WHAT JOBS ARE WE DOING IN THE GARDEN TODAY 2018

Discussion in 'General Gardening Discussion' started by ARMANDII, Jan 1, 2018.

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  1. Loki

    Loki Total Gardener

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    Pot noodle pots usually work better! But who wants to admit to eating them?
     
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    • ARMANDII

      ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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      You're not supposed to eat the Pots, Loki, just the contents of the Pots:dunno::doh::heehee:
       
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      • luciusmaximus

        luciusmaximus Total Gardener

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        It's in what was going to be my secret garden, which is rectangular area behind the shed and sheltered from the prevailing winds. Completely open to the rain. I realised last year that although the space has lovely dappled light in spring and autumn it is in deep shade during summer. I didn't want to cut down/ back trees to let more light in as would lose privacy.

        My heap is waist high now ( I'm 5 ft 10 ins tall ), approximately 4 ft wide and composed of used bunny/piggy hay, some small twigs, fruit and veg and cardboard/paper. I've put bread and uncooked pasta in too - advice online says you can if you don't mind ratties and mice. If you live in an urban area then you might want to omit these foods. I've added a little bit of the pet rats wood pellet litter, its made from untreated wood and the rats eat a vegetarian diet. I use the litter on the wood burner too so didn't have a lot to add to my heap. Will have more once we don't need the fire. I haven't had any fresh garden clippings to add yet. I try to make layers of each material.

        Not much seems to be happening at moment, probably due to time of year. Doesn't seem to be generating any heat - I have pushed my hand in a few times. I'm hoping once we get some warm spring sunshine things will start to happen. I have no idea if what I am doing will work. If it doesn't make compost it will likely make a home for the wildlife anyway, so I'll be happy with that. I'd like to make another heap that's in direct sunlight, just need to find the right spot. I would like the kind of compost heap ARMANDII has :) :snorky:. Also want to try Shiney's idea of the grass cuttings heap. I tried it a few years ago but realised after reading his reply to me about composting that I didn't make it large enough.

        Good luck toppington :).
         
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        • Jack Sparrow

          Jack Sparrow Total Gardener

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          7891B111-C969-45C4-9944-B56B2C0C5788.jpeg

          What is this white stuff in my snowdrop pot? I assume it’s mould of some kind. The pot contains multipurpose compost and bonemeal. I keep it damp but not soaking. It’s in the sun virtually all day. Help please.

          G.
           
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          • Perki

            Perki Total Gardener

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            The white mould is quite common with multi - compost, I haven't notice it do any damage to plants. I ruffle the top layer of compost when it start bugging me
             
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            • 2nd_bassoon

              2nd_bassoon Super Gardener

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              Half day off work this afternoon so had a bit of a potter round the garden doing odd jobs and making a list of things that need doing in the next few weeks. The hen house is decidely worse for wear this winter; we're patching it up to get through but I suspect a new purchase will be necessary soon. I've half an eye on one of the plastic Omlets, but not sure the budget will stretch to that...
               
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              • Perki

                Perki Total Gardener

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                Not done much gardening of my own in the past couple of weeks. Done a few little jobs for mum - levelled some stone flags and pointed them - made a trellis for the top of the fence - dug out a concrete post with a ridiculous amount of cement / bricks attached to it.

                Lifting the concrete post and falling funny resulted in my feeling rather :old: with a big bruise on my bum :heehee: :rolleyespink:. Manged to get some more seeds sown though - agastache golden jubilee - cephalaria gigantea - Cobea mix / alba - rhodochiton ( purple bell vine ) and some Verbena.

                My pelargoniums are germinating as well :hapydancsmil:
                 
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                • shiney

                  shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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                  Mine are just open to all the weather conditions. It doesn't make a lot of difference if the heap is big enough :blue thumb:
                   
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                  • shiney

                    shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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                    I'd be inclined to just remove the very top layer, add a little more fresh compost, just a very light watering and then only water from the bottom. Once the top layer dries out you are less likely to get any form of fungus. The rest of the compost should soak up the water from the bottom if you give the pot a slightly bigger saucer to sit in. It's the roots that need the water.
                     
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                    • Trunky

                      Trunky ...who nose about gardening

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                      As promised, a photo of the log store I finished making from various scrap timber yesterday.

                      Those of you blessed with DIY skills look away now, it's not a pretty sight. :redface:

                      DSC09903 - Copy.JPG
                       
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                      • Sheal

                        Sheal Total Gardener

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                        There's nothing wrong with that Trunky, it has a rustic look and blends into the background nicely. :thumbsup:
                         
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                        • ARMANDII

                          ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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                          Works for me, Trunky:dunno::thumbsup::love30::snorky:
                           
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                          • shiney

                            shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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                            Ten times better than I could do! :thumbsup:

                            EDIT:- Mrs Shiney just looked over my shoulder and disagreed with me. She says it's a hundred times better than I can do! :sad: :lunapic 130165696578242 5:
                             
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                            • ARMANDII

                              ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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                              I had a amble around the garden, with a thick warm jacket on, to get a measure of what needs doing when the weather is milder. I've got around 40 or so Bearded Irises in large pots, [some of them courtesy of Noisette:thumbsup::love30::snorky:] which are doing very nicely and I have great hopes for them this year, The narrow paths need brushing from wind driven debris, but that's a "tomorrow" job. I've cut back the 50 to 60 Clematis that grow on each side of the Trellis Entrance to the garden as I was having to sidle my way through before the pruning. I always carry a pair of sharp Scissors and a pair of Secateurs when ambling around the garden, so I was cutting/pruning the odd brown stalk or leaf that needed it. The roses can wait for their annual pruning until the second week of March, but they all look healthy enough. The 8 or so climbing Roses that line the West bank of the Wildlife pond have got a little unruly so will need reducing in height with the long pole Hedge Trimmer, while the Ivy on the bottom back lane fence has reached around 12' in height so that will need a haircut.
                              There's also about 36 pots of Tete a Tete Narcissus from last year that need planting alongside with those already planted on the West side of the Observatory, so I need to get a move on there.:heehee: Along the East Gable end of the House is part of my small "nursery" where I have a couple of large 4' long by 2' planters filled with pots of different varieties of Primroses, Echinacea's, Shasta Daisies, and other plants which are looking quite happy and ready for planting in March. I confess that that area is my "untidy" area where bags of sand, gravel, compost are lined ready for use, while there is a heap of prunings from the Acer Brilliantissimum and other shrubs which will be burnt in the small Chimenea that seems to stand all the weather without any problems.
                              Some of the plants I bought late last year and early this year, including the Climbing Rose "creme de la creme", are standing in pots in a sheltered area. I will leave the "creme de la creme" to settle into it's pot until the early Summer and then plant it against the South side of the Arbour.
                              I've also bought several packets of Lupin seed varieties as I want to grow them and plant them in drifts in the borders as a feature for this year. So plenty to think about and plenty to do.:coffee::snorky:
                               
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                              • Perki

                                Perki Total Gardener

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                                You've got plenty to do Aramdii. Lupins never last long here, unless there protected before flowering they don't get chance and as soon they've finished flowering the slugs demolish them anyway.
                                 
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