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Your gardening photos

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Comments

  • #1322
    10-10-20
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 10,141 ✭✭✭✭10-10-20


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124053877#Comment_124053877

    Steel wool and a splash of WD40.

    But sand as a protectant... isnt sand the mortal enemy of tools?



  • #1323
    dmcdona
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 5,785 ✭✭✭dmcdona


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124053877#Comment_124053877

    I use wire wool (fine grade) - painting/decorating section of most DIY stores. I've still got a bag of it I bought about 5 years ago. It's cheap enough if I remember.I I also use "ballistol" to oil all my knives/secateurs/loppers etc and hand tools. Cheap and available in a spray can or straight oil. It's food grade safe too.
    Hammers and stone tools get a going over with a wire brush on a drill then immediately rubbed with 3-in-1. Wooden handles get bees wax.

    A lot more than answering your direct question but hope it helps. And totally agree - hard to get really good quality tools - you must have been gutted, I would be too. But the good quality tools will take a fair bit of forgetfulness…



  • #1324
    Mr.Wemmick
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,336 ✭✭✭Mr.Wemmick


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124053931#Comment_124053931

    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124053897#Comment_124053897

    Thanks to you both. Great advice.

    Gutted is right. So difficult to find decent tools. Some are just expensive blunt rubbish making them quite dangerous to use, I find.

    ”I hate who steals my solitude without, in exchange, offering true company.” - F. Nietzsche



  • #1325
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 55,565 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    i usually use WD40 and wire wool to remove the rust then sharpen with a small diamond plate.



  • #1326
    dmcdona
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 5,785 ✭✭✭dmcdona


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124053971#Comment_124053971

    Never used to be that bothered but now, I'm sharpening my tools very regularly. Even my hand trowel… A dull tool really is a time waster and yes, dangerous.

    That said, I have had to "adjust" to working with razor sharp tools. Too many trips to the local pharmacy… But they make all the difference in good clean quick cuts.



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  • #1327
    dmcdona
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 5,785 ✭✭✭dmcdona


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124053897#Comment_124053897

    I've never used it but I'd assume salt mightn't go well with metal. But perhaps play sand rather than sharp sand might be ok? I think Mr. W is only doing that in mid use.

    I keep all my old socks, towels, duvet covers etc (washed!) and thus have a huge bag of really handy wipes. Work great on the tools and a clean sock with a spray or dash of oil is great for the last wipe before storage.



  • #1328
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 55,565 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124054020#Comment_124054020

    might not be the same with secateurs - but with other tools i use (chisels and similar) sharper is safer. less pressure required.



  • #1329
    New Home
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 80,816 Mod ✭✭✭✭New Home


    The finest sandpaper you can get and then some WD40?

    EDIT: Sorry, I posted before realising there was a whole other page after that question.



  • #1330
    New Home
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 80,816 Mod ✭✭✭✭New Home


    Screenshot_20251218-133748~2.png

    Everybody, now!

    "FEED THE WO-ORLD! Do they know it's Christmas time?"



  • #1331
    looksee
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 31,304 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    image.png image.png

    Where do ladybirds go in winter? Some of them form clusters on a very exposed, particularly vicious rosa rugosa in my garden!



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  • #1332
    Mr.Wemmick
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,336 ✭✭✭Mr.Wemmick


    Some potted bulb shoots peeking through the snow. The snow drops too are beginning to come up in the garden. A lovely sight.

    image.jpeg

    ”I hate who steals my solitude without, in exchange, offering true company.” - F. Nietzsche



  • #1333
    Cody montana
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,749 ✭✭✭Cody montana


    Good to see the snowdrops in full bloom.

    See a few crocuses up this morning.

    Warmer times ahead. 🙏



  • #1334
    looksee
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 31,304 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    I have a few snowdrops in flower, the big mass of them in a different spot are not flowering yet, crocuses coming through. What is a puzzle though is the daffodils. There is usually one clump of daffs in flower just before Christmas, and the rest coming into flower now. But - lots of buds but not a single flower yet. Nor at my neighbour's house, its usually a race between us.



  • #1335
    D-Lo Brown
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 69 ✭✭D-Lo Brown


    Dogwood I planted last year looks lovely. Will be gorgeous after another year if growth.

    Have 4 new Japanese maples planted last year too so an excited to see how they go. And 3 apple trees going into year 3!



  • #1336
    New Home
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 80,816 Mod ✭✭✭✭New Home


    Again, more "Found in the field" than "Gardening" proper, but... more fascinating fungi.

    Screenshot_20260208-145454~2.png Screenshot_20260208-145503~2.png Screenshot_20260208-145518~2.png

    Oh, and we got visitors today - a harem of pheasants! I hope they stick around somewhere safe.

