Today I did something in my Garden

scarepanda · 08-01-2021 9:03pm

My motto at the moment is little but often! A couple of hours in the afternoon while the toddler is napping! I want to redo the whole garden so have a decent amount of basic/prep jobs to be doing and I'm a massive beginner, especially with flowers!

I've the bed pretty much cleared now. Just have 1 cotoneaster left to take out but it's buried under some rubble that was frozen solid this afternoon.

Quick question, I have an overall plan for the flower bed, but no idea really of what actual plants I need/want to put in. With the lovely virus who knows how things will go with when garden centres will be open. So I'm half thinking about sowing some veg in the spot this year. Are there any veg in particular that would be beneficial to a flower bed prior to sowing flowers? The bed would be semi shade and currently fairly compacted.

SnowyMuckish · 08-01-2021 9:59pm

I bought a frost fleece for my ‘hardy’ salvia. They came through last winter with no problem and are ready to be positioned into the boarder next spring but I don’t know if they’ll manage this frost (although it’s not to cold here on the coast).

The fleece arrived 3 days ago, but I haven’t even opened the packet yet. Oh well :rolleyes:

charlesanto · 08-01-2021 10:03pm

scarepanda wrote: »

Are there any veg in particular that would be beneficial to a flower bed prior to sowing flowers? The bed would be semi shade and currently fairly compacted.

Potatoes have been traditionally used to break in new ground. A potato crop competes strongly with weeds, for light, water and nutrients. Previously added manure or garden compost may explain part of the improved soil condition. However, long experience of growing potatoes suggests to me that the potato plants themselves are responsible for improving the land into one of the most perfect crumbly soil textures that a garden can have.

LINK

looksee · 08-01-2021 11:39pm

Have to agree about the spuds. Whether its because you have to dig deepish and add sustenance and the leaves shade out weeds, I don't know. But the small bed I made last year for a few potatoes is lovely!

looksee · 15-01-2021 6:10pm

So the weather got a bit warmer yesterday and the day before, so we were out clearing a very bocketty bit of ground with a few mature trees that is going to get additional lower level planting to make a woodlandish area. We were clearing heaps of soil that had been taken out for a wall foundation - years ago - and had accumulated lots of rubbish (standard for the garden).

One item was a length of telegraph pole that was half buried. I didn't think I would be able to lift it but discovered it was half burned away underneath, and was also pretty rotten. So I moved it a couple of meters. A good while later there was movement and a vole clambered rather dizzily out of the end of the pole (which was upside down at this stage), followed by another one, and they scurried around rather confused. At this stage we reinstated it, right way up, and can only hope they found their way back in!

magicbastarder · 15-01-2021 6:13pm

i'd move that somewhere else - they're usually covered in tar or similar, not stuff you want contaminating the soil?

looksee · 15-01-2021 6:24pm

Its been there so long that I would think any contamination has been done by now! The surrounding weeds and vegetation didn't seem to be affected - or the voles

Anyway we moved it more or less ninety degrees and left it along the bottom of a wall so it would be accessible for voles but out of the way. There is the other half of the same pole a little distance away, which will also have to be moved when we get to it.

Hocus Focus · 16-01-2021 6:33pm

looksee wrote: »

Have to agree about the spuds. Whether its because you have to dig deepish and add sustenance and the leaves shade out weeds, I don't know. But the small bed I made last year for a few potatoes is lovely!

You have to dig when preparing the ground and again when harvesting. This helps to improve the soil texture and leave it prepared to receive the next seeding/planting for the next crop.

Reckless Abandonment · 16-01-2021 9:26pm

I cut the grass ... didn't think I'd get to do that
.

blackbox · 21-01-2021 3:57pm

I planted 2 Prunus Shirotae flowering cherries that had arrived from Future Forests.

SouthWesterly · 21-01-2021 11:24pm

Looks like I was mixing up fructose with starch. Went on what I was told.

Got a load of manure out on the garden today and tomorrow ("well my wife did!)

