What Did You Do In The Garden Today...?

[Tig]

Climbed in behind the box hedge and weeded, found two more hazel saplings in that area plus loads of willow herb going to seed I watered the troughs in the WIG, hadn't done them for three days. I found 4 more ripe toms but two had split.

[Barbara]

Started raking up the leaves falling from the sycamore at the back, found some seed pods so fewer seedlings next year, harvested the last of the purple Cherokee tomatoes, some still green but they can turn red in a shoe box, I've brought in a pelargonium to over winter in the back room, might work, and dead headed some dahlias, someone broke into the sheds on the allotments, they cut through our padlock, there isn't anything of value in there so nothing was taken, they were probably looking for power tools, we only have ones you have to work hard to use, IE forks and spades.

[Tig]

Who would have ever thought that allotments needed security measures! Hope none of the other sheds had anything of value to take, so perhaps the thieving barstewards won't bother coming back.

I put the agave americanas into one of the growhouses yesterday, they need to dry out before frosty weather arrives. Still got the begonia & dahlia containers to sort out but both are still flowering. Must clear the WIG once the brown bin is emptied today, any green toms will get binned I think.

[Ladygardener]

Sorry to hear about the allotments Barbara.

I've raked up leaves, a job I love every year. I've got big 1 ton bags that we'd gotten topsoil in a few years ago and use them. I've planted some new alliums out, done some more digging out and pulling up couch grass from around the big bed out the back and planted some old bulbs that were in a container.

[Tig]

I managed to clear the WIG this aft and have put everything in the compost dalek. There were a few ripe tomatoes hiding so I save those. Just need to wash the interior down as it is a bit green with all the condensation. I've spotted quite a few more patty pan squash hiding, must harvest those tomorrow.

Deadheaded dahlias and roses, they still have buds but may get frosted Friday night as the forecast said it could drop below zero.

[Jasmine]

That's such a shame Barbara.

I love raking up leaves too Ladygardener, all that potential leaf mould for free!

Well, the sunshine didn't last long so in between showers I potted up the wallflowers I bought yesterday and planted some bulbs. Now I just need some squirrel/mouse, vole protection!

[Tig]

I harvested the patty pans, only one large and four small but they will make a decent serving. Emptied the half bag of westland compost on the area where the hazel stump had been removed as it had sunk a bit with all the rain. Looks better again now

[Ladygardener]

Do you roast the patty pans Tig?

I love all the colours and forms of the leaves Jasmine. We let loads get blown in around the edges of the garden and onto the flower beds and borders and just leave them there but those on the grass are collected. I did a little bit more today, picked a few raspberries on my way down the garden and planted out the Leucojum bulbs along with some old bulbs I took out of a container. Thankfully we have no rain this morning and the sun is out, it seemed a shame not to do something outside after our grey wet days.

[Tig]

I slice and pan fry them in butter LG, with a little bit of garlic salt. I do the same with courgettes.

I've cut back the flower stems on both stipas as they set seed so easily here. The look beautiful in the autumn sun, shine like gold, but are a pain when they sprout everywhere. I've also cut back the echinops as that seeds everywhere too, although some birds will take them they drop in the garden before they get chance most times. Pruned a few branches off shrubs that were hanging over the paths again.

[Jasmine]

I've planted my historic daffodil bulbs that I got from Croft 16, planted up the bits of my FG order that needed to be potted up and emptied some of the scruffier looking summer pots and started planting daffodils, crocus and iris bulbs. I think if I get the daffodils etc sorted before we go on holiday the tulips can wait til we get back. Then, if my knee gets done around March I'll have spring pots to look at and will hopefully be recovered enough by late May to sort out summer pots.

[Ladygardener]

Sounds like you have it all worked out Jasmine.

I did some work in the wildlife area yesterday, I don't have to do much to the area but some things do need keeping in check. It was lovely being able to do it and one of the little Robin followed me around. Collected some more apples, must bake something this coming week.

[Jasmine]

Of course there is a heavy reliance on the NHS in my plan Ladygardener!!!

We have a very cheeky robin who demands mealworms with menaces!...he even comes into the kitchen!

[Ladygardener]

Aw that's so cute Jasmine. They do love their mealworms 'tho.

[maggy]

You've just reminded me I meant to wash and fill the bird feerers yesterday . I dug and weeded around the little border I made around the bottom of the wisteria , I cleared lots of crocosmia bulbs I don't want it there it grows over the path and is a trip hazard going into the greenhouse. I found about half a dozen hycinth bulbs so replanted them along with some tete a tete bulbs. Cleared a small patch on the back border and also replanted hyacinths I found there , I do about a metre at a time as anymore knackers me I need to sweep lots of leaves from the trees over the fence ! Mine haven't dropped yet ! The magnolia and wisteria plus Virginia creeper will be dropping soon !

[Jasmine]

I bought Photinia Pink Crispy (another odd name!) yesterday while I was out with mum. I dug a hole for it this morning but was getting too wet so it's just sitting in the hole in its pot at the minute.

[Jasmine]

Pink Crispy is now planted in its new home and I have planted all my daffodil bulbs - this of course relies on me not being tempted by any other bulbs I spot!

[maggy]

Just planted the last of the tete a tete and pulled a couple of weeds from pots, swept lots of half helicopter seeds,

[Jasmine]

I haven't been working in my garden this morning I've been working in the village hall garden with a friend. We got lots of weeding and planting done and Alan passed tea and coffee through the hedge. It is perfect gardening weather today.

