports.

Four and a half hours on my hands and knees using a hand trowel yesterday proved quite painful; I'll have to limit myself more otherwise I'll end up with repetitive strain. I'm awaiting daylight then I can head up the garden; not cold but a bit chilly with a strong breeze. Every day is a day nearer springtime.

Kind regards, Col.

 

I know the feeling, my neigbour over the back fence has one and it dumps huge amounts.

 

I haven't been out in the garden for over a week as I've spent all my days visiting hubby, who was in hosptal again. Now he's back home I have time to catch up - what a mess the garden had become. Annuals gone to mush and some still hanging on their canes. Leaves everywhere. Baby brambles springing up. Animal poo on the flowerbeds- I think it's cat poo. I was quite ashamed of the state of both the front and back gardens. So yesterday all have been dealt with and it gave me a good workout.

The plants in the greenhouse have behaved. I brought my Xmas cactus indoors as there were lots of flower buds. But after a week the buds were less in number and there were magenta coloured blobs of thick slime on the leaves. So I spent some time inspecting every part to find a small slug. Still some flowers left.

My poinsettia that I kept from last year is more like a shrub. It will only fit in the hall as it's so big. It's mainly dark green, but there are bright pink flowers/new growth coming, so let's see what it does.

 

Hi,

The best of luck to your husband @cactus_girl

I started at 8:30 this morning up the garden but after an hour I couldn't stand any more; I was well wrapped up; heavy site coat with hood up; warm beanie hat; waterproof gloves; short wellies and waterproof leggings; I feel frozen; stepping out to the patio I thought it's not too cold and I was eager to put in a couple of hours grafting.

The powerful wind is bitterly cold and was slamming into my back; it was kicking up lots of dust; yes dust after so much recent heavy rain. The hour wasn't wasted because I did quite a bit of work. Back indoors I headed to the bathroom to find I looked like I'd done another shift down the pit; I had to wash my face and clear my eyes. I was fully exposed on the valley side but it is late November so this kind of weather is expected. Gusts up to 42mph and I've felt full force.



Very similar forecast to yesterdays forecast and not a drop of rain all day yesterday; if it doesn't rain I'll head up the garden immediately after dinner but will collect my safety goggles from the workshop first; eyes are precious. My late chum Clive once told me I wasn't the ugliest guy he'd ever met but certainly the second ugliest; if I carry on adding all this winter and safety gear just to do a bit of gardening passers by will think an alien is working in my garden.

With four weeks to Christmas as long as it doesn't snow I'll achieve my dream of clearing the couch grass from the middle meadow by Christmas.

I'll put on a second jumper after dinner then the sun will clear the giant blue spruce and be full on me; gardening is interesting and is keeping me fit.

Kind regards, Col.