SouthWesterly · 23-01-2021 5:03pm

A photo of the garden this morning

kylith · 26-01-2021 3:59pm

So, something I want to do rather than something I have done: last year all my onions were destroyed with wireworm. I’m giving veggies a miss for now after last year was a complete write off. I’m guessing that if I plant summer bulbs i’ll Run into the same issue with wire worm, yes?

GreeBo · 26-01-2021 5:55pm

SouthWesterly wrote: »

A photo of the garden this morning

Looks like the day after Electric Picnic to me!

SouthWesterly · 29-01-2021 4:31pm

Killed 2 chickens today as they had stopped laying. Getting 5 more in the morning

beggars_bush · 29-01-2021 9:48pm

Started digging the veg garden today - tough going
Was completely oveerun with weeds and field grass as i had not touched it since pumpkins were harvested in October

Going to move a small polytunnel in the next few weeks and I'm making a plan of what to sow this year, aside from early and main crop spuds

Cushtie · 30-01-2021 1:10pm

Is it too early to mow the grass? Have put the house up for sale so was hoping to tidy up lawns a bit.

blackbox · 30-01-2021 1:27pm

Cushtie wrote: »

Is it too early to mow the grass? Have put the house up for sale so was hoping to tidy up lawns a bit.

If you get a bit of dry weather it shouldn't do any harm as long as you set the mower fairly high.

magicbastarder · 30-01-2021 1:28pm

blackbox wrote: »

If you get a bit of dry weather

wry chuckle here.

SouthWesterly · 30-01-2021 7:35pm

beggars_bush wrote: »

Started digging the veg garden today - tough going
Was completely oveerun with weeds and field grass as i had not touched it since pumpkins were harvested in October

Going to move a small polytunnel in the next few weeks and I'm making a plan of what to sow this year, aside from early and main crop spuds

I went no dig last year and used woodchip a d cardboard. Very few weeds in the garden this spring compared to last year.

beggars_bush · 30-01-2021 9:19pm

SouthWesterly wrote: »

I went no dig last year and used woodchip a d cardboard. Very few weeds in the garden this spring compared to last year.

Interesting.
I have to dig it at some stage as I've to rotate veg

looksee · 31-01-2021 10:19am

We put down a substantial carboard layer under some fruit trees, and covered it with woodchip, completely forgetting there were daffodil bulbs planted in the area. The daffs have come through no problem!

deathbomber · 31-01-2021 10:33am

Weeded and rotavated 23 raised beds, covered until i fully plan this years harvest. Picked up an electric rotovator, best thing ever, doesn't hold charge for long but surprisingly got through all the beds in about 25 mins:cool: bring it on

beggars_bush · 31-01-2021 2:12pm

deathbomber wrote: »

Weeded and rotavated 23 raised beds, covered until i fully plan this years harvest. Picked up an electric rotovator, best thing ever, doesn't hold charge for long but surprisingly got through all the beds in about 25 mins:cool: bring it on

Where did you get that? And what brand is it?

jaffa20 · 31-01-2021 3:18pm

I broke my spade

magicbastarder · 31-01-2021 3:53pm

deathbomber wrote: »

Weeded and rotavated 23 raised beds

i hope it wasn't yesterday that you did that, if you had the same weather as we had in dublin.

magicbastarder · 31-01-2021 3:55pm

jaffa20 wrote: »

I broke my spade

i broke a true temper fork several years ago, with a level of force that shouldn't have been enough to break it. they sent me out a replacement (and better) one, as well a couple of sets of gardening gloves, some trowels, and a pair of secateurs, by way of apology.

jaffa20 · 31-01-2021 9:09pm

magicbastarder wrote: »

i broke a true temper fork several years ago, with a level of force that shouldn't have been enough to break it. they sent me out a replacement (and better) one, as well a couple of sets of gardening gloves, some trowels, and a pair of secateurs, by way of apology.