[Dutchy]

I sowed Zwetchen pips. That is a wild plum that you find a lot in the Black Forrest.
21 pips, fingers crossed for 2 plants. Though for the life of me I don't know where to put them.
When they do come keeping them in a pot for the first 3 years should not be difficult.
By then I might have a plot again.

[Tig]

I've had a marathon session today, making the most of the sunshine. Lifted all the begonias, 8 containers full, and have them drying on a shelf in the WIG, which I also washed down inside first to clear any green algae. Only one tuber was a bit rotten so I've cut that and will see if it forms a callous before I store them. One tiny vine weevil grub found this year, that was a bonus as there are usually quite a few in the compost. Pruned back several roses and some branches on the cotinus coggygria which had crept along the border. Lifted an orange phlox and got 3 plants from it which I've but in between the 3 hydrangea paniculata where the contorted hazel was. I had saved a cutting of a tall white phlox and that went in the hole from the orange one. I planted the mystery seedling (which may be from RFs calycanthus chinensis) in a tall container along with a clematis little lemons, and found another empty container for a dryopteris erythrosora I've been growing on, just to make sure it is what it was supposed to be. Removed some suckers I spotted growing from the variegated holly then planted all the bulbs I had left, 20 iris hollandica symphony, 10 narcissus tete boucle, and 38 tulips. I've done too much, but I'm glad that all the spring bulbs are in and the begonias are out.

[Dutchy]

Got the pump for our little Brooklet out of the water and stored it in the attic in a box with water.
Temps are dropping and once the ditch water goes beneath 15 *C the pump needs to get out.
Time sure is flying, I remember lining the brooklet and putting the pump in like yesterday.

[Tig]

I've given the jasmine stephanense and clematis montana maylene which grow along the side of the garage a tidy up this morning. Cleared the sweetpeas and found a few dried seed pods so I've put them in a pot, they may sprout. Climbed in to the border where I had spotted some willowherb setting seed and pruned the ferdinand pichard rose that had gone mad in that bed.

[maggy]

Just topped up a couple of pots with fresh compost and planted pansies on top of tete a tete , and planted a penstemon digitalis huskers red ! Wonder why when it's white ?
Dutchy, I think it's been a very short season this year ! Don't know why.

[Dutchy]

Looks like someone has been label swapping then Maggy.
A neighbor of mine said she might as well only plant the labels and dream up the rest as it was much more certain as to what she has.
Conceptual gardening, could be a new hit with the non green fingered.

In with you on the short season. Did you get loads of rain at the first months of summer too then? Could be that lulling us into believing Summer hadn’t started yet.

[Tig]

I think it is called 'huskers red' because of the deep burgundy foliage maggy, the flowers were pale pink on mine so perhaps it is a cold weather thing getting white ones.

We had three weeks of summer is my memory serves me, one week in May, one in June and another in July, but it has been mostly wet. The water butts were never all empty, which is what usually happens in a proper summer.

I've had another good session as the sun shone again. Cut back lots of the peonies, especially those in containers, tidied roses, the honeysuckle, grasses, pulled weeds in awkward places, found nettles coming through from next door, got those out & his variegated periwinkle which was rooting on our side again. Filled the brown bin as it gets emptied tomorrow. I found spaces for 4 heucheras I'd grown on from cuttings and put a couple of tender plants into the growhouse. Got the auriculas out for a tidy and water. Removed all the saucers & trays from under the containers as they need to drain over the winter. I've fed the peonies with some chicken manure pellets, there are signs of new buds on some of them!

[Dutchy]

Buds on peonies now? yikes.
I found a lovely one at the fluwel website a white called Gardenia. White with the occasional hint of red. She is an old type but oh so pretty.
My problem is not having space for her.
Story of my garden when it comes to sun lovers.
Not that I complain for real as I get the best of shade lovers

[Missredhead]

I've done nothing for weeks out there..I really need to start pulling up dead stuff and cutting back...not to mention sweeping up the the leaves....

[Tig]

I had a productive gardening day. Tackled the rose London Bridge, it is mega vigorous and I took 8ft off it as it was hanging over the rear neighbours fence. I pruned back the spirea bridal wreath and choisya aztec pearl which grow in front of it, both were getting too tall. Decided to take the two main stems out of the decaisnea fargesii as it was over 10 ft tall and shading out other plants. I've left one stem which was thinner and not as tall. Did a light prune on the hibiscus syriacus Lady Stanley so the plants below it aren't shaded out, and cut back the weigela florida variegata a bit plus pruned out some reverted all green shoots I spotted. Brushed all the begonias to remove any surplus soil, bagged them up and brought them in for winter. Put a few tender cuttings I've been growing on in the growhouse and composted some lettuce that were starting to set seed. A cat has pooped in my newly planted contorted hazel patch, will have to deal with that tomorrow as I was too pooped when I spotted it

[Ladygardener]

Wow, you've gotten a huge amount done in the garden these past days Tig. I always sow sweet pea around the time of Hannah's birthday in the beginning of October, hope both of ours grow, I used saved seed to sow mine last week.

I've planted the remaining Tulips and some Heuchera I'd divided and grown on, did some weeding and dead heading. With the frost overnight I'm thinking it won't be long before the Dahlia blacken which is a real shame as they were slow to get going this year with our rubbish summer.

[Barbara]

Raking leaves and sycamore seeds from the back garden, dead heading dahlias, lots of things still flowering,

I have compost and leaf mould to spread when everything dies back, and today I'll be sowing onion seeds, I usually buy sets but fancied a different way this time, I need to read up on where to keep them till ready to plant out.

I dug out the climbing rose 'iceberg' it was bald all the way up to a couple of roses at the top of the fence, I have some honeysuckle cuttings to plant there and see how they grow.