    Screenshot_20260208-144054~3.png Screenshot_20260208-144054~2.png Screenshot_20260208-144202~2.png


  • #1337
    dmcdona
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 5,785 ✭✭✭dmcdona


    IMG_9689.jpeg

    Snowdrops have been out a good few weeks but this is the first daff of the year to show itself



  • #1338
    standardg60
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,589 ✭✭✭standardg60


    Now that's a wall!



  • #1339
    dmcdona
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 5,785 ✭✭✭dmcdona


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124218368#Comment_124218368

    amazing stonemason did that about 5 years ago - it was amazing to see that skill in action. He did about 100 metres in all. Not quite dry stone but you simply cannot see the mortar (no blocks in the middle either).

    It really sets off the colour of anything growing near it. I'm considering some climbing roses for it.



  • #1340
    miamee
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Regional East Moderators, Regional North West Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 13,244 Mod ✭✭✭✭miamee


    20260226_102010.png

    Quite happy with my dwarf daffodils and cyclamen at the front door. My snowdrops are a bit of a loss (growing slowly but no sign of any flowers) so they have been relegated to the back garden until they improve



  • #1341
    Cody montana
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,749 ✭✭✭Cody montana


    IMG_7691.jpeg

    Few bits of colour appearing



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  • #1342
    standardg60
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,589 ✭✭✭standardg60


    IMG_20260223_135436_HDR.jpg

    First brave Camellia flower here too, Spring is on the way finally.



  • #1343
    Mr.Wemmick
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,336 ✭✭✭Mr.Wemmick


    Lovely pics - gives us some hope after a very long grey wet winter.

    ”I hate who steals my solitude without, in exchange, offering true company.” - F. Nietzsche



  • #1344
    Mr.Wemmick
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,336 ✭✭✭Mr.Wemmick


    Happy to see some colour out in the garden in the sunshine today.

    image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg

    ”I hate who steals my solitude without, in exchange, offering true company.” - F. Nietzsche



  • #1345
    Deub
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,682 ✭✭✭Deub


    1000001055.jpg 1000001054.jpg

    Grape hyacinths are in full bloom right now. Lovely flowers and they grow like weeds. They multiply so quickly. They are forbidden in the vegs patch for this reason.

    (Sorry for the mess in the background)



  • #1346
    LeoD
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 876 ✭✭✭LeoD


    A bit of an impulse buy late last year but finally finished setting it up last weekend (bar filling the beds). 4m x 3m. Weed barrier only goes a few inches beyond the frame as not sure what to do outside yet but hopefully it'll keep the interior relatively weed free. No real plan yet but will probably start with something simple and edible in the beds and use the front half for starting flowers to plant out later.

    image.png


  • #1347
    Mr.Wemmick
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,336 ✭✭✭Mr.Wemmick


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124279121#Comment_124279121

    Great work there. It looks really good.

    ”I hate who steals my solitude without, in exchange, offering true company.” - F. Nietzsche



  • #1348
    dmcdona
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 5,785 ✭✭✭dmcdona


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124279121#Comment_124279121

    a bit hard to tell from the photos what kind of "gap" you have on the outside perimeter. What I've done is stood up timber planks on the outside perimeter, held in place with rebar stakes. They're about 150mm high, 25mm thick. That way, I can strim right along the perimeter without fear of damaging the tunnel. Then do a couple of rows with the lawnmower all around.

    That bit of spare membrane can be turned up in the inside of the tunnel, timber on the outside. Pop a bit of soil against the membrane and it should help keep weeds out.
    I have found some of the external weeds do get in but I'm pulling them out as soon as I see them. I'm not spending more than 30 mins a week doing that.

    Just on the weed proof membrane - you might be limited in growing large deep rooted veg (parsnips, carrots) but if you pick them small, they should be fine.

    Got my tunnel last September - noticed a surprising amount of condensation in the early days - now I keep at least a couple of windows open during the day - works a charm. No drips.

    Best of luck - perfect impulse buy!



  • #1349
    LeoD
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 876 ✭✭✭LeoD


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124279457#Comment_124279457

    Not sure what I'll do around the outside - making it up as I go along. Might extend membrane anything from 6" to 3'-4' and fill with stone out to a wooden border. I can always cut a hole in the membrane in the beds if necessary but for now was thinking of growing things that grow up rather than down - very technical I know:) Hopefully I'll have a more plant filled photo to share later in the summer.



  • #1350
    standardg60
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,589 ✭✭✭standardg60


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124280959#Comment_124280959

    Remove the weed membrane within the raised beds at least before you fill them. Otherwise they're akin to pots and you'll be cursing yourself with watering come the Summer. Regardless of what you grow everything will be happier and easier managed getting it's roots deep.



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  • #1351
    Cody montana
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,749 ✭✭✭Cody montana


    IMG_7779.jpeg

    Shot up in a week.



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