My one is ancient. A really long handle one that i like. I might try get a strong replacement handle for it because most spades are terrible these days.

magicbastarder · 31-01-2021 11:16pm

a handle replacement shouldn't be too hard to arrange.

SouthWesterly · 01-02-2021 10:26am

Garden too wet to do much. Got notification from fruithill farms that my seed potatoes are on the way.

10 kg CAROLUS Seed Potatoes UG:E (35-55mm)
Cert.Org.

10 kg Charlotte Seed potatoes non-organic untreated

10 kg Pink Fir Apple Seed Potatoes UG:E (35-55mm)
Non-org. untreated

10 kg Sarpo Una Seed Potatoes UG:E (35-55mm)
Cert.Org.

10kg BLUE DANUBE Seed Potatoes UG:E (35-
55mm)non-organic untreated

10kg SARPO MIRA Seed Potatoes (35-55mm),
cert.organic IE-ORG-03

ednwireland · 01-02-2021 12:27pm

wood chipping on Saturday, mulching fruit trees on sunday

the Stihl GHE150 i got before christmas has reduced the piles of branches i have all over the place (got another 6 40kg coal sacks full as well)

looksee · 01-02-2021 1:16pm

Just be a bit careful with the sacks of wood chips, in some circumstances they can heat up (probably not likely in this weather, but still). We had some bagged that worked up a fair bit of heat.

ednwireland · 01-02-2021 3:15pm

looksee wrote: »

Just be a bit careful with the sacks of wood chips, in some circumstances they can heat up (probably not likely in this weather, but still). We had some bagged that worked up a fair bit of heat.

thanks for the heads up !

Igotadose · 01-02-2021 5:38pm

Put a layer of builder's film on the one remaining bed I'd missed from the fall (still had a fair amount of viable greens in it so I let them go, well, now they're done.) Yeah, it's February and I'll be starting seedlings up for that bed in about 6 weeks, but never too late I guess. Fortunately it was pretty weed free, and I had been digging in the compost bin the last few weeks for usable compost, so I put a layer of that in place before putting the film on. Funny how chicken egg shells don't dissolve in compost worth a damn, yet pretty much everything else does.

SouthWesterly · 02-02-2021 11:29am

Just got delivery of my seed potatoes

SnowyMuckish · 03-02-2021 8:52pm

Not exactly started doing anything yet but I’m just after giving Dermot Gavin’s Gardening Together another go. I’m enjoying it more the second time around! Nice to have a distraction until I get outside.

I also ordered a new type of lavender that I never heard of before, lavender phenomenal, it can reach up to 80cm and is hardier than others. It was expensive at €20 for 1 but I plan to use it for cuttings, so it’s an investment!

As for this cold weather coming, I’m going to need to get out and fleece my garden. I had so many verbenas that came through last winter, I can’t see that happening this year unfortunately!

04-02-2021 8:30am

looksee wrote: »

We put down a substantial carboard layer under some fruit trees, and covered it with woodchip, completely forgetting there were daffodil bulbs planted in the area. The daffs have come through no problem!

Did you soak the cardboard first? I want to do this - cardboard and mulch - but my main concern is that all the bulbs I have won't come through?

magicbastarder · 04-02-2021 9:56am

i suspect the carboard will get soaked regardless. our back garden has been like a swimming pool for the last few days.

04-02-2021 10:30am

magicbastarder wrote: »

i suspect the carboard will get soaked regardless. our back garden has been like a swimming pool for the last few days.

True, I know that some people use old carpet with the backing taken off and bulbs are resilient feckers. I planted a few upside down and they still managed to find a way to the surface.

I'll probably go down the cardboard and mulch route in May after all the spring blooms are gone and as I start planting for the summer.

deathbomber · 04-02-2021 10:39am

beggars_bush wrote: »

Where did you get that? And what brand is it?

got it off Amazon, no brand name on it, 90 euro. Good for raised beds and allotment work in general, as it only lasts for 20 mins a time etc

looksee · 04-02-2021 10:22pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Did you soak the cardboard first? I want to do this - cardboard and mulch - but my main concern is that all the bulbs I have won't come through?

No, but obviously it got well soaked just about immediately! The daffs certainly had no problems. My daughter had weighted it down with some slices of logs just till it settled and one was still there. I asked her did she check were there any daffs under it, so she moved it and there was a clump of very pale-leaved horizontal daffodils looking very sad. They have since picked up and are progressing nicely!

05-02-2021 8:39am

magicbastarder wrote: »

i broke a true temper fork several years ago, with a level of force that shouldn't have been enough to break it. they sent me out a replacement (and better) one, as well a couple of sets of gardening gloves, some trowels, and a pair of secateurs, by way of apology.

My wife broke an almost brand new true temper shovel and they replaced it in the local providers.
Although the owner (whos a bit of a sack) accused us of "asking it to do something it wasn't designed to do"...... digging a hole

Frogeye · 05-02-2021 10:22am

BrownFinger wrote: »

My wife broke an almost brand new true temper shovel and they replaced it in the local providers.
Although the owner (whos a bit of a sack) accused us of "asking it to do something it wasn't designed to do"...... digging a hole

I got a kent and stowe spade as a present 2-3 years ago. The blade broke. cracked across the top of the blade just under where the handle finishes . I sent K & S a photo and asked for a replacement.

They asked me if I had registered my spade with them!!!!! Is registering spades a thing?

Eventually the replaced it to be fair to them. I was surprised it broke and where it broke to be honest.

Frogeye

magicbastarder · 05-02-2021 10:43am

was it bought from them, or from a shop?
the law says any redress is through where you bought it; if you'd bought it in a shop, they would have been legally entitled to tell you to deal with the shop. that registering nonsense is usually just market research with 'extended warranty' as the carrot to partake.

Frogeye · 05-02-2021 11:14am

magicbastarder wrote: »

was it bought from them, or from a shop?
the law says any redress is through where you bought it; if you'd bought it in a shop, they would have been legally entitled to tell you to deal with the shop. that registering nonsense is usually just market research with 'extended warranty' as the carrot to partake.

It was bought in a shop i guess... I got it as a present so I don't know where it came from and the man that gave it to me died in the meantime so I couldn't ask!

Anyway they replaced it but I was surprised it broke.

looksee · 05-02-2021 11:37am

I bought a Roughneck mattock - absolutely the best garden tool you will ever buy, the mattock I mean, not necessarily the Roughneck - and was amused to see the instruction to the effect that it is not intended for levering. At any level that is precisely what it is used for! It is absolutely brilliant for grubbing up bramble roots and breaking ground.

CelticRambler · 05-02-2021 1:42pm

That reminds me of the "four seasons" protective covers I got that included the instruction to not use them during strong wind, rain or heavy snow ... :rolleyes:

SouthWesterly · 05-02-2021 2:23pm

looksee wrote: »

I bought a Roughneck mattock - absolutely the best garden tool you will ever buy, the mattock I mean, not necessarily the Roughneck - and was amused to see the instruction to the effect that it is not intended for levering. At any level that is precisely what it is used for! It is absolutely brilliant for grubbing up bramble roots and breaking ground.

I had to look that up:)

05-02-2021 5:46pm

Very light trim of the back garden. Spring bulbs bursting out of the ground after a few spring like days.

Skill Magill · 05-02-2021 6:41pm

I'll be doing my parents garden for them and haven't a clue where to start. Its mostly pots and a raised bed (an old coal bunker filled with soil).
Can I plant things in the pots now? I'll empty them out and put fresh soil in them. Do I put in bulbs or just scatter seeds in them and hope for the best?
What can I plant now?

Complete novice by the way

I primarily cut the grass and thats it.

Any links or advice will be taken on board, thought this might be a good thread to post.

Thanks

I'll make a fresh thread for this

Today I did something in my Garden

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